The Baker, Part 2: Sous Chef

Chapter 17

Ben was running himself around to the point of exhaustion. First, it was Liam who needed to be cared for, then Cassie who needed him, but then Liam started crying because his daddy was too far away, but then Cassie would start crying because she doesn't think Ben loves her. 

He's been trying to be as patient as he could with his sick wife, but it got to him some days. He never expressed his anger directly to her, but would often vent to his co-star and friend Kiera Knightley. Her, being the voice of reason, would tell him to imagine his frustration a hundred times more than it is and that would be how Cassie feels. 

That thought usually got him through most days. 

Seeing as he couldn't keep an eye on his wife twenty-four seven, he ended up calling Jess and asked her if she could come and watch her for a couple weeks. That lasted all of two seconds. Cassie thought Jess was enjoying herself a little too much.

On the first day she was there, when Ben was gone at work, Jess was blasting music throughout the house while she was making lunch for her, Liam, and Cassie. Jess hadn't seen much of Cassie because she was bed ridden most of the time, but this morning she had decided to come down to see what all the noise was about. 

Jess was happily singing and bouncing Liam in one arm, while she made sandwiches with the other. For some reason, this set Cassie off. "What are you doing?" She harshly asked. Jess jumped in surprise, then turned to her friend. 

"Oh," she breathed. "Cass! Ben said you might be hungry by now, so I was just making some lunch." Cassie, who was dressed in her pjs and a robe, didn't look a happy at all at this. "This isn't your house, Jess, you can't just make yourself at home like this, blasting this stupid music through my speakers and cooing over my son like he's yours!"

Jess was taken back. She's dealt with Cassie's depression before and she's dealt with her anger, but very rarely at the same time. "I know this isn't my house," she told her friend. "I'm just trying to help out. That's all." 

Cassie quickly approached her as she said, "I don't need your help!" She was about to take Liam from her, but Jess very quickly backed away. "Give me him," Cassie scoffed. Jess shook her head. "Ben said you can't be left alone with him. I'm sorry, Cass."

Cassie rolled her eyes, then said, "Fine. I don't want him anyways." She stormed out of the room, while Jess carefully bounced Liam and whispered, "She didn't mean that. She loves you, she just doesn't know it yet." 

A little while later, Cassie came back down to grab something to drink, when she saw Jess dancing around with Liam in the living room. He was giggling and gurgling like she's never seen. Instead of it making her happy, it made her upset. Very upset.

"You keep acting like you're his mother," she told Jess, once again making her jump. Jess held Liam close and said, "Well, he needs one. Don't you think? You're obviously not going to do it." Jess wasn't sure why she said that to her, but it proved to be a big mistake. 

Cassie slapped Jess across the face. "Fuck. You," she said through tears, before running off to her room again. Jess stood there in shock with her hand over her cheek. Suddenly, the front door opened and Ben's voice called, "Hello, I'm home!" 

She quickly went out into the hall to meet him. As soon as Ben saw Liam, his face lit up like a thousand sons. "Hey, baby boy," he cooed, as he took him from Jess. Without taking his eyes off his son, he asked her, "How were they today?" 

Jess just shook her head and told him, "I can't do this. I'm sorry, Ben, I tried." Ben shot his head up to her just as she was going upstairs. "Wait, Jess!" He called. He caught up to her on the stairs and asked, "Why can't you do this? What happened?"