Wings

15

The publicity (or the world tour began almost at once, with a huge announcement at a press conference in Newport Beach. This was followed by a series of announcements and brief lectures given by Cassie, all orchestrated and organized by Desmond. She spoke to men's and women's groups, political associations, and dubs. She was interviewed on radio, and there was a special newsreel just about her. Within two weeks the press was saturated with news of her coming tour. And then suddenly in mid-August Cassie was forced right off the front pages, by the escalation of the war in Europe. The Battle of Britain had begun, the blitz as it was called. The Luftwaffe was pounding England, in the hope of destroying it. And she knew without any doubt, just by being there, that Nick was in danger. No matter how angry at him she was, the news terrified her, and all she could think of now was Nick.

She called her father to see if he'd heard from him, but of course he hadn't, even by the end of August.

“I don't see how anything could get out, Cass. You just have to know he's all right I'm listed as his next of kin. I'll hear if anything happens.” It was small encouragement, and her father had agreed with her that he was sure that by now they had pressed Nick into active service. He wouldn't be teaching anymore, he'd be flying bombers or fighters. The Luftwaffe's entire goal was to destroy the RAF, so Cassie knew Nick had to be fighting to defend it. And knowing that worried her constantly. It seemed even more awful now to have left each other on such bad terms. She only hoped that he would be safe. Nothing else mattered.

Despite the war, Desmond continued to plan the tour very carefully, and with incredible precision. They had agreed on the plane she would take, and it was already being prepared and equipped with extraordinary new instruments, extra fuel tanks, and long-range tracking devices. With Desmond's meticulous attention to detail, Cassie felt sure that they were proceeding safely.

The only real difficulty they had, and major change, was with their route, because of the war in Europe. By 1940, the war had spread to too many places. There were areas of the Pacific that weren't safe, laige parts of North Africa, and of course all of Europe. It had become impossible to think of circling the globe now. But there were still extraordinary records to be set, and enormous distances to cover. And with Desmond's heightened interest in warplanes, he was anxious to prove the reliability of his aircraft over vast expanses of ocean. In essence, they were going to circle the Pacific, doing eight legs in ten days, and covering fifteen thousand five hundred and fifty miles. Their plane was to fly from Los Angeles to Guatemala City, and from there to the Galápagos. From the Galápagos to Easter Island, and then on to Tahiti. From Tahiti to Pago Pago, and then on to Howland Island, where Desmond already had a brief ceremony in mind, to honor Amelia Earhart, and from Howland they would head for Honolulu. There would be celebrations there, of course, and he planned to meet them, and then he would fly back with them to San Francisco, for the final triumphant leg of their tour. He was disappointed not to have her circle the globe, but the Pacific tour, as he called it now, accomplished many of the same things. The world tour would just have to come later, after the war in Europe was over. And flying nearly sixteen thousand miles would establish almost all the same things for Cassie's reputation, and that of his airplanes. Cassie was impressed too by how sensibly he'd made the adjustment. In some ways, it disproved all the terrible things Nick had said about Desmond. He was not a madman, determined to kill her. Certainly that year, no one, mad or otherwise, would have attempted to fly through Europe.

Desmond arranged more press conferences for her in the fall, and saw to it that she was always in the news. He wanted all the attention possible focused on her. It was also a good diversion for people from the war in Europe. This was something wholesome and hopeful and exciting, and she looked so beautiful in every photograph that everyone was in love with her and wanted her to make it. People stopped her on the street now, and men hung out of cars to wave to her. People asked her to sign autographs. Nick was right in that sense, she was being treated like a movie star. But Desmond had slowed down her social life lately too. He seemed to want to keep her “pure” and free of romantic gossip. Nancy Firestone was still working with her, but she no longer arranged for escorts. If Cassie went anywhere important now, she went with Desmond. He said he could keep better control of things if he was there. They went to openings and premieres in Hollywood, they went out dancing at night, and to the theater. He was good company, and she enjoyed being with him, and since he got up as early as she did every day, he was happy to go home early. It was the perfect arrangement.

Meanwhile, Britain was still being pounded mercilessly by the Luftwaffe. And Cassie knew that her father had finally heard from Nick, and he'd been safe as recently as early October. He was flying Spitfires in the 54th Squadron, and he was still stationed at Hornchurch Aerodrome. He almost sounded as though he was enjoying it, and he promised that if he had anything to do with it, the Brits would soon be kicking the shit out of the Germans. His only mention of Cassie was to tell Pat to give his love to his very unreasonable daughter. So the battle between them was not yet over, but at least he was alive, which was a huge relief to all the O'Malleys.

Even Desmond had been kind enough to inquire about his welfare, and she told him what she knew. But at least by November, the Luftwaffe seemed to be easing up a little bit. Until then, the bombings had been incessant and relentless. Children had begun arriving in the States to be cared for until after the war, and her sister Colleen had taken in two of them, which touched Cassie deeply. They were adorable, and the poor things were still completely terrified when Cassie saw them over Thanksgiving. Funnily enough they were both redheads just like she was. Annabelle was three and Humphrey was four. They were brother and sister, and their parents had lost their home in London, and had no relatives in the country. The Red Cross had arranged for them to come to New York, and Billy had flown there to get them. And he was shocked when the children asked him, on the way back, if he was going to bomb the airport.

Like everyone else, Cassie had fallen completely in love with them. Having the two children there gave her mother something to worry about and caring (or them took her mind off missing Chris. It was particularly hard over Thanksgiving for everyone, but somehow they got through it, thankful for each other. Cassie went to see Jessie then too, while she was home for Thanksgiving, and she seemed to be getting over it better than the O'Malleys. She was young and eventually, for her, there would be someone else, but Cassie would never have another brother.

She ran into Bobby and Peggy too. And Cassie had correctly guessed that Peggy was pregnant. She congratulated them, and Bobby looked as though he had grown up and flourished since he'd gotten married. His father had died, and the grocery store was his now. He was still dreaming of a chain of stores across Illinois, but for the moment he was more excited about the baby.

“And what about you, Cass?” he asked hesitantly. He didn't want to pry, and he'd heard about the tour, but he wondered what else she was doing with her life, other than flying.

“I'm pretty busy getting ready for the Pacific tour,” she said honestly. And he felt sorry for her. He had long since decided that she would probably never get married, or know the happiness he now had with Peggy.

The tour didn't seem like much to him, but it was amazing how many hours of every day it consumed, reading reports, checking out the plane, and double-checking every little change the engineers made. She was also making long-range trips to get ready for the actual tour, and familiarizing herself with the details of their route across the Pacific.

She explained it to her father while she was there, and he was fascinated by all the preparations. He was anxious to see her plane, and she invited him to California to visit her, and see it. But he insisted he didn't have time, he was too busy at the airport. And he was about to get a lot busier. Billy had to be in Newport Beach right after Christmas to start preparing for the trip too. He was so excited it was all he talked about, and Pat growled constantly about what an inconvenience it would be to have him go away for seven or eight months. They, were expecting the trip to take less than a month to complete but there would be press conferences and interviews afterward, if he ever came back at all. Like Cassie, he would become a hero and he would get much bigger offers than O'Malley's Airport. And Pat hated to lose him.

In December, Cassie tried to do a thousand things, before she went home again for Christmas. The days were never long enough, and finally she had to send Nancy out to buy toys for all her nieces and nephews and Annabelle and Humphrey. She bought her sisters’ gifts herself, and for her brothers-in-law, and her parents. It made her sad to realize there was no gift for Chris this year, and there never would be. When he was a little boy she used to give him cars that she traded her dolls for. She would have done anything for him then, and now he was gone. She still couldn't believe it.

It was going to be a rough Christmas this year, she knew, but they were expecting it, and she was touched when Desmond came by the night before she left, to bring her a present. She had bought him a beautiful navy cashmere scarf that she'd picked out for him at Edward Bursals in Beverly Hills, and a handsome new briefcase from the Beverly Hills luggage shop where Nancy said he bought his luggage. She couldn't imagine giving him anything frivolous, like a loud tie or a baggy sweater. The very idea made her laugh. And she was thrilled when he liked his presents. They weren't personal, but they were useful, and he liked that.

The gifts he had given her reminded her, as always, of how thoughtful he was. He had given her the book Listen! The Wind by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, the famed aviator's wife, and a licensed pilot in her own right, and a lovely watercolor of the beach at Malibu, because he knew she loved it there. And then he handed her a smaller box, and she smiled as she unwrapped it.

“I'm not sure you'll like this one,” he said anxiously, which was unlike him. And then he stopped her and took her hand. “But if you don't, Cass, just give it back, and I'll understand. You don't have to feel obliged to accept it.”

“I can't imagine giving anything back that you gave me,” she said kindly, and he let her start unwrapping it again. Beneath the red paper, there was a small black box, and she couldn't imagine what was in it. It was very small, and she guessed it had to be a very tiny object. And then he stopped her again and took both her hands in his own. He looked so pale, she was worried about him. This was so unlike him. It was almost as though he regretted giving her the gift at all, or was afraid of her reaction.

“I've never done anything like this,” he said, looking very nervous. “You may think I'm crazy.”

“Don't worry,” she said gently. Her face was very close to his, and for the first time in a year and a half, she felt a strange current run between them. “Whatever it is, I'm sure I'm going to love it,” she promised, speaking very softly, and he looked relieved, but still uncertain. He was a powerful man, but for this one moment, he looked so vulnerable. She couldn't imagine what was happening or why. She wondered if the holidays were hard for him, because he was alone. She felt sorry for him, as she thought of it, and then she smiled at him.

“Everything is okay, Desmond. I promise.” She wanted to reassure him. They were friends now. The long preparations for the Pacific tour had already brought them closer together.

“Don't say that until you look at my present.”

“All right, then let me open it,” she said calmly. He took his hands away then, and she opened the box finally, and all she could do was stare at the contents. It was a perfectly round, extremely large fifteen-carat diamond engagement ring, and as she stared at it in total disbelief, he slipped it on her finger.

“Desmond, I…” She didn't know what to say to him. She hadn't expected this. Me had never even really kissed her.

“Whatever you do, don't be angry at me,” he begged. “I never intended to do this… not this way… but… Cass-” He looked at her imploringly, so vulnerable suddenly, so open. “I've fallen head over heels in love with you. I never expected to do that. I thought we'd just be friends, and then… I don't know what happened. But if you don't want to marry me, I'll understand. We'll just go on as we did before, we'll do the tour… Cass… please… say something… oh God, Cassie… I love you.” He buried his face in her hair, and she was overwhelmed with tenderness for him. She didn't love him as she loved Nick, that would have been impossible, but she loved him as one would a dear friend, or someone who needed you very badly. She wanted to make things right for him, to be there for him, to help him. Even to erase the pain of the past for him, if she could. But not for an instant had she ever thought of their getting married.

“Oh, Desmond,” she said softly, as he pulled away to look at her face and see what she was really saying.

“Are you angry at me?”

“How could I be…?” She looked stunned more than anything. She had no idea what to say now.

“Oh, Cassie, God how I love you,” he whispered and then kissed her for the first time, without waiting to hear if she would keep the ring, and she was startled by the extent of his passion. He was deeply emotional, in a way she had never even suspected. Everything was bottled up inside, and had been for years probably. He kissed her again, and she was surprised at herself when she responded, and was breathless when she pulled away from him. The entire experience was dizzying and she was confused by everything she was feeling. He was a far more powerful person than she was.

“I think this is supposed to be the engagement, not the honeymoon,” she said hoarsely, and he grinned, looking boyish and a little wild-eyed.

“Is it? Is it the engagement, Cass?” He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wanted it to be, but she wasn't sure yet. This was all so unexpected.

“I don't know… I… I didn't expect this…” But she didn't look angry at him, and she hadn't said no yet.

“I don't expect you to love me immediately. I know about your friend in the RAF… if… if you think that… Cassie, you have to do what's right for you… what about him?” He had to know now. And she wanted to be honest with him.

“I still love him.” She couldn't imagine loving anyone but him. She had always loved him, as far back as she could remember. “He says he'll never marry me… he left in a rage about the tour the last time I saw him, and I haven't heard from him since. I don't think I will.” She looked at him a little forlornly, remembering the last time she'd seen Nick. But everything with Desmond was so different.

“Where does that leave us?” he asked her gently. She looked at him and shivered. He was so good to her, so understanding. And she knew she couldn't abandon him now after all he'd done for her. But it didn't seem right to love one man and marry another. It wasn't fair to Desmond, more than anyone, but he seemed willing to accept the situation. And Nick would never marry her, that she was sure of. He was the stubbornest man alive. And she and Desmond had so much in common. They shared his business and the tour. Together they could do great things. And if she couldn't have Nick, then maybe all she needed was to be married to a good friend. It didn't seem possible to find another man she loved as she did Nick in one lifetime. And in time, she might come to love him as she did Nick, though she couldn't imagine it. But in many ways, she already cared about Desmond deeply. Marriage would be the ultimate bond between them. But it hurt to think of marrying anyone other than Nick Galvin.

“I'm not sure.” She looked at Desmond honestly. “I don't want to short-change you. You've already had two marriages that cheated you out of what you should have had. I…” She looked into his eyes then, and saw all his desperate hope there. He was pleading with her, without saying a word, and all she wanted to do was please him. She wanted to help him, and be there for him… and maybe that meant she loved him.

“I know how much he must mean to you,” he said understandingly “I don't expect to replace him overnight, Cass… I understand… I just love you.”

“I love you too,” she said softly. And she did. She valued his friendship, and his loyalty. She respected and admired everything about him. He had done nothing but good things for her. Right from the moment they met he had been wonderful to her. And now he wanted to give her everything. He wanted her to become Mrs. Desmond Williams. She couldn't help smiling at the idea. It was more than a little overwhelming.

“If it doesn't work for you, we'll get divorced,” he said, as though to reassure her. But she looked horrified at the suggestion.

“I would never do that.” She had her parents’ marriage as an example. “I don't mean to seem… ungrateful… or hesitant.” She was groping for the right words, as he watched her. His eyes never left hers, and she felt the power of his wanting bore through her. She was surprised at the sheer force of him, as he held her hand and sat next to her. She could feel the strength of his need for her, and everything he wanted to give her.

“I'll never hurt you, Cass. And I'll always leave you free to be your own person. You're too important to me to try and clip your wings. You can do, and be, anything you want if we get married.”

“Would you ever want children?” She was almost embarrassed to ask him. The question was so intimate, and their relationship never had been.

‘They're not important to me,” he said honestly. “But maybe some day, if that's what you really want, and you're not too busy flying. But I think that's something you really have to think about. You have a lot of important things to do with your life. Having children might be more appropriate for women like your sisters. That's their job. You have yours, and it's a very important one. But I'm not telling you I wouldn't have one. I just wonder if that's really what you want.”

“I've never been sure. I used to think I didn't.” And then with Nick, she had begun to think she would love to have his babies. She didn't feel ready to give up the idea forever. It was too soon, and she was too young to decide that, and he knew it.

“You've got plenty of time to make those decisions later. At twenty-one, it's really not all that important. And you've got the tour to think of.” It was that that brought them together. And now she could imagine feeling even closer to him, if they were married.

“Desmond, I don't know what to say to you.” She was near tears as he pulled her closer.

“Say you'll marry me,” he said, putting an arm around her shoulder and bringing her closer. “Say you trust me… say that even if you're not sure now, you believe that one day you could really love me. I already do, Cass. I love you more than anyone or anything in my life until this moment.”

How could she deny that? How could she let him down, or run away from him? How could she spend a lifetime waiting for Nick when she knew he wouldn't marry her? Her father had told him as much the last time he'd been home. If Nick wouldn't many her, he had no right to interfere with her future, or her decisions.

“Yes…” The word was barely more than a whisper as he stared at her in amazement. “Yes,” she said it very softly, and without another sound, he kissed her. It seemed hours before he let her go again, and Cassie was trembling with emotion.

“My parents are going to be stunned,” she said, looking like a child suddenly, and then she had a thought. Everything was going to be so different.

“Why don't you come home with me for Christmas?” She wanted to take him home to her family. If they were going to be married, it was important to her that he meet them and spend time with them. Her parents didn't even remember meeting him when Chris died. And their announcement would certainly make for an unexpectedly happy Christmas for the O'Malleys.

But he looked uncomfortable at the invitation. He hadn't had a family Christmas in years. He no longer even missed them. “Cass, I don't want to intrude, sweetheart. Especially not this year. It may be a lot for your parents to absorb. And holidays aren't my strong suit.”

But she looked terribly disappointed. “Desmond, please. They'll think I made it up, and stole the ring.”

“No, they won't. I'll call you three times a day. Honestly, I have a ton of work to do. You know that better than anyone. And when you come back, we'll go skiing for a weekend.” The last thing he wanted to do was spend Christmas in Illinois with the O'Malleys. The thought of it made him desperately uncomfortable and nothing she said would persuade him.

“I don't want to go skiing. I want you to come home with me,” she insisted with tears in her eyes. She was suddenly overwhelmed by events and emotions. She was engaged to Desmond Williams. It was amazing. And through it all she tried to force herself not to think of Nick Calvin.

“I promise we'll go next year,” he said firmly.

“Well, I should hope so,” she said, shocked at the idea that they wouldn't. “You're not just getting me, you're getting my family. And there are lots of us.” She beamed, warming up to the idea of announcing her engagement.

“There's only one of you,” he said intensely and then he kissed her again. And for a flash of an instant, she thought of Nick, and knew she had betrayed him. And as she thought of him, she remembered his warnings about Desmond. But he'd been wrong about him. Desmond was a decent man. He loved her and she knew that in time she would love him, and they would have a great life together.

“When shall we set the date for?” Desmond broke into her thoughts again as he poured her another glass of champagne. “Let's not wait too long. I'm not sure I can stand it, now that you've said yes. You'll have to keep Nancy around to protect you.” He smiled knowingly at her and she blushed as she smiled up at him.

“I'll be sure to warn her,” Cassie said softly. She was happy with him, she always had been, even now they were more like friends than lovers, except for the sudden fervor of his kisses.

“What about Valentine's Day?” he suggested. “It's sort of corny, but I like it. What do you think?” He sounded as though he were planning the tour, but she didn't mind that. She was used to Desmond being in control of things, but she also knew that he respected her opinions.

It was all so romantic. She was marrying a man that any woman in the world would have given her right arm to be married to, and he wanted to marry her on Valentine's Day. How much more perfect could it get, she asked herself. Not much… except if Nick had felt any different… But she wouldn't let herself think that. She couldn't. She would hold onto the dream of him forever, but that's all it was now.

“Valentine's Day is less than two months away,” she said, looking startled. “Will we have a big wedding?” She was looking down at her ring, and flashing it. It looked like a headlamp. Everything seemed so unreal. It had been a remarkable evening.

“Do you like it?” he asked, as he pulled her closer again and kissed her.

“I love it.” She had never even seen a diamond that size, nor had anyone she knew. It was beyond amazing. And so was Desmond Williams.

“In answer to your question,” he said, with a smile, as she flashed her ring at him again and sipped champagne, with a giggle, “no, I don't think we should have a big wedding. I think we should have a very small one, with only special people in attendance.” He kissed her again, and explained, “This may be your first wedding, my love… but it's not mine. I think the third time one ought to be discreet, so as to generate a minimum of comment.”

“Oh…” She hadn't thought of it, but he was right. And they couldn't be married in the church if he was divorced. She wondered if her parents would mind terribly, though her parents had never been very religious. “What are you, by the way?” she asked innocently. She had never even thought to ask him. “I'm Catholic.”

He smiled. She was still a child sometimes, and he loved that. “I suspected that. I'm Episcopalian. But I think a nice friendly judge would do just fine, don't you?” Feeling herself swept away on his tides, she nodded. “And you'll need a beautiful dress… I'd say, something short but very elegant, in white satin. And a hat with a small veil. It's a shame we can't order something from Paris…” Hats from Paris, fifteen-carat rings… marriage to Desmond Williams on Valentine's Day. Suddenly she was staring at him, wondering if she had dreamed it all, but she hadn't. He was sitting there, talking about white dresses and hats with veils, and she was wearing the biggest diamond she had ever seen, as she looked up at him, and tears filled her eyes. She looked like a child as she sat there beside him.

“Desmond, tell me I'm not dreaming.”

“You're not dreaming, my love. And we are engaged. And very soon, you'll be married to me, for better or worse, forever.” He looked ecstatic and triumphant.

“Do you want to get married here?” she asked quietly, leaning against him. It was too much to absorb, she almost felt weak looking at him, and suddenly she realized more than she ever had before, how powerful he was, and how handsome. He had a quiet sexuality that he kept in control at all times, but now she could sense his nearness to her, and his interest. He hadn't stopped kissing her since he'd proposed, and she was almost feeling dizzy.

“I think we should get married here. It's not as though we can have a church wedding in Illinois, Cass. I think this is simpler, more discreet, and requires fewer explanations.”

“I guess you're right. I hope my parents come.”

“Of course they will We'll fly them out for it. They can stay at the Beverly Wilshire.”

“My mother will die.” She grinned.

“I hope not.” And then he took her in his arms again, and forgot all the arrangements. She was so young, so sweet, so pure, he almost felt guilty kissing her, and there was so much more he wanted now. But it was still too soon, and he knew it.

He seemed to have to force himself to leave that night, and he called her the moment he got home, and then again, as he always did, at three-thirty the next morning. They chatted like old friends, and it was exciting knowing that soon she would be his wife, and she would share his life forever. And together, they decided not to tell anyone, until she had told her parents. They both knew that the entire country would be very excited.

He took her to the airport himself and as usual, she had checked out a plane to fly home. But this time, he told her repeatedly to be careful.

“It hasn't affected my brain, you know. Or maybe it has,” She grinned, kissing him again. She noticed one of the ground crew watching them and smiling. “It'll be all over the papers if you don't watch out.”

“Something more dramatic might end up in the papers, if you don't hurry up and marry me soon, Miss O'Malley.”

“You only asked me last night! Give me a chance to get a dress and some shoes for heaven's sake. You don't expect me to get married in my uniform, do you?”

“I might. Or less. Maybe I should have come to Illinois with you.” But he was only teasing. She knew he had too much to do to go anywhere, with all the plans for the Pacific tour. But she was still sorry he wasn't going.

“My parents are going to be disappointed that you didn't,” she said sincerely. Especially when they heard the news. She still couldn't believe it herself, even when she saw his ring on her finger. And she would never forget how sweet he'd been when he'd asked her.

“Fly safely, my love,” he warned her again, and a few minutes later he left the plane, and waved as he watched her from the runway. She took off easily, and the flight was smooth. She had plenty of time to think of him, and Nick, along the way. Her heart still ached for him, but he had made his choice, so had she. They both had to move on now.

The flight to Good Hope took exactly seven hours. She landed at dinnertime and the first person she saw at the airport was Billy.

“Ready to come to California with me next week?” she asked, but she didn't need to. He was ready to leave that night. For weeks now, it was all he could think of. And then as she signed her log, he noticed her ring, and stared down at it in amazement.

“What's that? A flying saucer?”

“More or less.” She grinned up at him, feeling awkward suddenly. But she'd have to tell him sooner or later. “Actually, it's my engagement ring. Desmond and I got engaged last night”

“You did?“ He stared at her in disbelief, knowing that was impossible. Or was it? “What about Nick?”

“What about Nick?” she asked coolly.

“Okay… sorry I asked… but does he know? Did you tell him?” She shook her head in answer. “Are you going to? Did you write him?”

“He doesn't write to me,” she said unhappily. Why was Billy trying to make her feel guilty? “He'll find out sooner or later.”

“Yeah I guess,” Billy said, confused by what she'd done. Ever since he'd met them, he had known how much she and Nick loved each other. “He's going to be very upset, isn't he?” Billy said quietly and she nodded, fighting back tears. But she had made her decision, and she couldn't let Desmond down now. He wanted her to be his wife. Nick didn't. He had said so. But still, being back home made Nick all the more real, which only made it harder for her.

“I can't help Nick's being upset,” she told Billy quietly. “He didn't want any ties to me when he left. He said he wanted me to marry someone else.” She looked at him sadly.

“I hope he meant it,” Billy said softly, and drove her home to her parents. Everyone was there waiting for her, and it was only a matter of moments before one of her sisters let out a scream, pointing at her finger.

“Oh, my God, what is it?” Megan asked, and Glynnis and Colleen pointed it out to their mother, who was playing with the children.

“I think it's a light bulb,” Colleen's husband explained.

“I think it must be,” Megan teased, as her parents exchanged a look. Cassie hadn't said anything when she called them.

“It's my engagement ring,” Cassie said calmly.

“I figured that much out,” Glynnis said. “Who's the lucky guy? Alfred Vanderbilt? Who is it?”

“Desmond Williams.” Almost as soon as she said his name, as though on cue, the phone rang. It was Desmond. “I just told them,” she explained. “My sisters went into shock when they saw my ring.”

“What did your parents say?”

“They haven't had a chance to say anything yet.”

“May I speak to your father, Cassie?” Desmond asked gently, and she passed the phone to him, and after that, Desmond talked to her mother. Her sisters were all going wild by then, and her brothers-in-law were teasing her. She had just told them she was getting married in Los Angeles on Valentine's Day, and Desmond was going to fly her patents out for the wedding.

Her parents had come back from the phone by then. Her mother was crying softly, which she did a lot these days, and she hugged Cassie close to her. “He sounds like such a nice man. He promised me he'd always take care of you like a little girl,” She kissed Cassie then, and Pat seemed pleased as well. The man had said all the right things to him. But when he was alone with his daughter that night, he asked her some questions, and he wanted to hear her answers.

“What about Nick, Cass? God willing, he's going to come back eventually. You can't stay mad at him forever, and you can't marry another man because you're angry at him. That's a childish thing to do and Mr. Williams doesn't deserve it.” He had liked him on the phone that night, but he wanted to know that his daughter was being honest with him, and herself.

“I swear I'm not marrying him out of revenge. He just asked me last night, and he took me by surprise… but he's so alone… he's had such a rotten life. He's a decent person and he wants to marry me. And in a funny way I do love him, though not like Nick. We're friends and I owe him so much for all he's done for me.”

“You don't owe anyone that much, Cassie O'Malley. He pays you a salary and you earn it.”

“I know that. But he's been so good to me, Dad. I want to be there for him. And he knows about Nick. He says he understands. I think in time, Daddy, I could really come to love him.”

“And Nick? What about him?” He looked her straight in the eye. “Can you tell me you don't love him?”.

“I still love him, Dad,” she sighed. “But nothing's going to change. He's going to come back and tell me why he can't marry me. He's too old, he's too poor. Maybe the truth is he doesn't love me. He hasn't written to me since he left. And before he left, he kept saying no strings, no ties, no future. He doesn't want me, Dad. Desmond does. He really needs me.”

“And you can live with that? Knowing you love another man?”

“I think I can, Daddy,” she said softly, but just thinking of Nick turned her knees to water. Being back here now made him all the more real to her. But she knew she had to put him out of her mind now. For Desmond.

“You'd better be rock sure before you marry this man, Cassie O'Malley.”

“I know. I am. I'll be fair to him. I promise.”

“I'll not have you running around here, cheating on him, and going off somewhere with Nick, when he comes back. A married woman is just that in this house.”

“Yes, sir.” She was impressed by what he said to her and the way he said it.

“Marriage is a sacred vow, no matter where you get married.”

“I know, Daddy.”

“See that you don't forget it, and that you bring honor to this man. He seems to love you.”

“I won't let him down… or you… I promise.”

Her father nodded, satisfied with her answers. But there was another thing he wanted to ask her now. Maybe it was unfair, but he had to ask the question. “Do you remember what Nick said before he left, about how Williams would try and marry you before the world tour, to publicize it? Do you think he's doing that now, or that he's sincere? I don't know the man, Cassie. But I want you to think about it for a minute and tell me.” Nick's words had rung in his ears that night, the moment Cassie said she was getting married to Desmond Williams.

She was only twenty-one after all, and still naive. Williams was thirty-five and a man of the world. It would have been child's play for him to fool her. But she shook her head as she thought of it. This time Nick was wrong. She was sure of it.

“I don't believe he'd do that to me. I think it's just coincidence. We've worked so closely ever since I said I'd do the tour… and he's so solitary, I think it just happened by accident. And I think it's only coincidence that Nick said it would. It was a mean thing for him to say. I think he was jealous.”

Pat nodded, anxious to believe her, and relieved, and then he had to smile at her in spite of himself. ‘That's nothing to the fit he's going to have when he comes home and finds you married. I warned him of that.”

“I know you did. I don't think he wants to be tied to anyone… and certainly not me…” she said, but she seemed to accept her fate now. It was certainly a lucky one, and her father was pleased with what she'd told him.

He looked down at her tenderly on Christmas Eve, and held her hand in his own, and then he kissed her cheek. There were tears in his eyes when he spoke to her. And in hers when she heard him.

“Cassandra Maureen, you have my blessing.”