AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

Chapter forty two

CASSANDRA KHAN

"Mary, I did like you asked. I served them snacks, enough before they were given dinner and now they are in the care of Elena and Josephine."

"Thank you, Glenn. Good night, dear. I will see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, see you tomorrow."

I'm back in reality when my name is called.

"Cassy, goodnight dear." I blink back in life. I turn to Mary and think about what she said to me.
Oh yeah, she told me goodnight.

I offer her a smile. "Goodnight, tell the kids that I loved them, for me."

"Of course." I nod and turn to walk out and figure out how to get home.

Do I call Aaron?
I have been staring at his twenty messages asking where I am and I can feel how worried he was through them. What he was feeling each moment I didn't get back to him.

"Get home safely,"
I turn and wave at Mary.

I sigh as I turn to walk out away. Today has been a lot of things I never expected but the most being not sleeping on the street.

"Hey, Cassy right?" I turn nodding my head at Glenn.
She smiles at me. "Hedrick asked me to give you a ride back home. He told me he was sorry but he had to leave for some emergency."
Oh my God, she is a darling.

"You would do that?" I ask feeling so bewildered but mostly grateful for her.

Her smile grows wider. "Of course. He told me where you live and it is not far from my home."

"Thank you."

"Come on," She ushers me in her car.
I feel glad that even though Hedrick ditched me when he was the one who brought me here in the first place, was kind enough to ask for a ride for me.

With my stupidity and being torn in the situation, it hadn't even occurred to me that I could have asked Glenn for a ride too.

"So, you are new in Jamaica, aren't you?" I smile when she asks that.

"Not like I am not, but how would you know? I don't look too much of a newbie, do I?" She chuckles softly.

"No, you don't. It's just the house where Hedrick told me you lived used to belong to my grandmother's friend and her family but being left alone and all had her packing and following her family to the States."

"Thank God," I say sarcastically and when she laughs, I laugh along with her.

"Don't be dramatic about it, eventually some people will catch up on your newbie vibe if you don't go out much and get familiarized with people." I nod my head.

"Maybe I should do that." She glances at me a little and I meet her gaze before she turns back on the road. "Yes, you should if you plan on staying here for long." The rest of the ride is in silence but not awkward.

The drive from Mary Orphanage to my house takes a forty-something minutes.
I smile appreciatively at Glenn when she pulls at the gates of my house.
"Thank you so much for the ride."

"It is no problem," She says waving me off dismissively. "Drive home safe." She nods and I step out and get out of her. "Good night."

"Goodnight to you too, Cassy," I wave her bye and she drives off before I turn and walk inside.
It's a little creepy walking through the drive-in by foot and alone.

I keep glancing at my shoulder like something or someone will come running to attack me but for God's mercy, I make it to the house safe.

I hurriedly walk in and close the doors behind me.