Chapter Text
When Vi finally made her way back to her dad’s bar, she kept her head low, her steps heavy. She wasn’t in the mood to talk, not to anyone. Vander glanced up from behind the counter as she walked in, his gaze lingering, but she didn’t offer him anything more than a faint, tired smile.
Without a word, she headed straight to the shower. The water was hot enough to sting, but it didn’t do much to wash away the weight pressing down on her. Afterward, she slipped into clean clothes and went straight to her bed, collapsing onto the mattress.
She didn’t feel like doing anything. Not eating, not talking, not even thinking. She just wanted to sleep.
As she lay there, eyes shut and waiting for sleep to take her, she heard Powder’s voice cut through the silence. “You want something to eat?”
Vi sighed softly, barely opening her eyes. “Not really hungry,” she muttered.
The sound of Powder’s footsteps faded, and Vi shifted under the blankets, letting the silence wrap around her as she finally drifted off.
Cassandra sipped her tea, staring at the steam as it curled into the air. Caitlyn had been home for three days, and not once had she come downstairs to eat. Meals were being sent up to her room, but every time Cassandra checked, the plates were barely touched.
She sighed softly, swirling the tea in her cup. This didn’t feel like the right time to press Caitlyn, to be the imposing mother who forced her into conversations she wasn’t ready to have. Still, she couldn’t ignore the gnawing worry in her chest.
Cassandra set her tea down, her mind drifting back to Powder’s departure. Caitlyn hadn’t said much while Powder was packing, but Cassandra had caught a fleeting look in her daughter’s eyes—a tiny flicker of something that disappeared just as quickly as it came. Powder had missed it, but Cassandra hadn’t.
It wasn’t hurt that Powder was leaving, not really. The two girls weren’t close enough for that. No, it had been something else. Perhaps it stung Caitlyn to see Cassandra showing Powder an affection that she rarely, if ever, showed her own daughter.
The thought sat heavily in Cassandra’s chest as she stood and walked toward the window, her gaze distant. Caitlyn had been silent since coming home. She hadn’t left her room, hadn’t come down for meals. And though Caitlyn probably thought she was being quiet, Cassandra had heard the muffled sounds of her crying.
The sound of Tobias’s voice broke through her thoughts. “You need to check on Caitlyn,” he said, his tone firm but gentle.
Cassandra glanced over her shoulder at him, her lips pressing into a thin line. “I think she and Vi might be having a fight,” she said finally, her voice softer now.
“That’s exactly why you need to check on her,” Tobias replied, his gaze steady. “She’s not going to come to us. You know that.”
Cassandra turned toward Tobias, her arms crossing over her chest. “And what exactly am I supposed to say to her if she and Vi really are having a fight?”
Tobias lowered his newspaper slightly, giving her a patient look. “Maybe you don’t need to say anything at all,” he replied, his voice calm. “Just be there. You don’t have to ask a lot of questions, Cassandra. It’s not an interrogation. Just check on her. That’s all.”
Cassandra let out a slow breath, her frustration slipping through. “You know Caitlyn won’t open up to me,” she muttered, her gaze dropping briefly before shifting to the window. “She’s always been closer to you. You’re the favored parent, not me.”
Tobias chuckled softly, the sound warm but teasing. “Are you bitter about it?” he asked, raising an eyebrow over the rim of his glasses.
Cassandra gave him a sharp look, but before she could retort, Tobias added, “Well, if you are, this might be a good opportunity to work on it. Go check on her. Who knows? Maybe this will give you some points toward becoming the favored parent.”
He lifted his newspaper again, the corners twitching as if he were trying to suppress a grin. Cassandra rolled her eyes but couldn’t hold back a small huff of amusement.
Without another word, she turned and left the sitting room, heading for Caitlyn’s room, the soft sound of Tobias’s newspaper rustling behind her.
Cassandra knocked softly on Caitlyn’s door, waiting a moment before pushing it open when no reply came. She stepped inside slowly, her gaze landing on her daughter curled up in bed, clutching a pillow like it was the only thing keeping her together.
Caitlyn’s phone was in her hand, the screen dark as she stared at it. Her eyes were red, her sniffles faint but constant, and Cassandra’s chest tightened at the sight.
She let out a quiet sigh and walked over, sitting down on the edge of Caitlyn’s bed, her body angled toward the window. For a moment, she just sat there, unsure of what to say or even where to start. She glanced at her hands, her mind searching for the right words, when Caitlyn’s voice broke the silence.
It was hoarse, thick with emotion. “What do you want, mother?”
Cassandra turned her head slightly, meeting Caitlyn’s tear-streaked face. She paused, her throat tightening again, then looked back toward the window. “I don’t want anything,” she said softly. “I just…” She hesitated, her words faltering. “You haven’t been coming down to eat, and your father and I… we we’re worried about you.”
She turned her gaze back to Caitlyn, her expression softening. “What’s wrong?” she asked gently.
Caitlyn sniffled again, keeping her face turned away, her hand quickly brushing at her tears. Cassandra could see her trying to pull herself together, but it wasn’t working.
With a quiet sigh, Cassandra shifted onto the bed beside her, sitting with her back against the headboard. She reached out, gently running her fingers through Caitlyn’s hair, her touch soft and soothing.
That was all it took. Caitlyn’s tears came faster, her quiet cries turning into something harder to contain. She kept trying to wipe at her face, her hands moving quickly, but the effort was futile.
Cassandra hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Are you and Vi okay?” she asked softly.
Caitlyn’s shoulders shook violently at the question, her cries turning into full sobs. She clung tightly to her pillow, no longer bothering to hide her face or her tears.
“Come here,” Cassandra murmured, reaching out and coaxing Caitlyn to turn toward her. After a moment’s hesitation, Caitlyn shifted, burying her face in Cassandra’s lap. Her words came in broken, muffled fragments, barely audible through the fabric of Cassandra’s dress.
“She’s not talking to me,” Caitlyn managed between sobs. “We had an argument, and she just… she shut down. I don’t even know if we’re still together anymore.”
Her voice cracked, and then the tears came harder. Her sobs grew deeper, more painful, her hands clutching tightly at Cassandra’s dress as if letting go would shatter her completely.
Cassandra said nothing, her hand moving in slow, gentle strokes through Caitlyn’s hair as she let her cry.
Caitlyn had fallen asleep, her face still pressed into Cassandra’s dress, her breaths uneven from all the crying. Cassandra didn’t move, letting her rest, her hand continuing to stroke Caitlyn’s hair gently.