Under the Sunlight

Chapter 5

Over the next few weeks, Cassandra and Max continued their friendship and Cassandra and Jacob forged a new one. They had spent time together as friendly co-workers, going out for dinner and drinks with the others or having team bonding at someone's place (and now she knew why Stone had stopped volunteering to host post Christmas). But this was different, yes it was mostly Stone coming along while she spent time with Max, but there was more to it than that. Talks on benches while Max burned off energy on the playground, evenings spent playing Scrabble or watching a more grown up movie after Max had gone to bed, and even a few grown up outings that involved the few friends that both had made outside of work. Cassandra was pretty sure that her friends Cathy and Tim thought she and Jacob were dating. Introducing Jacob to them was a good thing all around though, Cathy was a stay at home mom looking for babysitting with a son Max's age and the boys took to each immediately. Tim was a math professor and Cathy had been an art teacher before having her baby. So they all got on perfectly, Jacob having whispered that Cathy actually had a book he wrote on her bookshelf, which both flattered and amused him.

Cassandra wondered if was a good idea becoming so close to Jacob and his son. Max had a mother and Jacob seemed to still carry a torch for his ex. But she simply couldn't help herself. She loved the little boy and she liked his father. She liked this new friendship that they had. Even if she wished sometimes for just a little more.

--

When Baird had decided to give them all the day off, Jacob and Cassandra had excitedly made their own plans. He was to drop Max off at preschool and she was going to surprise the boy with an afternoon of one on one time, complete with dinner wherever he wanted to go. It was a win-win for both, she was giving Stone a day to spend how he wanted (which for him was indulging in the Library's vast collection of art portfolios) with the knowledge that his son was well cared for and Cassandra got a free afternoon with Max. She was in the Library now, they'd had a whispered conversation at the coffee maker where she cleared her plans for Max with him and then she was off working on her own pet project. Basically it was, as Stone finished his coffee and thought about another one, the perfect morning all around.

Except the clippings book had other plans for that day for all of them.

Cassandra was so excited for the whole STEM operation that he was pretty certain she'd put the afternoon with Max to the back of her mind. Not forgotten, Cassandra never forgot, but simply reprioritized. Max, on the other hand, was always Jacob's first priority. He'd fired off a text to Sarah as they were preparing to go to Chicago. She said she should be able to pick Max up but couldn't keep him late unfortunately.

During a quiet moment of the investigation, Stone pulled Cassandra aside. "Can you cover for me with the others? Sarah can't watch Max tonight and I need to call someone else."

She paled, "oh gosh, Stone, I was supposed to have him tonight. I'm so sorry. He's going to be upset."

"Well, you were gonna surprise him with dinner and all, so at least he won't be too disappointed." Stone sighed. "Mrs. Purnell? Maybe? "

"Cathy, try calling Cathy. I know she was looking for some extra money this month and some time with James will probably make up for not spending the afternoon with me."

"Yes, that's right, she asked me the other day if I needed her to sit more. Thanks, Cassandra. I'm gonna duck outside I think."

Cassandra smiled after him and let herself ponder the fact that someone walking by would have thought they were a married couple looking for sitters. She didn't notice Ezekiel who had come in time to hear Stone's last few sentences.