Faith and Fate
A/N: The sequel to my first story: I Never Knew It Was You. I suggest you read that first :)
Prologue
Casey Cartwright was sitting on her bed, typing away on her laptop. She was writing her first novel. She was four months into her pregnancy and still working as an intern for The New York Times. She knew that the pay would not be sufficient to raise a child as well as take care of herself. After all, she was doing this alone, all alone.
Ashleigh had offered to help her, of course, but she refused her friend's gesture. She knew that she could do this herself. She got herself into this mess, and she could definitely survive it.
Casey's parents weren't as understanding as Ashleigh though. It took her mother a week before she called Casey back again, and until now, she still couldn't get sentences out of her father. When they asked her who the father was, she told them that she didn't know and that infuriated them more.
That was a lie, of course. There was only one boy she had slept with towards the end of the school year. It was Cappie. Ashleigh was well aware of her roommate/ best friend's short- lived relationship with Casey's ex- boyfriend. She was the only one who knew. Not even Casey's brother, Rusty had any idea.
Why didn't she just write to Cappie explaining to him everything?
She had thought about it time and time again. By the time she had found out she was pregnant with his child, he was half way around the world, and she knew that this was not what he wanted. The whole point of their break up was because Cappie explained to her perfectly that all he wanted to do was be with his parents who had neglected him most of his life.
Casey had signed off on that decision and was sticking to it. She could raise her baby alone. She didn't need Cappie, and she didn't need to let him know about it.
She typed the first line of her soon to be best seller: I am immune to emotion.
11 years later
"Mom, where's my knapsack?" a blonde, blue- eyed girl called out
"On the kitchen counter with your lunch" Casey shouted back.
"Got it, thanks mom" Casey emerged from her room in a pink sweater and white Capri pants
"Honestly Catlin, you are always such a mess in the morning" Casey laughed at her 10 year old daughter
"I know, I know. My alarm didn't go off again" Catlin was checking her bag if she had left anything.
"Everything's there honey. Oh, here's your excuse letter for being absent yesterday" Catlin took it from her mom's hands and hugged her
"Thank you mom, I really don't know what I'd do without you" she kissed her mom's cheek and was heading out the door
"Catlin! Come back here and have something for breakfast"
She ran back inside the house, grabbed a piece of toast and was out the door with a "Bye mom"
Yes, Catlin Cartwright was a mess, but her mother loved her just the way she was. She kind of reminded Casey of where her other half had come from.
"Good morning sweetheart" a dark haired man in a coat and tie greeted as he entered the kitchen, pecking Casey on the cheek.
It was Casey's husband for 5 years. His name was Jack Thompson. He had been Casey's publisher back then. Jack was a good man. He knew about Casey's past and accepted her for who she was. He also loved Catlin as his own.
"Good morning" Casey chirped. Everything in her life was going perfectly. She was now the published author of two books, one of which was a best seller. She lived with her businessman of a husband and her charming little girl. Yes, Casey thought as she made herself a cup of coffee, life couldn't be sweeter.
"Uh Casey?" Jack called her attention. He was holding an envelope
"This is for you"
Casey took the white envelope, harmless enough.
She opened it.
It was from her college, Cyprus Rhodes University.
They were having a reunion.
"We're having a reunion in a month" Casey squeaked
"Is that a good thing, or a bad thing?"
"Jack, you know the story. I've been avoiding all the ZBZ holidays because I don't want to face that life anymore. And now, they're throwing a reunion. Do you think I should attend?" she was nervous. It was true that she was avoiding everyone from college except Ashleigh and Rusty, of course.
At first she didn't want everyone knowing she had a daughter, because there would have to be a lot of explaining to do. She didn't want to face Rebecca and Frannie. She didn't want to face anyone, especially someone that had any connection to Catlin's father.
They were never really given the opportunity to see each other again, until now.
"It's really up to you," Jack checked his watch, "I really need to go now Case. Let me know if you want to go. I can accompany you" he kissed her forehead and headed out the door.
Well, did she want to go?