Dream On(100)

Farther up the street, I catch sight of my mom and half brothers with my stepfather, Robert, behind them. I wave. “Mom! You made it!”

“Cass!” Jackson and Liam squeal in tandem as they sprint over to me. Squatting down, I brace myself as they fling their tiny bodies at me in a tackle hug.

“I missed you guys,” I murmur into their hair.

Jackson hugs me extra tight. “I missed you too, Cassy.”

“Hey, little dudes,” says Brie. She ruffles Liam’s hair, and he swats at her. She grins.

Mom and Robert join us then. “Boys, let Cass breathe,” Mom says, and they reluctantly let go. “Good to see you, Brie,” she adds.

“Always, Mel.”

Straightening, I smooth the front of my pink skirt. “Thank you so much for coming.”

“Of course. You said you wanted us here by eleven, so here we are.” Robert’s wide face splits into a grin as he scrubs his close-clipped hair.

Mom harumphs. “What is this all about anyway? You were very cryptic on the phone last night.”

Robert looks between me and Mom and clears his throat. “Jackson, Liam, how about you and me go check out that painting over there…” He’s already shepherding them away, despite their protests.

Brie checks her watch. “And I’m going to see if my mom’s ready for you. See you in a bit,” she says to me.

My mom squints after her. “Is that Charlotte over there with the news crew? Cassidy Walker, what in God’s name is going on here?”

I clamp my hands on her shoulders. “Smith & Boone offered me the job as a first-year associate.” My mom’s eyes light up like a pair of sparklers. “I’m going to turn them down.” The light fades just as quickly.

“Why would you do that?” she demands.

“Because working for a big firm doesn’t make me happy, Mom. I learned that this summer. I learned a lot of things, actually,” I mutter to myself. “Big law life isn’t for me, and really, it was never my dream in the first place. In fact, I think it was more your dream all along.”

“Cass, what are you talking about? This is what we’ve been working for—”

“No, Mom. It’s what I worked for. Not that you haven’t supported me every step of the way—you have, and I’m grateful. I know how much you sacrificed to move us to a good school district and find educational opportunities for me. I never would have made it this far without you. But you also taught me to stand on my own two feet and take responsibility for myself, so that’s what I’m doing. Which is why I can’t take this job. If I do, I’ll be miserable.”

“Cassidy.” Tutting, she runs her hands up and down the length of my arms before pulling me into a hug. “I had no idea you felt that way. Did you think I’d be mad if you didn’t end up at Smith & Boone?”

I nod against her shoulder.

“I want you to be successful, but more important, I want you to be happy.” Leaning back, she looks me hard in the eyes. “I’m so sorry if I ever made you feel like I pressured you into big law. I’d never want you to do something that makes you unhappy just because you think it’s what I want. You come first, always. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay. Really.”

Eyes shimmering, she tucks my hair behind my shoulder. “So now you know what you don’t want to do—what do you want to do?”

“I’m not sure yet. Work for a nonprofit, maybe? I’d love to use my law degree in a way that helps people. Maybe get into community development.”

“Well, if a career at a nonprofit, or even a different field altogether, makes you happy, then I’m happy.”

“Thanks, Mom. And you know… it’s never too late to go back to school. Melanie Walker, esquire, has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

She laughs. “Ask me again when the twins are older.” Her gaze catches on the news crew, and she frowns. “But really, what is Charlotte Owens doing here? God, she’s the worst.”

“Cass, they’re ready for you,” Brie shouts from farther up the street. Behind her, Charlotte eyes me with sharp-edged hunger. Next to her, Devin is off to the side, talking to—Perry? My heart thunders. Whereas Perry is wearing his green festival T-shirt, Devin is dressed in a sleek polo and jeans. I suck in a deep breath.

Gathering my courage, I pat Mom’s shoulder. “You’ll find out soon.”

A small crowd has formed outside the barricade the crew set up around the camera and stools, and I have to squeeze my way through the gathering people.

A familiar face crosses my vision—Val. She’d texted this morning that she was planning on swinging by the festival around noon today, and I told her she might want to arrive early. Looks like she made it. “Hey! Val!” I call, and her sunglasses-covered face swivels in my direction.

She bobs over to me, the silver threads of her T-shirt shining. “Cass! What’s going on here?”

“A surprise.” I give her a quick hug. “So good to see you. Thanks again for your help with the events permits. I have to go right now, but let’s connect after this, okay?”

“For sure.” She waves as I slip through the crowd.

One of the news crew members briefly stops me, but Charlotte waves me past the barricade. “Cassidy, Cassidy, Cassidy. It’s been too long.” She air-kisses my cheek, and I try not to gag at the overpowering smell of her perfume.