Epilogue

Rebecca stood in her office,gazing out the window and avoiding the crowd that was amassing in her house. This was precisely why she told Cassidy she wanted the "Welcome back, Rebecca" party at their home—so that when she felt overwhelmed, she could hide. Rebecca loved her friends dearly, but holy hell, there were a lot of them, and Rebecca was still trying to find her groove. Well, she and Cassidy had undoubtedly found their groove—multiple times. But Rebecca was taking her time with everything else. She should have taken more time with this get-together. Yet, she knew as soon as Aunt Wills began letting everyone know Rebecca's memory was back, this little party was inevitable. They all meant well, and the mutual love between everyone in the group is why Rebecca agreed to it less than a week later.

She could hear the bustle of people outside her office door. Ellie, Blaise, and Eve were preparing dishes in Rebecca's kitchen. Cassidy, Mo, Grayson, and Hunter were out on the deck grilling. Lainey, Patty, and Aunt Wills were on kid duty — including keeping the bigger kids occupied and out of the way. Even Mocha was in on the fun, barking and playing with Bella, who did an excellent job at dog-sitting. And Rebecca… was hiding. The good news was they were the most understanding friends anyone could have. This meant that Rebecca could hole up in her office for as long as she needed to without judgment. Yeah, she loved her friends dearly. Even…

"Hey, babe?"

Rebecca looked back over her shoulder and smiled at her wife. "Hey."

"You okay?" Cass walked over to Rebecca and wrapped her arms around her.

"Yeah, just…"

"Overwhelmed?"

"A little." Rebecca scoffed. "Or a lot."

"You don't like being the one everyone is here for, do you? When others need help, you're the first one there, but when it's you…"

"Are you analyzing me, Cassidy?"

Cass turned Rebecca to face her. "No, ma'am. I'm telling my wife what I honestly see. We do that now, right?" she grinned.

"Mmhmm." Rebecca had to chuckle at Cassidy's failed attempt at innocence. "You're right."

"I'm sorry, what?" Cass tugged on her earlobe. "I think I heard what you said, but I'm not sure. Could you repeat it?"

Rebecca narrowed her eyes at her lover. "You are just itching for a spanking, aren't you?"

"Baby, you have no idea." Cass wiggled her eyebrows and thrust her pelvis into a giggling Rebecca. "Unfortunately, we have a house full of guests. One of which would like to talk to you if you're up for it." When Rebecca nodded, Cass called out. "Hunt?"

The slight smile on Rebecca's lips faded when Hunter walked in.

"Hey, Becca."

"Hello, Hunter."

Cass didn't miss Rebecca's look. That look was Mistress, and a very annoyed Rebecca all rolled into one.

"I, uh, I'm just gonna…" Cass kissed Rebecca quickly on the cheek, patted Hunter's shoulder, and high-tailed it out of there.

Hunter cleared her throat. "How are you feeling? Have the headaches diminished?"

"Oh, I see. You're here as a doctor." Rebecca crossed her arms and turned back to the window.

"Becca, I know you blame me for what happened."

Rebecca whirled back around. "Is that what you think? That I blame you for losing my memory? Wow, doctors really do have God complexes."

Hunter sighed. "I don't have a complex, Rebecca. I'm just saying I understand. If I had suggested an alternate solution and not made you get the surgery…"

"Made me?" Rebecca scoffed. "No one makes me do anything, Hunter. You found the tumor, you found me the best doctor in the country, and you offered your opinion on the remedies. I took all of that information, talked to my wife, and made a decision based on what was best for me and those I love."

"Then," Hunter frowned, "why are you pissed at me? Cuz I'd rather you punch me than give me the cold shoulder."

"Cassidy already did that." Rebecca shook her head and paced away. "Where were you, Hunter? Hmm? You're my oldest friend, the one who was there for me when I woke up from nearly being killed. But this time?" Rebecca threw her hands in the air. "I saw Blaise and Eve and Lainey. Hell, I even saw Ellie. Where were you? Where the fuck were you?"

Hunter sat heavily in one of the chairs in the room. "I fucked up, Becca. I'm a fucking coward. I watched you go through that once, and I – I couldn't do it again. Especially because I blamed myself for what was happening."

"So, you just stayed away. Cassidy and I were there for you when Ellie was hurt. We're there for all of you. Even if you couldn't be around me, why in the hell weren't you there for Cassidy when she needed you?"

"Hang on, babe." Cass popped into the office and shut the door behind her. Geez, if Ellie knew Rebecca was tearing Hunter a new one, who knew what the fuck would happen. "Hunter was there for me. Yeah, I was eavesdropping," she explained when Rebecca raised a brow. "I saw the look on your face when Hunt came in here. I've put her through enough. And I think she's put herself through the wringer."

Cass stood close to Rebecca but didn't touch her. She knew her wife well enough not to try to placate her or distract her from the truth.

"Everyone was there for me despite what I did to Hunter. Ellie sat with me, talked to me, and gave me hope that even if you didn't get your memory back, you could fall in love with me again. Eve stopped by and spoke to me about… the facts." Cass leaned in and lowered her voice to a whisper. "She even hugged me."

Rebecca bit her lip to keep from laughing. She was still annoyed with Hunter, but Cass's recounting of their friends being there was beginning to thaw the coldness in her heart.

"And Hunt?" Cass laid a hand on Hunter's shoulder in support and gratitude. "I didn't deserve your forgiveness. No matter what I was going through, I should never have hit you. Being married to who I'm married to, I should know that better than anyone else." She looked at Rebecca. "I blamed Hunter, yet she showed up at my door and sat there with me as I bawled my fucking eyes out without an ounce of judgment. The others, including your aunt, came up with that little scheme of theirs to get us to spend the day together so I could charm you. Hell, even Mo sent me a case of her new beer. Then Patty sent flowers and said she was sacrificing herself to keep Mo from coming over and drinking the beer herself."

Rebecca finally lost her battle with the laughter and snorted. "That sounds like Mo." She became serious again as she thought about everything Cassidy just told her. She hadn't known about the crying or the loss of hope. "Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

Cass scratched her head and shrugged a shoulder. "Not sure. I think maybe I was afraid to tell you just how weak and needy I was. The point is, though, everyone did their best in the situation we were in. You didn't know any of them, babe, so I can only imagine they had a hard time trying to figure out what to do and how to help. But I need you to know they showed up for me. And for Mocha. Bella may never forgive us for taking Mocha back, but that's a bridge we must cross at another time."

Rebecca glanced at Hunter, who covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. She walked to Cassidy, standing toe to toe with her, and looked up. "You're so weird, baby."

Cass grinned down at Rebecca. "You still love me."

"That I do." Rebecca lifted herself onto her tiptoes and kissed Cassidy's lips. "Thank you." She looked at Hunter again, who had been very quiet the entire time Cass spoke. "And you. I will forgive you on one condition." Rebecca pressed a finger on Cassidy's lips when she began to argue, her gaze never leaving Hunter.

"Anything," Hunter said sincerely.

"I'll forgive you if you forgive yourself. None of this was your fault, Hunter. If anything, you helped me by being persistent about my having a physical that day. You couldn't have known the outcome. So let yourself off the hook."

Hunter stood and nodded. "I promise to try. I should've been there for you, Rebecca."

"You were there for the one who needed you the most, Hunter. And for that, I'm eternally grateful." Rebecca hugged Hunter tightly. "Thank you."

"Yeah, um, ahem." Hunter thumbed towards the door. "We should get back out there. Mo is manning the grill."

"Grayson is out there, too," Cass reminded Hunter.

"Uh, do you remember what happened with the hot dogs the last time Grayson was in charge?"

Cass's eyes widened. "Shit. I was scraping hot dogs off the grill for days. How the hell do you explode a damn hot dog?" She shook her head. "Head on out, I'll catch up with you."

Hunter saluted, winking at Rebecca with that lopsided grin that won Ellie over. Once they were alone, Cass took Rebecca in her arms.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yes, baby. I'm going to take five minutes to do some breathing exercises that Ellie taught me, and then I'm going to stop being a rude hostess and go out there to be with my friends. Maybe we'll watch you studs grilling and… talk."

"Yeah?" Cass grinned down at Rebecca. "Gonna tell them how I'm the only one who has ever made you sq…"

Rebecca pressed her lips to Cassidy's to shut her up. "If you say anything like that in front of our friends, I will be forced to tell them about the anal beads fiasco."

"Fucking hell, babe!" Cass's entire body shivered. "I was nervous! When you're nervous, you clinch! I think we're good with keeping some things to ourselves."

"That's what I thought," Rebecca winked. "Now, go on. I don't want to smell hot dogs for the next three weeks."

Cass pulled a Hunter and saluted. "Love you, babe."

"Love you, too, Cassidy." Rebecca slapped Cassidy's ass as she walked away. Cassidy looked back and gave Rebecca a look that buckled her knees. Good lord, she really did love that woman. Rebecca inhaled, trying to focus on relaxing instead of what she wanted to do to Cassidy. That wasn't easy.

"Can I help?"

Ellie looked up from her task and smiled at Rebecca. "Absolutely. Grab a knife."

"Welcome back," Eve said, setting aside the bowl she was mixing veggies in and giving Rebecca a hug.

"Thank you. I heard you were giving these away," Rebecca grinned, relaxing considerably since she walked in. This was friendship, she thought. When you could walk in a room and no matter whose house you were at, everyone looked like they were home.

"Only to those who deserve it," Eve winked. "Since you're late, you're on onion duty with Blaise."

Rebecca nodded but stood there for a moment. "I wanted to say thank you for being there for Cassidy. All of you are in love with your soul mates, so I know you'll understand when I say that means more to me than anything else you could've done. I also know this situation was… weird for lack of a better word. But you never let Cassidy fall too far out of hope. I owe you so much for that."

"You don't owe us anything," Ellie said, sniffling and dabbing at her eyes with a paper towel. "We're family and that's what family does."

"Truth!" Blaise offered. "Now stop making Ellie and Eve cry."

"You're crying, too!" Ellie laughed.

"I'm cutting onions!"

Oh, how Rebecca missed this! "You're wearing goggles, you goof. Don't…" Rebecca stopped mid-sentence and looked at Blaise again. "You're wearing goggles."

"Yeah, and?"

"She doesn't like the way the onions sting her eyes," Ellie explained. "So, the only way she'll cut them is if she has goggles."

Blaise held up a pink pair. "Got another pair here with your name on them!" She tossed them at Rebecca. "These yahoos aren't going to do the dirty work, so put those on and get over here."

Rebecca laughed enthusiastically. God, she felt like she hadn't laughed like that for years. "Ladies, I love the fuck out of you!"

Eve, Ellie, and Blaise joined in on the laughter. "We love the fuck out of you, too!"

One Week Later.

"Are you sure about this?"

They sat out front of Nadia's bar, the car still idling while Cass tried to think of a way out of this. It was stupid since she was the one who asked for Rebecca's help. But now that they were there, Cass was nervous as fuck. What if Nadia said something to piss Rebecca off? That wasn't Nadia's style, but it sure as fuck was Mickey's. This is exactly why Cass never wanted to bring Rebecca here. It used to be her playground, but now it was just a distant memory. The only reason she offered Nadia help was because they had somewhat of a history.

Rebecca watched Cassidy drum her fingers on the steering wheel. She reached over and took Cassidy's hand. This was the first time she'd ever been to one of Cassidy's old hangouts. She had to admit, she was curious to see what it was like.

"Why are you so nervous about this?"

Because of what I used to do here. Cass shrugged. "I just don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"And you think being at your old stomping grounds will do that?"

Another shrug.

"I'm good, baby. In fact, I'm kind of excited to see where you used to hang out. I feel like you gave up so much when we got together. Including your friends. I never meant for that to happen."

"I didn't give up anything, babe. My only real friend was Miranda, and we both know how that ended. This was just a place I'd go to, uh… find companionship for the night. Once I met you, I didn't need anything or anyone else."

Cassidy was so loyal and loving that it was difficult for Rebecca to imagine this different side of her. "And Nadia? Was she a friend with benefits?"

Cass looked away with embarrassment.

"She must've been special to you if you want to help her now." Rebecca wouldn't pretend that there wasn't a tiny bit of jealousy behind that thought. But she trusted Cassidy implicitly.

"No one was special, babe. And that was a two-way street. They all had bets on who could tame ‘Cassanova.' It was a game. And maybe it was like that for both parties, but at least I was honest with what I wanted."

Rebecca was silent for a full ten seconds. "I'm sorry… Cassanova?" She bit her lip. "Is that what they called you?"

"Oh fuck," Cass groaned. Who the fuck needed Micky spouting off shit when Cass could do it herself? She was never going to live this down. "You're gonna tell Hunter and Mo that aren't you?"

Rebecca feigned indignation. "I would never!" A smile slowly formed on her lips. "Ellie and Patty, maybe. And Eve and Lainey."

"Babe!"

Rebecca laughed. "Yes, Cassanova?"

"Baaaabe!"

The laughter increased with Cassidy's whining. "I'm just kidding, baby. Though, I will be calling you that as punishment when you deserve it."

"Can I use my safe word for that?" Cass pouted.

"Nope. Now, let's get this over with so we can go home. I have plans on how to conquer Cassanova."

Cass opened her mouth to argue, then thought of all the possibilities. Heh. "Yes, Mistress."

What the mind forgets,the heart remembers. True love will always find a way.