How Cassie Got Her Grind Back(Divine Creek Ranch 23)(47)
“The last thing she told me, several days ago, was that she felt tired out. I’ve been thinking about having her come to live with me instead of in her little apartment in the retirement village so I could keep an eye on her.”
Emma smiled. “It might be good for her, if you can handle it. I know she likes helping you at the restaurant. I’m interested to see her blood work when it comes back. It could be she’s anemic.”
“She’s had trouble with anemia in years past, I remember.”
“We’ll keep an eye on it, then. Did anything happen that might’ve triggered the panic attack?”
Anger flared anew at the thought of her father. “Yeah, Dad came by the coffee shop. He wanted to see Mom, but I wouldn’t let him. He’d just give her a hard time. Who knows what would’ve happened if—never mind.”
Emma pursed her lips and then patted Cassie’s arm consolingly. “How’s he doing? I remember you mentioning he’d had some car accidents.”
“Incorrigible,” Cassie replied, crossing her arms over her chest. “He won’t listen to reason and, as usual, he’s angry at me.”
He’d taken out someone’s fence and their gazebo—and totaled his car a few months before. When the EMTs came, they insisted on taking him to the ER for stitches. Emergency room physicians had examined him, and after listening to him tell his story, they’d consulted with Cassie about not allowing him to drive anymore.
The next incident had involved an outbuilding he’d struck on someone’s property while driving a borrowed vehicle, and then he’d driven away from the incident. Judge Woody Porter had gotten involved then and ordered him to stay out from the behind the steering wheel from then on. It’d made life more complicated since he lived alone, but he’d enlisted his brothers to help him get around. Since they were all retired now, it seemed to work out all right. Except now he was claiming he planned to go car shopping again.
She’d told him if he did she’d go to his house, take his keys, inform the insurance company he wasn’t supposed to be driving—and then call Woody if she had to.
“Hon, you can only help as much as they will allow.”
Trying to see the bright side, Cassie said, “Well, at least he walked in and out of the coffee shop on his own steam, instead of driving into it.” Then she told her about Dad’s other bright idea—that she should take Bill back.
Emma snorted. “I’m speaking as your friend and not your doctor when I say, if you do take that jerk back, I will band with Grace, Charity, Lily, Leah, Lucy, and all the others in kicking your butt.”
“Don’t worry. It’s bad enough I have him in my life on an all-too-regular basis because of the kids. I’d never let him move back into my house or my personal life. Cheating bastard.” She glanced up and down the hall, hoping nobody had heard her use such language.
“Good girl. And you know, hon…it’s none of my business how you and he make the whole family dynamic work, but with the kids out of the house and, for all intents and purposes, grown and gone, you don’t need to allow him access to your life anymore.”
Emma’s words brought the key he still had in his possession to mind, and Cassie thought maybe it was time she’d done something about it. He could keep the key. She’d just have all the locks changed.
“Let her rest for tonight and in the morning talk with her about moving in with you if you’re seriously considering that option. I think it might help Delicia’s stress level to have company and to feel as if she’s contributing, as long as it won’t interfere with your personal life.” Emma stopped speaking and looked her straight in the eye.
“What?”
“You know what. Just because you have aging parents doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to getting your needs met. A little birdie told me a pair of sexy, silver twin woobies are a-courting you. Is that true?”
“‘Courting’?” she asked with a giggle. “Woobies? You must’ve talked to Grace. But yeah, I guess you could say that. Samson and Ivan and I knew each other in high school, when I dated Samson. We recently reconnected.”
“Do they have any potential for the future?”
Cassie chuckled. “We keep trying to work out the answer to that question.”
Emma nodded. “Well, if you have any questions, my experience as the center in a totally hot geek sandwich is at your disposal.” She waggled her eyebrows, and the two of them both broke into laughter. “Seriously, if you need answers, I’m happy to help.”