The Baker, Part 2: Sous Chef

Chapter 18

The next morning Cassie woke up, Ben was already gone. She peaked into Liam's room to see that he wasn't there, but...she didn't care. So she continued downstairs. When she got there, she saw Wanda sitting at the table with Liam. She was feeding him a bottle.

"Oh, hello, dear!" Wanda greeted cheerily when she saw Cassie. "How are you feeling?" Cassie rubbed her arm in nervousness and shrugged. Wanda gestured for her to come over, so she sat down at the table. "Ben left only a few minutes ago. He said he'll be back early tonight."

Cassie nodded, then looked around. She wasn't sure what to do. She wasn't hungry, she didn't want to bother feeding Liam. She really just wanted to watch T.V.. As she was about to get up, Wanda looked over at her and said, "Oh, I was thinking we could go out later! I noticed Liam was running a little low on diapers and the food in the fridge is a bit scarce."

Well, this was what she definitely did not want to do. The last thing Cassie wanted to do was go out. "Um...Wanda, I don't think that's--." Wanda waved her off and said, "Nonsense, it'll be good for you. Ben says you haven't left the house since you came back from the hospital."

And there's a reason for that. "It'll be nice to get Liam out, too. He needs some fresh air." Cassie was internally kicking and screaming! She knew it wouldn't do any good to do it out loud because this woman raised Ben...she's dealt with all that and knows how to shut it down. 

Wanda looked over at her and said, "Chop, chop! Get a shower in, get dressed, and I'll make us all some breakfast before we go." Cassie clenched her jaw as she turned around and went upstairs.

**

The day out with Wanda and Liam wasn't a total disaster, but Cassie didn't care for it. Wanda pushed Liam around in his stroller as they walked into shops and bought diapers, Wanda even got Liam some new clothes, but all Cassie wanted was a coffee. 

When they got to the grocery store, Wanda insisted on paying for everything she threw into the cart. When Wanda was putting the stuff down for the cashier to ring up, she handed Liam to Cassie. Though she couldn't recognize the signs herself, Liam seemed to be absolutely thrilled to be held by his mom. 

He snuggled up to her and giggled when he saw her shiny necklace, the one Ben had given her well over a year ago when he first told her he loved her. Liam looked up at Cassie with a toothless grin and she quirked a tiny smile back. 

"Come along, dears," Wanda called, as she picked up the shopping bags. Cassie wanted to carry those instead of Liam, but Wanda didn't hear anything about it. "He's so happy snuggled up to you," she told Cassie. "Who am I to take away my grandson's happiness?"

So Cassie carried Liam all the way home and found him sleeping on her chest by the time they got back. Wanda asked Cassie if she could put him to bed, so she went upstairs and did just that. She knew that if Ben found out she was with him alone like this, he would be furious. 

As he should be, she thought. What kind of mother can't put her own child to bed? Can't hold him when he cries? I haven't changed a single diaper, haven't gotten up one time in the middle of the night to soothe his crying. I haven't been a mother at all.

With these thoughts in her head and tears prickling her eyes, she quickly set Liam down in his cot, then downstairs. She tried to cover up her feelings when she got to Wanda, but she couldn't hide something like this from her. Wanda could read emotions like no other. 

"I just know Ben is mad at me for being like this," she cried, after an hour of explaining everything that she's been feeling. "I wouldn't be surprised if he just left me and took Liam. I don't deserve them." Wanda brought her daughter-in-law into a tight hug.