Kept Secret
"How long have you known?" Punk asked, sitting on the sofa with Cassie, holding his newest granddaughter in his arms.
Once the shock had died down, everyone fussed over baby Lena and were desperate for the details.
"A few months." Cassie nodded, "We just wanted to keep it to ourselves… in case we got jinxed or something." She said, "I still can't believe she's actually here. It felt like it took forever but also… like it has all happened so fast." She shook her head.
"She's amazing." Punk smiled, "Lucky number seven."
"Oh, yeah." Cassie smiled, "The girl who picked us… she said she picked us pretty much because of your reference. So… thank you for that." She nodded as Punk turned to her.
"You got to meet her? The woman?" Punk asked.
"No. No, she didn't want to meet us. She was eighteen. From Mexico, actually." Cassie nodded, "She didn't want to see us or even see the baby. We asked if we could maybe write her a letter but… she didn't want that either." Cassie shrugged.
"Well, maybe it's for the best." Punk said.
"Yeah well she's going off to college when she goes back home. Clearly having a baby just wasn't on her radar." Cassie nodded.
"Well, she's your baby." Punk mumbled as Cassie smiled, "How the hell did you guys keep it a secret for so long?"
"Theo and I are excellent secret keepers." Cassie nodded.
"Clearly." Punk said, "I mean… have you got everything you need? We'll obviously buy you whatever-"
"Dad." Cassie smiled, "I'm not a little girl. I don't need you to buy me things or help me out. You guys did enough of that when I had Chase. You practically bought everything for him." She said, "She has everything she needs."
"Well obviously we're going to buy you things." Punk ignored her as Cassie rolled her eyes, "How has Chase been?" He asked her curiously, "Thea was six when Jude was born. She was not a fan."
"That's because Thea is evil." Cassie concluded, "He's been great. He's obsessed with her already. Loves telling everyone he's got a sister." She smiled.
"That's sweet." Punk nodded, "Where'd Lena come from?"
"Theo picked it out." Cassie said, "I just loved it."
"It's great. I got a Leela and Lena in my lie. A Thea and a Theo." Punk said, "I don't stand a chance when I get dementia." He shook his head as Cassie chuckled.
"Everyone calls Leela Lee." Cassie said, "But yeah, the Thea and Theo situation is annoying. I call Theo Thea all the time and he just accepts it." She nodded.
"So are you guys taking time off work now?" Punk asked, "I know you don't exactly have to recover from anything but… newborns need the attention, obviously."
"Yeah, we're taking time off. I was talking to Sean earlier, he's actually been really great about it." Cassie nodded.
"Good." Punk nodded, "Remember if you need any help with anything." He said.
"I know, dad." Cassie smiled, "Thank you."
"Well I certainly did not expect that tonight." Thea admitted, sitting outside in their yard with Dominic who was standing smoking a cigarette, "I mean… only Cassie could keep something like that a secret." She shook her head.
"They both looked really happy." Dominic nodded, "It's nice to see. They've been through a lot this past year."
"Yeah, I know." Thea smiled, "And she's beautiful. Baby Lena. I have another niece." She smiled happily.
"Sofia seemed to be doing ok. That's the first time she's been with a big crowd since the accident." Dominic pointed out.
"Yeah, she seemed it." Thea nodded, "I think she really wants to try the guide dog. She's adamant she doesn't want a stick."
"She wants a guide dog or Sam wants a guide dog?" Dominic scoffed as Thea smiled.
"I know, I told Sam that it would be a working dog, and that it would be Sofia's." Thea said, "She's just a baby. It's hard trying to explain things to her." She nodded.
"Yeah." Dominic agreed, "I was talking to your dad today. They're adamant about learning braille. In fact, I think they all are."
"Yeah, I know. I told them Sofia has to learn it and get used to it first, though obviously." Thea nodded, "I told them I'd keep them updated but I know I can be slow with my phone. I've just been trying to concentrate on her and making sure she's alright."
"Yeah, I know. I think we're doing alright, Thea." Dominic nodded to her.
"You think?" She sighed, rubbing her forehead, "It's hard to tell."
"Nobody would now how to navigate a situation like this. We're doing the best we can. That's what parents do. Good ones anyway." He nodded, "She's safe and she's recovering well. And we'll make sure she gets everything she needs. A dog. A new school. Changes in the house. Anything." He said, "She's gonna be alright."
"I feel like I can see a little bit of light now." Thea nodded, "Just seeing her with my parents tonight. The smile on her face. Playing with Mirren. God, I needed to see that." She said as Dominic nodded, walking over to her and sitting down beside her on the step.
"She's gonna be alright." He placed his hand on her knee as she nodded, taking his hand.
"You've not smoked in ten years." She smiled a little.
"And you haven't not smoked since you were fifteen." Dominic said, "I can play that game too."
"You're wrong actually." She said, "Fourteen." She nodded.
"I know for sure if we went to the same high school, you would have absolutely terrified me." He nodded.
"No I wouldn't have." Thea nudged him, "I was a loner. Kept myself to myself." She shrugged, "Mostly because of the drugs and controlling boyfriend I had but… I was kinda just like that anyway." She shrugged.
"I would have still had a crush on you, though." He nodded sweetly as she smiled.
"Oh, you and so many other boys." Thea nodded.
"Looking at pictures of you when you were younger, you would have assumed you were the popular mean girl." Dominic said.
"Why?" Thea chuckled a little, "That was none of us. I was just a stoner who hung around with whoever had good parties and drugs. Jude was a nerd who spent her lunch time finishing art projects. And Cassie was the girl who was friends with all the boys because she didn't like the drama that came with having girl friends." Thea nodded, "Us Mendez Brooks women were never the mean girls. We'd kick the mean girls' asses." She said as Dominic nodded.
"Well that's very believable." Dominic nodded, "Jude would kick your ass for calling her a nerd."
"Oh, she is a nerd. She knows it." Thea scoffed, "I hope she doesn't get eggs thrown at her window for the mural she's painting on the abortion clinic."
"Has she checked that she's allowed to do that?" Dominic asked, "It'd be a little awkward if her sister had to arrest her. Or her husband." He shook his head.
"She's checked." Thea laughed a little, "Although watching Sean arrest her would be hilarious."
"You think we're all done having kids now?" He asked her.
"Well, actually…" Thea smiled a little as he turned to her.
"You're joking." He shook his head.
"I am." Thea agreed, nudging him and laughing as Dominic placed his hand on his heart, "Sorry, I just wanted to see your face."
"Don't do that to me. That's not funny." Dominic said as Thea chuckled, leaning into him.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Cassie whispered, walking into the nursery where she found Theo standing by the crib, looking on at Lena.
"Just watching her." Theo shrugged quietly as Cassie smiled, "I forgot how small babies are. Was Chase this small?" He asked her.
"Actually, Chase was the same weight as her. Seven pounds three ounces." Cassie nodded.
"Really? I thought Chase was seven one." Theo shook his head.
"Nope. Seven three." Cassie nodded.
"She seems smaller." Theo said, "She's so beautiful." He shook his head with amazement as Cassie smiled, watching Lena as she slept, "Just like her mama." He nodded to himself as Cassie smiled.
"I love how obsessed Chase is with her." Cassie said, "He's so excited to be a big brother."
"Yeah, I knew he would be." Theo smiled, "You know, I remember when Chase was born and looking at him, just wondering who or what this little guy was gonna grow up to be. And I'm still wondering. And now we got her and… it's the same. She's really gonna grow up and become a person. She'll have school friends and… she'll get a job… she'll have different hobbies, favourite singers and films, a favourite sport and ice-cream flavour. And we get to just watch it all unfold… and love her." He shook his head as Cassie smiled.
"And wow does she have the best dad in the world." Cassie nodded as he looked over at her, "Seriously."
"Yeah well, we're a team, aren't we?" He smiled, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her waist, "Team Brooks Sanchez for the win every time."
"Hell yeah." Cassie nodded.
"When should we set her christening for?" He asked her, "My mom was already asking me today." He rolled his eyes.
"Leave her alone." Cassie nudged him, "I don't know. I'm gonna leave that entirely up to you. I just don't want a repeat of Chase's christening." She warned him.
"Oh, will you ever drop that?" Theo scoffed.
"Never. And for good reasoning." She smiled as he chuckled.
"Cassie." AJ nudged twenty-three-year-old Cassie who was fast asleep in her bedroom at home with her parents where she still lived with her son.
"Huh?" Cassie grumbled, "What?" She opened her eyes, "Is it Chase?" She wondered, even though she knew she couldn't hear her four-month-old son crying.
"No, it's Theo." AJ said, folding her arms as Cassie turned around in bed, noticing Theo wasn't beside her.
She still lived at home with baby Chase, but most nights Theo stayed with her at the house, or they stayed at his apartment. They had his christening the previous night, therefore a lot of sore heads were prevailing this morning, and come to think of it, she couldn't really remember her boyfriend making it to bed.
"Where is he? He stayed at the party. I came home with Chase and you guys." Cassie nodded.
"He's downstairs." AJ said as Cassie looked at her mother.
"What has he done?" She dreaded, getting out of bed and leaving her room, running downstairs, noticing her father in the kitchen making coffee.
She made her way into the living room, placing her hand over her mouth when she saw her boyfriend laying on the couch with nothing but a throw cushion covering his crotch.
"Oh my God." She said, not sure whether she should laugh or be mad or embarrassed. Embarrassed was the general feeling, especially when she realised her parents had obviously found him like this.
"Just to point out… the cushion was not there when we got up this morning." AJ said as she passed the living room whilst Cassie groaned
"Theo!" She yelled as Theo jumped a little, looking up at the ceiling, feeling his head pounding, "Get your ass up right now." She marched over to him as he looked up at her with confusion.
He sussed out his surroundings, realising he was not in bed where he had aimed to be, realising he had settled for his girlfriend's parents' couch.
"How'd I end up here?" Theo mumbled, suddenly feeling the cushion on him as he looked down.
"How much did you drink last night?" Cassie hissed, placing her hand on her hips, "My parents found you like this… without the damn cushion." She nudged him as he fell back down on the couch after making little progress to sit up.
"I thought I was… didn't I get to your bed?" He questioned.
"No, obviously not." She whispered harshly.
"I mean… that's where I was trying to go." Theo laughed a little.
"God, I think you're still drunk. I don't think your son's christening day is a good enough excuse to get wasted." She scoffed.
"It is if you come from my family." Theo nodded, eventually sitting up, "I might throw up."
"Get your ass upstairs." Cassie nodded, grabbing him by the arm and helping him up as he dropped the cushion, "Oh, the cushion." She said, picking it up quickly and pushing it hard into his crotch as he groaned a little.
"Careful with the goods." He complained, "When did I get home?" He asked her, standing in the living room with her.
"I'm not having this conversation whilst your bare ass is out in my parents living room. Go upstairs." She told him.
"Are they home?" He asked.
"They found you!" She said, "Without the cushion." She added.
"That's not good." Theo figured.
"You think?" Cassie nodded, "Get upstairs. Go." She said as he nodded.
"Should I go apologise?" He turned to her.
"Like this?" Cassie questioned.
"Yeah, ok. Maybe not." He nodded, making his way out of the living room, looking down the hall at the kitchen where AJ and Punk were having breakfast.
"Morning, sweetie." AJ called.
"Hey!" Theo paused awkwardly, "Sorry about this." He said in a child-like voice, "I thought I was in Cassie's room." He admitted as Punk turned back to his paper, not as amused as AJ was.
"Not helping." Cassie pushed Theo.
"I was apologising." Theo defended.
"By letting them know you were heading for my room butt naked?" Cassie asked, "You're still drunk." She concluded as he began climbing the stairs.
"Admiring the view?" Theo teased.
"Just get up there." She shook her head as he reached the top of the stairs, wandering away into her bedroom as she followed, watching him drop the cushion and collapse in her bed, "How did you end up so drunk, Theo?" She shook her head.
"I ended up going to Rico's with Matthew and my cousins." Theo muffled against the pillow, "I think we left at 2 or 3. I can't remember."
"Why didn't you just go to your apartment if you were that drunk?" She questioned.
"I wanted to see you." He said sweetly, trying to charm her as he rolled onto his back.
"Oh, well I can see you alright." Cassie nodded, "Did you just start stripping when you got into the house? How did you end up naked?"
"I… I thought I was in your room." Theo shrugged, "I must have just collapsed on the couch. Hey, is Chase still sleeping?"
"Yeah." Cassie said.
"Ok well go shut the door and get in here." He nodded.
"You're still drunk." Cassie laughed as he shrugged, "No, I'm gonna go have breakfast with my parents and apologise on your behalf. And you're gonna sleep, sober up, and wake up feeling like the worst person alive." She nodded, tucking him into her bed as he closed his eyes.
"I love you." He hummed sleepily.
"Go to sleep." Cassie shook her head with a smile.
