Chapter 6 - The Hawthorne Name
The envelope arrived Monday.
Cassidy recognized the law firm immediately.
Her stomach turned.
She called Declan.
“What did you do?”
“Cassidy?”
“Your father's attorneys contacted me.”
Silence.
Then Declan's voice changed.
“What?”
“They want confirmation of paternity.”
“I didn't authorize that.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Because I'm coming there.”
Twenty minutes later Declan entered her office furious.
He read the letter.
His face darkened.
“I'll handle it.”
Cassidy laughed without humor.
“That sentence is exactly why I left.”
He stopped.
“What?”
“Everyone in your family handles people.”
Declan looked at her.
Then he called his father.
Charles answered immediately.
“Declan.”
“Withdraw it.”
“Son—”
“Now.”
“These children are Hawthornes.”
“They are Cassidy's daughters.”
“And yours.”
“Yes. Mine. Which means you stay away until Cassidy says otherwise.”
Charles went silent.
“You’re choosing her again?”
Declan looked at Cassidy.
“No. I'm choosing my daughters.”
He disconnected.
Cassidy stared at him.
Declan placed the letter down.
“I can't undo who I was.”
“No.”
“But don't punish them forever for it.”
That evening Cassidy sat beside the girls while they colored.
Grace drew five figures.
Three little ones.
Cassidy.
And a tall man.
“Who's that?”
“Mr. Hawthorne.”
Cassidy’s chest tightened.
Grace smiled.
“He looks lonely.”
May you like
Children noticed things adults spent years hiding.
And Cassidy suddenly feared that keeping Declan outside forever might eventually hurt the same children she was trying to protect.
