No sooner out than back in. It was like Stockholm Syndrome had taken place and she couldn't exist outside the hospital except that wasn't quite it. She wasn't sure about being out there in the world anymore but she didn't want to be here either and she feared what would follow- being in a secure facility for her own good was not something she thought she could endure again. There were no flowers or get well cards this time, people didn't want to hope for her release this time.
Cadence McGarry had been out of hospital for over two weeks before the incident. She had continued to refuse to talk about her abduction but had demonstrated a bright outlook, reassuring everyone that she was fine, eager to get back to work and making jokes about maybe having a low key Christmas next time. She had spent the two weeks mostly at home in recovery and avoiding the press. There had been a couple of visits to the White House to see the president and Zoey and accept their sincere thanks and an offer of a pleasant lunch there. It had all been quiet as Cadence did not want a fuss. She had just informed everyone that she wanted to move on.
Cadence's desperate attempts to try and force herself to forget and feign happiness had ended three nights ago.
As far as Leo had gathered she had take a bath and opened a bottle of wine to help her relax in the bath. The problem was that she had become fixated with a scar or mark on her side, one he knew little about, and the fixation had turned into an obsession she had tried to quell with drink. Instead the alcohol had just fuelled the obsession and Cadence had gotten it into her head that if she could remove this mark she could be rid of 'bad memories'.
The details around the event were a little scant. All Leo knew for sure was that Cadence had used a knife on herself and it was just as well she hadn't been able to mute her yelp of pain when she had done so. Agent Mike Casper, on guard duty in her apartment, had heard her yelp, hurried in and stopped her before it could get any worse. He had then called the ambulance and staved off the bleeding.
Leo had made his decision over what should be done last night. It had involved a very heated, long and angry argument with Mallory but even she had to concede that Cadence needed real help. Now Leo was sitting on a miserable, ice cold January morning having version two of the argument with Tom Landis.
Leo hadn't told Tom of his plans and wondered if he had even intended on doing so. He admired how Tom had stuck by Cadence in hospital the first time but he still wasn't ready to acknowledge him as someone serious in her life. In the end it didn't matter because evidently Mallory had disagreed with Leo's thoughts and told Tom that her father planned to have her sister sent to a mental health facility for 'a while'.
Leo was seated at his desk, sombre and calm as he readied himself to argue with the Republican. He wondered how in the hell they were almost through January and yet still dealing with Cadence in hospital. So much for the new year, clean slate approach.
"Everything that's already happened," Leo murmured grimly, "now this and she's inherited my vices, damn it all the things I could have given her and it was weakness and trouble."
"Hey!" Tom snapped angrily as he glowered down at the older man. "That isn't fair, she was selfless, trying to save the President's daughter and this started with Colombia, she wasn't there for her own good. That's the problem, she's always trying to look after everyone else."
Leo glanced up at the younger man. He had arrived unscheduled just a few minutes ago, unconcerned that Leo might have some other serious business to attend to this afternoon like problems in the Middle East. Leo noticed that Tom was starting to get greys at his temples, the man looked as tired as Leo felt but he was still making an effort of composure in a dark navy suit with a white shirt.
"She drinks Landis," Leo muttered darkly as he pushed a hand to his brow, "more than she should, it's not at my level but my God there's time isn't there? This is how it starts and she hurts herself, when bad things happen out of her control that's how she tries to bring the control back. This wasn't a first for her." He lowered his hand and shook his head. "I'm not losing her to this, I wanted therapy for her after Colombia but she refused, well I'm not letting her refuse this time. Hell if I'd known about the things that had happened her first trip in Colombia when they had happened I'd have gotten her the therapy then."
"Jesus," Tom cursed out. "You're just trying to shove her away, out of sight, out of public eye. Are you trying to micromanage the damage?"
Tom scowled at Leo as he raised his hands to his hips and towered over the Chief of Staff. "You're on the job still, aren't you? Thinking of what it means to the press, to your boss," he sneered, "it's always about everyone else. What about her?"
Leo's face twisted into anger as he glowered up at Tom. "Well Landis, we are in my office so yes, I am on the job as you put it," he snapped back sardonically. "However, this is about her, she needs help and I am acknowledging that because I know she won't!"
Leo's voice rose as he felt the anger rise within him. He embraced it, welcoming it to banish the guilt that had been sitting like a very real lump in his stomach for weeks now.
"I mean more than a token therapy session, she needs real help, full-time. If I give her time alone again..." Leo shook his head angrily. "Well I can't be with her all the time and neither can you, so what do you suggest?"
Leo's gaze softened slightly as he changed his tact for a more appealing approach to the Republican.
"It won't be forever, just until she's more stable. If you care about her you can understand that."
Tom continued to look angry as he glared back at Leo with an icy stare. "You have no idea how she'll even be-"
"I can guess," Leo interrupted hotly as his anger returned. "She's my daughter," he added as he gestured to his chest with one hand, "I know her, I know the demons she's already fighting and I know how this is going to keep affecting her. She'll just keep trying to push it all away, never confronting it, squashing it down with drink and maybe more until the next erratic outburst or worse, until she grabs that knife again because pain is a vice too. It's her distraction from this."
"You don't know that she'll do that," Tom argued bluntly.
"Well I'd rather take precautions because I am not running the risk of losing her permanently!" Leo pointed at Tom accusingly as he shouted.
Leo stood up from his desk at last to try and equal the gap between him and Tom. "You're a congressman," he reminded him, "you have no more time for her than I do so don't pretend otherwise." Leo folded his arms as he frowned at Tom. "Are you going to put her before all your constitutes who voted for you?" he quipped sardonically. "Are you only for them when you're single?"
Tom bristled at the accusation. He pushed a hand up through his gelled hair as his lip curdled slightly into a scowl. Wordlessly he shook his head before he stormed out of the office.
Leo waited for a few minutes. He considered returning to his seat but knew if he sat the weight of his burdens would overcome him and he might not rise again. Instead he stepped out of the office, satisfied that Tom was gone, and looked to Margaret expectantly.
Margaret gave Leo a look of sympathy he was becoming accustomed to in the White House.
"Any news?" he snapped at her, hating the pity in her eyes. Sympathy and pity meant something in his life was beyond his control and he loathed that not just on a personal level but on a professional one as well because he feared that it would give the opinion that if he couldn't control things in his own personal sphere he certainly couldn't manage the affairs on an entire continent.
Margaret shook her head. "No sir," she retorted politely.
Leo nodded. "Get me Josh and Sam, the business with Iran isn't going to sort itself," he grumbled.
Leo retreated to his office, determined that he would throw himself into his work for a few hours. He scowled as he realised the irony of it, he too wanted distractions to hide from the pain of things in his life. He just wanted a busy day so he could delay the phone call he had to make. That was what Mallory hadn't understood, that Leo really didn't want Cadence in a facility either but what other options were there? She was hurting herself again and it would only be a matter of time before she either misjudged the depth of the cut or intentionally decided to take it to the next level.
"Knock, knock."
C.J glanced up from her desk with an unimpressed stare. "Danny if you say knock, knock while you knock it defeats the purpose," she scorned the journalist standing in her doorway with his fist raised to the ajar door. "Also, how exactly do you keep getting in here?"
Danny smiled as he stepped into the office and closed the door behind him. "Everyone knows me C.J and, more importantly, they like me," he boasted as his smile widened.
C.J made a show of rolling her eyes at his bragging but she couldn't quite subdue her smile. She was in the middle of typing and glanced back to her document, making sure to save it before she turned a weary look back to Danny.
"I'm busy," she said bluntly, "what is it you're after?"
C.J held up the palm of her right hand suddenly. "If it's anything about Zoey or Cadence forget it, you're not getting an exclusive, no one is," she informed him firmly.
Danny shrugged and glanced at his watch, nudging the face slightly with his other hand as he shifted the strap up slightly before gazing back to C.J calmly.
"It's about Congressman Landis actually," he said casually.
"Oh." C.J looked confused. "Why do you want to know about him? And shouldn't you be asking the Republican press people? That is assuming it's that Landis and not another Congressman Landis I don't know about," she added sardonically.
"Maybe I should go to the Republicans," Danny mused. "They're my next port of call actually but the reception at Congress is never that warm to me." Danny flashed C.J another smile.
"Well what is it about Congressman Landis that you think I might know?" C.J queried as she gave Danny a baffled expression.
"Why has he quit C.J?"
"Quit?" C.J repeated in confusion. She glanced to some notes at her desk, disinterested in the conversation. "Quit what Danny?"
"Congress."
C.J tensed in her seat and made a point of keeping her gaze down on her notes as she wrestled to keep her expression neutral. She turned her head up slowly, mastering a calm stare in her blue eyes. "When do you think he did that?" she queried carefully.
"I don't think he did it," Danny retorted, still calm as amusement twinkled in his gaze, "I know he did C.J. He resigned on television just an hour ago."
C.J shook her head casually. "And he didn't say why?"
Danny's smile widened. "Are you fishing C.J? Don't you know about this?" he queried teasingly.
"Humour me."
Danny snickered. "Wow you don't know about this. Well, alright, if it gets me a favour."
C.J sighed and raised a hand up to her brow. "Danny come on, he's a Republican congressman, it's not big news for me that's he quit, it's curiosity on a personal level."
"Well I still want something C.J, if it's something minor fine but I don't have to be nice and share."
"Then don't," C.J grumbled as she lowered her hand to her desk. "Carol! Carol" she yelled for her assistant.
The door opened and Carol gazed in curiously. "You can use the phone you know," she said, "it's better than yelling through closed doors."
"Yeah, Carol, find out for me what this is about Congressman Landis quitting Congress."
"Congressman who?" Carol repeated with a puzzled look.
"Landis, Tom Landis."
Carol's eyes widened slightly and she nodded. "Right, that one." Carol hurried off, leaving the door ajar behind her.
C.J smiled up at Danny. "You see, I don't need you." She gestured to the door with one hand. "And Carol has been good enough to leave the door open for you."
Danny continued to grin. He took a step towards the desk and waved down to the goldfish Gail. "Now C.J, don't get sore just because I got the story before you. Congressman Landis said he couldn't continue to fairly represent his people because something in his personal life now had to take precedence. It was wonderfully vague and humble, you know," Danny cocked his head slightly as he peered down at C.J, "I can't work that out with him, is he sincere or just better at saying the right thing than most? I mean he did try to go for you guys with Senator Whyte and Congressman Haffley to get his policy through, he has his moments." Danny's eyes brightened with joy. "It makes for some entertaining articles on a slow day."
C.J shook her head at this. "You reporters, I tell people you're really not that bad and then you come out with things like that."
Danny laughed. "C.J someone has to report the story. So, why has he quit? Is it to do with Cadence?"
"Danny even if I knew, which I don't," C.J lamented, "we both know I couldn't tell you. Leo and the president have ordered anything about Cadence or Zoey to be off limits. They're both still traumatised over what happened and they need and deserve some space and privacy."
"C.J," Danny retorted quietly, "we both know it doesn't work that way."
"Yeah well it should," C.J snapped as she waved him off.
"You owe me C.J," he said with another smile. "How about dinner?"
"Nope," she dismissed as she returned to looking at her notes.
"Lunch?"
"Nope."
"C.J, come on now, be nice, I know you can."
C.J sighed, pressed a hand to her temple and gazed up at Danny once more. "Fine, coffee but not right now, try in a couple of hours I'm busy."
"Busy working out how to tell Leo the news?" Danny pried.
C.J waved him off again. "Out Danny before I change my mind on the coffee."
Danny snickered at this. "I'll see you in a couple of hours."
Danny exited the office, taking care to close the door behind him.
C.J exhaled a sigh as she wondered if Leo did know about Landis' announcement. Did anyone here? Would anyone care much? Cadence wasn't old news exactly, she was forbidden news and when it wasn't spoken about sure the curiosity grew initially but after a while then it waned as other things replaced it. Already she was less the hero of the president's daughter and now back to being the Chief of Staff's eccentric, unstable daughter. It was cruel, unfair and unjust but since Leo had put up the walls not a lot was being done to challenge this.
C.J wasn't even sure why Cadence was back in the hospital, no one really was and that was the problem. Without any news, rumours had been allowed to fester and grow. News had leaked from the Eisenhower that her post was vacant and on the list to be put out for a temporary filling. It was at Cal's insistence and Gavin had let it slip to Sam that he'd done it without the Vice President's approval.
C.J decided she would wait and see what Carol came back with about Tom Landis resigning and then take it to Josh and let him decide if and how to approach Leo about it.
Agent Mike Casper stared down at his current charge calmly. She had become his most common charge and his longest. The irony was that it wasn't really in his job description to deal with the victims of acts of terrorism save for evidence gathering and this hadn't been an act of terrorism it turned out by one of a different kind of violent hatred. Mike was here on Leo's personal orders because Leo figured Mike was at least a familiar figure for Cadence and he'd decided that, that was a good thing.
Mike, like everyone else in Cadence's life, was dismayed to see her back in hospital. He felt a certain personal blame for it given her latest injury had happened under his watch. So busy looking for outside threats he had never considered the woman might be a threat to herself. Sure, it wasn't in his job description, but he felt guilty anyway.
Cadence looked up at Mike sombrely. Her grey-blue eyes were circled with dark bags of exhaustion and grooves of stress to replace the bruises they had only recently bore.
The television set high in a corner of the wall was on but turned down low. Mike had cottoned on that Cadence craved white noise, she had the television on almost all the time now. It was just after dinner time. She had received no visitors all day so Mike had entered the room to talk to her. Again it wasn't in his job description but that pesky guilt of his couldn't care what the contract said.
"Have you ever been tortured?" she quipped bluntly.
Mike kept his surprise from his face as he stared down at her. She was sitting upright, hands in her lap as she twisted a raccoon teddy about in her hands. She had stretched it slightly at its arms as she took out her stress on it. Mike knew Mallory had brought the teddy in for her for her yesterday, a scant offering of home comfort for the young woman.
Mike considered simply stating that it was classified but he knew why Cadence was asking. Cadence might not be voicing to anyone what had happened to her over the Christmas period but the marks on her body, the wild roll of her eyes, the tensing at every little sudden sound, the desire to banish silence and that odd, sudden quivering that happened now and then all told a story. The people they had arrested in connection with her kidnapping had also told a bleak story but Cadence wasn't to know the ins and outs of it.
Mike nodded.
"How do you get over that?" she queried quietly.
"Little steps," Mike murmured. "You don't forget it but it improves."
"Was it during a war?"
Mike nodded again. "Don't ask which one," he advised with a faint smile.
Cadence furrowed her eyebrows slightly as turned her stare ahead. "They wanted something from you, right?" Her voice remained quiet and serious.
"Yes."
"No one wanted anything from me," she said. "They didn't even want me and then when there was no demand for me back they got even angrier." She squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed hard before opening them again. "I don't understand," she continued in a blunt voice void of emotion, "you see the first time in Colombia no one knew I was there so no one was looking. The second time they knew eventually but it was the eventually part that was the problem and I'd been sent there as an offering anyway. This time, surely everyone knew right away with the president's daughter being involved. Surely my dad knew within hours."
"Cadence have you asked him?"
Cadence shook her head before turning her head up to offer Mike an unpleasant smile. "He'd only lie wouldn't he? Everyone in politics lies. I just wonder is all, would it have made a difference if he'd offered something? Maybe they wouldn't have shoved my head into the water so many times while screaming. God all that water, it's always raining you know."
"It wasn't raining then," Mike said calmly.
Cadence shrugged. "You weren't there, how would you know?" she quipped bitingly. She turned her stare down to the raccoon teddy she continued to twist about in her hands. "It's funny you know, I always wanted away from the politics but then I came back to it, thought I missed the life and look how it's burned me and now I'm going to be forced away from it because I'm embarrassment. I tried to help people in Colombia and caused this huge scandal," she smiled again, "and I tried to help Zoey and now I'm centrepiece shame again. My own mom won't see me."
Cadence squeezed her eyes shut once more as she felt tears budding there. She continued to force her bitter smile to remain. "What does one have to do to get their mother's attention huh?" she quipped with feigned cheer. "Getting kidnapped on Christmas Day not enough? Do you think I should do it on Mother's Day, would she notice then?"
Mike had no idea what to say in response and was relieved when he heard voices at the door outside. He turned instinctively, stance ready for trouble and yet hand away from his gun as he heard friendly tones.
The door opened and the weary yet jovial face of Tom Landis peered in. He offered a faint smile and nod for Mike as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.
Mike thought of Tom simply as 'the boyfriend', he had the run down of him from Leo and then the more family friendly version from Josh who seemed to regard Tom as a friend he was slightly embarrassed to admit to having. Mike liked him because he was there for Cadence.
Tom was exhausted as he entered the hospital room. He had made a point of striding up the hospital corridor with his hands deep in his dark coat pockets and his head bowed as he had avoided eye contact with anyone. He didn't want to deal with anymore prying stares or questions. He had meant for his news to be local, sure he'd done it in D.C which wasn't proper, his people had deserved him back in Chesapeake but he had wanted to get it over and done with. It had been no light decision but he felt it was right.
Tom gave a small, bitter smile as he considered that his decision could backfire on him.
As if it hadn't been enough dealing with the hostile gazes of the Republican politicians who felt he had betrayed them as he said his farewells to them in the House after a final visit there, there had been more to deal with.
Of course fate would have it that the Vice President would be in the House when Tom was, carrying out his duties as president of the Senate. They had met in a corridor, Tom was unwilling to believe it was a coincidence and he couldn't help the look of revulsion that had crossed his face at the sight of the man. He was too sick of trying to conjure charm for John Hoynes.
As things always seemed to be between Tom and John, their conversation had been brief and bitter under a guise of a charming farewell from John.
"Congressman," John Hoynes had greeted Tom with a smile and a bright spark of mockery in his piercing blue eyes, "no wait," he had held up a hand, "apologies, that's not right."
Tom recalled John's words of praise that had followed bitterly, knowing they were hollow.
"A surprising move, brave even, although some might say foolish."
John had clasped his hands behind his back, leaned forward to Tom and tipped his head down slightly putting himself close to Tom's right ear. It was a gesture Tom had loathed, the last time he had let the Vice President within his space the news he had delivered had been devastating.
This time John had murmured quietly, "you did what I never could for her and sacrificed your career but she is only going to despise you for it Tom because no matter what you tell her she's going to hold herself responsible."
Tom turned his worried blue stare to Cadence as he thought of John Hoynes' words and wondered if they would ring true. Tom hadn't quit to place a new burden on Cadence, it was meant to be the opposite, he wanted to give her the chance to cast off all her burdens and escape.
Tom wondered if she knew already, if she'd seen him on the news or if someone else had told her. He glanced up to the television instinctively and saw some badly dubbed telenova displayed. He looked over his shoulder to Agent Casper.
"Any visitors today?" Tom pried.
Mike shook his head.
Tom nodded, oddly relieved and yet sad at the same time. It was almost seven o'clock in the evening, how long a day it must have been for her with no one to distract her with conversation. Tom's blue gaze darted to Mike again as he realised the man had been in the room when he had entered, was that why? Had he been talking to her?
"I want to talk to Cady alone," Tom advised calmly.
Mike nodded this time and gave Tom a small smile. "I'll be right outside."
Mike headed for the door, returning to a post he was all too familiar with now. The smells of the hospital didn't even faze him anymore, he was used to the mixture of medications and decay that drifted up the corridors as he swapped his guard post with other agents. Even the two week respite had not dulled his indifference to it. He frowned at that thought, being out of hospital should have been the end to it, not a momentary break.
Tom waited until the door closed before returning his attention to Cadence.
Cadence had composed herself in that moment, she was sitting rigid again, staring ahead at nothing.
"Cady I want to talk to you a minute," Tom said gently as he reached for a chair and brought it to her bedside. "I have news."
Tom occupied the seat and waited for her to face him but she didn't.
"Cady?"
"Tom stop visiting," she said numbly. She was squeezing the teddy again, squeezing and squeezing at its stomach and wondering if the fluff might pop out with the force. "Dad wants me to go into a facility and I...it's hard enough but I can't keep seeing you every day and act like that's not going to happen, like I'm going to get out and just resume things." She cracked a bitter smile and let out a harsh laugh. "We tried that, remember? I got over two weeks just. You said it yourself once, normal doesn't happen with me."
Tom smiled, offering up that lopsided grin Cadence was so fond of but it didn't matter because she wasn't looking his way. He reached out a hand to brush against her hair gently, it was coarse under his fingertips and in need of a brush.
"I did say that and it's true but we both know this isn't how I meant it. Cady think of alternatives hmm? What about just getting away from it all? From D.C, from the job, the politics and the lifestyle?"
"What, just run away and pretend it didn't happen?"
"No, take a break from it, more than a vacation mind, a change of scenery and yes, you'll need therapy but there are different types of that and they don't all involve facilities."
"Tom I tried that before," she confessed. "I...I had a miscarriage," she said softly as she released the teddy to clench the bedsheets in her hands, "right in the middle of the Presidential campaign and I fled, to Colombia. That was getting away from everything, from my thesis, from my loss, from..." Cadence trailed off.
She turned to face Tom at last but he wished she hadn't as he saw her dark expression.
"From him," Tom ventured a guess. "Jesus Cady, was it..." Now Tom couldn't finish his sentence. He realised he just didn't want to know.
"Yes," she croaked out. "Fuck, what does it matter you hearing it?" she cursed out loudly, startling him with her sudden outburst. "You think I'm his whore anyway, I remember that! I remember Christmas Day and you wanted to know if I was cheating on you with the Vice President. And I thought that would be the worst thing to happen to me then!" she snapped sarcastically. She let out another horrible laugh before the tears started to trickle down her cheeks again. "Why the hell are you here Tom? If it's pity or guilt I don't want either, I can't stand that! It's all I ever seem to get!"
Tom was silent as he reached for her with both hands, she resisted only a little as he drew her to him but then the sobs came and she let him pull her into his chest and wrap his arms about him.
"Cady I love you," he admitted. "I want to help you through this, I want you happy and I want you away from the poisonous life that keeps getting you hurt. More than that I want to put you first and I swear it's not pity or guilt it's just love. I know," he added with a small smile, "I have shitty timing. Look, it's not my forte, I can be charming but when it comes to romance I'm rusty and awkward as hell."
Cadence pulled back from Tom as she turned a startled, damp eyed gaze up him.
Tom's smile widened as he thumbed away her tears. "Here's my suggestion, you and me go to Chesapeake and we just get away from it all, no politics, just peace. It's incredibly beautiful there you know," he added seriously.
"You always get a sad look when you say that," she retorted softly.
Tom tensed slightly as his smile faded. He tilted his head back slightly in an attempt to evade the nosebleed he knew was coming.
"Huh, well I suppose I did tell you I'd have my problems too. They're there and we can confront them but we have to confront yours too. You can see a psychiatrist there but I think it's better than a facility, it really is beautiful, the bay has such warm colours at sunset and the air is clean and fresh. I'll take you to the beaches and we can look for Chessie," he joked. "I have a quiet place where we can stay, they'll not care about the D.C news, you'll get your privacy and your peace."
Tom tugged out a tissue with his left hand before turning his head back down to Cadence. It wasn't bleeding yet but he was starting to smell the odour of blood.
Tom weaved his hand through her hair again as he held her gaze. "And I'll be there, I'll take care of you when the darkness comes and we'll get through it, we will."
Cadence's face turned sad even as she smiled. "Tom that sounds beautiful, a beautiful fantasy."
"It doesn't have to be a fantasy Cady," Tom retorted seriously.
"You're a congressman."
"Forget about that for a moment, just forget the politics, say it's not a factor, would you come with me then? Would you leave D.C and the Eisenhower and give it a chance?"
Cadence tensed as Tom mentioned the Eisenhower. They both knew what he meant by that. She thought about it for a moment and tried to imagine life somewhere else, somewhere tranquil away from the mad paced world of politics that had brought her only grief and pain, a life away from John but a life with Tom. John was pain too, whether he meant it or not he hurt her.
"God Tom I would," she realised as she nodded, "but my dad's right, I need help. I'd love to promise you I'll get out of here and be fine but I didn't plan for the knife," she shuddered, "I just wanted that mark gone, the mark they left in Colombia, that was all."
The tears returned as Cadence bowed her head.
"I thought if I could get rid of it then the memories would go too, start with that and then." She sucked in a breath and shuddered. "Well I don't know, I can't think about Christmas but it'll just come one day anyway, forcing itself into my head and then I don't know!"
Cadence started to cry and Tom pulled her back against him once more. He wrapped his left arm about her shoulders and brought his hand up to his nostrils to dab at his bloody nose. He looked about the room in displeasure, not one card this time, no well wishers for when she caused the pain herself.
"Cady, I'll be there," he insisted.
"You can't be Tom, not all the time, think of your people and your party."
"I did and I decided I needed to put you first and that they needed someone else."
"What do you mean Tom?"
Cadence moved against him, tipping her head up to gaze at him in confusion.
Tom grinned and kissed her on the brow. "I didn't want it to influence your decision but now that you've said you'd like to come with me to Chesapeake I can say it. I quit today Cady." When she went to protest, Tom pressed a finger against her mouth. "Don't you say it, don't say 'not for me', it was more selfish than you think. I thought about what I wanted for a change and what I want is you and what I want is to help you so I'm going to do that."
Tom lowered his hand from her mouth. "You deserve someone to think of you first Cady."
"Then, it's real?" she queried doubtfully. "It's not some fantasy that I'll go live on some beach house away from it all."
Tom gave a mock frown. "Well now, I didn't quite say beach house but if it's what you really want although the Chessie hunting gets boring and sometimes angry beavers are involved."
Cadence surprised them both with her giggle. "Now I want the beach house," she teased.
Cadence pressed the side of her head against his chest and linked her hand with his free one. She squeezed it tightly. "Tom."
"Hmm?"
"Is it a cliché if I say I love you too?"
"Oh very much so but I'll be good and ignore that fact if you do."
Cadence smiled again. "I love you Tom."
Tom grinned.
"And my dad is definitely going to kill you when he hears this," she added chirpily.
Tom's grin vanished. "Wow, couldn't even let me enjoy that for a few seconds? That hurts Cady."
"Sorry, I've been watching a lot of Mexican soaps, I've been picking up some tips on drama."
