The Bad Daughter(89)

“I don’t know. You heard Blake. He won’t let anything bad happen.”

“Do you believe that everything happens for a reason?” Cassidy asked.

Robin gave the question a moment’s thought. “No,” she answered, deciding that the child deserved honesty, not platitudes. “I know that lots of people find it comforting to think that, but I just don’t buy it. Things happen because they happen. I actually find it more comforting to believe things happen randomly than to believe there’s some sort of divine plan that justifies a child dying of cancer or people starving to death.” Or forever friends being gunned down in cold blood. “But even if things don’t happen for a reason,” she added, trying to soften her words, “I think they still have a way of working out.”

“Isn’t it the same thing?”

“I think there’s a subtle difference.”

“A subtle difference between what and what?” Blake asked, re-entering the room.

“Do you think everything happens for a reason?” Cassidy asked him.

“I think there are reasons things happen,” Blake said. “But do I believe in some sort of greater plan? No. I guess I subscribe to Albert Camus’s theory of ‘the benign indifference of the universe.’?”

“What does that mean?” Cassidy asked.

“It means I’m hungry,” Blake said with a laugh. “I always quote Camus when I get hungry.”

Robin wanted to jump up and hug him. “What did the office want?”

Blake sank down beside Cassidy. “Unfortunately, the deal we thought was in the bag appears to be unraveling at the seams. There’s a meeting scheduled for Monday to address the issues, so it looks as if I’ll be heading back to L.A. on Sunday.”

“No!” Cassidy cried. “That’s only a few more days.”

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Robin said. “I’ll be here.” How could she leave with things still so up in the air? She couldn’t very well just dump everything in Melanie’s lap again.

“For how long?” Cassidy asked. “You’re not gonna hang around forever once Blake goes home. What’s gonna happen to me when you leave? What’s gonna happen to me if Daddy dies?”

Robin looked to Blake.

“We’ll work something out,” he said.

“What?” Cassidy pressed. “Can I go with you to L.A.?”

They heard a shuffling noise and turned to see Kenny standing in the doorway, Landon behind him. “Somebody going to L.A.?” Kenny asked. He pushed his hair off his forehead, then buried his hands in the pockets of his skinny jeans.

“We were just talking,” Cassidy said.

“About you going to L.A.?”

“Nothing’s been decided,” Cassidy told him.

“I don’t think you should go.”

“Well, we’ll see. You know I’ve always wanted to live there.”

“Your dad could get better.”

“Then, of course, I’ll stay.”

“But if he doesn’t, you’ll go?”

There was an edge to Kenny’s voice that made Robin uncomfortable.

“Nobody’s going anywhere today,” Robin said, trying to ease the sudden tension in the room. “Melanie,” she called out, “can I give you a hand in there?”

“A little late for that,” Melanie said, appearing behind Landon with a large tray of sandwiches.

“What kind of sandwiches did you make?” Cassidy asked.

“Just tuna. Nothing fancy.” Melanie put the tray on the coffee table, then took a step back. “Knock yourselves out.”

Kenny promptly grabbed a sandwich from the top of the pile and took a large bite. “They’re good,” he said to no one in particular.

Blake pointedly picked up the tray and offered it to Cassidy.

“Thanks.” She smiled up at him as she lifted a sandwich to her mouth.

Robin took a sandwich, noticing the scowl in Kenny’s eyes as Blake held the tray toward Landon.

Landon shook his head.

“You gotta eat, big guy,” Kenny said, grabbing another sandwich from the tray and pushing it against Landon’s chest.

“When did you get here, Kenny?” Melanie asked.

“About an hour ago. Landon said I just missed you. I would have come to the funeral if somebody had told me about it.”

“We wanted to keep things as private as possible,” Robin explained.

Kenny finished the last of his sandwich and helped himself to another. “Because of your brother being arrested?”

“That’s part of it.”

“Do you think he did it?” Kenny asked.

“No, I don’t think he did it.”

“Who did, then?”

“Not Robin’s brother.” Cassidy fidgeted with agitation. “What’s your problem, Kenny? You’re acting weird.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

Kenny turned toward Melanie. “Did you know that Cassidy’s thinking of moving to L.A.?”

“She is?” Melanie looked surprised, but not displeased. “That’s news to me.”

“Yeah. To me, too,” Kenny said. “What about you, Landon? She ever mention anything about wanting to live in L.A. to you?”