The Bad Daughter(94)

“It was what you wanted,” Melanie said.

“It was what the Lord wanted,” Holly said, as if that was the final word.

“Did the Lord want Tara to be murdered?” Robin asked. “Is that the kind of God you ran off to serve?”

“The Lord works in mysterious ways,” Holly began. “We can’t hope to understand—”

“You think things happen for a reason?” Cassidy interrupted, glancing at Robin.

Robin smiled, marveling at the child’s composure.

“I do.”

“So you think there’s a good reason that some moron blew Mommy’s face off? That Daddy Greg is in a coma? That I almost died? You think God planned for that to happen?”

“I have to think there’s a reason that we mortals can’t comprehend, yes.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Holly repeated. “Because—”

“Because you’re too stupid to think for yourself?” Cassidy challenged. “That’s what Mommy always said about you, you know, that you were too stupid to think for yourself, and that you joined a cult so someone else could do it for you.”

Holly visibly stiffened.

“She told me about how mean you were to her,” Cassidy continued. “How you were always putting her down, telling her she’d never amount to anything. She said that my grandfather was so starved for affection that he ran off with the first woman who was nice to him.”

“Oh, yes. She always took his side. Even after he left us for that whore, she blamed me and made excuses for him. And where is that poor love-deprived man now?” Holly asked. “Has he shown up to comfort you? Is he here?”

“Not yet,” Melanie said. “But I’m sure he’ll be arriving any day now.”

“Cassidy’s suddenly very popular,” Robin chimed in. “Why is that, I wonder?”

“I don’t know about anyone else,” Holly began, ignoring the two sisters and speaking directly to Cassidy. “But I’m here because, in spite of everything, and no matter what you might think, I loved your mother. And I love you. You’re all I have left of her. My baby is dead…”

“And you haven’t seen me since I was a baby. I wouldn’t have known you if I tripped over you on the street. And now you suddenly show up and want to be my nana? Give me a break. You’re here for the same reason that Dylan Campbell is here.”

“Dylan’s here?”

“Staying at the Red Rooster,” Melanie said.

“You might want to get in touch,” Robin added.

“Dylan Campbell may be here because he smells a payoff, but I’m not.” Holly Bishop looked down at her plain beige dress. “Material goods have never been important to me. I’m here because—”

“Because you loved Mommy, you love me, I’m all you have left, your baby’s dead, it’s the Lord’s plan. Did I miss anything?” Cassidy said. “I’m tired. I don’t want to talk to you anymore.” She moved toward Landon. “Come on, Landon. Let’s go upstairs.” She took Landon’s hand and together they started to climb the steps.

“Cassidy, wait,” Holly called after them.

“Call me when the pizza gets here,” Cassidy said, without looking back.

Robin watched them disappear up the stairs.

“Wow,” Melanie said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m liking that girl more every day.”

“She’s her mother’s daughter, all right,” Holly said. “God help us.”

“What exactly did you think was going to happen?” Robin demanded. “Did you really expect that after all this time, after everything that’s happened, Cassidy was just going to welcome you into her life with open arms?”

“I don’t know what I thought,” Holly admitted. “Maybe that she’d want to come back to Oregon with me.” A lone tear tracked down her cheek and disappeared inside the corner of her mouth. “Wishful thinking, I guess. And now I should go.” She reached inside the pocket of her dress and pulled out a small white card. “It’s Reverend Sampson’s private line,” she said, handing the card to Robin. “In case Cassidy changes her mind.”

“Drive carefully,” Robin told Holly, opening the front door, then watching her climb behind the wheel of her rented Ford and drive away. “Don’t think we’ll be needing this,” she said, crumpling the card in her fist.

“Wait,” Melanie said, taking the card from Robin’s hand and smoothing it out.

“What are you doing?”

“You never know.”

“I know that Cassidy made her feelings about her grandmother very clear.”

“Cassidy’s a child. Children’s feelings change every hour.”

“Wow,” Robin said. “I thought we were on the same page.”

“Look. I’m no fan of Holly’s, but she is Cassidy’s grandmother. And decisions eventually have to be made about who’s going to look after her long-term. Because it sure as hell ain’t gonna be me. Not when she has a father and a grandmother both eager to take her.”

“You know as well as I do that they’re only interested in her inheritance,” Robin argued.