I Choose You : A New Chapter

Stomachache

"Seriously?" Cassie grumbled as she put her hand over her stomach. She stopped walking and Mia and Harper did, too. "What's wrong?" Mia asked. Cassie sighed and shook her head. "My stomach's been acting up for a few weeks. I've been under a lot of pressure at work and with keeping the house, but I thought being here would calm my nerves."

Harper laughed, "Okay, Christmas doesn't calm anyone's nerves. Besides, you're away from your husband and I know you hate that." Cassie grimaced and said, "I kinda do." Mia piped up and said, "The only other thing that could possibly wrong is that you're pregnant."

Harper and Mia both laughed, but Cassie didn't. When they saw her expression, they stopped and asked, "Wait...are you actually pregnant?" Cassie shook her head and told them, "No...no, I can't be. Ben and I are going to wait."

Mia eyed her curiously and said, "That doesn't sometimes work out like that, babe. Have you been throwing up?" Cassie nodded. "Have you been feeling bloated? Feel your putting on a few pounds?" Cassie slowly nodded this time. "Do you have to pee an absurd amount of times a day?"

That's when Cassie's eyes blew wide. "Okay, okay, stop scaring her," Harper said. "Cass, we'll grab you a few pregnancy tests, we'll get you home and you'll find out it's probably nothing. Okay?" Harper didn't wait for her to respond before walking her over to the nearest drug store. 

They bought three pregnancy tests, then started walking to the car. "Hey, at least if you're pregnant, that'll make an interesting conversation at your Christmas dinner tomorrow," Mia said, but Cassie just shot her a glare. 

The moment Cassie and the girls got home, they rushed up to her room and to the bathroom. They read the instructions on the box, then left so Cassie could pee. She set the tests on the counter when she was done and sat on the floor to wait. 

It hasn't completely hit her that she had just taken three pregnancy tests, that she could possibly be pregnant. It's nothing, she told herself. It's a cold. The flu! That's what it is! I didn't get my flu shot and it's catching up to me. I can't be pregnant. I've been on the pill for nearly four years. Ben and I go at it like jack rabbits, so why would I get pregnant now?

She sighed and threw her head into her hands. "What am I going to do?" She mumbled to herself. If she is pregnant, they couldn't afford a baby! They're struggling to keep the house already, what makes anyone think they can keep a baby?

There were suddenly rapid knocks on the door, making her jump out of her thoughts. That must mean time is up, so she slowly stood up and took the deepest breath. When she let it out, she looked down at the tests and slapped her hand over her mouth. 

"Cassie!" Mia excitedly called. "What does it say!" Cassie shook her head and muttered, "No, no, no...shit!" She quickly walked out of the bathroom, pushing past Mia and Harper and going straight to her phone. "Cassie?" Harper asked. 

Cassie ignored them and quickly dialed Ben's number. As soon as it rang once, she hung up and tossed her phone on the bed. She then sat on the floor and started crying. "Cassie, what happened?" Mia quickly asked as she and Harper rushed over to her. 

They sat on either side of her and gently shushed her. Cassie wiped her tears and let out a few shaky breaths. "I'm--I'm...I'm pregnant," she cried. Mia and Harper, despite buying her the pregnancy tests and assuming this would happen, were still shocked. 

"Oh," Harper breathed out. "Holy shit. Okay, um...do you need anything?" Cassie quickly nodded, then said, "My mom. Please get my mom." Harper immediately went down and got Jenna. Cassie didn't talk to Mia, but just cried. 

Jenna came up a moment later with a concerned look on her face. "Oh, sweetie, what's wrong?" She asked, as she quickly went over to her daughter. She got down on the floor next to her and brought her in for a hug. 

"Mom, I'm so scared," Cassie cried. Mia and Harper left to give them some time alone. Jenna stroked Cassie's hair back and asked, "Why, baby? What happened?" Cassie took some staggered breaths, while Jenna gently hushed her. 

She waited patiently for Cassie to calm herself enough to calmly speak. When she got her breathing back to normal and her cries subsided, Jenna softly said, "Tell me." 

**

Ben jolted awake when he heard his phone ring next to him. He groaned, then felt around for it before finally grabbing it. By the time he did, the call had abruptly ended. He sat up and looked at who it was. When he saw Cassie's name, his heart nearly dropped to his stomach. 

There was no way she would be calling him this late, unless it was important. He quickly called her back, but she didn't answer. "Shit," he muttered. He tried a few more times, but never got an answer. After a while, he just decided to call her house. 

"Mark, it's Ben," he said in relief, when he heard Mark's voice. "Ben? Why are you calling? Isn't it nearly three in the morning there?" Ben nodded and told him, "Yeah, it is, but I saw Cass trying to call me and I thought it might be important. I tried calling her back, but she isn't answering."

Mark said he found that odd, then put him on hold to go get her. Ben anxiously waited. He didn't notice he had started to get up and pace the room. He had almost given up once ten minutes had passed, but then he heard Cassie's voice. 

"Ben?" Her strained voice asked. He sighed in relief and said, "Hey, baby. I saw you called, I got worried. You never call me this late unless something happened. Are you alright? You sound like you've been crying." 

He heard her sniffle a few times, then say, "I'm okay. I'm sorry I worried you. I just needed to hear your voice." He smirked and said, "Beautiful girl, you can call me anytime. Now come on, tell me what's got my girl upset." 

Again, he heard her sniffled, but then started to hear her softly cry. "Hey, hey, none of that now," he softly cooed. "Cass, baby...bloody hell, I hate being this far away from you when you're upset. Tell me what I can do." 

She was shifting around, he could tell, then heard her say, "Just...stay on the phone with me," she said. He knew something was up, it was blatantly obvious, but he didn't want to pry it out of her. He wanted her to take her own time getting it out. 

"Anything you want," he said, as he got back into bed with the phone still resting on his ear. Upon her request, he spoke about his day and what he was planning on doing with his family for Christmas Eve that day, what presents he got for his parents and sister. 

After about an hour and a half, she stopped responding. He smiled a bit and whispered, "Goodnight, my gorgeous wife. I love you." He didn't hang up, but just set his phone next to his head. This was going to run him out of minutes, but he'd just go out and buy some more tomorrow. 

After all, he needed to call her again to see if he can figure out what was bothering her today.