Here you go another chapter dear readers.

Happy or sad reading?

Who knows..

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"When will you discharge me?" Cassandra asked glaring at Austin who returned it with a look that said 'go to sleep silently without being a bother' 

"No, I want to go home," Cassandra said stubbornly.

"Look, I need the reports of the test to give you a green signal to go" Austin said frustrated at her stubbornness.

"But I am fine. It's been a whole day" She pressed her lips, sitting straight on the bed. 

"First of all It's been 11 hours. And what are you going to do even if I discharge you now? It's  already midnight?" Austin sighed after doing a whole day shift he was exhausted beyond reasoning.  He wanted to sleep after eating something,  but here he was arguing with a pain in.... patient.

"But I want to go home," Cassandra said again. 

"Go to sleep, woman" Austin sighed trying not to give up and let her go. He was at his end wits, if not for Lisa who bargained in not bothering to knock.

"Here is the report,doctor" Lisa said handing the reports to Austin, winking at Cassandra who smirked at her. 

"Are you two planning against me?" Austin asked, narrowing his eyes, clearly uncomfortable about the situation.

"No," Cassandra shook her head. Lisa just shrugged her shoulders and saw herself out.

Austin stared at her for a while before sighing. He read through it while feeling Cassandra's glare making holes in his head.

"All right you can go but you need to take your health seriously and go to see Dr.Ernest.I will fix an appointment  only on that basis you can go home" Austin said professionally keeping his voice sharp and clear. 

"I don't want to see him," Cassandra looked away.

"Cassandra, it's for your own good. You can't start depending on those medicines" Austin said.

"Please" He requested.

"I will try" Cassandra closed her eyes. Austin sighed and relaxed, 'At least she will try that's a good thing'

"I will take you home, my shift is almost over" Austin said, not bothering to wait for her answer. 

"He is not here, Right?" Cassandra asked.

"Yes, He walked out after admitting you" Austin said coldly before walking out to his chamber.

Cassandra chuckled, What was she expecting?

She relaxed on the bed, after admitting  her here Coltrane did not come to check on her not once. He was gone as a puff of the air.

Cassandra bite her lips contemplating  whether she should go back home and have a little peace or return back to the hell hole. She shook her head , 'It's not as if he would appreciate her there'

Austin came back after a while with his car keys. The car drive to her home was silent as she stared outside most of the time.

"Why are you silent?" Austin asked annoyed at the silence he never experienced when she sat beside him.

"What was Lisa doing at the reception?" Cassandra asked the first thing that came in her mind.

"She wants a few days off . So, she wants to pull an all nighter" Austin almost shrugged  his shoulder if not for the steering wheel he was handling.

She gives a subtle nod before looking out dozing off to her blank dreams.

"Cassandra! wake up" Austin shook her. She blinked her eyes.

"There is a car waiting at your house" Her eyes wandered and settled on the car, her father's car to be precise. She has seen it for god knows how many times in her life. 

"What does he want now?" Cassandra gets down walking up to the car knocking on the glass widen.

"Is this a time for you to return home?" Carson said, that's the first thing he said after 5 years. 

She closed her eyes for a while as his words stung her.

"What are you doing here?" Cassandra asked her voice cold and sharp as she glared at him.

"I was just passing by," Carson said coldly.

"How do you know this place?" She asked but something was drawn on her.

"Your mother asked for the papers of this place. She told me that she gave it to someone. When I asked who that someone is. Carina told me that was you. You wanted this place for marrying Coltrand " Carson said coldly.

Cassandra sighed, hurt. Why does she feel hurt? She should be used to this by now.

"Is this what you are here for?" She snapped.

"Why don't you go and ask your wife? To tell the truth instead of half baked lies" She sneered and mockingly said, "Oh! You can't, after all you are ashamed of yourself?"

"Cassandra" Carson slapped her right across her face.

"Don't  forget I am your father" He yelled at her. Austin froze, he wanted to run to her but stopped knowing very well Cassandra will hate him for that.

"Get out" She snapped.

"I said get the fuck out of here" Cassandra yelled as a tear trail down her eye

"Father... What kind of father are you? Do you really want to go on that path?" She asked her breathing uneven. Tears stuck at the corner of her eyes as she held back. 

" 25 years, it's been twenty five years.  I never have a father.  So, don't come here and give lectures of being a father. You never acted like a father. Listen to me carefully Mr.Walmart. I don't  want a father. I am better off without that. So, please ignore me like you did your whole life" Cassandra said tears she was holding back fall without her permission.

After that, she turned around and walked away wiping her tears.

Cassandra ran upstairs from the back door. Austin stood there for a while before following her. 

For the first time in his life Carson Walmart froze not knowing what to say.

*************

Cassandra jumps on her cough burying her head on the pillow, her body shaking softly. 

"Are you alright?" Austin asked her. Hearing the voice she sat up straight, her face blank as she looked at him.

"I am fine," She said blankly.

"Are you trying to make me believe that or yourself?" Austin asked, gulping down painfully when she chuckled mirthlessly.

"Both I guess" Cassandra said softly.
 
"Do you want to cry?" Austion asked her, opening his arms for her to take. She shook her head. 

"Do I look like I wanted to cry?" Her voice softened but blank as she said those words to him.

"You do," Austin said as he wrapped his arms around her tightly. She stayed silent for a while before answering.

"I don't know what will become of me if I started crying. I don't know if I will ever stop crying if I start, Austin" Cassandra slowly steadily reached up to his collar as she crumbled his collar before pushing him away.

"I feel like I will cry till my tears turn into blood and I bleed out"  Cassandra said coldly.

"Stop saying things like that. Don't you dare?" Austin said with a warning.

"I... I ... am fine" She cleared her throat releasing him.

"You should go home" Cassandra stood up making her way to the door.

"I am not going to leave you like this" Austin snapped.

"Please, I need to collect my thoughts. You can come back tomorrow and check on me" Cassandra said. Austin sighed, giving her the space she was asking for.

"Okay, you need to eat something healthy and take these medicines. Don't  take any of those medications, '' he said handing her a box of medicine before patting her head on the way.

"I will make sure to do as you asked, Alright" Cassandra rolled her eyes.

"Don't  treat me like a kid" she slapped his hands away.

"Oh! Right and I was the one who fainted" Austin rolled his eyes before getting out of her house.

Cassandra sighed, settling herself on the cough, rubbing her head. The last thing she wanted was for him to find out that she was having a panic attack. She can feel exhaustion after the last emotional break out. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the pillow, food was the last thing on her mind.

Morning came first than she thought, when she opened her eyes it was already mid day. 

Cassandra sighed as she could hear noises coming from downstairs. She searches for medicine after gulping her medicine. She takes a bath and gets ready to go downstairs.

The hustling  and bustling  increased as She saw a group of people chattering while eating lunch. She walked to the kitchen.

"It's been a while, Cassey," John exclaimed looking at her wide eyes. She laughed softly, shaking her head.

"I need something in my system before I can get to work" Cassandra sat on the kitchen counter waiting for food.

"Okay boss" John grinned.

"Oh! Good afternoon boss" Jasmine yelled at Barrie for placing the order. Barrie's eyes settled on her as he waved before giving orders.

John handed over a plate of pancakes with maple syrup to Cassandra before returning to work. This is a small cafe where you need to take your food and sit on the table to eat. Jasmine takes orders and hands it to the customer. John sat on the cashier most of the time. She and Barrie are on kitchen duty. This cafe was opened by her with Austin's help. She hurried and ate her pancake. 

"Start brewing coffee" Barrie ordered her before pulling French fries out of the oven. Cassandra started doing her work without thinking about her life.

Cassandra sighed sitting down on the chair it's almost 9 p.m. Everyone was exhausted, today was a very busy day.

This was their ritual to eat food together till someone found someone else to spend time with. They all come from a messed up background. Cassandra knows they have nowhere to go. No one will hire or give a neutral environment to them.

"Why did you vanish for 3 days?" Jasmine was the first one to ask, stuffing her face with a burger only to get slapped by Barrie.

"Don't speak with food in your mouth" Jasmine rolled her eyes before focusing on her.

"I got married," Jasmine choked. John, who was drinking water, split out. Barrie looked at her with his mouth hanging open.

"WHAT?" The trio exclaimed at the same time.

Cassandra rolled her eyes before explaining what happens excluding the bad relationship she had with Coltrane and her parents.

"Are you happy?"John asked, rubbing his head.

"Not a question I would like to answer" She mumbled but they heard.

"Well guys can we drop the topic?" Barrie asked. They all nod before laughing and joking. She smiled  at Barrie. This feels like home, she felt warm after a while.

**********

After bidding them goodbye Cassandra locked the front door. She went out through the back door. She sighed, throwing out the garbage. 

She was being negligent towards her duty, just because her personal life was a mess does not mean she needs to make a mess out of her professional life.

Cassandra sighed heading up stairs and grabbed her medicine which was on top of her couch gulping down. 

She sat on the couch before relaxing a bit and closed her eyes.

The bell rang, she opened her eyes.

"Austin I already eat...." Cassandra opened the door ready to yell at Austin for being such a pain, only to find Jeremy and Catherine.

 Catherine has tears in her eyes. 

Her eyes landed on Jeremy's hand which was clutching her wrist. It seemed painful even though she was watching. 

Cassandra averted her eyes, 'It's not like it is any of my business'

"What can I do for you?" She asked politely to keep her voice blank.

"She is pregnant" Jeremy said coldly bitterness filled his voice. Cassandra froze momentarily, she does not know how to react. 

 It's weird seeing Jeremy battling with himself.

"And she claimed I am the father" Jeremy gripped her hand as Catherine whimpered.

"What does this have to do with me?" Cassandra asked coolly, trying not to grit her teeth. So, This was the reason she ran away.

"Coltrane knows about it" this time Cassandra flinches. Her hand fisted on her loose pants. The reason why he did not care to find her is because he knows the truth. She should be happy right, now that she is free from the drama. But why does she feel sting? As if something pierced her. She gulped down, clearing her throat. She sighed, opening the door to let them in. 

Jeremy dragged Catherine in. 

Cassandra had had enough of the man handling. It's  not that she cares what happened to Catherine but if getting involved in their matter will take her mind off of him, she will gladly do it.

"Jeremy let her go" Cassandra put her hand on Jeremy's to release Catherinestartled, his gripped slacked.

Catherine hides behind Cassandra. She was afraid of Jeremy. After what happened earlier. She does not want to be anywhere near him, even though her heart yarn to be by his side.

Cassandra felt her head on her back. She froze when tears fell from Catherine's eyes wetting her top.

Catherine clutched Cassandra's t-shirt sobbing silently. Her whole body shook. Jeremy looked away almost guilty.

Cassandra awkwardly turns towards her to push her away when she feels Catherine's weight on her. 

Instinctively Cassandra wrapped her arms around her. 

"Jeremy help me to put her on the cough" Cassandra whispered yelled at Jeremy who was busy inspecting the room. He looked at her immediately and rushed towards Catherine picking up in a bridal style before putting her on the cough.

"We need to call a doctor" Jeremy gave her a confused look as she extended her hand.  

"Give me your mobile" She called Austin.

"He said he will be here in 20 minutes. And We need to check whether she is bleeding or not. If she bleeds we need to send her to hospital immediately"

Cassandra waited for him to get out and wait outside. He immediately understands and gets out of there hurriedly. 

She checked her carefully sighing in relief, "you can come in"

Jeremy looked at her anxiously. Cassandra forced a smiled, "she is alright" he sighed in relief

"So what happened?" Cassandra asked him sitting on the dining table, he took a seat. Jeremy sighed, looking down remembering what happened.

Jeremy did not know what he felt? Betrayed, anger and hate but one of his emotions was dominating his sense as he dragged Catherine out of the hospital, furiously. She can feel his anger as she looks at his tense back.

"Jeremy" Catherine said out loud without knowing how his name slipped out of her mouth. He abruptly turned towards her, startling her. She took a few steps back.

"You are lying," Jeremy glared at her. Catherine flinched and the distrust in his eyes hurt her. It's her fault but tears stung her eyes.

"Do you really think I will lie about something like this? Jeremy" Catherine asked.

 Does he really think she will tell such a lie which can or did destroy his and Coltrane's relationship?

"Do you really think I will destroy your and Coltrane's relationship with a lie?" She asked, feeling a bit choked.

Jeremy chuckled coldly, "You lied and destroyed my life. This is just just a relation"

Catherine looked down, "I am sorry. I will get out of your life, Jeremy"  her voice sounded horrible even to her. 

Catherine's words hurt him more than it should.

Jeremy cleared his throat and asked her the question whose answer will hurt him more but his indifference mask was perfect.

"Do you actually think I will let you go without knowing who the real father is?"

"It's yours" tears slipped her eyes as he gave her a hateful look, she held her head down. 

"How could it be mine?"He grabbed her cheeks forcing her to look in his eyes.

"When I never even kissed you?"  His lips crashed down on her.

************

Thank you for reading dear readers.

Do share your thoughts and comment.. I will be waiting

Until next time...