Page 15 of Finding Forgiveness

My eyes narrow. “Her trying to off herself?” I snap. “No.”

“That’s not what I was going to say,” he replies, frowning. “Who was she screaming at on the phone?”

I shrug, but I’m pretty sure it was her mother. She mentioned something about ruining her life during her rant at the hospital … they’re the same words I heard Cassie scream to whomever she was on the phone with. I use the tips of my fingers to rub circles around my temples. I have the worst headache.

Cassie used to confide in me once, but I know nothing about this grown-up version of her.

“Can we just not talk about it … it’s been a shitty couple of days and I’m sure my mum and my sister are going to bombard me with questions the moment they get the chance … I don’t need you breathing down my neck as well.”

“I wasn’t breathing down your neck, I was trying to be here for you.”

“And I appreciate it, but like you’ve told me a million times, we’re not chicks. We don’t do this deep and meaningful bullshit.”

He chuckles before taking a swig of his beer. “Right. I’ve been hanging around with you too long, you’re starting to rub off on me, Maloney.”

“Hah.”

We both remain silent while we finish our beers, and I’m good with that. When Mason holds up his empty bottle and asks if I want another, I nod my head.

By the time I finish beer number three, I’m finally starting to relax. “I’m going to try and talk Cassie into coming back to live with us permanently.”

“Hmm,” Mason hums.

“That’s all you’ve got to say on the matter?”

“Are you going to accuse me of being a chick if I elaborate?”

“No.”

“It just seems weird that you’d want her there. I can’t imagine it would be easy for you to have her around if you’re not together. I’ve seen the longing in your eyes when you look at her.”

“I have my reasons for wanting to bring her back and it has nothing to do with my feelings for her.”

“Okay. If I ask you why, are you going to bite my head off again?”

“No.” I’m still struggling to come to terms with what her mother said. I want to hash it out with someone, but not my sister. I can’t risk her telling Cassandra. “If I tell you something, can you promise to keep it between us?”

Mason sits up straighter in his seat. “It depends, is it going to get me in trouble with my fiancée?”

“Something happened at the hospital and I don’t want to discuss it with Jacinta, because I don’t want Cassandra to find out … it’s fucking with my head and I don’t know what to do about it.”

“What do you mean something happened?”

“With her mum. I left the room to take a call from Jaz, and when I got back she was in there with Cassie.”

“And?”

“She said some pretty fucked-up things, like it would be better for everyone if Cassie didn’t wake up.”

“She said that to you?”

“No, she was saying it to her daughter. She didn’t know I was there.”

“Wow.”

“I know right? How could a mother be so cold and cruel? Especially considering what happened.”

Mason blows out a puff of air and bows his head, staring down at the wooden deck. That’s when I realise what I’ve just said. Is he thinking about his abusive father? Or the way Blake’s mother treated their son before he came to live with him?