Second Chances

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Thomas pulled away from Casey a little and looked deeply into her eyes. "You need to go and tell Miguel the truth, Mrs. Casey."

Casey's face grew pale. "What .....truth?"

"The truth. About who you really are. And about what really happened the day that Master Jon was born."

Casey rose and walked over to the window, praying that Thomas couldn't see her hands shaking. {How could he know? He's always seemed to be on my side ..... as if he knew the truth. But then why doesn't he think I deserve to be in a mental ward?}

"I'm afraid I still don't understand what you're talking about, Thomas. Miguel already knows about how sh......how I died during Jon's delivery, if that's what you mean. I told him about it at Jon's christening, and it didn't seem to make a difference to him."

Thomas rose and walked towards Casey, turning her towards him and putting his hands on her shoulders. "You are a smart woman, Mrs. Casey," he said in a fatherly tone. "But not smart enough to fool Thomas. You are NOT Mrs. Jacks."

"But I......"

Thomas held up a hand, silencing Casey. "You are Mrs. Casey. A different person entirely from Mrs. Jacks, down to your soul. I told you that the day you arrived here. Something happened when you died, and you came back a different person."

Casey's laugh was shaky. "Well, that's true. They say that a death experience can cause a person to turn over a new leaf......."

Thomas took Casey's chin between his fingers to prevent her from looking away. "We both know that's NOT what happened, Mrs. Casey. Mrs. Jacks died during the delivery, and Mrs. Casey was born with a new soul and a new love for her husband and son."

Tears gathered in Casey's eyes at the depth of Thomas's belief in her. "But even if you believe that, don't you find it kind of ......preposterous? I mean, don't you wonder how something like that could have possibly happened?"

Thomas finally let go of Casey's chin and shrugged his shoulders with a warm smile. "My people learned long ago that there are many things in this world that cannot be logically explained. We know that Our Father in His wisdom works wonders. Our place is but to appreciate them. The "how" of what happened is not important. What is important is the wonderful life you have made with Mr. Carter and your son."

Casey walked away from Thomas towards Carter's desk but then stopped. "But it's the "how" that's important, Thomas," she murmured sarcastically. She turned back to him, desperation clearly written on her face. "Let's say I do go to Miguel and try to tell him what happened." She shook her head, her mouth a thin, grim line. "Do you know what Carter said when I tried to tell him the truth, right after Jon was born?"

"I don't imagine Mr. Carter took it well. He is a man who places much value on logic and facts."

Casey snorted. "That's putting it mildly." She leaned towards Thomas. "He threatened to have me committed.....to send me away to a funny farm for the rest of my life." She came back to Thomas, taking his hands in hers. "What if that happens with Miguel? What if I can't make him believe that I'm really not the Casey he loves?"

Thomas squeezed Casey's hands in return. "Then you simply must find some way to persuade him that his Casey died back in Los Angeles the day Master Jon was born. Some proof......"

Casey's eyes widened as she dropped Thomas's hands. "Oh, sure.....easy enough for you to say!" She walked towards the glass doors, putting her hands to her head and rubbing her hair briskly. "But there must be some way......" She stopped, still facing the ocean. "I *have* to find a way, or I'll never have any peace for the rest of my life."