family: lives out of state, moved out after Cass' brother passed away
relationship status: single
PERSONALITY
Cassidy is a pretty friendly person – a people pleaser, you could say. Always tries to make everyone like her, and enjoy being around her and if something happens otherwise – she struggles, blames herself and overthinks. Deeply, she'd go a really long way to make all of that come true, which later shows how naive and easily manipulated she could be. However, she is still a good person and wouldn't hurt a fly. She is pretty kind, very empathetic and would always help friends in need. However, she can't help herself and always want to do everything on her own. It's difficult for her to let it go when she can't reach her goals. She doesn't give up, which sometimes comes as toxic, especially while declining any help from others.
Cass grew up on a farm in Merrock with her family. Both parents – Castor and Suzie had a family-run farm with vegetable and flower gardens, a small forest, animals, and a petting zoo. They mostly earned money from produce that later they sold in town, or the petting zoo, which attracted people from bigger towns nearby. The income allowed them to have a humble, yet quite comfortable life.
However, everything changed when Cassi got pregnant when she was still a teenager. Situation at that time wasn't easy anyway, because Cassidy got pregnant with a boy she met from outside the town. Never told her parents anything about that person, yet she still decided to keep the child and raise her as a single mother. She was a teenager, and it put a massive strain on the family budget.
Soon after that, her younger brother, Jake, got pretty ill. Doctors couldn't go much and soon after his passing, it left the family with crippling medical debt. They sold the farm and moved away from Merrock for a better job in the city. They struggled to be around here anyway, as everything seemed to remind them about their late son.
Cass, together with her daughter Lily decided to stay, renting an apartment in town. She managed to find a job in a local veterinary office as an apprentice, however later after learning the craft, she became a real veterinarian. The office paid for her education that she did on the side while also working, therefore granting her all necessary knowledge and qualifications.
Currently, she is trying to hustle whenever she can, trying to save up enough money to buy her family farm back. It seems like a massive long shot, however, it's her life dream.
"Little bit of everything!" Nari answered with a smile. "I got them from the Cookie Cabin, just had Jenn pick me out an assortment that would cover all my bases. Figured there was nothing wrong with having a lot to choose from." Opening the bag a little bit wider, she held it open to Cassidy with a bright smile. "Chocolate chip, sugar, oatmeal, couple of peanut butter, I think -- what's your favorite? And does your little one want one, too? I don't mind sharing!"
“Sounds like you’re well prepared for this. That’s cool.” She said and smiled widely. Woman she just meet seemed to be different than everyone else she met here, in Merrock. Cass reached out and picked something that looked the most fancy. It wasn’t something that she usually had.
“Huh, I think I mostly like just chocolate. I’m a bit plain in that case, some might say.” She said and giggled to herself. Cass liked simple things, cause that was the best she could afford.
"I try to look at it this way. Our parents were raised a certain way, and they changed the world as they got older… it's sort of our job to do the same." Generational trauma had to be broken at some point, after all. And the world had to improve, step by step. "And then next thing you know, it'll be your daughter's turn to make the world a little bit better, too."
"Don't worry, I don't think he's capable of hate," at which point he paused, and let out a laugh, "although don't tell him that I said that. I don't want it getting out that I said he's getting all soft or something, that could be bad."
"They're safe!" he let out a reassuring laugh, "but even still, they make sure that you're wearing a life vest, but I've been on a few of them and never had any sort of incident. Sometime if you decide you want to go out on one… let me know, I'd be glad to go along and make sure that you don't end up overboard."
But that was for another day. For right then and there, they had beer to think about, nodding his head. "You wanna go to the dive bar right up the pier?"
“You are right, indeed. We do have to adapt to how the stuff goes, right…” she said and nodded, mostly to herself, understanding that he is indeed right. World is such a different place to how it was a few years back. “I hope so. I hope I will raise her to be someone, who really realises that and cares about such things.”
Cass smiled softly. It was a nice thought, to believe that Lilly one day will also be an adult, just like she is now, making her own decisions and having her own worries. Trauma and issues from her past were the last thing she wanted to pass to her daughter.
“Sure, why not?” Cass smiled and stood up, ready to go wherever he’d take her.
"Perhaps that has something to do with the fact on millennials care about the fact they are millennials," Tommy returns. His smile is weak, not finding her as humourous as she finds herself.
Whilst he knew he was going to regret opening the can of worms that Cass has supplied him, he is curious on the fact she may be leaving soon. This could be the best news he hears today, or result in someone worst than her moving in soon. "Go on," he prompts, picking up his coffee to sip and think about the regrets he has in life, mainly this conversation once he gives her the green light to share.
“Well, what else is there to care about, really?” Cass asked and laughed to herself. It was something that she really enjoyed doing, just saying silly things to keep the conversation going. Well, she was impressed how this small encounter ended up, really. But finally, the conversation reached the point where it started to get more interesting.
“Well, since you asked… Possibly I will be the owner of some farmland soon.” She said, sounding the proudest she could. It was a big thing for her, after all.
"Oh, do you speak on behalf of the whole generation?" he asks, a little amused. He was pretty sure he was on the cusp of one generation and another. He wonders how different it must be being smack bang in the middle of one.
"Something I don't care for wasting my time over," he responds. If he cared enough maybe he would stick to a routine, it was clear he could but not that he wanted to. Rue required water and taking care of, and a lot more, and he could stick with that. Rosalyn too, much more of a handful than plants whenever she was in his care.
Tommy gave her a look of annoyance, very much not agreeing with Cass but knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere with her. "You ever thought of moving out of the city? Suburbs, perhaps?" he asks, knowing he was just once of the many noises that came along with living in downtown.
"Of course. They elected me a president of millennials like a week ago, you missed out, huh? I guess the message only went to other millennials. And you are what...?" she asked, laughing to herself. She loved those "you're old" jokes and couldn't stop herself from giggling.
"I dream about it every night. Well, actually there might be a possibility, that I won't be your neighbour any more soon, but I think you'd hate that... You'd miss me." she said, pretending that it was truth. Then she waved her hand and added:
"But you wouldn't wanna listen about it..."
Her face was clearly saying "ask me, ask me!", she was only just waiting to share some amazing and exciting news with him. All he had to do is give her this one glance, that would open up the pandora box.
"It's probably tough to get over that," he agreed with a nod of his head. "But sometimes that's what we gotta do, is just… get over it, you know? Let go of how we were raised and how we were taught to think life should be, and just embrace it for what it is. Which is messy sometimes, sure, but we're also luckier than a lot of people." He tried to offer her a small, encouraging smile, hoping that someday, things would perk her up a little bit. Change her mind on the world.
"He's a good egg. I don't think he's really said anything bad about you, though -- Trey's not really the type to let it get to him," at least he didn't think that his friend would hold anything against someone, not if they were just having a tough time. He might good-naturedly roll his eyes, or tell someone to buck up, but that was the way of the world.
"I can understand that. I mostly come for the fish and chips," he grinned, gesturing up the beach towards & Chips, where he had just had a little bit to eat earlier with a friend, in fact. "But it is peaceful. Ever gone out on one of the boat tours?" he gestured towards the boats in the marina. "I took one when I first moved here, just kinda cruising out along the coast. It was really nice, definitely a head-clearer," all that fresh air, out onthe water.
Darrius found himself letting out a laugh then, "a beer? Alright, I can accept that."
"Thanks. I guess you must be right" agreed Cass and pointed a finger at him. He was right after all, but she just struggled to be against the ways that her parents showed her.
"Well, I might be hard to work with sometimes. It's good to know that he is good with that, or at least doesn't secretly hate me." Cass smiled softly, realizing that. It was good to know, for sure.
"Oh, a boat tour? No, not really. I'm kinda scared of water and like, falling in..." she said, all embarrassed, and then giggled to herself. It was very unlikely that she'd fall into the water, yet still that fear would prevent her from going on a boat trip.
It was far from perfect outside. Nari would have preferred a little more sunshine, slightly warmer temperature... but beggars couldn't be choosers, and the fact that she could get outside alone was never going to be bad in her book. And an afternoon spent at Lake Malory, her shoes tucked against her, toes skimming against the water, seemed like a pretty perfect way to pass some time before heading home that day. Not to mention the bag of cookies on her other side, fresh and ready to be devoured. The floating dock dipped just a bit under the weight of someone else, and Nari looked up, over her shoulder, offering a warm smile. "As long as you promise not to push me in, I'll share my cookies with you."
"What kind of cookies are they, anyway? That seems crucial to my decision" mentioned Cass and lowered her sunglasses, to glance at the woman. She looked so fabulous, compared to Cassi. She only came here to kill some time, as Lilly was running around on the grass, kicking a ball. Cass could only dream about a relaxing moment like that.
Tommy paused as the mother gives her daughter instructions, pondering if he left anything over there he shouldn't. A moment passed before he mentally locates his less child friendly items upstairs. He moves back into action.
"I might have to kick you out if you bring up Starbucks again," Tommy was all to serious about this. Whatever they were selling was not coffee, and he wasn't even a coffee snob. "Good, you actually have taste." Sometimes simple was better, adding other bits like syrupts and flavoured creamers really wasn't worth it. "Plants would die," he informs her with a nod to the back of his living space, by the dining table, where two pots were sitting under a window barren. "But see, all that noise paid off," he points out. When he got the place it was hollow, no bedrooms or designated spaces for any type of living. He got to make it his own, which was exactly the project he'd needed at the time. "Almost makes one want to apologise for being such a brat about beauty sleep, doesn't it?" he jokes. @itscassiokbye
"Gosh, sorry, I'm a millenial. We love Starbucks." She replied, in a slightly joking tone. Then she nodded to him, as he praised her taste in coffee. After all, the simplest one was the cheapest one.
"Not if you water and take care of them. Is this something you struggle to do?" She asked, which was a little bit sassy of her. Yet, she wanted to know, in a way, what's up in Tommy's life. Cassie liked to be a bit more nosy that she'd like to admit. Well, maybe his plants would be still living it he were to take a good care of them. Cass just shrugged. Maybe some things are just not meant to be?
"Me, apologise? I haven't done anything that is worth an apology. I just expressed my disagreement with loud noises at night, interrupting my beauty sleep."
"That depends what you decided to do with your life," he suggested. He had plenty of friends who had studied art in college and went on to become graphic designers, or even painters who had built up a good following behidn them. "One of my best buddies in school studied art and became an art history professor. Another became a graphic designer, or you have someone like Mandy, here in town, who owns her own art studio and runs a pretty good business. You just have to open your mind to things and let some of that pessimism go, you know?" a small smile touched Darrius's face.
"I can imagine it's not a bad job, at all, my friend Trey works at the vet's office, too, he deals with livestock a lot, but he is my dogs' vet, just because I'm picky," he laughed, knowing that it paid to have a friend in the profession. And now he knew Cassidy, too.
"I don't," he laughed, shaking his head. "Honestly, I think I'm just a good listener, which sometimes makes it easy for people to open up to me," and since he wasn't always the kind of person to talk about himself unless he was prompted, it made for a nice chance for someone else to get something off of their chest. "Or maybe it's something about the waves and the sea air," he gestured out to the ocean. "Kind of puts people at ease in a way?" @itscassiokbye
"Well yeah, I understand that. Don't get me wrong, it's just the mindset you get when you're raised like that. It's different now, yet still I feel like I couldn't do stuff like that. I was raised and prepared to take over family's farm, yet they never happened..." Cass smiled, but it was a sad smile. Yet, she didn't feel like pursuing this topic.
"Ah yes, I do know Trey! Yet, I feel like he quite has enough of me, complaining about everything all the time. I guess by now you can see the pattern." Cass laughed to herself. At least she was able to reflect and see that problem!
"Yeah, those bloody waves. Makes you wanna move on from stuff, and change. I guess that's why I come here often. It gives me some peace, you know?" Cassi smiled and looked at the horizon.
"Fuck. Thanks for listening to my stuff... I didn't expected all of that, to be honest. I owe you a beer."
"Just take your time with it," he encouraged her, small smile on his face even though he knew that she couldn't see it through the phone. "That way, you're sure everything's done right, and you don't overwhelm yourself. But you're more than welcome to reach out if you run into any issues or need help, I'm always here." @itscassiokbye
"Yes, yeah, I won't be rushing. Pinky promise. I will look up online how to fill those documents." Cass nodded to herself and grabbed the phone, that she had previously been holding with her cheek and shoulder. "Thank you so much for your help. I will get everything ready and contact you right away!"
"No, no, to get in trouble for a lemonade stand, it would require a pretty petty, angry neighbor to cause a stink, and I don't think you'll find that in this town." Sure, Rafael might not have been native the way many were -- but he liked to think that he knew Merrock well enough to know that no one was going to ruin a little girl's lemonade stand.
"They won't overflow you, but they are going to make you fill out everything you need to fill out," he explained, keeping his tone patient. "Opening a business, you want to do it by the books. And doing it by the books… it takes time. But it's worth it in the end, to know everything was done right, you know?" @itscassiokbye
“Good to know.” Cass smiled to the phone. “Okay. Let me get on with it and I will let you know how it will go. Hopefully it will be easy, and soon I will have all the necessary papers. I guess I will call you back when I will have everything done by the books?”
Cathy was admittedly a little taken aback as Cass jumped to assume that her daughter was at fault. However, she figured that the other woman was probably not having a great day. That appeared to be made all that more evident by her jokes, which Cathy also nervously laughed along to. "No worries," she shook her head, squatting down to clean up the floor herself, glancing over to Cass's shoes to ensure they hand't been ruined.
Cassie smiled softly, as Cathy went down to clean the floor. She glances at her shoes as well and squatted. Quickly, she found a clear tissue out of her bag, and cleaned herself up. Soon after that, the shoes were clean and Cass looked at Lilly.
"Well, good it wasn't you this time. I don't have enough to buy you another ice cream, if you lose this one!" she added to her daughter.
"Well, that's entirely dependent on what you're going to college for," Darrius frowned a little bit at the thought. "Attend an art school, or chase after an English or a history major, and I don't think calculus is going to really hold you back that much. Unless it absolutely, totally tanked your grades. What is it that you do for a living, if you think that it's a dead end job, exactly?" he asked, genuinely curious. He did not agree, in the least bit, that it was a crap town, but he kept that to himself, knowing she probably had her reasons for thinking so.
"As an educator… I don't think that they're bullshit tasks, so you'll have to excuse me," he laughed a little. "But just keep on her with the homework, make sure that she tries her best, and encourage her to take the path that she thinks is best for her. I'm not a parent, but I think that's just all about any parent can do, you know?"
"There are a lot of people who do live that kind of life. It just depends on what they want. And if it's something that you want, then I think that's a decision you have to think about," he shrugged one shoulder, "see what it takes to make that happen, what you can do to fulfill your dreams, you know? I get it, I do. But I think sometimes you have to understand that everyone's happiness isn't always a reflection of your own life, you know? Bringing others down because you feel miserable… that's a tough cycle to find yourself in, and it definitely won't make you happy, right?" @itscassiokbye
"Well, it really did tank my grades. Also, I feel like after art major I couldn't do much in life..." she shrugged. Cass was always told that the real stuff that gets you real jobs are mainly law and medicine. Anything beyond that is just a silly idea. Art is not a real thing that could make money and all of that. Sometimes she felt a deep regret that this was her upbringing, but well, not much could be done now. All she wanted is to don't project that onto her daughter.
"I'm sorry, I'm just so pessimistic. I'd sign up for therapy, if I could afford that, and spill all of that on my therapist. As to what my job title is, I'm a veterinarian. Please, don't think I hate animals..." Cass stopped for a moment and then smiled softly. It's not like she hated her job, it's just...
"It's not really a dead-end job. I like it. I love my patients. I just don't earn much, and costs of living, having a daughter, having debts. It's such a hard work, very taxing, yet I still struggle to tie the two ends together..." she said with a slight grim on her face.
"I will try to do my best for Lily. It's the most important thing for me. I want her to be happy, so much."
Then she nodded, as he served her exactly what she needed, not necessarily wanted.
"I know, and I understand that. And it sucks. It's just, dang it sucks, you know? I struggle to not be... myself. Anyway, do you always act as a therapist for all the folks out here in the beach? I need to come here more often." Cassie smiled softly.
"Big personalities only last as long as people are willing to put up with it," Tommy counters, a warning that this wasn't something he welcomed nor put up with. He had no skin in the game, he didn't care at the end of the day if she slept or didn't. All he cared was whether the cops showed up at his door, already familiar with some of the Merrock force.
"Don't make me regret it." He already did. "I hate to break this image of me you have but just a drip machine, but I have some nice roast options." Tommy's go to coffee was simple black, maybe with a little sugar now and then. "I'm going to park my car in the garage, I'll open the door upstairs." That was all he said before going back to his car, using his clicker to get inside the garage. One park and a set of stairs later he came out into the living room where Rue started to cry from her makeshift crate at the sight of her papa.
"Hold on," he said on his way to the front door, unlocking it for the girls. "TV remote is on the coffee table Lilly," he says with his back already to them, walking to the dining area where Rue's crate had been set up. He crouched down to let her out, the one year old boxer mix sprung to life wagging her table and crouching below Tommy in a submissive manner, ready for pets. "We have guests," he warns Rue, even if she didn't understand him. He stands after a quick rub and walks to his kitchen, collecting Rue's lick mat and a jar of peanut butter. She stays close to his legs, staring at the new additions but unsure on approaching them. With peanut on the lick mat he drops it to the floor for her to have as a reward for being alone, then finally looks to his company.
“Well, I make sure to always have an audience.” She responded and cracked a smile. Cass was really quite harmless, and liked to assert dominance like a small dog on a couch. Overall, she would never really call the cops on someone. She already had enough issues of her own, and she was the last one to cause them for the others. Yet, she wanted to make sure that she wasn't happy with the noises. She could be quite hotheaded when deprived of her beauty sleep.
“That sounds nice too. Better than the instant, that we have.” Mentioned Cass and nodded to him. She was ready to patiently wait till he would sort out the car.
After that, she entered together with her little girl. She was quite pleasantly surprised, seeing it all. She nodded to herself and then added quietly to Lily: “Just don’t touch anything. We’re guests.” However, at that point, Lily went to get the mentioned TV remote. Cass joined Tommy in the kitchen.
“I guess Starbucks-copycat Frappé is off the table?” Cass cracked a smile and then added: “Just black is fine. I’m far from fancy. I like your place. Some plants here and there would help. But it’s cozy.“ she commented.
Eyebrows shot up at the question being asked by Cassidy, which made Chloe stop to think for a moment. "I would say making sure you use recyclable or reusable materials while also having a recycle bin would be a good start!" she replied with a smile. "For example, using coffee cups that can be reused by the consumer or recyclable would help a lot."
“Ah yes, that sounds like the simple stuff. But what if I wanna go a step further? Like, zero waste?” She asked, thinking about that. She didn’t wanted to look like she is doing it just for the sake, and she would hate to come across as someone who’d want to greenwash her own business.
“We could sell reusable cups made out of recycled plastic…”
"To be fair, zoning officers aren't going to drive by and harass a little girl selling lemonade," Rafael let out a soft laugh. There was a big difference between someone making a few bucks on the roadside and what Cassidy wanted to do, after all.
Leaning back in his chair, he let out a thoughtful breath, "you'll want to contact someone at the town hall to talk to them. They'll tell you if you need a business license, maybe permits if you're planning on doing anything with animals, alcohol… so I'd recommend starting with a plan. Exactly what kind of business you want to own and operate. Most of those permits and licenses only take about a month to figure out, so you have time."
"Well, good, because I couldn't deal with my little daughter being a felon. That would be the final nail in my coffin." Cass also laughed, although her laugh was a bit more nervous.
"Okay. I don't want any alcohol. I want coffee, and pizza... No beer or anything, maybe some lemonade? Soft drinks. You know, healthy stuff. I don't want that place to be a rowdy club or something like that. I will try and contact the council, but if they will overflow me with paperwork, I will... be angry." She responded. It was always tough to sort out any paperwork.
"Some of the stuff we learned in school comes in handy," Darrius admitted on a soft laugh. Basic math, dates and time, some history facts that needed to be kept in the back of one's mind. "But there's also a lot of stuff that they teach us that I really do think is a waste of time. A lot of math and science we're never gonna use when they could be teaching things like taxes or finances," which a lot of kids would benefit from having, considering the fact that they graduated high school and were completely lost. But he knew that it would probably never change.
"A lot of people believe that -- about the grass being greener on the other side. Until they move there and end up missing their own grass," he laughed. "But I can't talk, I left my home town, so I get it. I never really wanted to get out, though, like I didn't count down the days until I could leave Chicago, but I also wasn't against making the change and moving to anywhere else, either." And he had ended up in Merrock, where he was happy. "Maybe someday you'll get to take some grand adventure to a new place and sate that curiosity a little."
"Some of it. Not that much, however. At least from my perspective..." Cass started and shrugged. "I mean don't get me wrong, I struggle to see the connection between calculus and my current life, but I see the connection between not understanding calculus, therefore not going to college, therefore having this dead end job, in this crap town." Cass giggled to herself. She didn't want to dump on Darrius like that, but she struggled to stop herself either.
"Sorry, I should've said that. I just... Education is a tough topic. I'm trying my best for my daughter, but it sucks so bad. If she doesn't get those small boxes filled with good grades for bullshit tasks, she will be the same as me." Cass smiled finally, thinking about leaving and some grand adventures.
"Maybe. Huh, that would be pleasant, wouldn't it? To just go, and have the world being your playground."
Cass stopped for a moment, thinking. Then she added:
"Sorry, I didn't expect to go so hard on a stranger. Believe me or not, I don't do that often. It's just tough to see people being happy, when you feel so miserable, I guess."
Cassidy Miller @itscassiokbye - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
