CASSANDRA
VII: THE CALLING
by
Anthonystjoseph
Cassandra lay in her bed thinking about
the day before and her discussion with Stephanie. Stephanie’s ominous warning of the force
awakening inside of Cassandra being possible to choose the dark side was
unnecessary. No matter what, she
wouldn’t let that happen. She was a good
soul and she knew that and nothing would ever change that fact, but however, she
did feel such a strong pull to power; she knew for herself, only darkness seeks
out power, at least that’s what she thought.
And what did Stephanie mean by ‘true
family’. That was a complete puzzle
to Cassandra’s mind; true, she never felt like she belonged to her birth family
even sometimes thinking she was adopted but all kids felt that at one time or
another. At least that’s what her mother
told her.
Something was seriously stirring inside
Cassandra and she felt a power and force awakening that was intense and
incredible and most of all, scary. She
only knew that the only times now that she felt completely safe were when she
was with Tammy, Stephanie, and most of all, Steve. Why hadn’t she seen him in almost a
week? She had grown to treasure her
times with Steve. She had grown to need
him. The last time they were together he
actually let her cook him breakfast and stayed most of the day as they talked
and laughed and laughed and talked. She
had never felt life as she did when she was with Steve; it was as if the world
actually existed for her alone when she was with him and that everything in the
universe really did have true meaning.
She needed him now. There was a
knock on her door. She went to answer
it. Before she opened it she knew. She opened the door and it was Steve.
He looked at her as tears welled up in her
eyes and said, “I told you that whenever you needed me, I would be there.” She smiled so big and jumped into his arms as
he lifted her and kissed her all over her face while she started to laugh and
then he carried her to her bed… Incoming
puddle!
She lay there in the bed completely spent
after their passionate lovemaking and again just stared at his sleeping face
while letting the warmth of his being there envelope her completely. He again, slowly opened his eyes as if he
could sense her staring at his face and slowly he leaned over and kissed
her. He then held her close and
continued to kiss her as she basked in his love and he basked in hers. She broke from his kisses and asked, “Why do
you leave me?” He looked her deep in the
eyes and with solemn sincerity said, “I have never left you. You are my wife.”
Cassandra could barely focus later that
day when she was at Tammy’s. Tammy could
have ordered five beatings in front of her and shot two people and Cassandra
wouldn’t have noticed or paid attention.
All she could think about was Steve stating that she was his wife. As she sat in the kitchen chair she crossed
her legs and stuck her hands between her legs to warm them as she thought of
their lovemaking. Of course some of the
attraction to Steve was carnal but the feelings she had for him were so much
more. She loved Steve from the moment
she met him and the comfort her entire being felt when he was around was
intoxicating but what was it all about and why did he call her his wife. She didn’t even know his last name or where
he lived or even how to reach him. Yet
he seemed to be true to his word, whenever she needed him, he was there.
All of a sudden Tammy screamed,
“Cassandra!” She awoke from her thoughts
and said, “What!? What’s wrong?!” Tammy looked at her strangely, “Girl, I have
been sitting here saying your name over and over again and you just stared into
the distance!” Cassandra looked nervous,
“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just
thinking.” Tammy stared her directly in
the face and slowly said, “Thinking of Steve.”
Cassandra was stunned. She looked
at Tammy and said, “How? Who…?” Tammy
cut her off, “I know everything and everyone and I certainly know Steve.”
Cassandra was even more stunned. She stared at Tammy as Tammy sat down next to
her and began to speak, “Look Cassandra, I know you’re going through a
difficult time and you’re not exactly sure what is going on but just be strong. Whatever you do, make sure you just stay
strong. I remember my awakening and how
confused I was…” Cassandra’s head
started to spin and she couldn’t believe that her friend Tammy was saying the
things she was actually saying. She
heard Tammy’s voice in the distance “…you have to know that the family…” At the word family Cassandra fell from her
chair and lay collapsed on the floor due to the fact that she fainted. Tammy screamed for Paige to help. Paige came running into the kitchen and saw
Cassandra’s body on the floor and looked at Tammy and said, “You told
her!” Tammy smirked and said, “Not
exactly.”
Cassandra woke up and was lying on the
living room couch in Tammy’s house.
Tammy sat next to her on the edge of the couch while Paige and Stephanie
stood over her. She tried to sit up and
they stopped her. Tammy said, “Slow down
Cassandra, just try and get your bearings.
We all know you’re dealing with a lot as we all have gone through the
same thing upon our rebirths.” Cassandra
said, “Rebirths?” “Yes Cassandra, you
are being reborn into the family.” There
goes that word again, ‘family’. “Tammy
please, tell me what’s going on?” Tammy
just shook her head and looked at Paige and Stephanie. Stephanie stepped forward, “Cassandra, there
is only so much we can tell you. It is
necessary in all rebirths that you remember the family on your own. Just know that we all love you and want the
best for you and that strength is your only protection. A rebirthing can be difficult for the
strongest of us but know this; throughout time you have always been one of the
strongest. You’ve already accepted our
lifestyle, well most of it, and you’ve already met your eternal husband. You are home.
Just relax.” Cassandra rolled her
eyes and lay back down and just decided it was too much to think about. She looked at all of them and again felt the
peace and comfort that she felt when she was around them and then she just
smiled and said, “Can somebody get me some water?” They all looked at each other and then burst
into laughter as Stephanie went and got Cassandra a glass of water.
Cassandra sat there on the couch as Tammy
was busy on the phone taking care of business.
Stephanie had left to distribute her wares to her various drug
lieutenants while Paige sat in the front of the house near the door for
protection and just busied himself cleaning his knives. Tammy got off the phone and Cassandra looked
at her and said, “Does somebody want to tell me about this family that everyone
is talking about and why do I belong?” Tammy smiled and said, “You don’t belong
to it Cassandra. You are part of
it. Your memory is slowly returning to
you as we speak and as you live amongst us.
You already have remembered your husband and it’s clear you remember me
and Stephanie, we’re your best friends and have always been your best
friends.” Cassandra stared at Tammy and
tried to remember more as she laid her head in her hands and said, “I’m trying
to remember! All that I know is that I
love you guys for some reason and I can’t seem to breathe normal when I’m not
around Steve! All I can think about is
Steve! He said he would be there when I
need him and I need him NOW!” The
doorbell rang. Tammy got up and opened
it and said, “Speak of the devil. I mean
speak of the God, right Steve.” “Watch
it Tammy”, Steve said as he went over and scooped up the weeping
Cassandra. He kissed her face and then she
kissed his lips as he carried her out of Tammy’s house and off to her own home.
He whispered in her ear as he carried her
out of Tammy’s house, “Relax my love, we have all the time in the world for you
to understand. There’s no rush.” This time when they got to Cassandra’s house,
Steve lay her in her bed and proceeded to the kitchen and he cooked dinner for
her. As she lay there with the smell of
the well cooked meal reaching her nostrils she thought about this family that
was all but consuming her entire existence.
She actually welcomed the idea and for some reason, knew it was inevitable. She thought about Tammy and how she had
become her best friend and Stephanie and how she had become her protector and
confidant as well and smiled to herself knowing the city itself had called
her. She continued smiling in knowing
that Casa de Esperanza had proved its name in giving her hope. She was alive. She had been called. She had answered the calling.
By
Anthonystjoseph
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