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Cassie sank lower in her seat. “No.”
Laura patted her leg and then put the car into drive. But she didn’t pull forward yet. “You’ll be fine. It’ll be uncomfortable for a while, but I’ll be there. They’ll come around. We all want the same thing.”
“I know.”
“So, maybe ‘are you ready’ wasn’t the right question. What about, ‘Are you willing to do this even though it scares you?’”
Cassie wanted to say yes with resounding authority, but right now, sh
e could only nod her head. Laura smiled at her and pulled away from the curb. She turned the corner and drove a quarter mile down Birch Street. Their parents’ house was on the left.
The sisters had grown up in Savannah, but when Laura went to college in California, their parents wanted a change of scenery. The family had always enjoyed Charlotte, and it wouldn’t be too far from Cassie, so it seemed like a practical move. Cassie had been to the house a few times, but it’d been a while. She’d forgotten how quaint it was.
The Quinns owned a nice little white Colonial home with blue shutters. It looked clean and tidy from the outside, and Cassie knew without stepping a foot across the threshold that it would be the same on the inside. The gardens out front had been trimmed up for winter, but she could see how well her mother had taken care of the flowers.
Time slowed down as Laura turned into the driveway. Her mother’s red Camry was parked on one side, and her father’s silver Buick on the other. It’d been a long time since they needed an SUV to haul their kids back and forth from sports practice, but Cassie still found it odd to see both of them driving sedans.
Cassie’s palms began to sweat, and her breaths came in shallow. Spots erupted in front of her eyes. For a moment, she considered the practicality of finding her way to the airport on foot and flying back to Savannah.
Laura parked and placed another gentle hand on Cassie’s leg. “It’s gonna be fine. You’ll see.”
Cassie pushed open her door. Her legs wobbled, but she took two deep breaths to clear her mind. The crisp air alleviated some of her worry. Worst-case scenario, her parents didn’t want to see her, and she’d have to drive straight back to Savannah. But at least she’d know where they stood.
The girls pulled their suitcases out of the car and made their way up to the front porch. Cassie looked around to see if she could spot the ghost of the little boy. He’d been right next to the car when they had left her house back in Savannah. Had he traveled with them? She’d spotted him around the city a few times, like at the airport and her therapist’s office, but she wasn’t sure if his presence extended to another state.
Seeing him now would’ve been an odd sort of comfort. But if he was around, he remained invisible.
Laura stopped in front of the front door and turned to Cassie. “How do you want to do this?”
“Just knock.” Cassie was still breathless and her voice sounded miles away. “I’m just gonna wing it.”
Laura rapped on the door. Cassie stood behind her, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Who would answer the door? What would she say? How would they react? A million different scenarios raced through her mind until she was dizzy again.
But when the knob turned, Cassie’s mind cleared.
She stepped to the side just as the door opened, pulling her suitcase in close. Whoever it was, she wanted a few extra seconds to gather herself before she announced her visit. Laura shot her a look, but when she turned back to the door, a bright smile had replaced her confusion.
“Surprise!”
Their father’s deep chuckle softened Cassie’s heart. “What are you doing here?”
“We thought we’d surprise you guys. Hope you don’t mind.”
“No, of course not.” He paused. “Did you say we?”
Cassie knew this was her cue, and before she could talk herself out of it, she stepped into view. Her father’s gaze shifted from Laura to Cassie, and their eyes met with what seemed like an audible click.
Her father was a tall, thin man with silver hair and a mustache. His eyes were dark and gentle, and his face harbored countless years of laugh lines. He was the type of person who took refuge in the silences between conversations. He looked a few years older than Cassie remembered, but still every inch of the father she had idolized growing up.
“Cassie?” His voice caught in his throat. “Is that really you?”
“Hi, Dad.” Cassie’s eyes watered. “Surprise.”
Symphony of Bones: Chapter 3
The entire world paused while Cassie’s father absorbed his daughter’s presence. When he stepped forward with open arms, Cassie caught sight of his watery eyes. She buried her face in his chest and breathed in his spicy cologne. His embrace was warm and firm and everything she’d been missing about him over the last ten years.
He was the first to pull away, and Cassie was quick to wipe away her tears. He held her at arm’s length and drank in her appearance. “What are you doing here?”
