AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Cassidy Anne Blake! You are stronger than you know. I wish you could see that.”
She drew a deep breath. “And it’s not just Tate that’s bothering me. Daddy can barely look me in the eye after all this time. I think he’s ashamed that I’m his daughter.”
Maylene made a tutting noise. “Your father loves you. He’s never been ashamed of you a day in his life. I think he struggles with a lot of guilt since he’s the one who suggested you leave town. He doesn’t know if he steered you on the right path, and that’s hard for him.” She heaved a deep sigh. “That being said, he dealt with a lot of fallout when you left. The Lynches wanted blood. Your blood. Your father and I were the closest things they could get to punishing you. I never told you the whole of it. Perhaps I should have, but we didn’t want you to carry that burden. Led by Tate’s parents, some of the people in town circulated a petition to remove your father as pastor.”
“What? Daddy has led Main Street Church for almost twenty-five years. On what grounds were they trying to oust him?”
Maylene crossed her hands in front of her. “They believed he shouldn’t be the spiritual leader of Main Street Church under a morality clause.”
“Morality?” Cassidy asked, her eyebrows coming together in a frown. “That’s ridiculous. He’s the most moral man in West Falls. He’s never so much as—” Understanding came like a bolt out of the blue, and despite the fact that she should have anticipated this twist, she felt as if she’d been kicked in the stomach. Her throat felt dry as sandpaper and it took her a moment to process her thoughts. “It was my morality they were questioning, wasn’t it? Daddy was just the scapegoat.”
Tears misted in her mother’s eyes. “Yes, dear. Certain people in town thought you got off scot-free.” Maylene scoffed. “As if you didn’t suffer. They said it was immoral that you left town so soon after the crash. Some were angry that no charges were filed against you.”
“I’m so sorry.” She sobbed. “If I’d known I would’ve stayed and let them get their pound of flesh from me. It’s so unfair that they went after the two of you.”
Maylene nodded, her expression full of understanding. “We made the decision as a family that you should leave West Falls. Emotions were too heated at the time. Sheriff Keegan was threatening to arrest you, there were rumors about the Lynches filing a civil suit, Regina and Jenna were being interrogated. It was a terrible time.” Maylene shuddered at the recollection. “And regardless of what certain small-minded people tried to do, your father maintained his position with the full backing of the congregation, minus a few troublemakers.”
Cassidy raised an eyebrow. “What about the Lynches? Are they still part of the congregation?”
Maylene sighed. “Here and there. Not regularly, although the whole family does turn out on holidays like Christmas and Easter. I’m happy to sa
y that Holly and Tate are faithful worshipers though.”
Holly. Her pulse quickened at the memory of her former best friend, the playmate she had been best buddies with since grade school. They had once been inseparable. Sisters of the heart. A sudden image of Holly flashed into her mind—her larger-than-life smile, the big blue eyes, her dirty blond hair that she could never get a comb through—and it served as a reminder of all she’d lost. She no longer had a best friend. There was no one in her life she could tell all her innermost secrets and fears.
“I’m glad she’s part of the Church,” she said in a wistful voice. “That means she has people to support her and to see her through all the ups and downs, the doctor’s visits, the emotional turmoil.”
Maylene pursed her lips. “Congregations are wonderful support systems, but nothing replaces a best friend. I think you can be a help to her, now that you’re back in town.”
Hearing her mother’s words caused frustration to bubble up inside her, then overflow. “How can I help her, Mama? I can’t give her back the use of her legs,” she snapped, struggling to keep her anger in check.
Her mother gazed at her, emerald eyes flashing with emotion. “Oh, Cassidy. Don’t you see? Holly lost the use of her legs but she still has her faith, her family and her congregation. The one thing in her life she doesn’t have is you.”
* * *
Tate hadn’t wanted to attend Sunday service this morning. Although he’d gotten closer to the Lord in the past few years and rarely missed a service, he’d almost bailed on church this morning. He had his reasons for not wanting to come today. And every single one of ’em was tied to Cassidy. Today would have been their eighth wedding anniversary, if Cassidy hadn’t dumped him and skipped town. They would have exchanged vows in this very church. He swallowed past the lump in his throat, trying not to allow his mind to roam to the forbidden place.
If it wasn’t for Holly’s badgering him, he’d be at the ranch right about now checking on Fiddlesticks. His onyx Arabian mare was due to give birth soon, and he wanted to keep an eye on her. Although law enforcement was his calling, horses were his passion. He was devoted to them and spent every spare moment in their presence.
He had to admit it as he gazed at his surroundings. Main Street Church was a spectacular place to worship. With its stunning stained glass windows, Gothic architecture and burnished wooden pews it had a stately grandeur. There was no other place of worship like it. Sometimes he liked to sit for a spell in one of the pews when the church was empty. Just himself, the church and the big guy upstairs. It was during those times that he had his most deep conversations with the Lord.
As he followed Holly down the aisle he couldn’t help but notice the furtive glances in their direction and the electricity crackling in the air. Pure instinct had him glancing toward the first pew at the front of the church. Air came rushing out of his lungs and he almost stopped midstride. Cassidy was sitting with Maylene and Regina in the Blake family pew. At the moment he and Holly were making their way to the pews at the left front of the church, directly opposite the Blakes.
It would be the first time Holly and Cassidy came face-to-face in eight long years. He let out a deep breath as Holly situated herself in the wheelchair accessible seating next to the pew. He clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides. Something had told him that Main Street Church wasn’t a place he wanted to grace with his presence today. If only he had listened.
* * *
As Cassidy sat in the family pew listening to her father’s sermon, she could feel the heat of prying eyes in her direction. Although the townsfolk were still grappling with her being back in town, she hadn’t expected that reaction to extend to the church. Main Street Church was sacred. It had always been her safe place, her haven. And within its walls she’d always found acceptance. And love.
Could she really last a whole summer here? Would the whispers, comments and looks never end? She’d dealt with it the best she could at the church bazaar. Tate had made things a lot easier by stepping in and handling her hecklers. Nevertheless the animosity had still rattled her. It drove home the point that she no longer belonged. Not really.
Of course I’m going to stay. Mama needs me! And I need to be here to finally see things through. This time she wasn’t running away. She was just going to have to develop a thicker skin. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Wasn’t that the old adage? And she had to admit that the stares she was receiving today weren’t filled with malice. They were more curious than nasty, she realized. Perhaps they were wondering about the return of the pastor’s daughter and why she’d finally come home. She couldn’t fault them for that.
She turned to her mother, letting her gaze roam over her graceful features. Cassidy envied her. She always seemed to be at such peace. Even as she struggled with a cancer diagnosis, her mother was steadfast in her faith and in her belief in God’s healing. Today she was wearing an elegant scarf tied around her head rather than her auburn wig. It was close to eighty degrees outside, and her mother had complained about the wig being itchy on her scalp. Cassidy thought she looked lovely. Other than her fainting episode at the bazaar, no one would ever guess she was dealing with a deadly cancer.
The sudden buzz of whispers rippled through the church. What in the world was going on? She turned her head ever so slightly to the left, just enough so that she caught sight of Holly maneuvering herself down the aisle, followed by Tate. Goosebumps popped up on her arms. Tate met her gaze with a look of surprise and what appeared to be dismay. When Holly looked over, she felt her heart beating so fast she feared it would jump out of her chest. She braced herself for any sign of animosity in her expression. Instead Holly stared back at her, a hint of a smile on her lips. Shocked by the unexpected encounter, Cassidy turned away and stared front and center at the pulpit. She forced herself to try and concentrate on her father’s sermon.
“The power of faith is a mighty thing.” Her father’s words rang out in the church, resonating with conviction and the rich timbre of his voice. “It can move mountains.”
