Missing Heartbeat

The Visit

Cassidy smiled and yelled, "Tyler!"

She quickly went to the other side of the car and got into the passenger seat and he started to drive out of the parking lot.

"Oh my gosh! It's so good to see you" She hugged him from her seat.

"How was school today?" He asked.

"It was great. I ended up with straight A's!"

"Wow, that's great. Good job, Cass."

"Thanks, how have you been?"

"I'm good. I just got here about two hours ago. I saw the banner that you guys put up for me. Thank you."

"You're Welcome," Cassidy said excitingly.

Tyler drove out of the parking lot and was now on the road back home.

"How was your flight?"

"It was long. I took a couple of naps along the way, so I'm well rested now."

"That's good. How long are you staying for?"

"Um, probably until August or something. I'll have to find out, but I'm going to be spending the whole summer with you!" Tyler explained.

"Yayyy!" Cassidy shouted.

He smiled and focused on the road as he entered their neighborhood. He looked the same but had gotten a haircut. Not that he would have looked any different, but he still had his brown hair and blue eyes. Almost the whole family shared the bright, blue eyes, even Riley. Her dad also had bright, blue eyes, but her mom was the only one with greenish-blue eyes. It seemed completely coincidental that Riley had the same eyes like them, Tyler said it was meant to be.

When they pulled up into the driveway, they both got out and headed inside. Once they walked in, they were greeted by mom and dad.

"Hey guys," Mom said.

"Hi, mom! Guess what?"

"What?" Dad asked her.

"I got straight A's!" She jumped up and smiled.

"Wow, good job Cassidy! We are all so proud of you."

"Thank you."

Cassidy set down her backpack and jumped onto the couch. "Sit down, Tyler. I have some things to tell you."

He came over and sat down next to her and their parents sat across from them on the other couch.

"So," Cass started. "I want to begin by telling you about what happened while you were gone. I know you already know the whole story about Michael, Riley's surgeries, and the Hemangiosarcoma. So I'm going to tell you about Blake. Do you already know about how he came to our house on my first day of school?"

"Yes, mom told me over the phone after it happened."

"Okay, so after that, he decided to come back a while after. I was home alone and he threatened me and invited himself in..."

"Cass, why would you let him in?"

"I didn't mean to, he started to get closer and closer to me until I realized that both of us were in the house. Then he gave me a gift for my birthday and I said I didn't want it. But he refused to have me leave it with him so he made me open it."

"What was it?"

"It was a picture of him in a frame."

"What the hell?!" Tyler said.

"Yeah."

"Why would he give you a picture of him. That's just creepy."

"I know. I asked him what it was for and he said it was to watch over me. He said that since he never gets to see me, he gave that picture to me so he could protect me or whatever."

"Where is it now?" Tyler asked.

"Well, I started telling him how selfish he was and that no one in this family loved him anymore. Then he didn't believe me so I proved it to him by smashing it onto the floor and ripping up the picture of him. Then he got really scared and angry so he left and said he would never come back. And he hasn't since then."

"Wow. I mean. you must've been scared. I wish I could've been there with you, but you were brave and strong so I applaud you for that."

"Thanks, Tyler."

He winked at her.

"I also need to tell you about what happened at Starbucks."

"Oh yeah."

As Cassidy explained to Tyler about what happened at Starbucks. He was very cooperative and listened in on what she had to say. She still couldn't believe he was home with the rest of the family. All except Riley, she could tell he missed Riley but didn't show it as much. At least he got to visit her once before her death after his first year of college.

When Cass was done explaining to him about Lawrence. She let him speak about college.

"Yeah, it's going good so far. But, I do have a surprise that I haven't told you guys yet."

"What?" Dad asked.

"I going to get my bachelor's degree in August when I go back!"

"Oh my gosh, I'm so proud of you Tyler!" Cassidy went over to him and hugged him tightly.

"Thanks, sis."

Mom was the next one to speak, "So, how come you didn't get it today since you finished early?"

"Well, I am going to get it with everyone else. Just because some people finish early, doesn't mean they'll get it before the others. It's usually different in every college, but I'll get mine with all my friends in August sometime."

"That's great, honey. Do you know anyone who finished early like you?"

"Um, only a couple of other people I think. I don't really know them but I heard about them getting out early as well."

"That's nice, Tyler," Dad said.

Cassidy interrupted, "Well, to celebrate we should eat some of that delicious cake that we got for Tyler." She smiled and turned to mom.

"Will do."

They all got up and headed to the kitchen. Mom brought out the cake and dad cut a slice for each of them. The Readlins ate their cake while they talked for a while more. When they all finished, mom took their plates and set them in the dishwasher.

They all got up and helped clean up and Cass saw Tyler go over to mom and whisper something in her ear. She looked at both of them uncertainly and watched as Tyler came over to her.

"What'd you say to mom?" She asked.

"Nothing, it's a surprise."

"Oh, come on! Tell me, please."

"Well if you get into the car, I'll take you to your surprise."

"Really?! Okay!" Cassidy opened the front door quickly and got into the passenger seat of the SUV. Tyler came out after her and said something quietly to her parents before he closed the front door.

He got into the car and before he started to drive he took out something from his jeans pocket.

"What's that?" Cass asked him.

"It's a blindfold to cover your eyes."

"What for?"

"Well, we wouldn't want to spoil your surprise, would we? Now, let me put this on you."

He carefully put the blindfold over her eyes and tied it in the back. Then he started the engine and drove off. He started asking her why she wasn't driving yet and she told him she was gonna wait until after Junior year because she wasn't ready yet. When about ten minutes passed by, they came to a stop. He helped her get out of the car and they walked up a couple of steps.

Cassidy had no idea where she was. She was nervous but also excited at the same time. Tyler walked her a few more steps and stopped her. Cass was still trying to figure out where they were, but there was one familiar scent that caught Cassidy's attention; puppies

~End of Chapter 25