She is not bad

Chapter 83 : A nice present

The next days were like a dream for Jane. Her sister was back, her bond with Cassandra was stronger, and she was seeing Max every day. Mallory moved in her new apartment with Lana, but as she couldn't afford a babysitter, Cassandra told her to let her at home to let Mary or Cassandra babysit her when they could. The aunt explained Constance how to take care of a baby, like that she could babysit her too as she was always at home for now.

Max proposed Clarissa to live with her which she accepted. The apartment was small, but it was enough for them, they were too happy to be together again, far from their toxic families. Clarissa was seeing a social worker too. Sometimes she was coming to Jane's place to see her with Constance at the same moment, enabling Max to see Jane too, and sometimes Bev too who was giving them their lessons and homework they had to catch up.

But today was an important day. It was Saturday, and Constance and Jane were alone at home. Jane was cleaning the place while Constance was cooking Cassandra's favorite meal. It was their aunt's birthday. The woman was spending the day with her friends and the night with her family, meaning they had lots of time to prepare everything.

- "You think she will accept?" Jane asked with a weak voice.

- "Of course, it's Cass'! If she refuses, I don't know her!"

- "Yeah, I know, but still...I could have—"

- "Nothing, Jane. She will accept. Set the table."

- "Yes, sir! Come on, Cat, come help me."

Jane took the plates and cutleries and went outside to place everything, Cat following her. The brunette was stressing. She had an idea of a present for Cassandra, and she had been working on it for weeks now, but she was scared Cassandra wouldn't like it.

At the end of the afternoon, Cassandra went back home. Constance and Jane welcomed her with a loud "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" and took her in their arms. The woman had tears in her eyes, happy to finally have her two nieces with her for her birthday, without forgetting Dany, of course, who was in her heart. They went outside, and Cassandra let her two nieces take care of everything. They shared old memories they had together, especially between Jane and Cassandra, as Constance never had the chance to live with them before. But she was happy to hear all their funny stories.

After their copious meal, they returned inside for the presents. Cassandra opened all her gift wraps, always happy to have one. Jane and Constance bought her a new book, a new DVD, and a new CD, while Joyce, Mary, and other friends bought her a laptop.

- "Thank you so much for this, it was an amazing birthday thanks to you," Cassandra said.

- "Yeah, well, it's not completely over," Jane answered.

- "Oh, no, don't tell me there is more!"

- "There is more."

Constance and Jane sat on the coffee table to face Cassandra who was sitting in the couch. The two girls shyly smiled.

- "Um, we should say something before, no?" Jane asked.

- "Yeah, okay. Um, well, I didn't prepare anything, so I'm gonna improvise," Constance said. "I remember you coming to our house with your warm smile and your arms wide opened to hug all of us at the same time. We were immediately feeling safe when you were here. I know you did everything to make us happy and to save her, sadly, we had twisted parents who destroyed everything...When I...I wanted to end this in my own and finished in prison, the first thing you told me was that when I was out, I would live with you and I wouldn't have to worry about my sister ever again. I was relieved when you told me Jane was living with you. I knew she was in good hands. And, you never forgot about me. You visited me every time you could, you never treated me like a criminal, you never thought it was my fault—'

- "Because it wasn't your fault," Cassandra gently interrupted, with tears in her eyes.

- "Yeah, now, I know. Well, today is your day, and all I have to say is thank you for everything and...I love you."

- "I love you too my baby."

Cassandra stood to take Constance in her arms, both lightly crying. She kissed the top of Constance's head before sitting again. Jane sniffed and wiped her eyes before saying:

- "It's gonna be hard to do something better!"

- "Don't be silly," Constance chuckled, playfully pushing her.

- "I...I don't know what to say! The day I'll always remember is probably the day which ended the awful era of my childhood, the day when you took me out of that cell with Joyce's husband and you told me everything was over. I know I was scared at the moment; I mean, I was sick, naked, undernourished...I remember you taking off your coat to cover me with it before taking me in your arms and leaving this awful place. I wish...I wish I hadn't been such a burden for you—"

- "You're not, Jane. You've never been," Cassandra said.

- "Yeah...But it had been hard between us for a long moment. I made the worse decisions ever, I kept doing bad things, I even finished in prison! But, I don't wanna talk about me and my mistakes, I just wanna talk about you. Every time I was in a deep shit, you still stay on my side to get me out of it. You defended me body and soul every time you knew I didn't do anything. You got me out of prison and out of water. Every day spends with you is saving me more and more. I wouldn't be who I am without you, I wouldn't be like that, I know I would be a pathetic hobo craving for drugs if you hadn't taken me with you. You give me the strength to be a better person. I wanna change for me and for you. Because you deserve to live peacefully and to stop worrying about my poor decisions."

- "Aw, Jane...The day I took both of you at home, I knew I would be worried for you my entire life. Not because you made bad decisions, but because you're my family."

- "You're our family too. So, now, we can give you this."

Jane turned around and took a large brown envelope that she gave to her aunt. The woman took it with a frown and slowly opened it. It was papers. She frowned more and read it, but when she saw "adoption request", the tears came to her eyes. She was so overwhelmed that she was unable to talk. Cassandra was just a legal guardian for them, but she had never thought one second that they would ask her to adopt them, officially. The woman made movements with her hands to tell them to come closer. The two girls stood and sat at each side of their aunt for a tight hug with her.

- "Everybody is crying for your birthday," Jane sniffed.

- "It's happy tears and tears of love. It's just happiness. I love you, my babies."

- "We love you too," Constance said.

Cassandra kissed her two nieces' heads and rubbed their backs, happy to hold them like that. After everything they had lived when they were together or separated, they needed those moments of connections.