4. Back From The Past

Cassie's POV

In the morning, before Linx's burial, I was unsettled, waiting for the tailor to bring my dress. He was late to an extent that I thought of leaving Cathy and going to his office at once. However, my daughter didn't agree with me. I tried to be patient until the tailor came. The tailor handed me my clothes, which were already paid for, and soon took his leave. He realized I was angry at him because I didn't even entertain his apologies.

After he left, it didn't take me time to dress. I was in a long black dress, my hands in black gloves, and my height increased by the black heels. Within that moment, my phone rang. Linx's parents were calling. They questioned my behavior after telling me I was late. I explained my situation to them, but it was all for nothing to make them think otherwise. I was cornered and became a bad daughter-in-law. But it wasn't my fault. I wasn't supposed to be alone with my daughter in that time of moaning. I was the wife of the deceased, but no one from the two families saw it right to be by my side, not even my brother Mathew.

After the phone call, I picked up my hat and rushed to my mother's car. Cathy was next to me. I checked the time and saw I was ten minutes late. It was embarrassing to be late for the burial of my husband. I stepped on the gears and drove straight to the church building where there was the burial service. It was clear that I was in a hurry judging by my driving. I wasn't abiding by the traffic rules, not paying attention even to the traffic lights.

"Mommy, why are you rushing," Cathy asked. She looked so concerned.

"We are late, my princess. Your uncle Linx will be angry at us," I said, driving very fast. Cathy went quiet for a while, and then she asked, "You said Uncle Linx is dead. How will he be angry at us?"

I looked at her and tried to remember the time I told her about that, but it didn't click in my mind. Maybe she might have overheard me speaking on the phone.

"Well Cathy, you need to tighten your seatbelt," I said, diverting her mind while dodging the question. She did tighten her seatbelt, although she never stopped asking.

"Mommy, Who's Jaxon? You were mumbling about him in your sleep the whole night," she surprised me.

Her question took all of my attention from the steering wheel, and I looked at her. She had never uttered her father's name. When I was still in surprise looking at her, she screamed louder, pointing forward with both of her hands. She even tried to tilt my face to look forward, but I was late. I struck a pedestrian instantly. I heavily stepped on the brakes and steered the steering. The car skidded a short distance and stopped. The man was on the ground looking dead. I exited the car and ran to the man. He coughed and tried to get up. He was looking down, blood dropping from his face. I stood next to him, trembling. I wondered what could have happened if the car ran over him. The man raised his hand for help. I gave him my hands to help him stand. The moment our hands touched, I felt a strange feeling. My hands held firmly to his, and he squeezed my fingers with his tough hand. It was as if he wanted to pull me down. I was anxious to see how hurt he was from his face since he was bleeding, but he didn't want to look at me at once. The time he looked at me, I froze in shock. My my heart skipped its beat. The man was Jaxon. He was also shocked. His bloodied lips vibrated as if he wanted to say something. We stared at each other with no words said. My hazel eyes were wide open, and my face frosted. Cathy came to us and held my hand.

"We are late, mommy. I don't want many people to be angry at you," she said, looking at Jaxon and pulling me back to the car. I followed back to the car and started the engine. Jaxon was still standing on the road, staring at me. Cars were blaring for us to move off the road. We had the road blocked and traffic created. Before I stepped on the gears, Jaxon called me and signaled me to wait. I don't know what got into me because I did as he wanted, not caring that I was late for the funeral. He came closer and asked whether I was going to the funeral. Instead of replying to him, I opened the passenger door behind my seat, and he entered.

I drove the car without even talking to him. It was clear to him that I didn't want him to say any word to me because I frowned and behaved as if he wasn't in the car. For sure, he had to say no word in Cathy's presence. No one spoke until we arrived at the church building. I switched off the engine and left the car doors unlocked for him. I held my daughter's hand while we rushed to enter the church building. Jaxon remained seated in the car. He was right. We were not supposed to enter together in the building while I was late.

When we were inside, I realized I had forgotten my hat in the car. I thought of going back to take it, but it was impossible because everyone had eyes on me. I went to sit in the front next to my brother. The service was already underway, so it continued. Mathew looked at my head, and I knew he was confused why I didn't wear my hat in front of elders. I ignored his stare and behaved like everything was fine.

As ten minutes elasped, I questioned myself about Jaxon's whereabouts. He was supposed to have made an entrance and surprised everyone. Mathew looked at me again. He saw I was tensed and thought it was because of Linx's death. However, I was thinking about Jaxon. I didn't know what he wanted in town after everything. For ten years, he wasn't around, and he didn't even attend his mother's funeral. He was dead to everyone, but there he was.

I looked at the funeral program on a paper and saw that I was going to say a few words about my deceased husband. That made me realize there was a need for my hat. It wasn't ethical to stand in front of elders without it. I almost sent Cathy to go take it from the car, but I declined that thought after realizing she was going to speak with Jaxon. I didn't want that to happen because Jaxon was going to know he had a daughter.

Finally, I made my mind to show disrespect to the elders by standing without wearing the hat. It didn't take time before the priest called me forward. I stood up feeling so nimble, and without expecting it, Jaxon came inside the building, holding my hat. People stood up with their eyes wide open as if they saw a ghost. They didn't believe it, seeing Jaxon alive. He was dead for ten years in town. He walked forward, coming to me. Mathew tried to stop him, but I halted his horse.

Jaxon wasn't concerned with the stare from the people. He was stepping his feet very meticulously and carrying his pride over his shoulders. I looked at his brown eyes from a distance, and I sunk into them. When he was in front of me, he didn't say a word. He handed me my hat, and I took it. People started to look at me by talking eyes. I knew they suspected I was late because of Jaxon. It looked like that, anyway.

I closed my eyes when the whispers of people started to grow and sent a tight slap on Jaxon's cheek. I don't even know how they reacted after that because I ran outside to my car and cried. Mary followed me, but I told her I needed space. She then walked back to the church building. After about five minutes, I saw everyone coming outside. The service was over. It was time to go to the graveyard. I looked for my daughter and remembered I had left her in the church building. When I was about to go back to check her, I saw Mathew holding her hand, and I was relieved. But, I was surprised to see an ambulance, and it was there for Jaxon.