Chapter 13 What Do You Hope To Gain?

Cade sat in an isolated corner of the café and watched the door as two women from his past walked into the café and found him. They each took a seat across from him and the three sets of eyes locked and studied each other. Finally, Cade sighed.

"Hello Marcy, it is always a pleasure to see you," he said.

Marcy nodded, "I see you're doing well, you seem to have one hell of a life down here and the respect of people of the community."

Cade laughed, "Yeah, I've been a bit of a maverick, but I've done well. I'll always be that Yankee carpet bagger, but my kids are southerners."

"You're younger kids," Michaela snapped.

"It's all good though," Cade continued, "They say living well is the best revenge."

Marcy nodded, and took note of the slight dig. "So are you still married?"

Cade shook his head, "I'm a widower, my Darcey died fourteen years ago."

"You've been single ever since?" Marcy asked.

Cade shook his head, "Roughly, I had four children to support, so I worked and I dated occasionally, nothing serious."

"Any grandkids?"

Cade nodded, "Yes, I have a granddaughter, my son Huck just found out he has a two year old daughter. I don't have a picture, but I did see one and she is the cutest thing."

"Enough of this," Michaela finally said, "Cade, what do you hope to gain?"

"Gain from what?" he asked looking at her.

"From having Kayla here?"

Cade shook his head, "First off, I did everything you asked. Remember Michaela, you left me for Jack and told me that you would have it so I would never see my daughter again. So I played by your rules, and I paid my child support and if you actually check the records I paid more then I had too. Second, I didn't invite Kayla down here. She came down here on her own chasing a lead that Marcy gave her. Third, she is twenty-seven years old and wants to know who her birth father is. Why should you worry, you still have Jack?"

Michaela sighed, "Jack is in a home; his body finally gave out from all the drugs."

Cade shrugged, "Okay, so how does this affect me? Right now, I have complete chaos in my house because my two youngest are mad at me because I didn't tell them about Kayla."

"What did you tell me? Oh yeah, you made your own grave now lie in it."

Cade smiled, "I'm lying in it. I just don't need any of your drama. Kayla will get to know her sisters and brother."

"Half-sisters and half-brother."

"Whatever, she'll get to know them, and they and I will get to know her. She had already gone to the same college that I did."

Michaela nodded, "She always wanted brothers and sisters, but I couldn't have them because of Jack."

Cade nodded, "Well, she has siblings and she should get to know them better. She's already friendly with Bobbi-Lee."

"Did you lose a bet with naming your younger kids?" Marcy asked.

Cade shook his head, "No, Bobbi-Lee is named after some one I admire. Huck is a nickname, he is named James, and Kelly, well, she has Darcey's maiden name as her first name."

Marcy nodded, "So, you like it down here?"

Cade nodded, "This is the first place I truly never want to roam from. I leave here very rarely, and at the most I've gone to Charlotte and some nearby towns to watch my kids play basketball, or when Bobbi-Lee was in school to cheerlead."

"You have a cheerleader and basketball player, you were never an athlete," Michaela said.

"I was always athletic, I just never played. Huck, well, I instilled the love of baseball into him, and when he met some of his friends they dragged him into the world of basketball. Bobbi-Lee was a momma's girl and her momma got her into cheerleading, and she followed it to high school."

Michaela laughed, "You actually enjoy being the father of a basketball player and a cheerleader?"

Cade nodded, "Yeah, I do. Huck also has a great girlfriend."

"The mother of his daughter?"

Cade shook his head, "No, they're really good friends, him and his daughter's mom. He's dating our daughter and my daughter's boss' daughter."

"What?"

"He's dating Kayla and Bobbi-Lee's boss' daughter."

Michaela looked strangely at Cade. "Huck is dating Brooke Davis' daughter Chastity. Brooke Davis is the boss of Kayla and Bobbi-Lee."

Michaela nodded, "Isn't that a conflict or something?"

Cade shrugged, "I guess Bobbi-Lee was already working for her, and Huck met her separately. The funny thing is, Chase, that is what she's called, actually pursued him."

Michaela laughed, "He has to be your son, he's clueless."

"Huck's a good boy, just very internal."

Michaela nodded, "So, what are we going to do about our daughter?"

Cade laughed, "Simple, I'm going to let her get to know her siblings and live her life. You, I suggest letting go."

"Not that easy, Cade, she's my only one."

"I don't know, just let her be. You're her mom and from what Bobbi-Lee says she speaks highly of you, my parents and Brendan."

"She is very close to your brother."

Cade smiled, "Yeah, I gathered that from when Brendan was down here."

"Cade, I do regret what happened between us, but you disappeared and worked through third parties. But I let her get to know her family."

"I know, and I was kept informed about her."

Michaela nodded, "Well, it was fun Cade, we have to be going; I'll see you before we head home."

"Okay."

Michaela and Marcy got up and left the café. Deb Lee came over and sat down across from Cade.

"Who were they?" she asked.

"The ex-wife and her best friend slash niece."

"Weird. And people say it is twisted down here."

Cade shrugged, "I don't know, but I have a daughter with her."

"Yeah, we all don't have the best history with ex's."

"Deb, why don't you date? You're a beautiful woman, and still young."

"Cade, you're a flatterer, but I just never felt the urge to get serious with anyone."

Cade nodded, "I know what you mean."

Deb smiled and stood up, "Anything else, coffee, pastry?"

Cade shook his head and handed Deb some money. "No, but I might be back later," he said and left the café.