The Neighbor II

False Contractions

Two Months Later

"Well, Mrs. Carlton, it seems to just be those pesky false contractions," the doctor told her as he put down her shirt after checking the baby. "You really need to stop driving yourself, you know. Mr. Carlton should be the one taking you here, especially when the time comes."

Cassie sat up with her hand on her nine month along stomach. "Mr. Carlton is currently out of the house," she told him. "I don't expect he'll be here for the birth, either." She got down off the table and gave the doctor a kind smile. 

"Thank you," she told him. "With me being almost two weeks late, I didn't want to risk anything." He gave her a stern look and asked, "And driving yourself to the hospital when you think you're in labor is not a risk?"

Cassie put on her coat and said, "Goodnight." She hated the looks and judgement she got from all the doctors and nurses whenever she did this. Ben wasn't around to take her, nor did she want him to be. 

She kicked him out of the apartment the night he hit her. He was going to put up a major fight to stay, but she threatened to call the police or (even worse) the mental hospital. So now he comes over to pick up Michael on the weekends and tries to talk to her, but she won't have it. 

He's living in the same building, but a few stories lower in an apartment nobody wants to rent out. It was small, cramped and a total dad pad. The lower rooms are meant to be more affordable than the ones with the Central Park view, but very few wanted it. 

Ben had Michael tonight, so she didn't need to worry about leaving him with Tom like the last few times. Tom has been nothing but supportive when it came to Cassie. He watched over Michael constantly, came over for dinner to keep her company, even just stops by to make sure she hasn't gone into labor yet. 

As she was walking down the hallway to her door, his opened up and he came out with a robe and tired look on his face. "Happen again?" He hoarsely asked. She nodded and told him, "Yeah. It's fine now, I feel much better."

She was unlocking her door when he said, "The offer is still on the table." She turned to him with a small smile. "I know," she said. "Thank you, but...this isn't your baby. We're not your responsibility. Goodnight, Tom." 

He gave her a small nod and said, "Night, Cass." They both shut their doors at the same time, but while Cassie went into her cold and lonely bed, Tom hopped back into his and wrapped his arms around a warm body. 

"Where'd you go?" A hoarse, feminine voice asked. Tom kissed the voice's bare shoulders and tugged her close to him. He then sighed and said, "More false contractions across the hall. Don't worry, darling...I'm going to take care of you and your sister." 

**

The next morning, Cassie woke up to knocks at the door and Marshall barking. She grunted and carefully sat up on the bed, then looked at the clock. It was nearly noon. 

She swung her legs over and put on her robe, before tiredly wobbling out to the living room, then until she got to the door. "Marshall, be quiet," she told the dog. He whined, but then sat down with his eyes still on the door. 

Cassie opened it and sighed once she saw who it was. "Oh shit," she said. Ben was there, dressed in a suit with bags at his feet and Michael in his arms. He looked her up and down and asked, "Did you just wake up? God, don't tell me you forgot." 

She rolled her eyes and took Michael from him. "I had a late night," she mumbled as she looked at her little boy. Ben looked confused. "Late night?" He sharply asked. "With whom? Where were you?" She glared at him causing him to stop and clear his throat. 

Michael curled up to his mom and nuzzled himself against her. "I had false contractions, I didn't get back until a few hours ago. Happy?" She started to turn away and shut the door, but he blocked it and pushed it back open. 

"False contractions?" He asked. "And why did I not hear about this? How did you get there?" He quickly followed her into the living room. "Cassandra, we are talking about this! She is my daughter, too!" 

Cassie sharply turned to him and said, "Get out of here." He stopped walking, but didn't leave. "Whether you like it or not, Cassie, I am their father and I plan to be in their lives for as long as I live. You are two weeks overdue and I need to know when this shit happens!" 

Michael started to whimper and cry. Cassie sighed and lovingly shushed him. "It's okay, baby," she cooed. "Daddy was just leaving." She gave a pointed look to Ben, but he just said, "No, daddy is staying. He is cancelling his meeting in Boston, he is staying home and taking care of mummy." 

Before Cassie could protest, he went out into the hall and started gathering his bags. Just as he was doing that, Tom opened his door with a bottle of wine in his hand. "Oh," he said. "Hi, Ben. Are you, um...back?"

Ben stood up with his bags in his hand and told him, "I just might be. That better not be for my wife." Tom looked down to the bottle, then back up to Ben. "It is, actually," he said. "An after the birth celebration gift."

"Oh, thank you, Tom!" Cassie's voice came from behind Ben. She slid by him and smiled at Tom. "This is very sweet, Tom. Thank you." She took the bottle from him and looked at it. "This is my favorite," she told him. "How did you know?"

He didn't exactly want too tell her that her sister told him, so he just said with a nervous laugh, "Lucky guess." Ben looked at him skeptically. "Anyways," Tom told them, "I should go. Have a good night and it's good to have you back, Ben."

Cassie gave him a double take. As soon as he went back inside, Ben said, "Get inside. I'm ordering you on bedrest."

**

Tom shut the door and let out a huge breath. He was not expecting Cassie to let Ben back so soon. He thought he would have a little more time there. He's been getting closer and closer to her ever since Ben left. It's been great inside information and just...great being with her.

"Tom?" Sarah called, making him snap out of his thoughts. He took a deep breath and called back, "Yeah, darling. I'm coming." He walked into the kitchen where she was making dinner. He smiled and said, "Smells wonderful."

He leaned against the counter next to her and she leaned in and gave him a kiss. He didn't return it, which made her look at him oddly. "What was that?" She asked with a slight laugh. He sighed and crossed his arms. 

"Ben's back." She dropped the spoon she was mixing dinner with and looked at him with wide eyes. "I know," he told her, "it's soon. I wasn't expecting it either. But something is telling me she doesn't want him there. He was supposed to be in Boston this week for a meeting, that's what she told me."

Sarah looked at a loss for words. "So...so what are you going to do?" Tom looked down to the floor, then glanced up at her. "Something I should have done a long bloody time ago."