Safe and Sound

Safe and Sound - Chapter 11

Chapter ELEVEN

I waited until Thursday after school to talk to my Mom about Rowan. As far as she knew, the last I had heard from him was that morning at the motel. I wasn't sure what she would think about this, to be honest.

   She got home early, while I was cooking some macaroni for dinner. Her smile put me at ease.

   "Hey, sweetie. How was your day?" she asked, setting her purse down on the table.

   "It was good. I wrote a math test. I'm still sitting out of PE. Watching the rest of my class run drills and play volleyball while my ass is on the bench is..." I let my voice trail off.

   "Oh, Cass. You'll be back at it before you know it," she said, touching my hand. "So, all is set for the morning? I have to get to the office by eleven, so I'll drop you off at school right after the x-ray."

   I nodded. "Yeah. Great."

   "That smells good," she changed the subject, nodding at the pot of pasta I was stirring. "Let's have dinner together. I'll do a salad."

   Half an hour later, we sat across from each other, eating. Rich was on his way home, so I knew it was now or never. It was sometimes easier to talk to her when Rich wasn't around. I felt like he quietly judged me all the time.

   "So... I have to ask you something," I began, my hands sweating.

   "Of course," she nodded, taking a bite of pasta. "Anything."

   "Well... a few days ago... Rowan got the flowers you sent."

   "Oh! That's great. Wait, he contacted you?" She looked confused.

   "We've been... texting," I admitted.

   "Oh. You didn't tell me," she accused me. Her eyes looked unsure.

   "I know. I just thought it was... he was checking in, you know? On me."

   "Okay." My Mom nodded, jabbing her salad with a fork.

   "So, he said he got the flowers. And he had to explain to his dad and his dad's girlfriend... who sent them. And why," I went on.

   "Oh, okay." She was still confused, her glasses sliding down her nose a bit as she waited.

   "So his dad made a big deal out of it, how Rowan helped me... and they want to invite me to dinner..." I finally got the words out.

   "What?" She looked up at me sharply. "Dinner?"

   "Mom, Fort Worth is only-"

   "Cass, I know how far Fort Worth is," she interrupted, forcing a smile. "But they are strangers."

   "Rowan's not. Not to me," I said quickly.

   She sighed, now putting down her fork all together. "How old is he, Cass?"

   "He's eighteen. He lives with his Dad. He works for him-"

   "Cassidy, I have to keep you safe. It's my job, and you could have died..."

   "I didn't, because of Rowan," I answered.

   She was quiet for a minute, thinking. "So, if I agree, how do you plan to do this?"

   "I was thinking... if you drive me... you could meet Rowan's dad, and Tiffany, that's his dad's girlfriend..." I started. Her eyebrows raised. "And Rowan could... drive me back after dinner."

   "Oh, Cass. I don't know," she said, shaking her head.

   "Mom, please. I have to sit out of cheer practise, it sucks so bad. Can you just let me do this?" I asked, hoping she would feel sorry for me.

   "I'm not sure how those two things relate," she answered, but smiled. "When is this dinner?"

   "Saturday?" I bit my lip.

   She paused. "Well, Rich has to go to Red Oak for meetings all weekend... so I supposed we could make that work."

   "Oh my God! Thank you, Mom!" I yelled, dropping my fork onto my plate.

   "As long as I meet his parents, and he gets you back here before ten," she went on.

   "Ten? My curfew is midnight on the weekends," I spat out.

   "Your curfew with Sonya and Kate, yeah. Your out of town with Rowan curfew is ten," she said seriously, then smiled again.

   I let out a laugh. "Okay, fine. Thank you."

   She nodded, just as the front door opened and Rich walked into the kitchen.

   I couldn't wait to tell Rowan, but first I had to tell Sonya. I had to make sure she approved. She was the cautious one, of the three of us.

   "You're what?" Sonya yelled in my ear that evening, after I told her that I was going to see Rowan again.

   "Rowan invited me to dinner. Saturday," I repeated.

   "But you didn't even tell me you've been talking to him."

   "I know. Honestly, I thought it was nothing. Just him being polite."

   "But? What is it?" she wanted to know.

   "I don't know. We had a connection. I know that."

   "A connection?! All you said about him was that he wasn't hurt. And he went to St. Louis."

   "I know," I said again. "His brother lives there. But he lives in Fort Worth."

   "Oh my gosh. So, you've been texting him this whole time? Almost two weeks?" she asked, in my ear. I could tell she was excited.

   "Sort of. Yeah," I laughed.

   "You like him?"

   "I don't know. He saved my life. And he came to find me in the hospital. And then before we left to come home..." I hadn't told her or Kate about seeing him again at the motel.

   "What?" Sonya was interested now.

   "I went to see him, at the motel. I mean, not how you're thinking. My mom was there. But I hugged him and he just..." I let me voice trail off.

   "Oh my god, Cass! You like him!" Sonya yelled.

   "Sonya... just tell me I'm not crazy for wanting to go," I said, hoping she would be board.

   "What did your mom say about this?"

   "She wasn't sure, at first. But she's going to drive me and meet his dad..."

   "She's letting you go?!"

   "Yeah." I couldn't really believe it, either.

   "Wow. Okay. Well, I'm happy for you. Just promise you'll text a few times while you're there. So I know you're okay," Sonya finished.

   "I will," I smiled.

   When I texted Rowan before I went to bed, I was once again so nervous. What if he changed his mind? What if he didn't actually want me to go to his house?

   HEY. MY MOM SAID SHE WILL BRING ME ON SATURDAY. FOR DINNER. I sent him.

   He didn't text back right away, but I was really tired so I fell asleep, thinking about him, hoping he still wanted to see me.