Your Guardian Angel

Chapter 2

"I want these and this and, oh! These, too!"

Ben was following behind Cassie as she threw item after item into the cart he was pushing. None of the combinations made sense to him, but he kept silent about it. On the way here, she had explained all of the crazy concoctions she had created due to her cravings. He didn't know if he wanted to puke or actually try them.

He followed her up and down every aisle until she was content. The looks they got from the clerk as she rang them up was almost comical. Before Cassie could take out her wallet, he had already handed over his heavy credit card.

"I can handle myself, Ben," she told him.

"I don't care," he retorted.

Ben allowed her to only carry one bag out to the car while he gathered the rest on his arms. When they got back to the house, it took him about three trips to get it all in without his arms breaking.

He sat at the kitchen island and watched as she made things that made his stomach turn. She made her sandwich, as well as various other things. It's like once she started, she couldn't stop.

As he watched her eat two donuts with peanut butter, whipped cream and hot sauce sandwiched between, he asked, "Are you happy now?"

Her eyes fluttered closed as she nodded. With a mouth full of food, she said, " 'm in heav'm."

He chuckled, then took a plain donut out of the pack and ate it. "How about, once you finish up eating, we sit down and have that talk?"

She nodded in agreement and finished only a few minutes later. Ben got them some water and snagged one of the several bags of sour gummy worms. Cassie was waiting for him in the living room and gratefully accepted the water.

She perked up and practically squealed with joy when he showed her the pack of gummy worms. She eagerly took it from him and opened it.

Once they were settled, Ben took a deep breath. "Would you mind if I went first?"

She shook her head and kept his eyes on him. He knew he had to make this good.

"Well, first off...Christ, I've missed you. More than you could possibly imagine, I have missed you. I know what I did was wrong. I know I have been treating you so horribly. There is no possible way for me to make it up to you and I know that. The only thing I can say is...I'm sorry. I know you hear that a lot coming from me and I know I fuck up after every time I say it. This time is different. I realize this is standard ex-boyfriend talk, believe me. The only thing is, with those men they think they have nothing to lose when saying it. For me, I have everything to lose. You, Cassie are my everything. Our son, our family is everything."

He took her hands in his and gave them a squeeze. "Being away from you is truly, truly terrible. Doing it once was bad enough, but a second time? I think if it happens again, I might die of heartbreak."

Cassie was stoic the entire time he spoke, but once he had to wipe away at his tears, she broke. This is all she's been waiting for. But she can't forgive him yet.

"Ben," she said, once she was sure he was done. He looked at her with hope gleaming in his eyes. "I need you to tell me something...and I need the absolute truth of it all."

He turned confused, but still told her, "Of course, my love, anything."

She opened her mouth to say it, but nothing came out. Truth be told, she was terrified to find out. This seemed like it was going to be the only way of determining whether or not they were going to make it as a couple.

Gulping back her fear, she took a deep breath and asked, "Who is Valarie?"

This question caught him completely off guard. His eyes went slightly wide and his jaw dropped just an inch. She even noticed his hands twitch as they still held onto her own.