Fate || BENNIFER

Stressful

Jennifer's P.O.V

Ben and I stood side by side in the middle of the strollers aisle of a large baby store, feeling overwhelmed by the vast amount of options in front of us. We had been through that before, but I guess we had forgotten how stressful it actually was to choose the right one.

Ben picked up a stroller and examined it closely, then he turned to me and I frowned. An amused expression appeared on his face and he returned the stroller to its place.

"It's okay. We'll figure this out. We have time." He scratched his head.

"Time is what we don't have." I laughed.

We walked to the car seat section and found ourselves in the same situation as minutes before, standing there, comparing and contrasting the different features of several car seats, trying to figure out which one would provide the most safety and comfort for our baby.

An employee noticed how clueless we were and approached to asked if we needed help. She gave us her professional opinion and explained the different safety features, sizes, and weight limits of car seats. She also gave us tips on how to install the car seat correctly in our car. She was so nice that we couldn't deny her a photo when she asked for it.

We didn't make a choice, but with the newfound knowledge, we'd definitely find the option that best suited our needs.

We talked about it as we walked hand in hand around the store, being physically affectionate to each other like in those aisles there was no one but us. The baby clothing section appeared without looking for it, like it was the right moment to find it.

Ben picked a tiny jumpsuit and held it up to me with a huge grin on his face. It wasn't just sports-themed, it had the name of his favorite baseball team on it, the Boston Red Sox.

"Isn't it the cutest thing you've ever seen?" He said pouting.

"It's pretty cute." I chuckled as I took it from him and held it up to my chest. "Aw... look at these tiny socks."

"I'm sure she'd look adorable in them." He seemed to say unintentionally.

"She?" I smiled. "Is that your prediction?"

"I'd love a girl." He wrapped his arm around me.

"I'd like a mini Ben." I grinned.

The thing about a camera shutter is that the sound could be heard aisles away due to the acoustics of the store. We recognized it instantly and unequivocally.

Despite the sudden attention, we continued holding hands through the aisles and checking out the different baby items available. We laughed and even took a selfie with a onesie in hand.

Meanwhile, the paparazzi  continued to invade our privacy, snapping photos of our every move and getting closer and closer. We tried to ignore them, but we could feel their eyes on us as we shopped.

As we turned a corner, one of the paparazzi shoved his way past us, almost knocking over a stack of baby bottles. Ben saw his intention and couldn't just ignore it.

"Hey, watch it!" His anger flared.

My position on the paparazzi harassment was much more relaxed than his. It doesn't mean that I didn't care, but he had always had a harder time when we were followed, especially if they didn't respect the distance.

We only chose to leave when the situation started to feel awkward.

When we first decided to visit that store, shopping wasn't our intention, at least not that day. But we did not leave empty-handed, a blanket and a few bottles would go home with us.

We checked out with satisfied expressions on our faces, though they didn't last long. As we stepped out of the store, the paparazzi eagerly surrounded us. We had kind of grown accustomed to being followed and photographed wherever we went, but this time they were stepping too close. My anxiety spiked, and Ben put an arm around me, trying to shield me from the invading photographers.

"Can we get some space?" Ben said, his body language showing clear frustration.

But the paparazzi didn't move. They continued snapping pictures and calling out questions, each trying to get a better shot or a more exclusive. Finally, Ben had enough. He turned to the closest photographer and spoke in a calm but firm tone.

"Listen, we get it. We're famous, and you've got a job to do. But please, give us a little space so we can leave. We're not going to curse or hit anyone, we just want to get in our car and go home." He said.

"How did your wife take the news?" One of them asked him. "How does she feel about your children in common spending time with the new addition to the family?"

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Someone else asked.

I grabbed Ben's arm tighter and looked around with wide eyes.

"Alright, that's enough!"

We turned to see that a security guard, hired by the store, had joined us. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and bore an expression that said he wasn't taking any nonsense.

"Clear out, all of you. Now!" He boomed.

The paparazzi hesitated for a few seconds, but the hard gaze of the guard was enough to force them to retreat. He escorted us to our car, and we drove off as quickly as we could. As we rode, Ben turned to me and let out a heavy sigh.