Off the Carousel

Can You Help Me Draw a Heart?

A/N: This story keeps surprising me! 

Anyway,

Enjoy!

Golden light streaked through the blinds in the kitchen, delighting Cassie. She tugged on the strings, letting the amber glow flood the rest of the kitchen.

She brought out the coffee and tea, George would be right in.

"Morning," George gruffed as he entered. "I fixed the fence on the other side, and filled in the hole that skunk dug. Hopefully, if we keep the garbage better contained, he'll stay away."

"Great," she said. "Coffee?"

"Please," George popped some bread into the toaster.

She needn't ask. In fact, she was already spooning the rich roast into the press. She grabbed a couple mugs and put the kettle on. As the water heated, she selected a fine Earl Grey for herself.

Cassie sighed and automatically attended to the pot of oatmeal on the stove. Despite her usual routine, there was a peculiarity in the air. A hint of spice, of surprise...

A shadow fell onto the pot. Cassie looked up, out the window. Something passed the window. She frowned, and went back to stirring, but-

Look up.

Jake?

For a brief second, his face, his strapping silhouette appeared in the window.

"Everything okay?" George pulled her back to reality.

"Hm?"

"You've been staring into space, stirring that pot for five minutes now."

"Oh." Cassie put the spoon down and turned off the stove. She turned back to George with her oatmeal and poured her tea, resuming breakfast. After they caught up on business, George left to run his errands.

Cassie sighed and began to wash dishes. Jake's image flashed in her retinas and she savored the memory. His smile. Soft skin crinkling at the corners of his eyes, teeth flashing. Then she frowned. Not at the memory, but-

Why?

Why did she see him?

"Have you seen Meredith?"

Cassie yelped at Carolyn's voice, dropping the spoon she was washing onto the floor.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you-"

"Not at all," Cassie said, gathering her wits. Wow, it'd been a long time since that happened. She patted her chest to reassure herself. Yep, heart is still there. Still alive...

"Here's your spoon," little Zola said, holding it out to her.

"Thank you," Cassie replied, putting it into the dishwater. "I haven't seen her," she told Carolyn. "She's not here?" Odd.

"She woke me last night. Said she couldn't sleep. She asked me to watch the kids. I thought she would be back by now." Carolyn lifted Bailey onto a chair. He pushed a toy car across the table, making 'vroom' noises.

Strange, thought Cassie, that she didn't sense Meredith like she did with many of her guests. "Maybe she went to the bridge."

"That little creek bridge? In the middle of the night?"

It was unusual, for sure, Cassie considered. What mother ran out in the middle of the night and didn't come back? One who needed help. "I should take a look around. Why don't you settle here with the kids? There's yogurt and berries in the fridge, and I have some cereal here." She reached into the cupboard and pulled out a box of corn flakes.