Chapter 6
“Do I look okay?” Cassie emerged from her bedroom to see Frank wearing properly fitted golf attire.
He gave an exaggerated show of examining her from head to toe as he walked around her. Her fine blonde hair was mostly staying in the loose bun thanks to a liberal application of body enhancing conditioner and an industrial strength enamelled green hair clip but there were a few loose tendrils escaping to frame her face. The makeup was similar to Friday’s and added enough extra colour to give interest to her face. Her new dress was a Lincoln green silk shirtwaist with three quarter sleeves that enhanced the womanliness of her youthful figure. The open toe low heeled pumps and matching black purse were sporty enough that she looked jaunty and young but not girlish.
“You look wonderful, my dear.”
“I don’t look too young?”
“You do look young. You should, you are still a young woman. But you look exactly right for Mrs. Ellis.”
“I’m just worried that they won’t take you seriously. I mean what kind of a man in his thirties marries a teenager?”
“The kind who recognizes a pearl of great price when he sees one?”
Cassie blushed to the roots of her hair. “Stop messing around. I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
She turned and marched towards the door. “Oooh. You’re impossible.”
He caught up with her and tugged her hand gently so she faced him. In a serious tone, he said, “You look exactly like you should. A modest young wife on the way to church with her husband.”
Cassie quelled her annoyance and huffed. “That’s better. Shall we go?”
They took the elevator to the parking garage and settled into the car. Cassie asked, “Where do you live in Halifax?”
Frank frowned. “I have a large one bedroom apartment in an older building off Windmill Road in Dartmouth. I’ve been putting off getting anything bigger and owning a house didn’t fit with the stupid amounts of overtime I’ve been doing the past several years. Maybe we should look for a house when we get back to Halifax?”
“Maybe we should wait until you know if you still have a job?”
Frank took her hand in his. “That’s best, I think.”
Cassie twined her fingers with his. One of the surprising things she’d quickly found out about Frank was that he liked to touch or at least he like to touch her, as if the marriage license gave him permission. What was more surprising, given her recent experiences with men, was that she liked it, too, and usually found it comforting rather than claustrophobic or frightening although there were still occasional panic attacks, especially when his hand drifted up towards her neck and shoulders. But she liked holding hands with him. She covered his hand with her free hand and said, “We have a lot of things to consider after we figure out where we’re going to live.”
“Like what?”
“I’ll need to enrol in Grade 12 somewhere. I’m not sure about finding a family doctor; I might need your permission for him or her to treat me. Once we move out of the hotel there will be chores and grocery money and all of that living together stuff.”
“Actually, I’m your husband, not your guardian. Now that you’re a married woman you’re mostly a legal adult so you can register yourself for school and a health card although you should probably keep a notarized copy of our marriage license in your purse until you’re eighteen so that you can prove that you can sign things for yourself. I’ll have to get you listed as the beneficiary on my life and medical insurance. We’ll set up a joint bank account tomorrow so you can pay for things without always asking me for cash.”
“And I’ll need to finish getting my full driver’s license. Gord was teaching me so that I could drive him places when he was blotto. I have a test date on August 29 here.”
“So you’ll need a car?”
“I won’t let you buy me a new one.”
“That’s okay. I don’t buy new cars either. I got this one used. If you need a car to get to school it shouldn’t be too flashy either. We could get something like an off lease Honda Civic or Toyota Yaris so you don’t stand out any more than you will already.”
Cassie said, “What do you mean?”
“Well, you’ll probably be the only married student in your school and you’ll certainly be the most beautiful and best dressed.”
“Cut it out.”
“Okay, but you’ll have to admit to the best dressed part.”
“Unless there’s a school uniform.”
“Unless there’s a school uniform.”
“And if there’s a prom?”
“You won’t have to worry about a date.”
She looked incredulous. “You mean you’d sit around with a bunch of teenage guys? You’d look really out of place.”
“Hey, you’ll have to go to parties with me, so I have to be willing to do it for you. Besides, I have a great time coaching the teenagers at the water polo club. I can talk cars and sports with the best of them. And if I want instant cred, I just have to let them know that I own a Ferrari.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. Grandfather was a car collector and his will directed that each of the men in the family got to pick one for themselves before the rest were auctioned off. The girls were some pissed about that, I tell you. Lita is the biggest car buff among us. She bought the ’59 Triumph TR3 from the estate after whining and pleading with the boys not to pick it for themselves and she bought the ’36 Bentley, too. But Dad picked before me and took the ’84 Corvette I really wanted so I put my accountant hat on and selected the ’53 Ferrari Europa when my turn came. It’s on loan to the Nova Scotia Museum at the moment.”
“Have you ever driven it?”
“A few times on dry sunny days when I’m wide awake and sober. Maybe we can use it when I take you to the prom.”
Cassie thought of her classmates from Rideau High and the way she had been snubbed because of her tatty clothes and embarrassing stepfather. A sense of wicked pleasure started to rise in her but she knew that it was based in revenge not the joy of an evening with Frank. “That would be a pretty show-offy thing to do.”
Frank shrugged. “It’s part of what proms are about. I think the last party before university is important. But we’ll only go if you have real friends you want to share those moments with.”
Cassie squeezed his hand. “Maybe I’ll be able to make some friends at my new school.” Her tone was a bit sad so Frank didn’t say anything because he knew her married status would put some social distance between her and her classmates.
A few minutes later Cassie said, “How about your social things? You know Christmas parties or dinner with the boss?”
“Just the Christmas party and a golf tournament at Alawen so far. None of the bosses at Alawen invite me to anything for the executive level employees, though that might change if we get a new executive team as a result telling Mr. Menzies about this mess. Most of my social life is with my family or church or the guys on the water polo team or the charity events Mother drags me to. Not that I’ve had much time for a social life recently.”
Cassie had a brief moment of panic at the thought of visiting Frank’s family. Frank felt her anxiety through her suddenly tense hands and said, “We’ll handle it. The guys at the water polo club will be easy. I can’t say they won’t be surprised when they meet you but I’m the one who’ll get all the flak. You might be on the receiving end of a fair amount of flirting, though. My family could be difficult but I’m only really concerned with Mother and Bonnie. Robert will shrug and bury his head back in his latest book. Dale will wonder why I married someone who isn’t bringing wealth into the family, until he speaks with you. Their wives are nice people who understand that we have a strange family dynamic but they’re both a little older than me. And Dad? I don’t know that I care at this point.”
Cassie knew there was more but sensed she shouldn’t ask. “And Lita?”
“She’ll diss you every chance she gets.” Before Cassie could
ask he continued, “Because you are far more beautiful than she ever was and she will be very jealous. You’ve also got your head on straighter than she does.”
Cassie nodded but kept her doubts to herself. To change the subject she asked what the service was like at the Menzies’ church.
———
Frank spotted Mr. Menzies and his wife chatting with another older couple while they waited in line for coffee after the service. He pointed them out to Cassie and said, “Relax and be your sweet self.”
Cassie wondered how he knew she was trying on a few different masks for size but then she looked at her left hand and remembered that he was very observant. Well, she could do modest and polite but she wasn’t going to be a pushover anymore. Never again. She whispered back. “I’ll try.”
He stroked the small of her back and said, “You’ll do fine.”
They made their way over to Mr. Menzies and he surprised Frank by saying. “Welcome back, Frank.”
“It’s a great place to worship, Mr. Menzies.”
“Save that for the office, Frank, when there are clients around. While we’re here we’re brothers in Christ, so call me Henry.”
Frank nodded and said, “Henry, I’d like you to meet my bride, Cassandra. Cassie, this is Henry Menzies.”
Cassie held out her hand for Henry to shake and he took it with a warm smile despite his obvious surprise at their apparent age difference. “I’m pleased to meet you Cassie. Do you think you’ll be able to civilize Frank?”
Cassie allowed her confusion to show. “What do you mean?”
Mrs. Menzies gave Cassie a warm smile. “Frank sends too many emails after supper. All work and no play leads to an early grave.” She looked pointedly at her husband then she held out her hand, “I’m Anne Menzies.” Then she looked a question at Henry then asked, “This is recent, isn’t it?” She indicated the rings on Cassie’s hand.
Frank gathered Cassie closer. “We got married on Friday.”
Henry said, “Congratulations.”
While everyone was waiting to figure out what to say next, Cassie pre-empted the questions about her age by saying, “I’m afraid that we have a Mr. Menzies situation we need to speak with you about.”
Henry looked disdainfully at her. “If it was that important, Frank should have sent an email through channels. Everyone knows I don’t talk business on Sundays.”
Cassie gathered her courage and said, “Okay but if Frank meets you at the office some of the evidence might be destroyed.”
Anne saw the very serious look on Frank’s face and touched her husband’s arm to quell his rising anger. “Henry, love. Janey had to cancel for supper tomorrow because Gordon has tee ball. Why don’t we invite Frank and Cassie for supper instead?”
“There’s a reason I go to the office,” Henry growled.
Anne said, in a reasonable tone, “And there must be a reason why they can’t see you there. Remember, Frank wanted to work for us because he can’t work for his father.”
Frank tried not to show his surprise at Anne’s comment.
Henry calmed down and looked more closely at Frank. “Right. You’re Grant’s youngest boy. I’d forgotten that. Well, his loss is my gain. You were the one who…” Henry shook his head and smiled at Cassie. “I was just about to compliment your husband on a specific bit of business acumen that’s made my life easier but that would break my own rules about talking business on the Sabbath.” He looked at his watch. “Anne, what time is lunch with that shyster son-in-law of ours?”
Anne checked her watch. “We should be going. Cassie, why don’t you walk with me to the car? I can give you directions to our place.”
Frank gave Cassie a gentle push to encourage her and then he fell into step with Henry.
“Frank, are you a golfer?”
Frank smiled at the change of subject. “I have a membership at Ashburn in Halifax but I don’t play that often, maybe every other week with friends. Golf is fun but it isn’t enough exercise for me and I’m not one for mixing golf and business. I was on the water polo team at UNB and I found a club when I moved back to Halifax.”
Henry laughed. “I tried water polo once when I was younger. Rough sport that and pretty exhausting.”
Frank laughed in return and asked Henry about his golf game.
———
“So what did you and Anne talk about?” Frank was curious about Cassie’s exaggerated slump into the front seat as they pulled into traffic.
“She was really curious about how we met and how old I was.”
“Did you say anything?”
“I changed the subject by asking about her grandchildren and got a full rundown of their family. But I’m sure we’ll have to give some answers at dinner tomorrow night.”
Frank thought for a bit then said, “They’re fellow Christians. We should tell them the truth.”
“Including that our marriage is only temporary?”
“We can leave that part out.” Frank was thankful he’d have at least nine more months to try to change her mind about that.
“So what will you tell them?”
“That I’ve never felt more at peace with a decision in my life. That when I saw you Friday morning sleeping peacefully on my sofa, in that Perry the Platypus nightgown, I knew you were the right woman for me. I might skip over the nightgown part, too.”
“I thought you were going to tell them the truth.” Cassie crossed her arms and glared at him.
“Actually, that’s pretty close, my dear Cassie.” Frank reached over to pat her hand. “I know this is just about exactly backward but where would you like to go for our first date?”
She rolled her eyes. “We’re already married, moron.”
“But we still haven’t gone on a date. And married people do go on dates, usually with their spouse, at least if they’re Christians. So what would you like to do? Dinner and a movie? A concert? A play? A picnic in the park?”
“Didn’t you see the weird looks we got today in church?”
“I did. But it wasn’t as bad as when we were shopping yesterday. I think the dress helped. It doesn’t have to be tonight. But after tomorrow things could get a bit strange with work.”
“But Anne told me I was supposed to civilize you. I expect that means having you home on time for supper every day and not letting you bring work home too often. We’d have plenty of time to do things together in the evenings, I suppose, until I have to go back to school and hit the books.”
Frank gave her a look of unmasked desire for a second then remembered his promise. Cassie blushed as she thought through some of the things he might like to do in the evenings and wondered if any of the romance novels she’d read were correct about what it was like with the right man. Then she remembered Saturday evening as they sat companionably watching an older James Bond movie together and how she’d almost kissed him.
Frank grinned as he turned his attention to the green light ahead of him. He liked that she was attracted to him despite her recent traumatic experiences and occasional panic attacks but he also knew she was very uncomfortable with the attention she was getting now that she dressed well. Even his. He wondered again what Gord and his friends had actually done to her. He broke the silence and said, “So, other than reading, what do you like to do?”
Cassie said, “I don’t really know. I love to cook. Granny and I used to watch old movies together and I’m a sucker for a happy ending. I like going to museums and such but I didn’t have much spare time until Granny died. Last year, I was studying like crazy so I could get a scholarship somewhere. And since New Year, Gord only let me out of his sight when I was at school or the library. So I didn’t have any real friends to do things with, until you.”
She looked over to see a very puzzled look on Frank’s face. “The only friends I had at either high school were the computer geeks because they didn’t care how I dressed, but computers and games don’t interest me all that much. I liked working on the school newslette
r and the yearbook but until the end of Grade 10 I had to take care of Granny and really didn’t have the spare time to keep up with my friends. Then I had to move here from Toronto because Mum wouldn’t let me have any of my money to stay in Gran’s apartment by myself. And a couple of months after I got here Mum married Gord.”
“Will our first date be your first date, too?”
Cassie felt her cheeks flaring. “Um, sort of. A bunch of us went to see Clash of the Titans when it hit the Rainbow last year. There was a guy from Rideau who I thought was pretty sweet but his family moved to Winnipeg at Christmas before we got to the couple stage. That was after Mum and Gord got married but before Gord got really weird.”
“So, after you moved in with your Mum you weren’t allowed to go anywhere?”
“For the first few months it was okay. But after the inheritance money ran out in December Gord got really paranoid. He’s a super control freak, well, except when he’s got enough of a drunk going that he can’t move. I’m sure he thinks I’m going to call the cops on him.”
“You still could.”
“He’s not worth it. And Mum needs to grow up before she’ll change. She needs help but she doesn’t listen to me any better than she did to Granny or Dad.” Cassie sighed. “I’m not going to hold my breath. And I’m not going to let you give her a dime and she won’t get anything from me either. She already took all my inheritance and blew it on pills for her and booze and trips to the casino for Gord.”
Frank nodded then changed the subject. “Is there anything in the theatres you want to see?”
“I don’t know what’s playing. I would like to see all the Twilight movies at some point. I really loved the books. What about you, is there a movie you want to see?”
Frank thought for a moment. “I’m more of a reader than a movie goer. But my taste runs to thrillers – James Patterson, Kathy Reichs, John Grisham. I have a good home theatre set up at the apartment in Dartmouth and I have all the James Bond and Die Hard movies on BluRay. We can pick up the Twilight series or anything else you want that’s out.”
Cassie said, “That sounds good.” Then her brow furrowed. “I didn’t get a close look at your ID when we got the license. When’s your birthday?”
Frank asked, “Why does it matter? I’m ancient, remember? I don’t do birthdays anymore.”
“It’s okay. I’ll ask your sister when we get to Halifax. I’ll bet she knows.”
Frank sighed. “It’s August fourth. I’ll be thirty-one.”
“I’ll have to do something special for you.” Cassie said.
Frank gave her a sideways glance and waggled his eyebrows.
She blushed and said, “I was actually thinking about breakfast in bed.”
Frank grinned. “My thoughts were pretty close to that.”
She crossed her arms and huffed. “You like making me blush, don’t you?”
Frank said, “Yep. I do.” Then, in a more serious tone, “Most of the women my parents wanted me to marry have forgotten how.”
Cassie reached for Frank’s hand. “You were fishing for information about my boyfriends. How about your girlfriends?”
Frank tensed and took his hand back. “When I was in high school and university there were way too many and I’m ashamed to say that I don’t remember some of them. I took shameless advantage of my social position to get what I thought I deserved. But that changed after I accepted Jesus and realized how messed up that attitude is. If I run across any of them now, I apologize for being such a jerk back then, if they’ll even speak to me.”
He shrugged. “Since I started going to church I’ve only been on a handful of real dates. My church has a singles support group and social club. We do a lot of things together as a group but one on one dating is frowned upon until you’re serious about looking for a spouse. I’ve only dated three women in the past six years unless you count Mother’s blind dates, which I don’t, and only one got to a third date. Meredith couldn’t handle my father.”
“And you think I can?”
Frank was silent for a while as he pulled into the hotel parking garage. “I know you can. I think you are a very strong person, Cassie.”
“Thank you, I think.”
“No, I mean it. You’ve been through some things that would crush other people’s spirits and you’ve managed to keep it together.”
“Doesn’t feel like it some days. It feels like I’m pretending way too often.”
Frank put the car in park and turned it off. “I’ll let you in on a secret, my dear. There are many days when I feel like I want to pack it in and go back to bed because I don’t think I’m good enough or I haven’t done enough or I’m facing a challenge that I don’t want to face. Most adults are like that but you eventually learn how to paste a smile on your face and keep putting one foot in front of the other and do your best to keep going, you know, fake it ‘til you make it. I think you’ve already learned how to do that.”
Cassie looked at Frank with surprise and disbelief showing. “I don’t believe you.”
“This is the third Sunday I’ve been to that church. The first week I didn’t even try to meet with Henry although he remembered me from touring Alawen and introduced himself. Last week I could only make small talk. And I almost chickened out again today. Thank you for speaking up. I almost let it slide.”
Cassie felt an odd tingle of something like satisfaction and she sat up straighter. “So I helped you out?”
Frank waggled a finger at her. “No score keeping. We’re partners now. But yeah, you were a great help this morning.” He smiled and said, “How about lunch in the Market then we can hit the bookstores and maybe pick up some fresh vegetables or fruit for supper?”
Cassie leaned over to give Frank a peck on the cheek and said, in an eager tone, “That sounds like fun. Can we go to that place that looks like a Fifties diner? I’ve always wanted to see if the jukebox actually works and I haven’t had good French fries in a long time. One of the computer geeks at Rideau said they made wonderful fries.” She made a happy noise as Frank nodded.
Cassie waited for Frank to hand her out of the car, then towed him quickly to the elevator.