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My jaw tightened and I inhaled a deep breath through my nostrils "I need to see her"

"Felicia is with her now, but I’m sure she’ll let you see her later"

I turned and walked away, angry at the world Cassandra didn’t deserve this I wanted to hit soet to her It was harder to breath, my neck painfully stiff I needed soround floor and walked out into the parking garage I rested ainst a cement pillar and pulled out es froe fro’s fine here Mo as you needed I hope everything is going all right Luv u

I tried to shed, relieved I didn’t have to worry aboutto explain this He loved Cassandra

The next text was at 4:46: Just checking in Letback fro a deep breath, I scrolled to , it’s ht came as a surprise, but I really needed to see you I an I love you I’ll stop by later at your house"

Anger ripped throughthe phone in my hands I hadn’t e Oliver, her own son She was a e I was inbreak, when she entered ht it anted to believe it, but it was only lust The only thing we did right was create our son Soret

Natasha was in for a real treat if she stopped bythere over winter break and froed a s device back in the pocket of my jeans just as it beeped Frantically I pulled it back out There was a new text o ho?

It wasn’t the e I wanted Why couldn’t soainst the pillar and replied

No

Exhausted, I rolled rew heavy, pulling ainst o Fat tears escaped for the first time in years I wasn’t a crier, not since a child and even then only when I broke ht When Natasha walked away, I didn’t cry a single time I drank and made money That’s what I do, what I did before Iup at the clock in the ehed It was just after three in the ainst er,shut, until the double doors opened and Felicia Clarke walked into the roo toher expression Her posture toldI didn’t want to hear, but I refused to believe anything without seeing it for ht with everything she had in her

"Felicia," I said, pulling her attention away froan" She attempted to pull on a s herself together Her face was pale-white surrounded by bright-red eyes "Have you been here this whole ti her purse up her arm

"Cassandra and I have beco that happened "How is she?"

Felicia shook her head and looked away sniffling Tears were bubbled up in her eyes when she finally looked back

"She hasn’t woken up yet I…I need to go home I need to unpack and--" Her sobs poured out as she cupped her ht now I don’t want her to wake up and seefor her, but I just need…oh…I don’t knohat I need I don’t want her to wake up alone either but--"

I stepped closer and Felicia wrapped her arhtly for support She needed co to refuse her She was Cassandra’s mother and the truth was, it soothed me as well She loved Cassandra and for that I felt instantly connected to her