I Choose You : A New Chapter

Ginger Tea

"Are you nervous?" Cassie asked, as she watched Ben switch hands on the wheel to wipe the sweat off his palms. "What do you think?" He sharply asked. "Jesus, baby, I...I'm excited about our boy, I really am, but my parents are going to be livid. Your dad is pissed at us, your mum seems to be the only reasonable one here."

He was right. Mark was not happy to hear the news. He called Ben's cell and yelled at him for getting Cassie pregnant when they aren't even close to being financially stable. Ben had never been so afraid of him until that call. He can only imagine how his parents will react. 

Cassie put her hand on his thigh. "Once they see their grandchild, it'll all be fine," she told him, even though she was nervous, too. "Just, you know, five more months." Ben sighed and put his hand over her stomach. "How are you feeling today?" He asked. 

Lately, she's been getting really bad morning sickness. Ben's gone out and gotten ginger cookies, ginger ale, anything ginger and it's been helping a lot. "I packed some biscuits and ginger ale, they're in the back," he told her. "Well, if Jake hasn't eaten them."

She looked in the backseat and saw Jake fast asleep on his brand new, yet already torn to pieces toy. She smiled at him and said, "He's fine. Your parents are going to be pissed about him, too, you know. That's why I didn't tell mine."

"Yes, well, we couldn't just leave him," he told her. "He would have destroyed the house. But you're right, they're going to kill us." He pulled up to the house and let out a deep breath. He and Cassie got out, then grabbed Jake. 

Ben carried him as they walked up to the door. "We should really consider getting him a leash," Cassie pointed out after ringing the doorbell. He sighed, "Yes, well, we can't exactly afford one right now, dear." He was being awfully snarky, but she let it go considering the situation. 

The moment Wanda opened the door, her eyes went straight to Jake. "Oh, Benedict, you didn't," she sighed. "You bought a dog? How could you possibly afford it if you aren't even working?" Ben rolled his eyes and said, "Nice to see you, too, mum. And I am working, by the way, that's how I afforded him."

He and Cassie walked in as Wanda continued, "Well, I hope this is the 'big news' you planned to tell us. I can't imagine anything much bigger right now than committing to a dog. Come on, your father's in the kitchen."

Cassie and Ben gave each other a nervous glance, then walked into the kitchen. "Hi, dad," Ben greeted. Tim greeted his son, but then started giving a lecture about the responsibilities of having a dog. 

"You have to walk him, feed him, play with him, train him...it's no different than having a child, you know." Cassie took Jake from Ben and hugged him. "I think it's a little different," you said. "Probably a lot easier, I can imagine."

Jake suddenly started getting antsy and wiggled out of her arms. He fell to the floor, then immediately sprang up and sprinted to his toy. He flung it around furiously and started ripping it up to even more pieces than it was already in.

"Well now, the Poulet's should be here any minute," Wanda said, as she came out with appetizers. Ben looked at her oddly and asked, "Sorry...what?" She repeated, "The Poulet's. Honestly, Ben, don't tell me you've forgotten about Olivia. I invited her parents over after we ran into them at church this morning. Olivia is back from her travels, so she's joining as well."

 Ben could see Cassie tense up. He took her hand and gave it a loving squeeze. "I don't think we can stay for dinner, mum," Ben told her. "We honestly just needed to tell you some big news." Wanda pointed to Jake and said, "Yes, I know. I must admit, I think it's very brave of you to commit to him when you're not exactly financially stable. I only wish you thought about it more."