The Misfits

Cassidy

With school out, Cass recuperated some, being forced by her friends and family.

Robbie was doing okay, and Jaden had brought him over to visit.

Beryl came over, to both comfort Cass and to get her support as things proceeded and lawyers for the defense were trying to portray her as someone who slept around and basically asked for what happened.

Cass expected this, but it still outraged her, and she was very vocal in defending Beryl.

No real progress was made with David the Drugger, so Cass finally had enough. Setting down with Gemma, Jaden, Wanda, and Myra, she told them that she was going to look into the address she was given.

“I’m going too,” Myra said.

Cass shook her head. “I want you to stay here.”

Myra was about to protest, but Cass said, “I want you to protect mom and the house. Plus, if we get in trouble, you’ll be here to do it. Gemma too, but I’d like you to go with, just not all the way. You’ll be the one to make sure we come out. If not, you get Myra and come get us.”

“Who’s us then?” Gemma asked.

“I still look terrible. Jaden is still kinda scratched up. So, we fit a story I came up with,” Cass said.

“If Jaden is going, I’m coming too,” Wanda said.

“I’m not sure how to explain you,” Cass said.

“I’m sure Jaden can do something with make-up. Bruises or something if that’s what you’re going for,” Wanda told her. “Plus, I’ll be able to help if something happens.”

Cass gave in. “Fine. I just don’t want either of you taking any chances. If things go south, I want you to get out of there.”

They both nodded in agreement.

“You sure you want to do this? I know your ribs still hurt,” Gemma said.

“I’ll manage. And it’ll make what I have in mind more believable.”

“So, when do you plan to do this?” Jaden asked.

“I was thinking, this weekend. We take a little trip, since the address is near the border of South Carolina. It’s a town called Stricton. I looked it up and got directions. It should take four to five hours to get there. So, say five hours there and back. And a few hours there, that’s twelve hours or so. If we leave after breakfast, we can be back before nighttime news,” Cass told them.

Once they agreed, Cass explained her idea. While plans were always based on unknown factors, Cass hoped hers would work.

Since school was out, Cass suggested another little get together, inviting the group from before, and including Beryl, for the Friday before they left.

Cass, Jaden, and Gemma made calls, inviting their dates and friends. Everyone said yes and Beryl was surprised Cass invited her.

“Why? You’re part of our group now. They think of us as the Misfits, but we’re not. We’re the strong underdogs. The broken that refuse to give up. The survivors. That’s who we are, and who we’ll stay. So, I expect to see you here Friday, bright and early.”

People started showing up around ten am on Friday, coming in, changing, and going back out to lay in the sun or to swim.

Jessie helped Gemma setup poles and a volleyball/badminton net.

Frankie challenged anyone and everyone to matches. Myra stayed near Alex as usual but was more social with everyone since she knew them.

Wanda, who was wearing a jade green bikini Jaden had gotten her (because it matched her eyes), stuck around Jaden mostly, and Cass worried about her.

She and Jaden tended to be the odd people out as everyone else there had dates.

Beryl was the last to arrive and looked shy when Cassidy answered the door, like she was doing something she shouldn’t be doing.

Cass welcomed her in, hugging her. Beryl was wearing a white cotton summer dress and holding a small purse. “Well, you look ready,” Cass said.

“Ready?” Beryl asked.

“To swim. Do you have your suit on under the dress?”

’Oh. Um, I forgot to bring it,” she said.

Cass raised an eyebrow. “Well, this was kind of a swim party. Did you plan to swim in your underclothes or skinny dip?” Cass asked, teasing.

“No,” Beryl said, serious. “If that got out, I would look bad. Worse.”

“I was joking. Lighten up,” Cass said putting an arm around the girl. “We’re about the same size, so you can borrow one of mine. It might be kind of snug up top, but not too bad.”

Beryl didn’t comment.

Cass took her out back, and everyone greeted her, and she kind of felt out of place. These were all people, who, a few weeks prior, were on very unfriendly terms with her. It wasn’t their fault, she knew, she was the one who acted like a bitch.

Since Beryl had only been there to see Cass, Cass showed her around outside and inside, ending in Cass’s bedroom. She pulled open a dresser drawer full of one- and two-piece swimsuits.

Unless you swam in the nude, it was a requirement, living on the water.

“Take your pick,” Cass told her. “You can change in here, or the bathroom if you prefer,” she said pointing. “No one will come through.”

Cass left her and went back downstairs. Harley met her with a ball in his mouth. She laughed, taking the ball, and tossing it for him. They played fetch for a while, while waiting for Beryl to come down.

Cass had kind of lost track of time, and when she got tired of playing fetch, she looked around for Beryl, thinking she had just missed her.

Not seeing her anywhere, she went back inside and up to her room. The door was still closed, so Cass knocked lightly. There was no answer after several seconds, so Cass slowly opened the door, peeking in.

She didn’t see Beryl inside. The drawer with the swimsuits was still open, but the bathroom door was closed.

Cass went into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. She knocked on the bathroom door and got no answer, so she opened it and looked in.

Beryl sat in her bra and panties, slumped over sideways into the sink.

Cass saw red on the top of her thigh, running over both sides of her leg, into the toilet to the right and onto the floor between the toilet and shower on the left.

She rushed in, grabbing a washcloth, and folding it in thirds before putting it on Beryl’s thigh and pressing down.

Cass looked down at the floor to try to judge how much blood the girl had lost. It was a lot, but not enough to be life threatening, she thought.

Cass pulled the washcloth off Beryl’s leg and could see the cut. Blood slowly welled up and ran over the side of her leg again.

Cass threw the washcloth into the sink and grabbed another, folding it and pressing it down into the bleeding wound.

She focused on pressing down using her power and ran into her bedroom. Doing the only thing she could think of, she took a page out of Lyle’s book of tricks and grabbed a tube of superglue.

It was quicker and less painful than trying to stitch it up.

She went back into the bathroom and opened the tube. Pressing hard before pulling off the washcloth, she got a better view of the length and depth of the cut. Blood still welled up, albeit slower this time.

Cass grabbed yet another washcloth and applied it like the others, tossing the used one with the last, in the sink.

Pressing down hard, Beryl moaned, and Cass pulled off the cloth and ran a line of glue into the wound.

Using her power was easier than her hands to close the wound, pressing each side together.

The burning of the glue and the pain of the pressure caused Beryl to sit up wide-eyed and start to scream.

Cass slapped an invisible hand over her mouth, not to stop her from breathing like the others before, but to mute the scream, because she had to grab the girl’s hands to stop her from grabbing at her leg, opening the cut back up.

Even with the glue and the pressure, it was still bleeding a little.

Cass let up on her mouth when she stopped trying to scream.

Beryl looked down at Cass, who still had a hold of her hands and paled even more than she already was.

Cass said in a very stern tone, “Mind explaining to me why you’re in my bathroom, nearly naked, trying to bleed to death? Is this an attempt to get back at me? Come to my house, and kill yourself? If so, you missed the femoral artery by a mile.”

Cass had already noticed several other thin scars on both thighs, most still healing, and none older than a few months, she guessed.

Beryl let out a sob that Cass didn’t try to muffle it, as she said, “It’s not like that. I… I wasn’t trying to kill myself.”

“Well, you did a pretty good job of overachieving if that’s the case. My bloody floor and poor washcloths tell a different story.”

Beryl looked down at the floor and turned kind of green.

“Don’t you dare puke on me,” Cass warned.

“What did you do?” Beryl asked, looking at her leg.

“I’m not sure I want to give you my secret. If I make it easier for you to do this again, I’d hate myself.”

“I’m sorry,” she said in a small voice, full of shame and sorrow.

Cass gave in, not really mad as much as upset that she cut herself. “An old trick I learned several years ago… The hard way. Superglue. Works wonders. If I leave you for a second, you promise me not to try to off yourself?”

Beryl nodded.

Cass went into her room and came back two minutes later wearing a camisole and her swimsuit rolled down to her belly.

Beryl hadn’t moved and looked at Cassidy. She saw the bruises still dark and ugly on her right side. But this wasn’t what Cass had in mind for her to see.

“Only a handful of people even know about this, much less the story behind it,” Cass said pulling her suit down on her right hip. The rough pink scar that marked were a bullet carved a furrow into her flesh could clearly be seen.

“A few years ago I was kidnapped. So was Gemma and another friend of ours. We managed to escape the people holding us, and some strangers – now our close friends – helped us get home. Well, to my home originally. Not far from here, in a little clearing, we thought we were safe but were ambushed by the kidnappers. I was shot. Again, as a matter of fact. The first time in my hip on our way home. It was in North Carolina. The second time, in my cheek, was maybe a hundred yards from where we are now.

“I’m lucky I didn’t die. Twice. They certainly tried. So, I know how it feels to be hurt. I was told they killed my mom when they took me. I still fought to come home, even if it was to an empty house.

“My friend Rudi was shot in the leg as well. He still walks with a limp. So, it really hurt when you made fun of my scar. You had no idea what I went through to end up with scars instead of a casket.

“I saw the video. I know you were hurt, even if you don’t remember it. Your scars are like mine and Gemma’s – on the inside.

“The ones that no one sees, except for us, and those haunt us. By the looks of your legs, you’ve been cutting yourself since it happened. Your body – your mind – knew something happened and I’m betting you’re hurting inside and cutting made the pain go outside. But it only helps for so long. So why today?”

Beryl couldn’t look Cass in the eye. “I hurt and you all are so nice to me after all I’ve done to you. I… I came and wasn’t going to swim. Everyone would see my legs. But you, being nice, insisted. I couldn’t think of a way to say no, and I couldn’t face all of you looking like this. I didn’t know what to do and panicked. I cut myself. Too much it seems. I guess I passed out and might have bled to death if you haven’t come in.”

Cass shook her head. “Not unless I left you here for a long time. It was deep, but like I said, you missed the artery. Can you stand, do you think?”

“If you help me.”

Cass took her hands and helped her stand. Beryl used Cass for support. Cass stood there, letting Beryl get her legs under herself. She steadied, then touched Cass’s scarred hip. Her fingers ran across the scar, feeling the keloid tissue. It was a gentle touch.

Her hand lifted and went to Cass’s cheek, running a finger along that scar. The touches were so light, Cass got nervous that Beryl might try to kiss her or make a pass at her.

Instead, Beryl said, “Thank you.”

Confused, Cass asked, “For what?”

“For trying to save my soul. For telling me the truth. For sticking up for me and fighting for me, even though you didn’t like me. For being my friend when you didn’t have to. For telling me your secret. For not giving up on me when I’d given up on myself. For not letting me bleed to death.”

Beryl put her arms around Cass and hugged her gently, care of her bruised ribs. Her leg started to give out and Cass took up her weight.

“Okay, sit. Let’s get you patched up.” Cass lowered her back to the toilet. She turned and started pulling open drawers under the sink until she found what she was looking for.

Grabbing another washcloth, she wet it and cleaned off Beryl’s leg. Then she opened the package of a menstrual pad.

Beryl looked at her, then looked down. “Um, I don’t think I need that.”

“Sure you do. This is going to do exactly what it was made for, only a different location,” Cass said laying it across the cut. Blood was still beading along the cut, but it had mostly stopped thanks to Cassidy’s quick thinking.

She helped Beryl stand once again and used a roll of gauze to go around the whole leg to keep the pad in place.

“There,” she said sitting Beryl again.

Cass stood and picked up the small razor blade off the counter. “I’m taking this. I realize that you have others, or can easily get more, but I’m hoping you’ve learned your lesson, and this won’t happen again. You have support. Use it, not these,” Cass said holding the razor up.

’Don’t move,” Cass said, tossing the blade into the trash as she walked out of the bathroom.

When she came back, her swimsuit was back in place, and she had a modest two-piece bikini in her hand. “Let’s get you into this, and outside with friends.”

Beryl hesitated. Cass eyed the girl. “You forget I’ve already seen you naked already? I’m not here to ogle you or to try anything. If you think you can stand and bend and keep your balance, then here,” she said, holding the bikini out.

Beryl sighed. “Fine.”

Cass helped her stand, had her lean and use the sink to put her weight on. She pulled Beryl’s panties carefully over the bandage and then had the girl step out of those and into the bottoms, which she pulled up carefully as well.

Cass let Beryl put on the top herself, then she helped Beryl sit.

“What about all the blood?” Beryl asked.

“I’ll take care of it later.”

“But –”

“No buts. I’ll deal with it.” Cass picked up Beryl’s underclothes and set them on the counter. “Let’s go,” she said, helping Beryl up, then helping her walk.

Quietly, while they were walking, Beryl said, “Everyone will know what I’ve done.”

“They will. Because you’re going to tell them.”

Beryl stopped, shaking her head. “No. No, no, no.”

“Yes. They are your friends. They will support you too. That’s what you need, and you need to see what you have. Because right now, you think you don’t have anything.”

Cass tugged and Beryl let herself be helped along. When they walked outside, Harley came over and sniffed at Beryl’s leg without actually touching it.

“Watch. Protect,” Cass said to him in German. He sat to acknowledge the command. Cass didn’t use much of the German commands she learned, nor really commanded Harley, so he knew this was important.

Cass let out a shrill whistle, causing everyone to look at them.

Beryl turned red.

The kids gathered, except for Myra and Alex, who were off on an adventure, and looked at the two girls.

“Everyone,” Cass began, “you all know what Beryl has been through. It’s been in the news and papers. I know firsthand, it’s worse than you can imagine. And Beryl’s been a trooper, standing up for herself to right the wrong against her. She has her friends, and she has us, also her friends.

“That being said however, she’s decided to take a different route to try to deal with the pain. She’s been cutting herself, and as you can now see, instead of talking to any of us. So, I want her, and everyone here to know that she can call me, or get me, or whatever, at any time, to talk, to vent, to cry, for a hug, or whatever she needs in order to not further harm herself.

“Enough harm has come to her already. It’s time to heal. So, if anyone else is willing to be there, speak up and et her know, so she knows she’s not alone in this.”

Everyone around said something along the lines of ‘yes’, ‘me’, or ‘me too.’

Wanda handed her a pink flower that no one noticed but Cass, that grew in her hand.

Beryl had tears in her eyes from all of the friendship and concern everyone was showing.

Once she knew everyone was there for her, they went back to what they were doing. When no one was watching, Cass moved a chair behind them, and helped Beryl sit.

“No swimming today. At least not in the river. We don’t want to risk infection. But you can go into the hot tub when you want,” Cass told her.

She went and got another chair, and sat next to Beryl, and Harley sat on the other side of Beryl.

Beryl leaned over to pet the dog. “He’s a nice dog.”

“He is. Want something to drink?” Cass asked.

“Sure.”

Cass got up, disappeared for a few minutes, and came back with a soda and a pill for Beryl. “Figured you might hurt. It’s nothing but an oversized aspirin, but it’ll help. It’s what the hospital gave me.”

“Don’t you need it?”

“Naw, I’ve been shot. Some bruised ribs are nothing.”

Beryl laughed and took both.

The two – three if you counted Harley – watched the others swim.

“You can go join them you know. You don’t need to babysit me. I promise I won’t do anything stupid,” Beryl told her.

“It’s okay. Tell you what, let’s go into the hot tub. That way you get to kind of swim.”

Call pulled her up against her protests and walked them back to the patio.

Harley followed, laying in his bed, watching.

Cass turned on the hot tub, and helped Beryl in. They sat together and Beryl took her hand. “Are you always this nice?”

“No. Just ask… anyone.”

Beryl laughed. “I don’t believe it. It seems too natural.”

“Fine. You got me. I didn’t used to be. I learned it from my friends Lyle and Maggie. Gemma. My friend Rudi. Myra. Other people’s kindness has a way of showing you your own flaws. You think you’re nice but when you tell someone to hide because the bad guys are looking for you, not her, and instead of hiding herself, she fiercely stands by your side when you ignore her, ignoring the obvious danger to herself, makes you think.

“If the roles were reversed, would you have done the same? You might think you would. You hope you would. But would you really? Would you actually die for someone else? Someone you might not even know. You know you have a true friend if they would.”

“Someone did that for you?”

“Yes. My stepsister Myra. When those bad men cornered me in a mall, Myra helped me. Then the bad guys came, and I told her to hide. They didn’t know she was there. She would have been perfectly safe if she hid. But she didn’t.

“When they came, she stood by my side, ready to protect me, or fight with me.”

“And what happened?” Beryl asked.

“Let’s just say I was better at protecting myself than they were at capturing me and I got away.”

“And how did Myra end up here?” Beryl asked.

“She was homeless. My mom was a foster mother to Gemma, so I asked her if she’d help out Myra, and she did. At some point, she’ll probably try to adopt both of them.”

Robbie came into the patio and stopped, looking at the two girls sitting together. “Am I interrupting something?” he asked.

“Nope. Join us,” Cass said.

Beryl tried to move but Cass kept ahold of her hand. Robbie sat to Cass’s side, putting his food under her leg. “So what did I interrupt?”

“We were talking about friends,” Cass told him.

“Ah. Like your sister,” he said. “Jaden told me that Myra pretty much single handedly rescued both of us in the accident. The truck tipped the van on its side. Jaden was dazed and Myra managed to get her door open, how I can’t imagine since the whole side was smashed in, them pulled Jaden out. Then she somehow pulled the two of us out, all by herself. So, I owe her. For both of us.”

Cass looked at Beryl. “See what I mean?”

Cass hadn’t asked and no one told her what had happened. She wasn’t surprised at Myra’s courage, her compassion, or her tenacity.

Cass was probably the only one who knew that Myra possessed the strength to do what she did. She had seen pictures of the van Jaden took for insurance purposes, and it looked like the fire department had used the jaws of life on the doors. Metal was twisted outwards, not inwards as the truck had pushed it.

Cass wondered why Myra never told her what she had done. Myra wasn’t one to brag or seek gratitude for something she thought was right, which was probably why. She couldn’t forget to let Myra know how much it meant to her.

The subject was changed to what they had planned for over the summer. Beryl wasn’t sure when she’d be needed for the legal proceedings, but she had a trip planned in two weeks to go visit a cousin in Kentucky.

Robbie had nothing planned expect to play tennis, relax, and see Cassidy as much as he could.

Cassidy told them she was supposed to have already left to go visit her friends Lyle and Maggie Clark and their daughter Issy. Gemma, Myra, and she had planned on going to North Carolina and second two weeks with them, but the accident had postponed their plans. Once Cassidy healed a little bit more, they would go.

Cass’s mom walked out and told Cass it was getting to be lunch time and asked Cass to light the grill.

Cass said sure, and got out of the hot tub, leaving a protesting Robbie and Beryl there.

Robbie looked at Beryl and said, “I know we don’t know each other well, but if you ever need a shoulder to lean on, you can call me. Or to just hang out. I could always teach you how to play tennis. It’s said girls like fuzzy balls.”

Beryl groaned.

“Too soon for sexual jokes?” he asked, and she nodded. “You know we all believe you. Cass insisted and swore that she’s castrate me if I watched the video, so I didn’t, but I know what she says is true. She wouldn’t lie about something so inhumane.

“I knew some of those guys through Jessie and didn’t know they were capable of that. Jessie obviously knew those guys, but he didn’t know they were victimizing girls like that. They all talked locker room talk about who’s doing what with whom, but none of them were stupid enough to brag about rape.

“Jessie wanted to tell you he was sorry for what they did, but because he was closer to them, being one the football team and all, he didn’t want to say the wrong thing to you.”

“Well thank you. And thank Jessie for me, would you? I don’t blame him, just because he’s on the football team.”

“Good, because I think you’ve been hurt enough. I really don’t want to see you hurt anymore, especially by yourself. I’m not sure how I’d handle you becoming a statistic. Going from cutting yourself to killing yourself because you couldn’t handle the pressure or whatever. Call Cass. Call me. Call someone before it comes to that, please,” Robbie told her.

Beryl looked down, ashamed. “I promise.”

“Good. I won’t say any more about it then.”

Cass went to tell her mom the grill was hot and helped her carry out the food. She came back and helped Beryl out of the hot tub, and they walked out, followed by Harley.

All of the kids helped carry stuff out except for Beryl, who Cass forced to stay at the table.

Myra and Alex came back at the smell of food (Myra smelled it, not Alex) and they sat down to eat.

They all enjoyed everyone’s company and had fun together.

Gwynne was included in it all, as everyone thought of her as more of a den mother than anything. She gave them space and didn’t try to hover.

Gwynne respected her daughter, stepdaughters, and their friends enough to act like adults and keep out of trouble.

After they finished eating, everyone helped clear the table, and they sat around full.

Myra asked Cassidy if she would play something. Cass tried to say no one wanted to hear it, but everyone disagreed.

Beryl didn’t know Cass even played an instrument, so when she said she wanted to hear, Cass relented.

She got up and went inside, and grabbed her violin, then went back outside. Cass tuned it and began playing. She started with some classical music, then switched to country, then ended with some Lindsey Stirling.

Everyone clapped and cheered. Beryl couldn’t believe how good Cassidy could play. “How come you don’t play in the band?” she asked.

Cass shrugged. “They don’t really need a violin.”

“You should really think about going professional. You’re super good.”

“I love playing, but I don’t think it’s what I want to do with my life.”

“So, what do you want to do?” Frankie asked.

“I dunno. What about you?”

“I want to play college volleyball, then go pro. Maybe make it to the Olympics in team or beach volleyball,” Frankie said.

“I think you can do it,” Gemma told her.

They started talking about their futures. Several didn’t know what they wanted to do. Several did.

Jaden wanted to go to law school and be a civil rights lawyer and activist. Wanda wanted to go into some form of ecology or botany. Jessie wanted to play pro ball.

The rest were undecided.

The festivities started to end, and people started to go home.

Cass told Robbie she had some things to take care of, so she kissed him and said goodbye.

Frankie and Gemma disappeared for a walk and Cass took Beryl inside.

They went back up to Cass’s bathroom where Cass helped her change again, and then rewrapped her leg. Beryl offered to help clean the floor, but Cass told her she’d do it.

Cass walked her out to her car, making sure she’d be able to drive home.

“I’ll be okay. Thank you,” Beryl told her, giving her a hug and kiss on the cheek.

“If you need anything you call me. No more cutting. We’re all here for you.”

Beryl thanked her again and Cass watched her drive away before going back inside and up to her room. She began to clean the dried blood from the floor.

Myra walked in while she was cleaning. “What happened here?” she demanded to know.

Cass explained what she had missed while she continued cleaning.

Myra looked upset. “How could she do that?”

“Because she hurt and what she did took away the pain. Well, it really just replaced the physical pain for her emotional pain. She’s been doing it since the incident happened. It’s just no one knew.”

“I thought she was a cheerleader. How did people not see?”

“She always wore spandex shorts under her outfit. They were just long enough to cover the cuts on her legs. It’s more common than you think. A lot of people cut themselves to deal with the emotional pain they are in. There’s help, but usually they don’t know about it, or think no one else would care. People do, and hopefully more people who hurt themselves find the help they need,” Cass said.

“Why don’t you go get ready for dinner while I finish up here.”

“You need help?”

“No sweet pea, I’ve got this, thank you.”

Myra left and was replaced by Harley, who laid down in the doorway.

“Hey, boy,” Cass said.

Harley whined a little.

“I know. Thanks for keeping an eye on her today.” Cass finished, throwing a towel and the washcloths from earlier into a bucket with bleach in it. She washed her hands and then sat near Harley on the floor.

He put his head on her leg and she rubbed him. “We’ve all been through so much. Trouble seems to follow us. Or at least find us. That must mean we’re meant to help people, huh?”

Harley made a chuffing noise Cass took as agreement. ’We just have to stay strong enough to deal with it.”

Harley licked her hand as if to say they would. Cass bent over, hugging the dog. “Come on, let’s go eat.”

After dinner, Cass took a shower and out of the bathroom to find Myra sitting in her computer chair. Cass looked at the monitor, which was still off.

“Go ahead,” Cass said continuing to dry her hair. She sat on the bed and watched Myra while she did.

They were all computer literate, but Myra was the most by far. Her agile fingers flowed over the keys of the keyboard with her right hand daring to the mouse to move it and click.

“There’s another email form Lyle. It’s got notes from the kid it was to. According to him, Elias has gained some access into the system where he is. He can access security stuff, but not an elevator. Could they be in a building? Like a high rise or something?”

“I’m guessing it’s probably the other way. Underground. It would be easier to hide and control people with powers. Break through the wall and all you find is dirt or rock,” Cass speculated.

“He’s set a timeline to try to escape. A month from the looks of it. And you might be right. The email says ascend, so they must be underground. But he still doesn’t know where he is, and we’ve still only a general location that we’re not even sure of. It’s a small building, so I guess it could be below it,” Myra said.

“So, a month from the day it was sent. When was it sent?”

“A week ago.”

“So, that leave us three weeks to figure this out. Hopefully we can,” Cass said.

“I’ll do my best,” Myra told her solemnly.

“I know. Come lay with me.”

Myra turned off the monitor and followed Cass under the covers. Cass pulled her close and ran her fingers through the girl’s hair.

“Robbie told me today what you did at the accident. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

Myra shrugged. “It was no big deal.”

“So, saving at least two, if not three people is no big deal?” Cass asked.

“I did what I had to do. Would you have rather I left you there? There could have been a fire or it could have blown up.”

“Of course I didn’t want to die, but you put yourself at risk. You’re not invincible. You got hurt too.”

“Yeah, but it was only a little cut. Jaden was worse, but that was from the glass, I think. You and Robbie, well, that was different. I was worried you… you were dead. Whoever was driving the truck was gone by the time I got out. I probably could have tracked him, but you were more important. So, I made sure you were alright. Robbie too.”

Cass could tell Myra was telling her the facts. She wasn’t driven by emotions like others. To her, it was black and white. What mattered more to her wasn’t weighed by emotions; Cass was important to her, and Robbie was important to Cassidy.

That outweighed the importance of finding the person or persons responsible for the accident. If that person was later found, great, but if not, Cass and Robbie were okay.

Myra certainly had emotions, but like Spock from Star Trek, logic seemed to drive her actions more than not.

“And I love you for that,” Cass told her. “I know you’re not happy about my asking you to stay here tomorrow, but there’s no one I trust more to come rescue me if I need it. Also, if that wasn’t an accident, someone needs to be here to protect mom. If someone messes with you, I know you’ll take care of things.”

“I will,” Myra said.

They fell asleep with Cass holding her.

----------

The next morning after breakfast, Cass, Gemma, Jaden, and Wanda readied themselves for their trip.

Cass had the other two dressed down, all of them wearing grubby clothing to make them look more like they were coming off the streets.

Jaden applied some make-up to Wanda, making what looked like several bruises of varying degrees on her face and arms. Jaden’s cuts were mostly healed but still visible.

Myra wasn’t happy, but stayed behind, holding Alex’s hand with one of hers, and Harley with the other. He wanted to go as well, and Cass had to command him to stay and protect and even then, she wasn’t sure he would.

That was why Myra had ahold of him. In case he tried to follow them.

Wanda rode shotgun and Gemma and Cass stretched out in the back of Jaden’s new van. Everyone settled in for a long trip.