Arachnia #Featured

Chapter Thirty Four - Part 2

Chapter Thirty Four              

by sloanranger

Part 2

It had taken weeks for Tom and Cassie's reconciliation – the couple had been in counseling since Cass had been released.  Things were not perfect yet but they were making progress. It helped that Tom could honestly relate that though he had felt attracted to Paula, they had not been intimate.

The therapist, at one point had confirmed: "A large part of the motivation and possibly some of the attraction to Cassie's sister was doubtless due to his fear of losing Billy."

Cassie and Tom had a pragmatic reason for staying together while they worked things through, as well. Cassie wanted to adopt her nieces. Paula's twins had been in foster care these past weeks and both Rettigs had wanted a larger family for some time - Billy would have two little sisters.

Child Protective Services agreed that it was a good solution, to place them with family, especially since there was no longer doubt cast on Cassie's sanity.  Indeed, Tom was talking with his lawyer about possible suits against both the hospital where she had been held and the doctor who had misdiagnosed her. 

Regarding the children's Services, there would be a trial period of course, as was customary – where the Rettigs themselves would be foster parents for the girls before formal adoption could take place.

A party at the Rettigs had been planned a few days before Christmas when the girls were to first arrive. Cassie had asked the Mays and even Elaine's mother, Peggy, to come.

Peggy would only come, she said, if she could bring the food. "You'll have far too much to do, Cassie. And Elaine insists on doing Christmas dinner this year, so you have to let me."

"Fine by me, if you're sure, Peggy," Cass acquiesced.

On the day of the festivities, Peggy had arrived earlier in the evening with her covered dishes. She was there when they brought the twins home for the first time.

Cassie and Tom were just showing them their new room when the doorbell rang. Steve and Elaine stood on the porch, bearing two large teddy bears and a basket of muffins. Elaine had a sheepish smile on her face:

"Can you ever forgive me, Cass?"

"Oh, Elaine – yes, you nosy bum - yes," she said grinning. "I'd never have gotten out of that place if it weren't for you."

"You'd probably never have been in, if it weren't for her, either," Steve offered, dryly.

"Yes, but after all that mess, Steve, something much worse could have happened to me - or Billy," she said. "And it's finally, settled - over with. That might never have happened if not for Elaine's nosiness."

The two women hugged. "Where are the twins?" Elaine asked.

"Billy's showing them their new room," Cass said.

Just then Billy came bounding down the stairs and relieved Elaine and Steve of both the Teddy bears and the muffins.

As he was heading back upstairs to his new sisters with the gifts, Tom called out:

"Hey, Bill, save us a couple of those muffins, will you?"

"Sure, Dad.  Dad?"

"Yes, Billy?"

"Are you familiar with the expression, fat chance?" And Billy raced upstairs, laughing, with his booty.

The women were in the kitchen later, chatting - while Peggy was taking her vegetable casseroles , hot - from the oven. Cassie was quiet for minute as though trying to weigh whether to speak or not.

"Elaine, you want to know the real reason I like spiders?"

Elaine paused at the change in subject. "Spiders? Sure Cass," she said, smiling. "If you'd like to tell me."

"I was in bed one night. Not long after I'd gone to sleep, something tickled my face and woke me up."

"A spider?" Elaine said.

Cassie nodded. "Yeah, a spider. It woke me up and I saw Paula standing in the doorway in her nightgown. She was holding a hammer in her hand."

Elaine felt the chills up her neck again. "You think the spider saved your life?"

"I know it did." She stated it simply, as fact.

"I'd almost forgotten, but that day at Paula's house, there were spiders on her lantana bush, too," Elaine remarked, looking thoughtful.

At the dinner table a few minutes later - Peggy was tossing the green salad. "How did your check-up go today, Hon?"

"Great, Mom and I have some news to share, everyone. I got the ultra-sound results today."

Peggy stopped tossing, salad tongs in mid-air: "Well, don't keep us in suspense - what is it, Honey?"

"It's a little girl, Mom."

Cassie jumped up and hugged her friend: "I'm going to be an Auntie, I'm going to be an Auntie!"

"Congratulations, you two," Tom Said.

"Oh, Sweety," Peggy added, "that's wonderful. I'll bet she's going to look just like you." 

Steve was beside himself. "I'm so happy, Sweetheart."

"You don't want a boy, Steve?" Elaine asked.

"Boys are no fun," he said. "You have to stop kissing them just when you're getting the hang of it. We'll have a boy next time."

"He's right, Elaine," Peggy said. "You can have a boy next time," And she was crying now along with her son-in-law, who was pretending not to.

"What are we going to name her?" Steve said.

"I've been thinking about this a lot," Elaine said. " Of course, her middle name will be Margaret after Mom, " she smiled at her Mom.

"And what's her first name going to be honey? " Peggy replied.

"Well, it's a little old-fashioned, but what does everyone think of 'Charlotte.'"

"How not? " Steve said, standing and taking the casserole into the dining room while  everyone else at the kitchen table fell to laughing.

The End

(Recipes to follow).