Part 25 - Chapter 6 - The Groundbreaking

Reese sorted the papers on her desk, moving some aside to be filed and putting others in her briefcase to take home with her. She had hoped to get more work finished today, but she couldn't seem to concentrate. She couldn't stop thinking about her date with Blaine.

Was he really thinking about marriage and having children together? Just the idea of having a husband and children was almost too much for her to imagine. While some women planned their dream weddings from childhood, Reese never thought she even wanted to get married. But now that she was faced with the reality of it, she wasn't sure if she really didn't want to get married or if that was just something she just convinced herself of because it didn't seem possible.

Blaine was a great guy. She never thought she would fall in love with anyone so practically perfect, who even more amazingly, loved and wanted to be with her too. They were already living together and she had managed to adjust to that. Maybe being married to him would be ok, too. But children . . . she really wasn't sure she was the mothering type.

Reese picked up her briefcase and started on her way home. Hopefully she would have enough time to think about this before Blaine brought it up again, if he brought it up again. Even if he did bring it up right away, she didn't think he would try to pressure her into making a quick decision, that was just another one of his great qualities.

On her way out, Reese ran into James in the hallway. When she first saw him walking towards her, she nearly jumped back. She didn't understand why he made her so nervous.

"Hey, Reese. I wanted to talk to you, but I see you're on your way home. I guess I should have made an appointment."

"Yes," she replied. She wanted to hurry past him and continue on her way, but instead she waited. "Wait, an appointment for what?"

"I need some legal advice. I'm starting a business, a club actually, and I wanted to make sure the paper work was in order. When I started looking for a lawyer, I came across your name and wondered if you would take me as a client."

"Why don't you talk to the receptionist and set an appointment? I might have some time open tomorrow."

"Ok, I'll do that. Thanks." For a moment, Reese thought he was going to say something else, but either he changed his mind or she was just imagining things. "You look like you're in a hurry, so I won't keep you. Have a safe trip home."

"Hi, Blaine. What are you doing here?" Cassie greeted him warmly as he entered the diner.

"I was in the neighborhood and I thought I'd stop by."

"Can I get you anything? The hot chocolate is very popular today."

"That sounds good," he said.

"Coming right up. Do you want anything else?"

"Actually, Cassie," he began. "I didn't really come in for the food. I was mostly looking for someone to talk to."

"Oh," she said, pleasantly surprised. "Well, you can talk to me. We're not really busy at the moment."

"Thanks, but I don't want to get you in trouble at work. I guess I should have thought of that before I came in."

"It's no trouble. I can just take my break early. Take a seat anywhere and I'll be right back," Cassie said eagerly. She practically skipped back to the kitchen, thinking that this day was suddenly getting better.

Amanda turned when she heard the patio door slide open. She hoped that it would be Andrew, or maybe even Alma, coming outside to stay something comforting, but she knew that was unlikely. When she saw Vanessa there instead, she turned away and looked out over the edge of the balcony.

"Hi. Do you mind if I join you?"

"Would you leave if I said I did?"

Vanessa took a step back. "Of course, I would. I just wanted to make sure you were ok. You seemed so upset. I thought maybe you'd like someone to talk to."

Amanda's first instinct was to tell Vanessa to go away, but the fact that she genuinely seemed to care when no one else in the family seemed to, nearly made her cry instead.

"I don't think there's anything left to say. I'm going to spend the rest of my life being unhappy, watching everyone else get everything I want, instead of me. Do they not see how unhappy I am or do they just not care?"

"I'm sure they do care. Maybe they just don't know how to show it," Vanessa suggested, quickly glancing over her shoulder through the glass patio doors.

"They definitely don't know how to show it, if they do care," Amanda grumbled. "I'm so fed up with this family. I'm not sure why you would even want to be a part of it."

"I don't think it's so bad," Vanessa said, but Amanda didn't seem to be listening.

"I just don't understand why everything is working out so perfectly for Alma and not me. That's not the way it's supposed to be. I'm the one who always wanted to get married, buy a house, and start a family. How does she get everything I wanted without even trying?"

"And you think Alma didn't want those things too?"

"I don't know." Amanda shrugged. "All I know is that things are not turning out the way I expected at all."

"They hardly ever do for any of us. Trust me," Vanessa said. "I know you probably won't believe me when I say this, but from where I stand, I envy your life. You have a good, steady job, a nice place to live, and a good husband that you can trust, that's more than I have. I doubt I'll ever get married again or have children of my own. While I have accepted that, I guess I haven't completely given up hope. I just try to remember that there's no telling where life will take any of us. Sometimes we just reach a point where we can only live the life we have now and leave everything else to the future."

Amanda sighed. "I'm sure you're right, but I'm not sure I can."

"It's not easy," Vanessa admitted. "Listen, Amanda, I want you to know that if you ever need someone to talk to, you can give me a call, anytime. I might not be able to make anything better, but I've been told I'm a good listener."

When Amanda didn't answer right away, Vanessa turned to go inside. She was nearly to the door when she heard Amanda call out, "Thank you. Maybe I'll do that."

"Do you ever think about the future," Blaine asked. "like what you want out of life?"

Cassie was a little shocked at the question. "Yeah, quite a lot, especially when I'm here at work." And, when I'm around you, she added silently. "Someday I'd like to find a better job, marry the man of my dreams, have his children."

"That's what I think about too . . . Well, marrying a woman, of course, and she would have to be the one to have the children," he clarified, making Cassandra laugh. "I always thought it would be nice to have a big family, but I know I'd like to have at least a couple of children someday."

"Two," Cassie said suddenly, causing Blaine to give her a confused look. "I'm going to have two children, I think . . . or I hope. A boy and a girl."

When she looked at Blaine she could almost see the children in her mind. A dark-haired little girl and a blond boy with Blaine's dark blue eyes.

"I hadn't planned ahead in that much detail, but I have been thinking a lot about these things lately. Actually, I've been thinking about asking Reese to marry me."

"Oh," Cassie said. Suddenly her imagined future with Blaine shattered into pieces before her eyes.

"I'm not so sure though," he said, staring forward as Cassie looked at him hopefully. "I kind of wonder if I'm moving too fast for her. I'm kind of afraid if I pop the question, it will freak her out and she'll say no. But on the other hand, we're already living together and everything, so what are we waiting for? What do you think?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure I'm the person to ask," Cassie said hesitantly. Her mind was racing. She felt like whatever she said next could change everything.

"I know. I should be talking to Reese about this, but I thought maybe getting a woman's perspective first would help."

"I want to help you, Blaine . . . I don't know how Reese feels, but I think she would be crazy to say no if you asked her to marry you." She stared into his eyes as she spoke, wishing he would get her real meaning. "I think you have a right to know how she feels and to find out now if you both want the same things out of this relationship. You deserve at least that much."

Blaine nodded slowly. "I guess I hadn't thought of it that exactly that way." He stood up and set some money on the counter to pay for the hot chocolate. "Thanks for the talk, Cassie. It helped a lot. I hope you find that man of your dreams someday soon."

I've already found him, Cassandra thought as she watched Blaine walk out of the diner. I just don't know how I'm going to get him.