Bree and Cassie were almost finished cleaning up the mess Donald had created in the kitchen by the time the others got home. Cassie was drying the last of the washed dishes while Bree emptied a dustpan full of broken glass into a garbage bag.
Lilian came in from the entryway and stopped short when she saw her eldest niece standing there. She looked at Bree in bewilderment, then back at Cassie by the sink.
"Cassie! What a surprise! Wait, what the hell happened in here?" Lilian exclaimed, seeing the garbage bag full of broken dishes. Kimmie and Paige had arrived just behind her, and put the grocery bags down on the counter.
Bree gave an awkward look toward Cassie, and her cousin's face went bright red.
"Dad was here." Bree replied. "Cassie told him what she'd seen the other day and brought him. He flew into a rage... and... and attacked me." She started to tear up, and Cassie put an arm around her cousin's shoulder.
"Oh my God, Sis!" Paige rushed to her sister and wrapped her arms around her. "What did he do to you?!?"
Bree didn't answer. Instead, she burst into tears and buried her face in Paige's shoulder.
"He slapped her around and threw her against the counter. I-I didn't know he would get violent, otherwise I never would have told him!" Cassie stammered, her own eyes beginning to well up.
"I'm sure you wouldn't have, Dear." Lilian assured her niece, hugging her close.
"When he wouldn't stop hitting her, I... I sprayed him with that-" Cassie continued, nodding at her mace canister on the counter. "We got him out of the house and locked the door, but he... he said he'd be back!"
"Shhhh... It's alright, now. You're safe." Lilian soothed.
Kimmie was standing quietly by the entrance. She seemed to be piecing things together and looked nervously at her sister. "Cassie... what was it you saw? What did you tell uncle Donald?"
Cassie met Kimmie's eyes with her own and took a deep breath. "I saw you and Paige in bed together. I saw you having sex."
Kimmie's face grew pale and she fell back against the door frame.
"It's ok, Sis! I'm not upset about it. Not anymore." Cassie ran to her sister and wrapped her up tightly in her arms. Kimmie was taken aback by her older sibling's reaction, but didn't question it, returning Cassie's hug with equal force.
"Cassie, I'm... I'm sorry for everything I've put you through! I've been a terrible sister these past few years. And you're being so understanding now, with all of this... I don't deserve it!" she blubbered.
"Oh, Kimmie... Hush. I love you. You're everything I have in the world, and I'm not going to abandon you or deny you what makes you happy!" Cassie held her sister tightly. She could feel Kimmie's breasts pressing against her own, and struggled to ignore the way the contact was making her feel.
Lilian seemed just as perplexed by Cassie's sudden acceptance of her family's sexual exploits, and glanced over at Bree. Her daughter gave her a knowing look, and she understood she would get the full story later. She abandoned her confusion for the moment and motherly instinct kicked in. What she needed to do now was protect her girls. She reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone.
"Right. Well, the first thing to do is call the police."
"Wait, Mom! What if he tells them what we're doing! You could get in trouble, too!" Bree pleaded.
"It'll be his word against ours, Dear. I'm sure Cassie will back us up too."
"Damn right, I will!" Cassie had a determined expression on her face. She stroked Kimmie's hair affectionately while the younger girl nuzzled into the nape of her neck.
Lilian called, and a couple of policemen came to the house. They all made statements, and filed a report. The police officers assured Lilian they would put a warrant out for her ex husband if she wanted to file charges.
Lilian thanked the officers and they left. As soon as they were gone, she set about reprogramming the security alarm and installing deadbolts on all the doors and windows. The girls helped her finish.
"There." she said, once the work was done. "That's about the most we can do for the time being. Cassie, Sweetie, I think you should probably stay here for a couple of days. It'll be safer. I wouldn't want your uncle paying you a visit like this one."
"Thanks, Aunt Lil. I... wouldn't want that either..."
"Alright, good. I'll call my lawyer in the morning and arrange for a restraining order for all of us. Now, let's get dinner going, girls. I'm starving."
----------------------------------
That night, Cassie lay awake in bed by herself in the guest room. She fidgeted awkwardly, unable to block out the noises she could hear down the hall, or the feelings they were stirring in her anxious body.