The Baker, Part 2: Sous Chef

Chapter 2

Ben grunted as he slammed the door behind him after walking back inside. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, then put his hands on his face before putting them down and sprinting upstairs.

He got dressed in record time; Brooklyn t-shirt, leather jacket, worn jeans, and sockless converse. He rushed downstairs and went to grab his keys, but suddenly let his hand hover over them. He knew where Cassie was going, clearly to Jess', but he questioned if he should go.

What he said to her was completely uncalled for. He hurt her real bad and God did he know it. There was a pang of guilt coursing through his veins and it was eating him alive. He had no right to bring up her past like that, especially in the way he did. It was this thought that caused him to put down his hand and let it go.

She needs time to cool down and so does he. He knows it's going to take a while for her to actually forgive him and he doesn't blame her. This fight was way below the belt. He attacked her. He verbally attacked her and when she's attacked, she brings up the walls that he took time to break down.

Feeling like the biggest ass in the world, he let out a deep sigh and trudged into the living room, plopping himself down on the couch. He spent his time coming up with ways to make it up to her and eventually got his dumb ass off the couch and went out to the store.

He bought a dozen roses and a box of assorted chocolates, then came home and set both items on the counter before pacing around the house. It's been almost four hours since she left, but he knew that wasn't enough time for her to calm down. So, he waited another hour, then another, and another until it was almost eleven o'clock.

He opted to wait just a tad longer, so he slowly trudged upstairs to the bedroom. He walked in and sighed at the sight. Books, pillows all over the place. Glass all over the floor. Their wedding photo cracked across their stupidly wide and happy grins. 

He picked up the frame and looked it over. They were so happy that day, so in love. If someone would have told him that five months from then, his marriage would already be heading down the drain, he would have told them to fuck off and that nothing in the world would make that happen. 

Yet he's the one that did. 

He continued to look at the picture; them holding hands, Cassie with the brightest smile he's ever seen, her dress matching the snowy backdrop, snowflakes falling around them. In the picture, he wasn't looking at the camera. He was looking down at his wife with most love and adoration in his eyes. 

He hasn't looked at her like that in a couple months. 

Despite it being midnight, he knows Cassie and knows she's still awake. He couldn't say the same for Jess, but he wanted his wife back. He grabbed the flowers and chocolates, then swiped up his keys and was out the door.

It only took him a few minutes to get there, but it felt like the longest ride of his life. He didn't know how she was going to react to him showing up, but he prayed to God that it didn't involve anymore things being hurled at his head.

Once he got to Jess' place, he took a deep breath as he walked up the driveway. He clutched the flowers and chocolates in his hand and made sure his alertness was high in case a book or vase or knife was going to be thrown at him.

He knocked on the door three times and waited in the freezing London night. Thankfully, he didn't have to wait too long as a few moments later, Jess opened the door. "Oh," she said in surprise, "I didn't think you would come until tomorrow."

Ben caught the little jab in there. He didn't come for Cassie right away and Jess is upset about that. He ignored her remark and asked, "Where's my wife?" Jess sighed and crossed her arms without saying anything. Ben rolled his eyes and said, "Just get her for me."

Again, she didn't say anything, but gave him a bitchy glare instead. "Alright," he said, before pushing past her and into the house. "Hey!" Jess shouted at him. She slammed her door shut and walked in front of him before he could go any further.

"You really hurt her, Ben!" She continued. "She doesn't want to see you!" Ben glared at her, but then averted his eyes to the object moving down the hall. He let out a sigh of relief when Cassie came into view, except she looked completely broken.

"Oh sweetheart," he cooed. He watched as her puffy tear-stained eyes looked down to the flowers and chocolates. He shyly held them up and gave her a cute shrug. "I just thought—." He stopped talking when she suddenly started charging at him. For a moment, he thought she was going to attack him (which he would take), but was instead greeted by her arms wrapping around his neck.

He immediately enclosed his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly. He let out a shaky breath when her fingers clutched on to his hair at the nape of his neck. He wasn't expecting this, but it was a very welcoming gesture.

"I am so sorry," he told her. "I can't being to explain how sorry I am, Cass. I love you and I'm going to let you know how much I do every single day for the rest of our lives. I'll tell you and I'll show you, I promise." He placed tender kisses all over her head, then buried his nose in her hair.

She was silent after his little speech, but he took that as a sign that she was letting it sink in. In the meantime, he rubbed her back and whispered sweet nothings into her ear while gently rocking her in his arms.

"Do you need kids to love me?" He heard her faintly whisper into his neck. His heart cracked at the fact that she thought that of him. Has he really given her that vibe? He set down the flowers and chocolates at a nearby table, then slowly held her out at arms length and moved his hands to her cheeks to wipe away her loose tears.

"My darling wife, of course not," he told her. "Children or no children, I will always love you as much as the day I first met you and the day I married you. I'm the one that's been picking the fights these past few months and I sincerely, with all my heart, apologize for that. No more fighting, no more trying to put me in a coma. Okay? This is about us and our marriage from now on, alright? In the meantime, we'll go to a doctor and find out what's wrong, then we'll take the next step. Together."

Cassie was hastily wiping her tears and sniffling. When she was sure he was done talking, she nodded at him and said, "Okay. I love you, Ben and I'm honestly not sorry for trying to put you in a coma because you deserve it...but I love you." Ben brought her back into his warm embrace and breathed in her scent. "I love you more than you can ever imagine," he said in her ear.

They held on to each other for a little while longer, then pulled back after feeling content. Ben took the flowers and chocolates off the table and handed them to her. She took them with a small smile and hugged them close to her chest. Ben rested a hand on her back, then placed a tender kiss on her lips.

When he pulled back, he had a smile on his face. This was all going to blow over soon, sooner than he expected, and it was making him happy! Cassie gave him back her presents in order to go get her stuff from the bedroom.

"She shouldn't forgive you so easy," Jess scoffed. Ben turned to her with a confused expression as she continued, "What you said was way below the belt." He nodded at her and said, "I know. I don't expect her to forgive me right away—hell, I know she doesn't forgive me right now—, but the point is that we're moving forward. That's what people who are married do, believe it or not."

He really doesn't like her.

He turned back to the hallway when Cassie was coming out with her jacket and car keys and Hunter following her. He growled at Ben, but as soon as Ben scratched his head, he was forgiven. Cassie took back her flowers and chocolates before saying goodbye to Jess and walking out with her two boys. As they were walking to their cars, Cassie turned to him and said, "You're still sleeping on the couch."