Page 3 of Finding Home
“Cass!” Quinn admonishes.
“What? He either is married, or of an undesirable socioeconomic class, therefore so far beneath them she can’t speak his name,” Cass declares in a haughty impression of her mother.
Quinn rolls her eyes but doesn’t say anything else. “Wrong on both accounts. He’s from an influential family, not married, but I heard a rumor that his engagement to some socialite will be announced soon, so I might as well have been a mistress. It was Curtis Jones,” I toss out, going for flippant, but it actually sounds mopey and pathetic.
“Of fucking course, it was! Does he still fight wearing a condom at all costs?” I’m dumbfounded by her response.
Sputtering, I trip over my words, trying to form a coherent string of them.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that! Sleeping with Curtis is like a rite of passage. That boy must have baby mommas all along the eastern seaboard by now.” Cass laughs.
I grimace at the reminder of what an idiot I was.
“Look, Harper, he’s one hell of a smooth talker, and was gone to school long enough, so a lot of his notoriety has likely quieted. That and his daddy probably paid everyone off.”
“My bet is on mommy dearest doing the paying, or at least, it was her in my case. Can’t have the mayor getting his hands dirty with a little tramp like me.”
“Did that bitch say that to you?” Cass seethes.
“Cass,” Quinn calls, “before you blow a gasket, why don’t we get in the car? I want to beat the traffic jam on the highway, so we need to shake a leg.” Her tone is soft, yet firm, and somehow brings Cass off her ledge of rage.
We pile into her Subaru, which luckily is big enough for all my luggage. Once Quinn navigates her way out of the airport, Cass gives me her full attention.
“Spill, what did that old hag say to you?”
“She summoned me to their house. When I got there, she was sitting with their lawyer. First, she offered to pay for an abortion. When I refused, again, she handed me paperwork that signed away Curtis’s parental rights and obligations, along with a contract stipulating I would never tell anyone his involvement in the creation of the offspring. Yes, she said ‘offspring.’ Like an idiot, I told her Curtis wouldn’t approve of this; once he was over the shock, he would want us to be together as a family.”
Cass gives me the saddest look, so full of pity it makes my face flame with embarrassment at my cluelessness.
“Yeah, yeah, I know, I’m a moron,” I deadpan. “Any who. She called him in, and Cass, it was insane. He was a totally different person. Gone were the sweet smiles and whispered promises. He sneered at me and said he wanted nothing to do with me or any child that I claimed was his. In the end, I took the settlement. Mom said if I kept the baby, I had to leave town. And, well, you know the rest.” My voice no longer wobbles when I say the words. Instead, they are laced with resignation. So, progress, I guess…
“Well, fuck them!” Cass says vehemently.
“Hear, hear!” shouts Quinn.
I smile sadly, grateful for their support but weighed down by the rejection of my family back home. The future isn’t going to be easy, but at least I’m not completely alone.
Chapter 4
Harper
It doesn’t take long to unpack. I only had three suitcases of clothes; the rest of my stuff was boxed up and stacked in their storage unit. The room I’m staying in is barely big enough for a twin air mattress. They both apologize for the cramped space, and Quinn even offers me her room, saying she can bunk with Cass, but all I see when I look at it is my new life. I’ll start my job search right away, then I’ll try to find a place to live. Hopefully, I can find something close by.
Unable to sleep, and unwilling to spend another day wallowing, I’m up before the sun the next morning. I’m on the couch, my spreadsheet open, and a pad of paper in hand, making a list of tasks and priority levels for each. Down the hall, a door opens and closes softly, and I start gathering my papers that somehow now cover their couch. That’s how Quinn finds me, clutching my papers and trying to clear the space.
“Don’t get up on my account,” Quinn says, smiling.
“I just hadn’t realized the number of papers I had strewn about. Sorry,” I mumble sheepishly, manhandling the random sheets into a stack.
“Oh, are you a list maker like Cass? I always know when she’s stressed—papers everywhere with bulleted lists, pro-cons, and God knows what else.” She laughs like she’s picturing a specific event, and I love that Cass has her in her life.
“Yeah, I blame our moms. They are list queens!” As she heads to the kitchen, I toss my things into my room and rush back out. “I can make you breakfast. Not sure what all you have, but I’m sure I can whip something up.”
Quinn pops a pod into the Keurig on the counter then comes to stand in front of me. “Harper, you know you don’t have to do anything to earn your keep, or thank us for letting you stay, right?” Her eyes are warm, and it’s so easy to believe her words, but it doesn’t make sense. I have to be an inconvenience. I open my mouth to protest but don’t get the chance. “I mean it. We, as in both Cass and I, are so happy to have you here. We both know a thing or two about feeling adrift and a bit lost. No one should walk through life alone. You are not a burden, and you don’t have to prove your worth or anything here. Please, let us be your safe haven while you sort things out.”
Unbidden tears fill my eyes at her words. She isn’t even a relative or any blood connection, yet here she is, offering me a safe space like my real family wouldn’t. She envelops me in a hug, and somehow, it doesn’t feel weird. Her calming presence eases the tension I was clinging to.
“I’m so glad Cass has you around, Quinn. It makes my heart happy to know you have each other.” Quinn lights up at that. I smile my first genuine smile in a while as I sit at the table with Quinn and chat over coffee. Less than twenty-four hours after meeting her, and I feel like I’ve known her for years. I think Quinn is just one of those souls that you can’t help but gravitate toward and pour out your every care to, knowing you’ll find support at the other end.
