In out and back in love with you.

7. Can’t refuse a call for help.

If someone told Cassandra Donovan yesterday, that after seven years, Monica Rogers, would call her, she would have called them crazy. But here she was, so stunned that she had to remember how to breathe, what should she do? hang up the call? After all, Monica was not to blame for anything, but she was too close to... him. No, Cassie couldn't do this to herself. She had to hung up, that would be for the best.

- Cassie darling!! Are you there? - the high pitch tone brought her back to reality and remind her to hang up that fu**king phone!!

- Monica? Hi! How are you? - Damn it!!

- Well, not so good truth to be told, in fact that's why I'm calling, we're in deep s**t, so to speak, and we need your help. - Monica would have wanted to ease her into it but the situation was serious, and she couldn't beat around the bush

- We? - Cassie asked fearing the worst

- MTC, Alexander, me, call it whatever you want!! The point is that WE need your help- there it was, the monster under her bed, the Apocalypse of her Bible, and he was asking for help. Holy c**p!

- Really? Last time I checked, MTC & associates, did not require external business consultants. - Cassandra said unable to hide her bitterness remembering the last thing they told her seven years ago, when her business needed work the most.

- I know, I know but that was long ago, plus we both know that you are better than that, so you’re not going to refuse, right?- Monica knew what the consultant was talking about, last time they saw each other 7 years ago Cassie's firm was going through a tough patch, and Edward, Alexander’s business partner refused to give her a contract, Alexander could not contradict his partner's decision, not without facing his wife’s anger, then it hit her, Cassandra must still hold a grudge against the man who denied her contract and Monica was not above using that to her advantage.

- I don’t know Mon!!! I mean Charlotte is a beautiful place this time of the year, I don’t have good enough reason to travel. What's more, we both know Alexander is relentless, whatever is happening there, I know he's going to fall to his own two feet.

- Well, this time he's really stuck, we think they're scamming him, and you can't guess who the main suspect is? Listen: Edward Black, come on Cass, don't tell me you don't want to see the son of a b***’s head in a pike. - Monica took the chance.

-Ahhh, you're just sweet telling me- And Cassie meant it, the temptation to bury the asshole was too great to pass.

- Come on Cass!! I can pay you whatever you want, seriously, name your price, you know… your children are growing up and the teens braces are quite expensive... -Monica was about to give up.

- Hahahaha you're not even playing fair…ok… it's not a yes, it's a maybe, … but don't you think for a second, I don't realize you're playing me. -After a resigned sigh Cassie continued- Okay tell me exactly what we're dealing with.

Monica spent the next 15 minutes explaining the situation and Cassandra could not believe her ears, her Alex was stolen blind, not hers though, it was outrageous, not that being robbed in other circumstances is not, but still. After understanding the situation, Cassy seriously considered accepting, she was about to put her last available excuse when she heard Monica sigh and say:

- You see, He really needs someone to take his side right now, someone to trust while the worlds against him… - Hell!! She was killing her right now!! What else could she say? So, she reluctantly accepted and told Monica she would arrive at Huston the following Monday, in the meantime would send her a plan with provisional strategies and a list of requirements with everything needed upon her arrival. Whatever!! She would go there, do her job, get a fat check for her performance and go home, SIMPLE! Besides, they were still friends, or something like that, that's what friends do, right? She just had to focus on her job, one she was good at, NO, scratch that, one she was great at, so it would only be a few days, and she would end with it all.

As usual, when you want time to pass slowly it seems to speed up, and that's how the week went through for Cassie, throughout the week she took her little ones to their new school where they seemed to be happier than ever, Along with her team, delivered 3 projects and designated do-dates and responsibilities for all the advisors to deliver in her absence, then flew to New York on Thursday night for the conference and back home in Charlotte on Friday night to spend the weekend with her children. As always in her absence, his father Arthur would be the one to take care of her babies, she told his father the truth, well half-truth at least, saying she would travel to Huston, to see a new client and spend at least 8 days there, only omitted to tell him who that new client was, it's not that she wanted to lie to him, but she saw no reason to distress him, although they never talked about it openly the old man knew who and what Alexander had meant in his daughter's life, and, after all it was just one more job, just one more client, nothing special, this is what the consultant had repeated countlessly in recent days.

- Chelsea, are you sure your homework for tomorrow is ready? You know where mi number is, so if anything should happen you call me, and I’ll be on the first fly home…- It wasn't the first time she left them with their grandfather, but it didn't get easier to spend time away from her children.

- Mom!!! Is not the first time you go out of town you know… - Chelsea was her always self-sufficient hurricane.

- Yeah, mom, you can go to work, we'll be good, take care of grandpa, and you'll be back before you know it!!- Ethan echoed his sister's words.

- Ok squirt, but take good care of your grandfather, okay? He's getting old hahaha- Cassie joked with her children.

- Hey!! I’m not that old, you know? I can still punish you if I need to. - Arthur made his presence known with one of his usual jokes.

- oh oh, mummy is in trouble- Says Ethan with a serious face.

- Both adults laughed, and while Cassie packed her suitcase for the week, Arthur watched her curiously.

- Are you okay my love? - the old man finally asked.

- Of course, dad, everything is fine, why do you ask? - Cassandra replied nervously,

- I don't know, maybe cause, it's the third time I see you unpack your clothes and pack them back in? - Arthur couldn't hide his mocking smile this time.

- Oh, really? I hadn't noticed, ahm, I just want to be prepared for this trip, I hate when things get out of hand and I must postpone my return-. Cassie said, trying to sweep the matter under the rug.

- You know my girl, not everything is about work, why don’t you try to go out and distract yourself, you know, live a little? - Cassie always listened to her father, the only thing was, it’s been so long since she had taken time off that maybe she didn't remember how to anymore.

— God, dad I have two children under ten and a firm to attend, if I manage to have a whole warm coffee without interruptions, I'm living plenty. - she tried to say with humor.

- Well honey, think about it, Cristofer left us a year ago baby, he’s gone, and you’re still young, you must live again. -Arthur said carefully, he knew that after her husband’s passing, his daughter was not very interested in the idea of getting out there.

- Are you going to tell me the truth now? You have something in mind, don't you? -Cassandra knew her father as well as he knew her, he never spoke without a reason.

- Word on the street is Alastor Kane’s particularly interested in a long-term relationship with you, and I'm not talking about the contract you have with him...- Aha, there it was, she knew it!

- Dad, Alastor is a great man and a very good client, I would even dare say he is handsome and kind and educated, but my feelings for him don’t go beyond friendship. - Cassie said the truth is, she never thought of Alastor as more than a friend and a regular client at that.

- A great, kind, handsome and educated man, uffff, you could do worse, you know? - Arthur saw the small frown on his daughter’s face so he just shrug.

- Ok, you matchmaker, we'll talk about this when I get back. - At this point Cassie just wanted to close the topic.

- I'm just saying, he's a doctor, owns his own hospital and comes from a good family, in resume a good catch. And he is seriously interested in you Cass, think about it, I just want to see you happy. -With that Arthur left after promising his daughter to take care of his grandchildren. Cassie then tends to her babies, made sure they brush their teeth and say their prayers, and tug them in bed, read a fairytale with Chelsea and sing for Ethan, when she was sure they were fast asleep she dragged herself to bed, soon enough the alarm clock works her and reminded her, the day had come.

She waited for her father to arrive, ordered a cab, and went to the airport, she had gone through the check-in when one by one she saw her team consultants join her, the ones she would take to Texas anyway, four of them and not to exaggerate but they were the best members of her team, without a doubt the bests Cassie had ever had, two of them were experts in their own subjects, Erick and Sonia, and two more, Amanda and Anthony, she trained herself, While they were heading to the boarding room Amanda began to review the week's schedule with her, while the rest of the team talked happily but when they arrived Cassie stood still at the boarding gate.

Oh my God!!! what was she doing? She couldn't do this!! What was she thinking!!! No, no, no, she should call Monica and cancel, raincheck or something.

- Hey! Are you ok? You’re a bit pale- Erick asked her, he was always observant like that and was one of Cassie’s best friends. They knew each other since college and they realized how great team they made so when Cassie opened her own firm, Erick was only too excited to be a part of it, he also knew Cassandra had kind of a heartbreak during their student years, but never knew Alexander or even heard his name, Cassie didn’t want to talk about it, and she just focus on her study’s and buried her grief under as many books as she could find, so her old friend could not understand what was wrong with her.

- I, I’m, ahh - She stuttered then gave herself the peptalk of the year: Ok, enough!! Get it together you coward!!

Oblivious to her inner turmoil, the team of four looked at her boss, and before their eyes they saw her harden, straightening her back, she raised her chin and moved forward.

-Let’s go! It’s getting late- is all she said

While in her head lived a single thought:

!!Here goes nothing!!!…