Killer Love

CHAPTER 6

Cassidy decided she couldn't wait till next week to see her mother. She needed someone to talk to and help clear the thoughts bouncing around in her head. Martha, her mother, was always the one she had gone to with her difficulties. And Martha had always found a solution. Whatever the problem. Cassidy was sure her mother could help organize her thoughts. And she also wanted her mother's opinion on Rose being the killer.

She glanced into her spare room out of habit as she walked by. It was so surreal to see the shelves empty. She couldn't remember the last time they had been so. After Wyatt's pronouncement, Cassidy had started freaking out. Which was a reaction anyone would have felt. To know the stuffed animals she had been receiving were from the victims, had freaked her out immensely.

Wyatt had done his best to calm her down and then informed her that he was taking the animals in for testing. Saying no didn't seem like an option, so Wyatt had bagged and tagged all the stuffed animals and took them with him. He had mentioned coming down to the station today to talk it over but Cassidy wasn't sure she could handle much more at the moment. She needed a break.

In the span of five days, her life had been thrown upside down. And the only constant thing in it was her parents. All the more reason why Cassidy had scheduled this lunch date with her mother. She walked out of the apartment swiftly and hailed a cab once she was on the street.

The drive to her parents' house was one she was accustomed to. After all, it had been her home for the past twelve years. The familiar white picket fences. The dads playing catch with their kids on the lawn. The family outings and Sunday dinners.

When she had first moved in with Martha and Leon, she had been surprised at the interactions between the other parents and their kids. Her actual parents had never treated her like that. There was no white picket fence. No playing catch with her father on the lawn. She and Rose were lucky if they were even let outside to play.

The cab pulled up in front of the house she now called home. It was a regular two storey. The kind any average family would own. There were flowers planted and potted all over the front lawn. They were her mother's latest obsession. The bright colours added to the homey feeling. This house reminded her that there were good people in this world. There were people that loved her.

Cassidy had her keys but she liked ringing the bell. She liked her mother opening the door with a bright, welcoming smile on her face. Her mother didn't disappoint, opening the door with a wide grin.

"Cassidy! It's been so long darling," her mother said, engulfing her in a hug.

Cassidy squeezed her tightly, inhaling the familiar scent of vanilla. Just the familiarity was already calming Cassidy down.

"It's only been about a week mom," she answer chuckling.

"It's been ten days, if we're being precise," her mother pointed out.

Cassidy laughed. Her mother was still getting used to not having Cassidy in the house. She had only moved out over a year ago but she knew her mother still missed her presence at home.

The walked to the kitchen together where most of their important talks always took place.

"How's work darling?"

"Not too bad. I'm trying to convince Lacy to take more orders for decorative cakes," Cassidy answered, taking a seat at the kitchen island. Her mother walked to the stove to check on whatever she was cooking.

"Cakes? Are you sure you have the time?"

"I do. Cakes are what I'm more interested in. The pastries are great but I want to design more."