small of my back.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”
I held up my hand to stop him from talking. I knew he wasn’t trying to hurt me, but all I cared about in that moment was keeping the world from caving in on me. My father had disappeared to New Orleans when I was six and never returned, leaving my mother and me destitute and confused, struggling to survive while he was off living the single life. What could he possibly want from me now, so many years later?
I shook away the sadness, forcing back the tears that threatened to spill over my cheeks. “I always knew he would come back one day; I just thought it would be while my mother was still alive.” My heart was in the pit of my stomach. Tucker wrapped his arms around me, and that contact, that feeling of safety, caused me to let go of everything I was holding back. The tears flowed freely as sobs wracked my body. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I was happy now, and my life was finally falling into place.
Tucker laid his cheek on the top of my head as his hand rubbed over my back soothingly.
“This doesn’t change anything. You don’t have to call him back. He doesn’t deserve it.”
I pulled back, brushing my hair away from my wet face.
“I have to call him, Tucker. He’s my dad.” I couldn’t understand his logic. Why would I blow him off? I had wanted to see his face again since the moment he stepped out of my life.
“You don’t have to do anything, Cass. He doesn’t even deserve to hear your voice. You’re going to get hurt.”
“I’m used to it.” I walked around him and made my way around the bus. I wanted to talk to Sarah. She would understand. I knew Tucker didn’t want to see me upset, but that was something in life that was unavoidable. I was willing to take the chance.
I banged on the bus door and waited impatiently for someone to answer. Derek pulled open the door and motioned with a tilt of his head to the back of the bus. Sarah leaned out of the bathroom where she was styling her hair to see who was at the door.
“Hey! I was gonna come get you in a few and see if you wanted to do makeovers.” She was beaming from ear to ear. Her smile faded as she saw my tearstained face. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I swiped the tears from my cheeks and gave her a smile. “I was just overwhelmed.”
She made her way down the hallway of the bus. Derek gave her a look and nodded, going to the back of the bus to give us privacy. I shoved my hands in my jean pockets.
“How are things going with him?” I asked as she motioned for us to sit at the small kitchen table.
“Things are good. You want to tell me what happened? Is it Tucker? Is it that bitch Donna?”
I laughed and shook my head.
“Not really. I mean . . . yeah, she sucks, but it’s not them.”
“Then what is it? Spit it out already!”
“My dad is trying to contact me.”
Sarah sat back in her seat, her eyes going wide.
“I take it that’s a bad thing.”
“No. I mean . . . I don’t really know. I’ve been dreaming of this day for years.”
She nodded and reached over the table, placing her hand on mine. Half her hair was curled, the other side hung in a tangled mess. I laughed.
“You have the power here. You don’t have to see him if you don’t want to. You can call and see where it goes from there. Just be careful. There is no telling what he wants.”
“I know.” The thought of him wanting something from me tied my stomach in knots. I wasn’t ready to be hurt by someone else I loved, but I needed to hear his voice.
There was a knock on the door and Sarah grinned.
“Come in, Tucker,” she called out, and the door pulled open. Tucker smiled when his eyes met mine.
“I guess I should go and let you finish getting ready.” I pushed up from the table and walked toward the door.
“I’m here if you need to talk,” Sarah replied as we made our way back outside.
“Tucker.” I turned to face him, taking his hands in mine. “I need you to be supportive, no matter what I decide to do.”
He nodded, looking down at the asphalt.
“If he hurts you . . .” His eyes met mine and I sighed, not needing him to finish his thought. He pulled a small slip of paper from his pocket and held it out to me. I took it from him. My eyes danced over the phone number scrawled out in Tucker’s handwriting. I looped my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek as I gave him an appreciative hug.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I’m not sure this is going to end the way you are hoping.”
“When did you become so pessimistic?”
He laughed sardonically and ran his hand over his hair.
“When I lost everything I had loved.”
The pain in his eyes nearly killed me. I pushed my forehead against his.
“I’m not going anywhere, Tucker.” I pressed my lips against his, and he slid his hands into my hair, holding me against him for an extra moment.
“Just promise me, no matter what happens, you won’t let him break you. You’re a lot stronger than I give you credit for, but I have seen you defeated, and I don’t ever want to watch you go through that again.”
“No matter what happens, we have each other, and that is all I need.”
“Band meeting.” Donna stuck her head out of the door. I rolled my eyes and looked back at Tucker.
“At least you won’t have to deal with her for a little while.”
I laughed and pulled him in for a hug. He kissed my forehead and retreated back inside of the bus. A few minutes later the band filed out with Donna behind them.
I went onto the bus and sat down. I held the cell phone in my hands, letting my eyes go unfocused as I stared at the keypad. I was trying to summon the courage to finally call my dad. My fingers shook as I pulled the small sliver of paper from my pocket. This was it. Time to be strong. I dialed the number and dropped the paper in my lap as I crossed my legs in our bunk.
It rang twice before a man with a deep scratchy voice answered.
“Yeah?”
The voice didn’t sound like I had remembered, and for a second I thought I had dialed the wrong number.
“I’m sorry, I was looking for David Daniels.”
“This is him,” he replied, and the line went quiet. “Cass?”
My throat closed and I suddenly was unable to respond. It was my father and he recognized me.
“It’s me.” I cleared my throat as I pushed open the curtain to the bunk, feeling claustrophobic.
“Princess! You sound so grown up.”
“I am grown up now, Dad.”
“Yeah, of course you are. Of course. How are you?”
“I’m . . . all right.”
“Good. That’s really good to hear. I tried to call your mother a few times, but she must have changed her number.”
“She’s dead,” I blurted out, squeezing my eyes closed as I mentally scolded myself for not being more tactful. He didn’t respond, but I could hear him breathing into the receiver. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tell you that way. I thought you would know.”
There was a beat of silence.
“No, no, it’s fine. I just . . . I . . . I didn’t know.”
“How are you doing?” I wanted to change the subject and not let myself dwell on the darker part of my life.
“Things are good. My wife is pregnant again.”
Everything began to spin, and I felt like I was sinking.
“Your wife?” I asked as I held the palm of my hand against my chest. Willing my heartbeat to slow.
