Erin wakes from a dream she can't escape, while Cassie tries to convince herself that ordinary mornings still exist. Both women cling to the fragile routines of a life that is already beginning to slip away.
**Chapter 6**
✦ SECTION A · ERIN ✦
Erin was sitting in a folding chair on the grass, the sun warm on her skin. Rows of families stretched out around her, proud parents and grandparents craning their necks toward the stage. One by one, the seniors at Keckley College walked across to collect their diplomas, smiles wide, gowns fluttering.
She waited, heart swelling with anticipation.
Then the speaker announced the next name.
“Parker Bennett.”
Erin sat up straighter, a proud smile already forming. She scanned the line of graduates, waiting for that familiar face. But no one stepped forward.
“Parker Bennett,” the speaker repeated, a little louder.
Erin’s stomach tightened. She looked around, twisting in her seat. Where was she? She stood up, heart starting to race, scanning the crowd. Laughter and applause swirled around her, but Parker was nowhere to be seen.
“Has anyone seen my daughter?” she called out, voice rising with panic. “I can’t find her!”
Then she heard it — that bright, unmistakable laugh. Parker’s laugh.
Erin spun toward the sound, pushing through the rows of chairs. “Parker?”
There — a flash of movement between the seats. Pigtails bouncing. A little girl in a yellow sundress, no more than four years old, darting away with giggles trailing behind her.
“Parker! Baby, come back to Mommy!”
Erin chased her, weaving between the folding chairs, heart pounding. The little girl stayed just out of reach, always a few steps ahead, that joyful laughter echoing.
“Parker, wait!”
✦ ✦
Erin jolted awake, heart hammering. Her eyes felt gritty, her body heavy with exhaustion. She hadn’t slept more than an hour or two all night, and it showed.
Cassie was still asleep in her arms, breathing slow and even, face tucked against Erin’s chest. The room was quiet, early morning light filtering through the curtains.
She lay there, holding Cassie close, and let the thoughts she couldn’t say out loud crash over her.
Adam was engaged.
The realization kept circling, sharper now in the quiet. Yesterday he hadn’t said he was dating the girl’s mother. What he had actually said — what Erin was only now fully registering — was that he was engaged to her. In the heat of the moment it had slipped past her, but now it landed with full force.
For years she had told herself the faults she saw in Adam — the emotional distance, the rigidity, the casual misogyny she had accused him of so many times — were too fundamental for anyone else to tolerate. She had left because she couldn’t breathe in that life anymore. She had always believed no other woman would put up with it either.
Apparently she had been wrong.
It had always been a theoretical possibility that he might find someone new. Erin had had her own relationships after the divorce, before Cassie. She supposed Adam had too. But he had come to the Christmas party alone. Was he already seeing her by then? Surely he must have been if they were engaged now. He had never mentioned anything. Not a word. And Erin hadn’t thought to ask. Why would she?
She spun out on the thought. Wasn’t it her right to know about someone who would be spending so much time with her daughter?
And yet here they were.
Did this woman already know Parker? Was Parker spending time with her? Would Parker start calling her Mom?
Oh god.
Erin had taken it all for granted.
And now it was gone.
Maybe forever.
She looked down at Cassie, still peacefully asleep, warm and trusting in her arms. This wasn’t something she could share with her. How could she? Cassie had never been married. She had no frame of reference for what it felt like to watch your ex find happiness with someone else — especially when you had convinced yourself that happiness was impossible with them.
And motherhood? Cassie had never been a mother. She couldn’t possibly understand the particular, soul-deep pain of being cut off from your own child.
Erin could be Adam’s wife. She could be Cassie’s wife. She could be no one’s wife. But she would always and forever be Parker’s mom. That was indelible. Immutable. A through-line nothing could erase.
She pressed a soft kiss to the top of Cassie’s head and held her a little tighter, saying nothing.
✦ ✦
**Chapter 6**
✦ SECTION B · CASSIE ✦
Cassie stirred as soft lips pressed against her forehead.
She blinked slowly, tilting her head up to meet Erin’s gaze. Those warm brown eyes looked tired, shadowed by lack of sleep, but they softened when they met hers.
“Good morning,” Cassie murmured, voice still thick with sleep. She pulled Erin closer, tucking her face against the older woman’s neck and breathing her in.
For a moment she wanted more than this — the familiar heat, the easy way their bodies fit together. But the memory of last night flashed through her mind: the blood on the strap-on, Erin’s tight expression of pain, the quiet admission about perimenopause. Cassie suddenly felt hyper-aware of how fragile Erin’s body had become. She swallowed the desire and just held her instead, stroking slow circles along her back.
They stayed like that for a long while, tangled together in comfortable silence. Cassie pressed occasional lazy kisses to Erin’s collarbone and shoulder, content for now just to feel her close.
Eventually her stomach growled and a pounding headache started hammering behind her eyes — the kind that only caffeine and food could fix. She sighed.
“I need coffee,” she said reluctantly. “And maybe actual breakfast.”
Erin hummed in agreement and they both dragged themselves out of bed. Cassie pulled on one of Erin’s old t-shirts and a pair of soft shorts while Erin slipped into a robe. They padded downstairs together.
In the kitchen Erin moved on autopilot, filling the coffee maker and pulling out mugs. Cassie leaned against the island, scrolling through her phone.
Still nothing from Acacia.
She typed another message anyway.
Kaysh, I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I’m never going to stop trying. Even if it takes forever. I love you.
She hit send, then immediately opened the thread with Mama Webb and fired off a quick text.
Hey, have you seen my mom around lately? Is she really sober?
A moment later her phone buzzed with a reply.
I’ve seen her around town. She definitely looks better than I’ve seen her before. She moved out of the trailer. I hear maybe she’s dating someone. But we’ve never talked, so I don’t really know. Why do you ask?
Cassie typed back quickly.
No reason. Thanks Mama Webb.
She set the phone face-down on the counter and tried to push the conversation out of her mind.
Erin glanced over while she measured grounds. “I’ve got to head into the office today. I’m on call. Let me see how my day goes.”
Cassie nodded, trying to sound upbeat. “That’s good, right? Means we might actually get a real evening together for once.”
Erin gave a small smile as she started the coffee. “We’ll see. What about you? Any plans?”
“Just more resumes,” Cassie said, shrugging. “I’ve got a couple places I want to follow up with.”
They moved around each other in the familiar morning dance. Erin started pulling out things for a quick breakfast while Cassie checked her own phone again.
“Hey,” Cassie said, brightening. “I was thinking… we should go out tonight. Just the two of us. Hit a bar, maybe that little place with the good cocktails. Or even a club if you’re up for it.”
Erin raised an eyebrow, pouring coffee into two mugs. “On a Tuesday?”
Cassie grinned. “Why not? We deserve it after yesterday. Plus… we still need to figure out the hotel and seating arrangements for Corsica.”
Erin handed her a mug, her expression softening but tired. “Corsica. Right.” She took a sip, checking her phone again and firing off a quick text to her assistant. “Let’s see how the day goes. I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep right now.”
Cassie watched her for a moment, then stood and started clearing the small breakfast mess. “Don’t worry about this. I’ll take care of it.”
Erin paused, then gave her a grateful look before kissing her temple. “Thank you, baby.”
As Erin headed upstairs to get ready, Cassie stayed in the kitchen, rinsing plates and staring at her silent phone.
Still nothing from Acacia.
She was just finishing wiping down the counters when Erin came back down dressed in her scrubs. Cassie’s gaze lingered. Even tired and in work clothes, Erin looked good enough to eat. For a second Cassie let herself imagine all the filthy, debauched things she wanted to do to her right there against the counter.
Then the memory of last night flashed again — the blood, the pain on Erin’s face — and the urge died.
She crossed the kitchen instead and kissed Erin softly. “Have a great day. I love you.”
Erin kissed her back, lingering just a moment. “I love you too.”