The Baker, Part 2: Sous Chef

Chapter 8

Cassie came to determine that the hardest part about pregnancies were the damn cravings. Nights like tonight were the worst because she would wake up at some ungodly hour, wanting something with pickles or mustard or hot sauce or pickles, mustard, and hot sauce on top of her freshly baked cookies. 

Unfortunately, they didn't have pickles because she ate those with ice cream today. The mustard was gone too because she had that on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And the hot sauce was a no go because she used that on toast. 

She wasn't craving anything else, so she angrily hobbled her five month along belly back upstairs and got back into bed where Ben was sleeping like a baby. Another bad thing about pregnancies, she just now realized, was the hormones. She cries at every little thing nowadays, including the fact that they were out of her top three food cravings. 

So she started to sniffle and blink back her tears as she thought about how she'll just have to wait. She went to cuddle up to Ben, but she's at the point where she's feeling uncomfortable on her side. So, she whined and rolled herself on her back with her arms crossed and bottom lip quivering.

Ben, obviously feeling her movements, started to wake up. "Cass?" He sleepily mumbled. "Baby, what's wrong?" He reached his hand out until it settled on her bump, then sat up next to her before reaching over and turning on the bedside lamp. 

In the light, he saw Cassie crying. "Hey, hey, hey," he cooed as he brought her into his arms. "What's wrong, huh? Is it the baby? Tell me, honey." She cried into his chest as he rubbed circles on her back and placed kisses on her head. 

After a few moments, she took a couple unsteady deep breaths and cried, "I-I c-can't l-lay on m-my si-ide any-anymore. I ju-just want to cu-cuddle with y-you." Ben 'awed', then rocked her a little bit. "Oh, my sweet girl," he cooed, "just wake me if you want a cuddle."

He pressed a kiss to her head, then asked, "Anything else?" She nodded into his chest. "What is it, baby?" She sniffled and took a few calming breaths. "We're out of f-food," she told him. Ben scrunched his eyebrows and asked, "We are? What was it you were looking for?"

She told him how she went downstairs to grab herself that delicious sounding cookie snack, but came to realize she ate everything she wanted on it. Ben got her to lay back down and placed a kiss to her forehead. "Try and get some sleep and I'll be right back." 

He got up from bed and threw on a pair of jeans and put on his shoes in a half asleep state. He picked up his motorcycle keys and headed downstairs. Cassie could hear him rev up the engine of the motorcycle and heard as he disappeared with it down the street. 

The silence of the house was causing her eyes to droop. She was asleep only a few moments later, but then was woken up by Ben in (what felt like) just a few seconds later. He was sitting by her on the bed with a plate in his hand. 

"I'm not sure if this is how you envisioned it," he told her, "but here's one pickle, mustard, hot sauce covered cookie." Cassie carefully sat up and took the plate with a smile. "Ben," she said, starting to get emotional again, "you didn't have to do this." 

He ran his thumb across her cheek and said, "Of course I did. You were so upset, I hate seeing you like that. Now, why don't you eat up and I'll put some of the oil on your stomach." She nodded and took a bite of her cookie while Ben took out the oil. 

"Mmm, this is so good," Cassie told him. "Your child and I thank you." Ben chuckled as he lifted her shirt just below her breasts, then said, "Well, I'm glad daddy can make a damn good pickled cookie for his two favorite people."

He rubbed the oil on his hands, then started rubbing it around her stomach. His eyes were glued to Cassie as she shut her eyes and let out a contented sigh. Her half eaten cookie was resting on the bed next to her and she looked like she was about to pass out any second.