Finally

Part 15: Playing With Fire

"Do you mind if I step out for a bit? My brother is calling me." Layla asks sweetly as she sits at the end of the couch.

"Of course not. Go ahead." I watch her leave to go downstairs and I hear the door to the back garden open.

It's nice sharing a little courtyard with my neighbors- though, I have barely seen any of them.

Between COVID, being away, and now bed rest: I suppose I may not see them until spring... if I'm lucky.

Looking at my own phone, I know I need to call him today.

I haven't talked to Cassian since a week after we broke up. He ended up leaving the Dam for another hospital in New York. Said he didn't want to be in the way or hinder my progress with Mina.

Thoughtful, despite what everyone thinks of him. He wasn't wrong- looking out for himself and making sure he was in a good head space.

Was he a big arrogant at times?

Yes.

But if people would have go to know him, they would have seen what I had. How sweet and charming he was and how he actually did care for his job, patients, staff...and me.

I really did like Cassian Shin.

But...

But maybe a part of me was only with him...

Huh...

To make Max feel as terrible as I did.

"Hello?" The phone picks up and I didn't even realize I had made the call. "Helen? Is everything okay?"

"Hi! Um...Cassian...I uh..."

"Didn't mean to call me- did you? Haha." He laughs through the receiver and it warms me so.

"No...I mean.. Yes... I mean—No- I meant to call you." I stammer and can hear him mentally taking note of my nerves.

"Oh! Well then this is a pleasant surprise. It's been a while."

"Three months to be exact." I laugh slightly and look down at my small stomach.

"I guess it hasn't been that long a while. Now has it."

"Yeah..."

"So, what do I ow the pleasure of hearing from you? How's your niece?" He sounds cool and calm- totally the opposite of myself right now.

I'm so fucking hot and flustered right now- it's hardly funny.

"I um...She's in London—Cambridge-actually."

"Oh. So, you are kid free then?"

Not exactly.

"I um...I actually need to talk to you."

"Well it's a good thing we're on the phone then." He laughs and my stomach churns.

"No- I mean in person. Could you, um...could you come over today...sometime...when you're free."

"I'm free right now. Are you?"

"Yes..."

"Alright give me a few minutes and I'll be over." I don't say anything and he hangs up. He's coming over....

Cassian.

God what am I even doing?!

I can feel my insides turning and I feel the temperature rise inside me.

This is going to be interesting.

*** 15 Minutes Later***

His knocking disrupts Layla- who has found a comfy spot in one of my arm chairs to read. Looking up at me, I feel like a teenager who didn't ask permission for a boy to come over.