My Sweet Canadian Girl Ch. 04

When Cassie got home I was still sitting in bed with the blankets around my waist. She asked if I was planning to stay in bed all day and laughed when I said not unless I had some company. On the way home she'd picked up breakfast so I got up and put on some pants to go eat with her. I was really impressed with her laptop. As long as you remembered to plug it in overnight the battery stayed charged for hours and with their wireless router I could walk all around the apartment with it. I noticed their network wasn't password protected and other people could be using it too. Cassie wondered why they'd want to do that and I explained sometimes it's simply by accident. I fixed it by setting up an encryption key for them and showed them all how to login. They were amazed that I knew so much and suddenly I was their computer expert cleaning up little problems like spyware and a cluttered system tray. There wasn't going to a whole lot of room for my desktop once I got the rest of my stuff moved in. Perhaps I'd buy a laptop like hers and leave my old computer behind for Tim.

As we ate in the kitchen I showed Cassie the digital cameras I'd been looking at online. I told her about the emails I'd gotten and the reason I wanted to buy one. She thought it was a great idea but neither of us knew much about digital photography. There were a few places she knew of that would have a wide selection though and she brought up their web sites. Comparing their selections to the recommendations of a review site I narrowed it down to what looked to be the best buys. We'd go get one right away and take some pictures when we got home after picking up the girls. Cassie made me promise not to send any until she approved them first though.

We didn't have a whole lot of time after I took my shower so we headed straight to the electronics store. Cassie smiled at me as we went in and asked if a place like this tempted me to blow my money with the big screen TVs and other goodies everywhere you looked. I shrugged and said not really as she tried to come to grips with dating a man who didn't seem all that interested in shopping. My tendency had always been to buy only what I needed, not what I wanted aside from an occasional treat for myself.

The guy behind the digital camera counter showed us their selection. Foolishly, I asked what the differences between some of the models were and he overwhelmed us with technical jargon that meant nothing to us. We certainly didn't need one of the high-end professional cameras so we focused on the mid priced ones. I was ready to take one of two and asked Cassie what she thought of them. The price and features were almost identical so I got the one she said looked nicer. The memory card it came with would only hold a handful of pictures so I bought a much larger card that would hold a hundreds. On the way home I opened it in the passenger seat and started fiddling with it right away. Cassie laughed at me and said I was like a kid with a new toy but smiled prettily when I asked her to pose for the first picture.

We stopped at her nursing school to pick up the girls on the way home. Cassie gave me a little tour while we waited for them to finish. It seemed like most of the people we passed in the hallways knew Cassie and stopped to chat with her. She introduced me as her boyfriend Rick so many times that I thought my face might split from smiling. Just as I suspected it seemed like anyone who had ever shared a class with Cassie considered her a friend. The last exams for the department were on Friday and we must have gotten invited to the year-end party seven or eight times. Cassie made it seem like it was the first she'd heard of it, but how any of them thought the most popular girl in school wouldn't know about it was beyond me. She didn't do it to be fake or roll her eyes afterwards, she did it to make them feel good about being the one to remember to invite her and because that's what she does best. Cassie makes everyone around her feel good about themselves.

A few minutes before they were scheduled to finish their exam, we made our way towards the hallway outside. Lei and Jana wouldn't leave without using all of their allotted time Cassie assured me. When the doors opened they came out towards the end of the crowd and ran toward Cassie screaming. The three of them were hopping up and down hugging as they celebrated the end of exams. Together we walked back to the car and drove home.

Soon as we were in the apartment Cassie went to get ready for a picture. I told her she looked fine but she wouldn't hear it even though I was prepared to take it like I was without having shaved yet. By the time she came back with a new outfit, make up, and her hair brushed out Lei was ready to take our picture. We sat together on the love seat and Cassie let me put my arm around her shoulders. Lei took a few pictures encouraging us to smile and handed me the camera when she was done. Cassie looked over my shoulder as I installed the drivers and took the laptop from me once I had the pictures loaded onto it. She looked at them for a few moments and said number four of the six Lei had taken was the best. When I said they all looked the same to me she laughed at me, of course when I took the laptop to the other girls each of them picked the fourth picture too.

I sat down and wrote an email to my mother and sister, attaching the picture Cassie picked to both. She sat next to me as I typed but shook her head nervously when I asked if there was anything she wanted to add. From the little they knew of Cassie they already liked her and a picture of a beautiful smiling girl sitting next to me wasn't about to change that. When the messages were sent she kissed me happily and told me we had all afternoon to do whatever I wanted. I led her to our bedroom and laughed when she told me to leave the camera right where it was.

That night we went out with her friends to celebrate. We started with dinner at an Italian restaurant and then went to a nightclub. Cassie was driving her car and didn't drink at all as a result. Being completely sober she was far more reserved at the club that night but I still had a good time. She danced with me and then her friends when I said my feet needed a rest. Once they'd had a few drinks I was picked to dance a few songs with Lei and Jana. They could have had their pick of admiring men but they weren't interested that night.

The rest of the week became a blur. Cassie drove us all around the city and most of the time Lei and Jana were with us. They spent their evenings at home helping Jana to start getting her things packed up. Often they'd pack something that brought back good memories and they start crying and laughing at the same time. I spent a few hours everyday browsing job sites and had started writing cover letters for the jobs I had picked to apply to. None of them were as good as the ones I had been offered but they didn't need to be great. For now I was happy to find anything that would get me a work visa.

"I picked up a little surprise for you and the girls," I told Cassie Friday night as we were getting ready for bed after we got home from the nursing school party.

"Rick you didn't need to do that," she said taking the envelope I passed her. "This is too much," she said looking inside. There were three passes for a day spa so they could have a girl's day out together before Jana left next week.

"You deserve it and so do they," I said.

"They'll feel bad accepting such a nice gift from you," she said.

"Tell them it's from both of us then," I said.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said kissing me three times.

"One thank you is more than enough," I said laughing at her.

"That's one from each of us. You didn't think I'd let them give you their own thank you kisses did you?" she said smiling as she rushed off to tell them.

They decided to use them the very next day and planned to arrive early to get the most out of it. Cassie felt bad leaving me alone but I told her to enjoy herself. I'd be fine by myself and might go out looking around the city again. There was plenty of baseball for me to watch too. They had digital cable and I'd already gotten Cassie to add the MLB package for me so I could follow the Dodgers, otherwise I'd be stuck with the Blue Jays and Mariners most of the year. I spent part of the afternoon watching the Dodgers get hammered before changing the channel in disgust. When the phone rang I was sure it was Cassie calling to see how I was doing.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hello, who's this?" a guy's voice asked me. It sounded like he was downstairs on the building intercom.

"Rick," I said when nothing better to say came to mind.

"I think I dialed the wrong apartment. I was looking for my sister Cassie," he said.

"You got the right one. This is 806," I told him. There was no point in lying when he was just going to hang up and call again.

"Can you buzz me in then?" he asked.

"Sure," I said pressing nine to open the door for him. Fuck! What was I going to do now? He'd be here any minute. He said he was one of her brothers, which was better than her father but not by much. Before I could think up a reasonable cover story there was a knock on the door and I went to open it. I recognized his face from the photos I'd seen at their parent's house and hoped the friendly smile he wore was a good sign.

"Nice to meet you. Rick you said it was right?" he asked. I nodded as I shook his outstretched hand. "I'm Cassie's oldest brother Marc. I just stopped by to drop off some pictures of our new baby that she's been waiting for."

"She's not home right now," I said.

"Oh okay I can leave them with Lei or Jana," he said.

"They're not home either," I said before he could ask me any more questions. I tried to act casual as he digested what I'd just told him. There was a slightly puzzled look on his face.

"None of them are home? Are you living here then?" he asked at last and there it was. All I could do was nod. "So which of the girls do you belong to?" he asked smiling no doubt thinking I was dating Lei or Jana. When I opened my mouth and nothing came out his smile withered and died.

"Cassie," I finally managed to say.

"You're living here with my sister?" he said perplexed. "This is unbelievable! How could she do something like this? When dad finds out he's going to have another heart attack. I'm sorry, I'm not mad at you Rick I don't even know you yet."

"I know this seems crazy, believe me I know. But I love your sister and she loves me," I said.

"How long have you known her? How long have you been living here?" he asked. He seemed to be taking the news of my existence rather well despite being completely shocked.

"We met during spring break, I've been living here since I finished exams. I came up with her from Oregon when she was down to visit me," I explained.

"Oregon? Well it doesn't matter where you came from you're here now. I'm sure you're a great guy, I just wish she'd slow down and think sometimes," he said with a half grimace, half smile. "My wife's been at home all day looking after a newborn and three year old by herself. If I don't get home soon she'll skin me alive. Tell Cassie I stopped by and that I won't say anything to mom and dad. I was going to invite Cassie and our parents over for dinner tomorrow night but why don't you and Cassie come instead? It will just be the four of us and the kids."

"Sounds great," I said shaking his hand again. "Thanks for not judging me."

"I don't need to judge you when Cassie already has," he said. "If you're good enough for my sister, you're good enough for me."

Considering Marc had just been blindsided with the news that his little sister was living with a complete stranger it really couldn't have gone better. He seemed a lot like her in many ways. Apologizing to me for reacting like any good brother should and inviting us over for dinner almost immediately. If the rest of her family was anything like this I didn't anticipate a problem. I wasn't letting myself relax too much though. It still felt as if I'd dodged a big bullet named Marcel Dumont.

When Marc left I locked the door behind him and turned off the TV. I wanted anyone outside to think no one was home. The phone rang a few more times that afternoon and into the evening but I didn't budge to answer it. When the girls got home I listened to them unlock the door wondering if someone else might have a key. I was paralyzed with fear until I saw it was just them.

"Why did you have the door locked Rick?" Cassie asked.

"I think you better sit down," I said.

"What's wrong?" Cassie asked coming over and sitting next to me.

"Your bother stopped by this afternoon," I said.

"Which one?" she asked her face going white.

"Marc," I said.

"Oh thank God," she sighed in relief. "Jay wouldn't tell mom and dad on his own but that bitch he's marrying would love to turn this into a bigger problem than it already is. What did Marc say? Was he mad?"

"He was shocked but he wasn't mad. He couldn't stay long but he promised not to mention me to your parents. We're invited over for dinner tomorrow night and he left baby pictures too," I said.

"Oh wait until you see the baby she's so precious," she said smiling.

"I think we were lucky today sweetie. If it had been your father, or even Jay like you said, it might not have worked out so well," I said trying to rein in her excitement.

"I know that," she said frowning. "We'll have Marc on our side now though. Him and mom will be easy to win over and Jay would be too if not for her." I still didn't even know his fiancée's name yet because Cassie refused to call her by name. It was almost funny when I stopped to think about it. Cassie would have been the perfect all-American girl if she wasn't Canadian instead and this other woman was her lone nemesis. "Marc will do what he can to help us and it will all work out in the end. Now where did you put the baby pictures?" she asked dismissing our problems for now.

The next day we slept in late kissing and cuddling under the blankets. Our first week living together as a couple was over already. It was hard to believe the time could go by so quickly. I hated to think ahead towards graduation in a few weeks. I didn't want to leave her side at all, but I'd already booked a flight for the Friday after next. After that week apart I could be with her forever. I'd have some explaining of own to do too. My father was still expecting me to accept one of my good paying job offers and follow in what he thought were his admirable footsteps.

Cassie was baking a dessert to bring to dinner with us. She sent me to the store for some of the ingredients she needed to make it. When I got back I sat in the kitchen with her as she went to work and listened to her tell me about her brother's kids. Matthew already knew all his ABCs, which was really good for a three year old apparently, and counted things all the time trying to make the deep laughter of the Count from Sesame Street. Their new baby Madeline was so sweet Cassie said she could 'eat her up all day long'. I was just hoping Matthew wouldn't decide he didn't like me because it could be a hard choice for Cassie then.

"Hi come on in," Marc said answering their front door when we arrived. "Rick this is my wife Julie and the little bundle in her arms is our baby girl Madeline. Matthew was here a minute ago which means I better go find him."

"Nice to meet you Rick," Julie said smiling at me. She was a pretty woman with curly blonde hair though she had an exhausted look about her. I guess taking care of two young children wasn't easy. "I can't believe you didn't tell us you had a new boyfriend," she said to Cassie looking hurt.

"I'm sorry," Cassie said in a voice full of sincerity. "Do I still get to hold her?" she asked looking like she wanted to tear her niece from Julie's arms.

"Oh God Cassie you can take her home for a week if you want," she said handing the baby over carefully. "Marc and I could use the sleep."

"Hello Maddie. Oh you're such a pretty little girl aren't you? Aren't you my love? Do you have kisses for aunt Cassie?" she said in her softest, prettiest voice. It made her niece giggle at her and made my heart race with love for her. She could see it in my eyes when she turned to look at me and blushed. "Why don't you go downstairs and get to know Marc? We have a lot to talk about," she added and by a lot she meant me of course.

"Okay," I said kissing Cassie on the cheek and holding out my pinkie for little Madeline grab on to. All three of them smiled at me and I added Julie to our growing list of allies.

"They sent you down with rest of the men did they?" Marc said when I went downstairs and found him in the family room.

"Who dat daddy?" Matthew asked looking up from his coloring book.

"This is Rick. He's your aunt Cassie's boyfriend," he said.

"Oh," he said turning back to his picture.

"He'll probably ask again later," Marc said smiling at me. "Do you want a beer?" he asked opening the fridge behind his bar.

"Sure whatever you have is fine," I said.

We sat down and talked. Marc was really friendly and Matthew was every bit as cute as Cassie described him. His father turned on cartoons for him and sighed at the big screen TV. Marc had wanted always wanted one and Julie surprised him with it a couple of years ago. Since getting it he'd watched more Sesame Street and Blue's Clues than sports though. Marc told me a little about him and his family. He was an architect with a firm in the city and Julie was schoolteacher though she'd decided to take a few years off to stay home with their kids. His wife liked to joke that she planned to go back to teaching as soon as he stopped knocking her up.

Marc was far more interested in learning about me though. I told him I'd just finished my finance degree in business school. He said too bad I wasn't an architect because they were looking for someone new. I wasn't too worried about finding a job and explained I had some savings I could get by on for now. The last think I wanted him thinking was that I was mooching off of his sister. Meeting Cassie over spring break was a story I told carefully. No matter how nice and understanding he seemed, no one wanted to hear about some guy getting lucky with his little sister.

Dinner was in the oven but wouldn't be ready for a while so the girls came down to join us. Matthew ran to give his aunt Cassie a big hug and a kiss. I noticed the look that passed between Marc and his wife and the little nod she gave him. I was willing to bet she got the director's cut version of our relationship from Cassie. Cassie sat next to me and read Matthew a story in a hushed voice. When Julie left to check on dinner, she handed the baby to Cassie again before rushing upstairs.

"Uh oh Rick," Marc said making me look up in confusion. "You see that look in my sister's eyes? That's a dangerous look there. The kind Julie used to make before we had our own."

"Marc!" Cassie said kicking at him while trying not to wake the baby.

"What?" he said laughing at her. "Rick's a smart guy. I bet he knew the day he met you that you were destined to be a great mom."

"I'm so sorry Rick," she said looking at me. "Don't listen to him."

"It doesn't bother me. I just hope your parents have met me before we have to worry about that though," I said and they both laughed.

Julie put Madeline in her crib to sleep before dinner. Matthew got to sit with us in his high chair between his parents so they could take turns helping him. Watching how they interacted with each other and the kids made we want the same for Cassie and I someday. You could see how much they were in love and how much joy the children had brought to their lives. With my hand below the table I reached over squeeze Cassie's leg and she gave me one of her warm smiles. When we'd finished eating, Marc took Matthew off to bed before Cassie's dessert was served otherwise he'd be up running around half the night from the sugar rush.