Havoc

23 - Lunch with friends

Wynter

“I can’t believe my dress is ready!” Cassie screeches happily while placing her coffee cup on the table in front of us.

I’m so glad I got to be here with Cassie for her final dress fitting. I’ve missed out on so much when it comes to helping Cassie with wedding plans. I got a little emotional this morning, and Havoc thought something was terribly wrong with me.

I laughed and threw my arms around him tightly. When I told Havoc what was wrong, he smiled and told me not to be upset. He kissed me before saying I hadn’t missed the wedding and there were still plenty of things to help with before the big day. It made me feel a lot better about things.

“You looked absolutely beautiful in that dress, Cassie.” I take Cassie’s hand from my seat next to her and give it a squeeze. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you before now.”

Cassie smiles sweetly, and I have to wonder how she’s such a warm and kind woman after everything she's been through.

“You don’t need to be sorry, Wynter. You’ve always been there for me. Since the day we met, I knew I could count on you. I know things haven’t been easy these past few months, but I had no doubt that you’d be here for my wedding.”

A tear slips from my eye, and I laugh when Cassie wipes it away with her thumb. I’m an emotional mess today. It has a lot to do with Cassie and my guilt at not being here when I should have been. But if I’m honest with myself, seeing Cassie with her sister makes me miss mine. I miss Spring so much today that my stomach is tight with grief.

I never got to say goodbye to Spring. The last thing we said to each other was, ‘I love you.’ I’ll never know what her last thoughts were, but I know she would have been scared.

How could she not have been?

What I’ll never understand is why John killed my sister. Yes, John was a monster, but he loved Spring. He’d tell us often that Spring was the best thing he’d done in life. She was perfect in every way, not like me. I was my mother’s failing, and he couldn’t stand me. He once told me that the only reason he kept me around was for Spring. John knew it would hurt my sister if he sent me away, and by that, he meant he’d kill me, and he would never hurt Spring like that.

So why did he kill her?

He was evil, and no one was safe around him, not even his pride and joy.

I often wonder if Spring is in heaven with our mother looking down at me. I hope they know that I’m proud of them. I’m proud of my mother and the way she fought to get me the help I needed with my hearing. To this day, I still don’t know what Julianne had to do to get John to agree. Whatever it was, I’ll be forever grateful to her for all that she did.

God, my mom was so young, yet she was a fantastic mother. All those fears that must have plagued her were pushed away because she never wanted us to feel the same way. She taught me how to speak like everyone else, and she taught herself sign language from books she convinced John to pick up from the library. She then taught Spring and I, and we learned quickly.

I’ll never forget my mother and sister, but I have to move forward. If I don’t, I’ll only be living a half-life, and I know they wouldn’t want that. They’d want me to enjoy life and live it to the fullest. Until the mess with whoever those men are is dealt with, I can’t really enjoy my life. I’m too scared to hope everything will be okay. Though I can put my family to rest and live the way they’d want me to.

“I wouldn’t miss your wedding for anything.” I bring Cassie’s hand to my mouth and kiss her knuckles. She smiles at me. “You were my sister the moment I met you. I know you have three sisters of your own now,”

“You will always be my sister, Wynter,” Cassie cut me off. “Nothing will ever change that. My family knows everything you’ve done for me. They know how you took care of me at school, in the care home, and even on the streets.”

I look at Tonya and Chelsea, Cassie’s sister, and swallow hard. Cassie swore she’d never tell anybody what happened out there on the streets. I can tell that she’s told them everything, and I feel my gut clench.

“You don’t need to be embarrassed, Wynter.” I stare at Tonya. “And you most certainly shouldn’t feel ashamed of what you did. Only a true friend would have done whatever it took to help someone the way you did. You saved Cassie and her father, and I will be forever grateful for that.”

I don’t say anything in response because there’s nothing for me to say. I did what any decent person would do, and I don’t need to be thanked for it, though I do smile.

The girls and I order lunch and talk about Cassie’s up-and-coming wedding for a while longer. Cassie can’t contain herself and tells us all about her love for Cormack and how he first asked her out.

I find it so sweet how Cormack wooed Cassie with music and flowers. Even when she told the man that she didn’t want to date him, he didn’t give up until she agreed. Cassie tells me how secretly she didn’t want Cormack to give up. She wanted him to prove that he wanted to be with her and not just for one night. They hadn’t known each other for two weeks, but Cassie knew she felt something special for the big man. It was clear to everyone around them that Cormack was lost to Cassie the moment he laid eyes on her.

Cassie was worried that her father wouldn’t like her dating Cormack. But Gunner surprised Cassie with a smile and a kiss on her head as he told her that as long as she was happy and Cormack took care of her, he was fine with them being together.

I wish I’d been around to watch their love grow and flourish. I’ll always regret that I wasn’t. However, I’m here now, and I’m happy that I get to see my best friend marry the man she claims she can’t live without.

It’s funny, but she sounds like me and the way I talk about Havoc. Chelsea wants to know everything about how I met and married Havoc. So, the next twenty minutes are spent with me telling our story.

It’s so damn good to talk with my best friend, not to mention her stepmom and sister. I feel so comfortable right now that I could just hug myself!

Jesus, Wynter!

“Sorry, guys,” I hold a finger up to Cassie, cutting her off from what she was saying.

I know that’s rude as hell, but Zena is calling, and I promised to always answer her calls.

I shift in my seat and answer my cell. “Zena, is everything okay?”

“Oh, my God, Wynter! I need to see you. It can’t wait. Oh, God, it’s so important!”

“Woah,” My stomach is in my ass. Zena sounds so panicked, and my heart is in my throat. “Calm down. What’s wrong?”

Zena stumbles over her words, and I can’t understand what she’s saying. I’m starting to panic. I promised to be there for Zena whenever she needed me, and I’ve let her down.

Christ, I’m the worst friend in the world!

“I need to see you. Can you come over to the shelter? I have so much to tell you, and it can’t wait!”

Zena spoke so quickly that it took a minute to register what she was saying.

“I’ll be right there.” I end the call and grab my purse. “I’m sorry, guys, but I need to go.”

“Is everything okay?”

“I don’t know, Cass.” I kiss her cheek. “I’ll call you later and let you know.” I take some money from my purse and drop it on the table.

“No, sweetheart,” Tonya shakes her head while grabbing the money. She gets out of her seat and places the twenty dollars in my hand, closing my fingers around it. “This is on me,” She smiles.

I’m not used to other people paying my way. However, I’m not ungrateful, and I really don’t have the time to argue the point.

“Thank you. See you all later.” I blow everyone a kiss and race to the shelter.