Chapter Twenty Two
Cassie was interviewed by the police concerning Zak's activities in Ged's flat. At first they seemed to be implying that it was she who had moved the money, since it went into an account in her name, but Graham intervened asking if she was to be charged. No.
She told them that she had gone to the bank to find out who originated the account, and was shown the application form. She produced a copy of it, and there plain to see was Zak's signature 'on her behalf', going on to show how he had used the money to deceive her. She made a statement and then left with Graham.
It was an uncomfortable experience, and afterwards Cassie decided she needed to go home to see her parents. She wanted to explain that she was divorcing Zak, an obligation to them that she was dreading, but knew she had to go through with it. She booked her train ticket on line as soon as she returned to Brian and Cheryl's house; she would travel on Friday afternoon and return on Sunday evening. Then she emailed her parents and Marie to let them know.
On Monday evening she went flat hunting without success.
When Cheryl and Brian arrived late on Monday, Cassie was already in bed asleep. The week went by, and she worked extra time on Thursday to allow for the journey south the next day.
Her parents were delighted to see her.
"No Zak?" asked her mother, looking behind Cassie.
"I've left him," she said.
Her mother looked aghast. "Left him? You're only just married darling. Surely you can make up?"
"Let me sit down and I'll tell you all about it. Get Dad as well, you both need to hear this."
She told them the whole story. Her father became angry, and her mother upset.
"I'm so sorry," Cassie said as the tears came. "You told me Zak was not right for me, but Zak was intent on it and I've no idea why I just went along with it. I cost you so much and all for nothing."
"It's not that," said her father. "You've mucked up your relationship with Ged. Now there is a
man
. Even if he is a musician, he seems to have done all right."
She nodded. "I know." Her tears had dried and she looked defeated. "I don't think there's any chance of us getting together. He's too hurt by what I did."
"Something's happened to us," said her father eagerly. "We got into some money trouble, and now I'm on the dole there was no way out. We got all sorts of threatening letters, and then they all stopped.
"When we looked at the accounts they were all clear – all the credit cards, and get this, Cassie, the mortgage is practically paid off, there are a few pence I have to go and pay to get the deeds to the house.
"The thing is, there's no indication where the money has come from. I'm worried, Cassie, that there's been an dreadful error at the bank and they'll claw it all back again. They say there isn't, but I think there is."
"There's no error, Dad," she said with a half smile. "Ged's paid it off. All of it."
There was a joint gasp of disbelief from both parents.
"So he does love you after all!" exclaimed her mother. "I'm sure you will get back together."
"No Mum," she replied, her hopelessness showing. "He told me he did it for you and Dad, he made it very clear it was not for me."
"But how did he know – we didn't tell you?" Her father was becoming edgy.
"Marie. She told him."
There was trouble at that. Marie was called down, and told them what she had done, and how good Ged had been to her.
Her farther was not pleased. "How could you go begging – and to him of all people after all that's happened? How can I repay him?"
"He won't take anything, Dad," Marie said. "He's very very well off; he told me he wouldn't even miss it. He's a millionaire."
Her father glowered. "That's not the point. We're beholden to him now."
He picked up his book and began to read, his disgust and discomfort showing. The subject was changed.
"Cassie," said her mother, "I can't understand why you were so mad? You went overboard. You're usually so level headed. Why?"
"I don't know, Mum," she said.
Her mother sighed.
"I feel the same way, Mum," Cassie responded to the sigh. "I feel such a fool, and I've lost Ged. If only we could go back and re-live things, but we can't."
Her mother sighed again and then perked up.
"Hey," she said. "Dollar is here for the weekend with her new husband. You should look her up."
Cassie sat up. "Dollar?" she exclaimed. "Great, I haven't seen her since my wedd..."
There was a moment's silence, and it was because of the memory. She had felt so certain of Zak that day. She had been all in white, and he looked so good as she came down the aisle of the church to him, and all the time he was deceiving her, cheating her of her true love.
"Yes," she told her mother more soberly, "I'd really like to see her, and meet her husband."
Dolores O'Shaughnessy as she had been before her wedding, was Cassie's oldest and closest friend. They had first met when they were both five years old, and had been close ever since. They had shared all their ideas and hopes and desires, as well as the less reputable things they'd done. They had no secrets from each other. It was when she was a teenager that Dolores wanted to be called Dollar from then on.
So Saturday saw Cassie visiting Dollar's parents' house. The news of her impending divorce from Zak had preceded her, and Dollar was all agog to get the full story, so much so that she neglected to introduce her new husband. Prompted by Cassie, Liam was introduced to her and was then invited to be elsewhere while the women caught up on their lives.
Cassie complimented Dollar on her husband, and Dollar giggled and told her with a wink that he came up to expectations in every department. Dollar certainly looked well satisfied and content. She apologised for not inviting Cassie to the wedding, but Cassie was on her brief honeymoon with Zak when the hastily arranged wedding took place.
This brought the conversation round to Zak and the break up. Cassie told her the whole story and Dollar was appalled.
"Anyone would have thought Zak knew about your intolerance of cheating," she said, "and used it against you."
"I had finished with Zak before," Cassie said. "I think he got the idea how violently I hated cheaters then. I only wish I knew why I reacted so violently. I'd promised Ged faithfully I would talk it through with him before we even thought of going our separate ways, and when it came to it, I wouldn't even listen to his explanation. I junked his emails without reading them."
"But it must be obvious to you why?" Dollar said with surprise. "After what Doug did to you? Then after those months when you'd not let boys near you, you risked it with Ian after the prom. and he cheated on you within the week, and the way he dumped you, so cruel!"
Cassie sighed with exasperation. Dollar's words had immediately enlightened her.
"Why didn't I think of that?" she said wonderingly. "Dollar I've never connected the strength of my hatred of cheating, or lying with that. It's so obvious now you mention it. But it's years since–"
"I bet you've just shoved it away from yourself," Dollar suggested. "It was so traumatic for you so young. I remember how frightened you were. Ian just didn't care, but Doug was a real bastard."
"Heard anything about him?" asked Cassie, intrigued.
"Oh, he tried the same thing with a girl at university – you don't know her," Dollar said. "But unlike you, she called his bluff. He ended up married to her, but the marriage is not at all happy.They've got two kids under three and the pair of them are always bickering from what I've heard. I think divorce is on the cards. That'll really hurt him, paying maintenance for two kids for the next eighteen years."
"Serve him fucking right," Cassie said with some vehemence. "He deserves all he gets, though I'm sorry for his wife and kids."
"Could have been you, old girl," said Dollar. "Lucky escape, you were besotted with him – totally gone, you were. Until..."
They talked on and on, until Liam reappeared and they all went out for a drink.
She returned to Cheryl and Brian's on Sunday night, when she learned that Ged had gone back to the States. It was late, and in response to their enquiry, she told them she had a good meeting with her parents. She then excused herself and went to bed, where she lay for a while remembering the events that had first led to her present predicament.
Over the following two weeks, she looked for a flat without success, went to work, came home and babysat for Cheryl. Sometimes she went out for a drink with friends, but they quickly learned not to pry into her feelings, though it was obvious she was sad and listless.
Cheryl too forbore from inquiring, assuming that Cassie's attempts to reach Ged were over, and she would eventually overcome the feelings of bereavement she so clearly felt. Instead, she encouraged the morose young woman to look for a man to date, going with her to nightclubs while Brian babysat at home. Cassie was amazed at how much Brian trusted Cheryl, especially since she dressed to seduce so as to fit with Cassie's 'pulling' attire.
Cassie danced with a variety of men, and rejected all of them. Some were only out for a one-night stand, but there were others who Cheryl thought were good prospects. None was good enough for Cassie.
It was to no avail, and at the end of two further weeks, she sat Cassie down and asked her why she had given up dating.
"It's Ged, isn't it?" she stated to the sullen woman.
"Yes," sighed Cassie. "It's Ged. I'm not over him yet. I'm resigned now to let him go, but I don't think I'll be looking for anyone else for a long time."
"Wouldn't you try to contact him again?" Cheryl asked, ever the optimist.
"It was obvious I was getting nowhere." Cassie replied. "Until he understands why I behaved as extremely as I did, there's no chance."
"And you don't know that, do you?"
"Oh, yes," Cassie muttered. "I know now. I met a friend at home, Dollar. She reminded me. I must have been repressing the memory, but I know now, though I think when he hears why, it will make things worse."
"Tell me." said Cheryl, "and I'll tell you whether it'll put him off."
"I've never told a living soul, only Dollar knows," said Cassie, looking up at her friend for the first time in the conversation.
