Page 56 of Legally Yours
“Good. Give me your doctor’s name and phone number, and I’ll arrange to send your records there.”
After this, she is discharged and we go home to Cassandra’s family. After she has bathed with my help, we sit and talk to her parents about a small gathering to celebrate her coming home.
“I want to keep it small with your close friends. Cassandra is still getting her energy back. My love, why don’t you and your parents draw up a small guest list of say, ten guests? And we’ll go from there.”
45
CASSANDRA
“Can you see through the mask?” he asks.
“Not a thing.”
“Good. Take my hand. I’m going to guide you to a beach,” he replies.
“Why the blindfold for a day at the beach?”
It’s our first trip after my big accident. Liam wanted to celebrate the cast coming off a few weeks ago by flying us out to California to recuperate. It seems a bit overkill to go clear across country, but who am I to argue?
“Oh, I don’t know. It’s one way I can get you to hold on to me tightly.”
I laugh. “Okay, but if I sprain an ankle…” I know I won’t, of course. Liam is always by my side, holding me, protecting me wherever we go. It’s just fun to kid with him.
“I promise. You won’t. Come with me.”
And so, I take his hand. He puts an arm around my back, and he slowly leads me down what feels like a cement path. I smell bougainvillea bushes and the salty sea and hear distant waves roll in. What I don’t hear are voices, which seems odd considering we’re going to a beach.
“Okay, we’re almost there. I need you to take off your shoes now.”
“My shoes? Why? I’m just wearing sandals, anyway.”
“Oh, it’s part of the surprise. Hey, did you wear your white bikini like I asked?”
“Yes, I did as it happens. Weirdo. Is it national white bikini day or something?” I stick out my tongue.
“Funny girl. Good. That’s right. Off with the shoes. There you go. Just a few more steps.”
I follow Liam. I feel the warm sand between my toes. I swear I feel people breathing around me, but I’m sure it’s just the mask paranoia. Funny thing. I still hear no voices.Must be an unpopular beach. Maybe Liam wants alone time with me.
“Okay, are you ready?”
“I was ready before you put the blindfold on me.”
“Again, with the funny. Okay, here we go.”
Liam walks behind me and unties the mask. I blink, my eyes adjusting to the bright sunshine. As they do, I see an explosion of flowers and people I know and love standing on either side of me. Liam and I are in front of a flower-lined arch with a strange man smiling at us.
“Liam, what’s going on? Is this…”
“Surprise, sweetie. Welcome to your own wedding at the Clearwater Ocean Resort private beach!”
My eyes pop, and I throw my hands up to my lips.
“Liam, truly? Here, now? We’re getting married?”
“We will if you let the Justice of the Peace get in a word.” Liam smiles and winks at me.
I turn around and see all our friends and family facing us, all in white beach attire, too, as is Liam, in white surfer shorts and a gauzy white top. Leslie steps up and hands me a bouquet of white roses and affixes a long white veil on my head. I cry and I laugh, I giggle and I cry. I’m the happiest woman in the world!