A Little Girl To Save

They left the cemetery in silence, the late-afternoon sun casting long shadows across the gravestones. Cassandra drove with her jaw clenched, the smell of fresh-cut grass still clinging to her clothes. Trevor sat in the backseat with Kali, who leaned against him, humming softly as she tapped his shoulder for attention. Cassandra tried to speak a few times, but Kali kept filling the air with chatter, tugging at Trevor’s arm, showing him things out the window.

They stopped at a small burger restaurant. Cassandra picked at her food, barely tasting it. Her body felt heavy, as if grief had settled into her bones. Trevor fed Kali fries, laughing with her, the two of them in their own bubble.

By the time they reached the hotel, Cassandra’s head throbbed from holding in everything she wanted to scream.

Inside the room, she grabbed her pajamas and ducked into the bathroom, shutting the door with a soft click. The light buzzed overhead, too bright. She stared at her reflection; the mascara smudged under her eyes, the weariness of the day carved into her face.

She started stripping off her funeral clothing, each layer feeling heavier than the last. She scrubbed her makeup off in hard, circular motions, her throat tightening.

She had just buried her sister.

And now she wasn’t the rich aunt who visited with gifts...she was the mother.

Her hands trembled.

That’s when she heard it...Trevor’s low whisper, muffled but clear through the thin hotel door.

“Has Aunt Cass asked you any questions?”

Kali shrugged, her voice soft. “Not really.”

Cassandra froze, water dripping from her chin.

Trevor continued, “Look, I’m gonna go away for a while, and I’m gonna come back for you in a few months.”

Kali’s tone shifted, sad and confused. “But you said that the other day with Mommy. Mommy really wanted to go, but you didn’t come that night… and then Aunt Cass told me Mommy died. What happened that day?”

Cassandra’s breath hitched.

Silence...

Then a sharp whisper from Trevor, panicked.

“Shh.”

Cassandra pressed her ear to the door, heart slamming.

Kali asked, voice trembling, “Daddy… did you hurt Mommy?”

Cassandra’s knees buckled. She slid to the cold tile floor, covering her mouth to smother her sobs.

Trevor’s voice dropped even lower. “Listen. Don’t say anything to anyone.”

“About what?” Kali asked.

“You didn’t see me the last day you saw your Mommy. Do you understand? And I’m your uncle Trevor. That’s what you call me from now on.”

“Why?” Kali whimpered. “You are my daddy.”

Trevor’s tone hardened, sharp as a slap. “Do what I said.”

“Yes, sir,” she whispered.

“You’re going back to California with us,” Trevor said. “Then I’ll be gone a little while. I’ll send for you later. We’ll be together.”

“But where are you going?” Kali sniffled.

Cassandra sobbed silently, her whole world spinning. Then Trevor’s voice boomed:

“You okay in there?”

She jolted, scrambling. “Yeah.”

She flushed the toilet for cover. Trevor walked to the door; the knob rattled violently.

“What are you doing?”

Cassandra snapped, “Trying to get myself together.”

A long pause. She could feel his fear through the door.

“Open it,” Trevor said.

“Leave me alone, Trevor. I’ll be out after a while.”

He banged on the door—hard. “Open the door, Cassandra!”

She flinched. She had never heard him yell like that. She opened the door halfway, sitting on the closed toilet, eyes red.

“What?!”

Trevor scanned the bathroom suspiciously, then backed out. “Sorry.”

Cassandra locked the door again, hands shaking. She grabbed her phone, saved the recording she’d made, and quickly emailed it to her backup account.

Outside, she heard Trevor mutter, “I’ll be back. I’m going downstairs.”

The door shut. Kali sniffled, then turned on the TV.

Cassandra wiped her face, put on her pajamas, and crawled into bed with her back to the room.

Kali said flatly, “You know, Mommy didn’t like you. She called you a bitch all the time.”

Cassandra turned over slowly. “Kali, please shut your mouth.”

Kali went on, unfazed. “Mommy said you’re rich but nobody likes you. Daddy doesn’t even like you. He married you for money. Mommy was the one he loved.”

“That’s grown-up conversation,” Cassandra said through clenched teeth. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I wanna be with my daddy, not you!” Kali shouted.

“Go then!” Cassandra screamed.

The door opened and Trevor stepped back inside. “What’s all this yelling?”

Kali started crying, angry little growls leaving her throat. Cassandra sat up, voice low and shaking:

“How about you and your 'daughter' go get your own room and leave me alone? I need some peace.”

Trevor looked between them. “What’s going on? I was gone for one minute.”

“Fine,” Cassandra said. “I’ll leave.”

She jumped out of bed, stuffing clothes into her suitcase. She shoved her feet into her shoes and stormed toward the door but Trevor stepped in front of it, blocking her.

“What’s going on?!”

“Get out of my way,” Cassandra snarled. “I’m getting my own room.”

“Why?” he demanded.

Cassandra tried to hold it together. But the dam broke.

“You had a baby with my sister?!” Her voice cracked. “How could you? How could BOTH of you smile in my face and do that to me? Then she dies and you leave her daughter with me? She’s your child. Keep your child. I’m going home.”

“That’s not gonna work.” Trevor’s voice turned cold. “I need you to take her.”

Cassandra tried to shove past him. He pushed her back and she fell hard, pain shooting up her arm.

“I need to get to Cuba in the next few days,” Trevor said. “She can’t come.”

Cassandra stared at him in horror. “Did you kill Mona?”

Trevor exhaled, annoyed. “She messed up a deal. I had no choice.”

Cassandra let out a scream...raw, broken, and animalistic.

Kali scrambled off the bed, ran to the kitchenette drawer, and pulled out a knife. Before Cassandra could react, Kali lunged and stabbed Cassandra in the arm.

Cassandra staggered, screaming. She shoved Kali backward...Kali’s head struck the edge of the table with a sickening crack. Blood smeared down her chin.

“NO!” Trevor roared. He punched Cassandra across the face, knocking her to the floor. He pulled a Glock from his bag and shot her in the chest.

She gasped, choking on air.

Trevor dropped beside Kali, lifting her head. Blood trickled from her mouth. He laid her on the carpet, grabbed his duffel bag, and ran out of the room.

The door slammed behind him, leaving Cassandra bleeding on the floor, the TV flickering across the room, and the whole night spinning out of control.