The Prime Minister and Her

Decisions, Decisions

Cassie sighed and threw her arm down on the bed from where it had been resting on her forehead. Her other arm was resting over her stomach as she thought about every decision she had to make. She was so stressed out over it that last night, she called in sick for work. Clearly, this was a serious situation.

Carlton wasn't in bed, he got up a few minutes ago. Cassie hadn't slept all night, but pretended to be asleep when he got up. He brought the covers up to her shoulders and breathed a kiss to her forehead as he ran his hand down her stomach. For someone who can be so cold, he's the sweetest man alive.

It's been about fifteen minutes since he had gotten up, but now Cassie was thinking she could get up, too. This trying to sleep thing wasn't working out anyways. After another moment of debating with herself, she hauled herself up and slid out of bed.

She grabbed her robe at the end of the bed and wrapped herself in it before making her way downstairs. When she got down there, she immediately saw Carlton looking around the place. He hadn't had a chance to get a look at it last night because by the time they both go there, they were spent with exhaustion and fell into bed.

Now, he was taking his chance to look at it. He was just looking over some pictures on the wall when Cassie came up and hugged him from behind. He put one arm around hers while the other held his coffee. "Your place is so...you," he said. "The pictures, the color of the rooms, the furniture...all you."

Cassie quirked up a small smile, but didn't say anything. "I noticed the empty guest bedroom down the hall from yours. Is that where you plan to put the nursery?" She nodded into his back and said, "I'm hoping." Carlton turned around to face her and noticed how tired she looked.

He ran his thumb under her eye and asked, "Did you sleep at all? You look exhausted." She eased under his touch and told him, "I had some trouble. I just couldn't stop thinking." Carlton looked down with a worried look and furrowed eyebrows. "And?" He gently asked.

She huffed out a weak laugh and told him, "And I don't want to die. I don't, but I feel so selfish for thinking about it. I have our baby to think about. I don't want her to go anywhere, either, but then I think about how she hasn't even lived a day yet, hasn't gone to school or met any friends, how she won't be able to do that for nearly six months. But then I think about me and my job and my brother and you and I just think...I want to stay here. I want to continue living for as long as I can. Does...does that make me a bad person?"

She was crying now, but Carlton quickly wrapped her in his arms and bent down to where he was looking straight at her. "Cassie, look at me," he commanded. Her watered eyes that were staring at the ground, slowly went to his. "Baby, you are not a bad person," he sternly told her. "You have a long life still ahead of you and you deserve to live every moment of it. As sad as I would be to see my daughter go...you're right. She hasn't had a life yet and you have. And who knows, maybe that ten precent odd will be with us. Maybe I'll get both of you once it's over."

The thought of that made her smile. Carlton wiped away her tears, then rested his hand on her stomach. "Now," he asked, "how are my girls this morning? Any morning sickness?" Cassie shook her head. "Brilliant," he said, smacking a kiss to her forehead. "Let's get some food in you, get a shower in, and we'll talk some more about your choices."

Cassie smirked as she told him, "You realize you have to make the food yourself, yes? There are no maids or butlers." Carlton pushed his body against hers, wrapped an arm around her waist and used his free hand to pinch her butt. She started to giggle as he playfully said, "Careful there, Hansen."

**

"Sure you don't want me to join you?" Carlton asked from outside the shower. Cassie let out a slight laugh and told him, "I'm sure. I'm not in the mood for any funny business and I know you'll start some." She heard him laugh, then say, "Alright. Call me if you need me."