Can't Remember to Forget You

Chapter Thirty-Five

Cassie

I sat in my living room of my family home and cried with my sister.

Our arms wrapped around each other, we came together to put away the past and try to work toward a future. I had a hard time stomaching all of the things she had to say. I find most of it incredibly hard to believe. I haven't ever had body issues or been insecure, so finding out that that was how all of my issues began was especially surprising.

It stung my hurt to hear my sister cry to me, telling me how much pain she and my parents and the rest of my family was in while I was nowhere to be found. If the roles had been reversed and I had had to wonder where she was all of the time, just waiting for the call that she had been found overdosed and dead, I wouldn't have been able to be as strong as she was. I've always loved that about my sister. She is the toughest, strong young woman I have ever known.

Margo pulled away and wiped her mascara filled tears away from her eyes and laughed. "I am just so happy to have you back Cassie." She sniffled. "I never thought we'd have this back again."

"I love you." I told her.

"Oh, girl." She said. "I love you."

"I have to say though," I started. "I kind of hate what you have done with the house. You've turned it into a grandma house." I joked with her.

She laughed and stuck her tongue out at me. "Oh shut up you brat, I think it looks much more put together now."

"It looks like nobody lives here, where is all of the stuff?" I looked around the perfectly laid out room. Everything was put away and it was immaculately clean. "Are you planning on having Better Homes & Gardens come by to photograph it or what?"

Margo rolled her eyes. "I swear, you and Kyle both are bitching about that." She laughed. "I am a stay at home mom, if I don't keep the house clean and neat I feel like I am being a slob."

Good ole' Margo the perfectionist. "Well, it is beautiful." I admitted. "It's just weird because it's so different from how I remember." My smile faded just a little.

Of course Margo noticed the change. "I know how hard this is for you. We had the best parents and they loved you baby, so don't be sad. Can you even imagine how happy they would both be right now looking down on us, seeing that you've found your way home? Please don't be sad."

I straightened my shoulders and thought about what she said. I do believe my parents are looking down on us right this second, and I know even after all of the trauma I put them through that they would be happy for me. "Do I get to meet my nephew now?" I asked excitedly. I never even thought about being an aunt but now that I am I can't wait to spoil the mess out of the cutie.

Margo's smile was blinding. "Oh my god, yes!" She clapped her hands. "I want you to meet Kyle too. I am still everyday so in wonder that this man decided to make me his wife."

I felt a warm glow growing inside of me. I was so happy to be here, talking like this with my sister again. I hope one day I will have a life like this. A beautiful home, husband, kids. The way things are finally starting to look up for me makes believe that maybe one day I can have it all.

***

We spent the rest of the day playing with little Danny and socializing with Kyle and my Aunt Shirley. Margo had been right about Kyle. He was the perfect guy for her. He was tall and fit and he was a CEO of some big company that had just taken off recently. What I liked most about him was how every time he looked at Margo he had that same look in his eye that my Daddy had for Momma.

Danny was a whole other story. That child was exactly my sister. He had her blonde hair and big green blue eyes and a lightening bright smile. He was funny too, he could talk a lot for a two year old and he had gone all through his room introducing me to each and every one of his dinosaurs in his collection. When his bed time rolled around he had requested that "Aunt Cashy" tuck him in. I pulled up his blankets and brushed his hair out of his eyes to give him a kiss on the forehead. "I wuv you Cashy." He said sleepily around a yawn. "I shee you tomorrow." Then he rolled over and closed his sweet little eyes. I didn't know how much your heart could grow from having a little person around.

I went down stairs and joined Margo and Kyle in the family room. "You ready for some dance battle?" Margo asked kicking off her shoes and going over to the stereo by the back door. We used to play dance battle together all of the time, before actual video games came out about it. You turn on the radio and scan the stations at random and you do your best dance to whatever song comes on, then the other player does the same, then you have the judge decide who had won that battle. It was stupid and childish but we loved it.

"We have to wait on Owen to get here though." I laughed. "It isn't fair if the only judge is your husband, he has to pick you."

"Ugh!" She yelled. "But then it'll just keep being a tie."

"It always has been." I reminded her. "Mom and dad each picked one of us so we wouldn't fight."

"I know, I wanted to win for once." She replied.

I heard a knock on the door and went to answer it.

I opened the door and Owen's handsome face broke into a smile. "How's it going?" He asked as he walked in.

I was beaming. "Fantastic!" I stood on my tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on his cheek. "Thank you so much for setting this up. I will never be able to repay you."

"Just seeing you happy is enough." He responded.

I grabbed his hand pulling him to the couch and pushing him to sit down next to Kyle. "You guys have to be the judge on who wins this dance battle." I told him being very serious.

Owen was biting on his lip trying not to burst out laughing at how goofy we were being.

Margo went first but she had to do a slow country song, so we were all pretty much busting our guts watching her turn. When it was my turn I got lucky and got an upbeat song. It had a great chorus with the perfect rhythm for dancing to. Owen's eyes were glued to me the whole time. I knew I was a good dancer, I had taken all the classes I possibly could until I was 16 and started to focus in more on the acting side of theatre. Owen's smile made me feel like I was literally the only person here. The song finished and he stood to wrap his arms around me and kiss me deeply even though my sister and Kyle were still in the room. I was lost in him for a minute. We only separated because there was a knock on the door.

Margo ran to grab it and we all turned to see who was walking into the room.

"Cassie." His voice was warm and familiar.

"Oh my god, Trevor."