Coming Home

Cassadee walked out of the news office, clutching her items close to her. It was late, she had struggled to finish 3 weeks’ worth of fashion and food reviews in the office and had to pay the price of midnight cab fares as she went home.

As she hailed the cab and watched as the streetlights zoomed past her, she finally allowed herself to frown. It was a stressful period for Derrick’s political team of basically Tobias and herself. They struggled against the condescending glances of Derrick’s colleagues whom Cassadee thought were mindless drones just following Sampson’s orders, while trying to get work done.

Cassadee struggled at work after confiding with Lee about her current plans and why she had to miss 3 days of work (“I was attacked. I had to rest, I’m sorry, I’ll make up for the lack of hours.”) He never looked at her without pitifully smiling at her.

Word had gotten out at Derrick’s work place, and instead of supporting her, all she got were smirks and wary glances.

“That’s 17 dollars,” said the cab driver and Cassadee sighed and produced the money.

“Sorry, night hours.”

“It’s fine.”

She stepped out of the cab, closing towards the illuminated lobby of her apartment, giving a tiny wave to the security guard.

“Miss Adams.”

Cassadee knew the voice straight away, it had haunted her dreams and even her days. She should have bolted without looking back, but she turned anyway.

There he was, just as she had remembered him, strutting nonchalantly towards her. Cassadee fought the bubbling fear churning in her body and stepped back, her breaths coming out quick- a panic attack ensuing.

She could almost feel his hands on her, feeling them in her underwear. She could feel the bruises from his fingers. She screamed and ran, startling the security guard who immediately opened the door and locked the lobby to Vincent, staggering towards her.

Breathing in heavily and staring at his face through the clear glass, Cassadee gulped in mouthfuls of air, trying not to hyperventilate and not to cry. She watched as he banged on the glass, again and again, shouting obscenities at her with that angry voice that sent her screaming every night.

“I WILL FUCK YOU.”

“COME OUT HERE.”

“WE AREN’T FINISHED.”

Biting back the shudders, Cassadee backed to the end of the lobby, looking anywhere but at him. For a brief moment, she was afraid that the glass might crack, watching it shudder and thud under his bangs.

“Miss Adams? I’m calling the police,” came an urgent voice. She nodded wordlessly, wanting him gone, wanting his voice gone.

~

Derrick ran right into the lobby, pushing past the 2 policemen who were standing around. He had seen the police car, escorting Vincent away. He had seen the drunk scowl on Vincent’s face and he wanted nothing more than to kill him.

He heard her before he even saw her.

“What happened?”

“He just tried to attack me.”

“Would there be a reason for this provoked attack?”

Derrick closed in, and saw her standing, with her arms wrapped around herself, her nails biting into her forearms. She was pale, her lips red and raw from what he assumed was her biting. She noticed him as well, casting him a quick glance before swallowing painfully.

Derrick hoped she would tell the truth, he hoped that she would just ignore him and tell the truth about what really happened that day.

“I was drinking, and he followed me home from the bar,” she said after moments of pained silence. Derrick looked away, not wanting to look at her while she lied, for him.

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

“We’ll try our best to make sure this doesn’t happen again. He’s been in and out from the police station, so we now he’s a rotten drunk. If it does, you give us a call, okay?”

“Okay.”

Then the policemen filed out and Derrick did look at her.

She started crying before he even got a chance to hold her.

~

“Why won’t you just call the police?”

“I can’t do that Derrick, we’ve been through this.”

“But she’s suffering, he’s threatening her!” Derrick yelled, running his hand through his hair as he paced angrily in front of his father’s desk. Sampson was sitting at his chair, a hard look on his face as he watched his son stalking around. They had been through this, many times.

“She should have known what she was getting into before committing to this relationship!”

Derrick stopped pacing, something in him snapping with sudden anger.

“Don’t you dare put the blame on her,” he seethed, angrily placing his palms on his father’s table, watching the pens jiggle. Sampson’s flicker of shock brokered through his cold façade before quickly being replaced with similar rage.

“You know what calling the police would risk! Especially at this time!”

“And you would carry in this fake image of our party into the elections? What happens when word gets out after? That we’ve been hiding a god damn assault case just to win the hearts of people? How the hell does that even make sense?” Derrick yelled, aware that people were starting to stare.

He didn’t care, everyone knew what had happened anyway. Everyone that didn’t matter though. He didn’t get why his father, once so noble and wise, would just shut down at this point of time.

“One more week son, just one more, then you are free to do as you please when we win,” Sampson said, and Derrick fought off the urge to shudder with disgust. His father, disintegrated to dirty politician tricks. He knew it would never happen, Sampson would find another excuse to prevent a police report.

“No.”

“Pardon?”

“If you won’t do it, I will.”

Then he walked out, determined to put things right.

~

“I swear I’m fine.”

“Cass, please.”

“Don’t do this for me.”

“I can’t not report the guy who almost raped you.”

“The damage would ruin you and the NDP!”

Cassadee stared horrifically at him as Derrick stood in front of her and Tobias in his house. Tobias had remained silent for the time being, carefully calculating the pros and cons like he always did. Cassadee sometimes trusted Tobias more than Derrick himself because her friend was always practical and scheming, and he knew what to do.

“Tobias, talk to her.”

“As much as I would like that sick bastard put to jail, it would damage the NDP.”

“Tobias!”

“Exactly,” Cassadee said quickly, watching as Derrick’s brow furrowed with annoyance. She knew and appreciated what he was doing, but she just wasn’t sure she was ready to deal with the public knowing about this.

“Anything we report now will be blown up, to bits, but the press,” Tobias continued bluntly, ignoring Derrick as he clenched his fists.

“He’s right,” Cassadee continued, biting her lip nervously.

“Why won’t you just let me do this?” Derrick finally exploded, glaring at Cassadee. She blinked, almost melting from the rage on his face. She felt Tobias shift uncomfortably next to her, clearing his throat.

“Okay… You two better settle this between yourselves. Just know I’m against it.”

No one stopped Tobias as he slid out of the house, shutting the door right after casting Cassadee a sympathetic grin. She hated it, but she knew he couldn’t help it. No one could.

“Derrick,” she spoke, standing up to face him. She heard him take a deep breath, imagining the oxygen filling his body before rushing out- propelled by his rage.

“Having him arrested is not going to help me.”

“It sure as hell would keep you safer.”

She looked at him, he did have a point.

“I’ll live with it, it’s fine.”

“Fucking hell Cassadee! This is serious!”

“I’m not going to let one moment of weakness ruin your whole damn career!” She yelled back, instantly regretting it. Her words slapped Derrick right across his face and she watched him carefully, afraid he might just explode.

“I know how much this means to you okay?” She continued, lowering her voice, casting her eyes downwards. She knew that wasn’t the full reason, just part of it. But she really could live with it, she had survived being stabbed and all anyway. She heard him exhale again, this time weaker.

“Cass, I’m sorry, I-“

“No we’re in this together okay? And you have to respect my decision.”

“It’s a real shitty decision.”

“I’m scared,” she squeaked, her voice so soft and her words tumbling out of her mouth. Before he could get her to look at him fully, Cassadee forced herself to continue.

“I don’t like the way people look at me, like I’m some kind of victim. I don’t want people to know that I’ve been so weak. It’s embarrassing, and I hate it. I hate the sympathetic looks I get, I hate the smirks people keep giving me.”

She felt the atmosphere around them change- softening, melting.

“I say I hate it, but really I’m terrified of it,” she continued, aware of her voice cracking a little.

Derrick kept silent, and Cassadee continued staring at their feet before daring herself to look up. His face struck guilt into her- a plethora of anger, regret and sorrow.

“Don’t put yourself through that again Derrick,” she muttered, wrapping her arms around his sides, pushing them closely together. She squeezed tightly, closing her eyes, wanting to feel protected, wanting to feel his love. For a moment rejection pierced holes into her embrace, but she hung on until she drove it away.

A palm around her head, another gently securing around her waist, Cassadee smiled into his chest as their fight dissipated into thin air.

“We’ll find a way around this without being rash, okay?”

She felt her head move up as he breathed in again, like words were too exhausting for him. He kissed her head, before settling the base of his jaw near her ear.

“Okay.”

~

“You look pissed.”

Tobias sighed as Jared pecked him on the lips.

“It’s Cass.”

“Same old, same old?”

“That girl’s been through some shit.”

“You tell me,” Jared laughed, painfully.

“I left her and Derrick alone, he looked like he was going to hit someone. And I was the only one who wasn’t Cassadee Adams within a 50 meter hitting range.”

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Tobias loosened his tie as Jared traced random shapes into his thigh.

“Come here.”

Then they were kissing, rough and unyielding. Tobias fed off Jared’s energy and vice versa. A palm on his face, Jared pulled Tobias in deeper, his fingers deftly tracing down to his neck and jawline.

There was a buzz from Tobias’s phone.

“You were right, everything’s fine.”

Smiling, Tobias chucked his phone onto the ground before collapsing chest first into Jared.