I Choose You : A New Chapter

Five Days

"Look at him!" Cassie squealed as she came into the bedroom with Aiden dressed as an adorable pumpkin. "He is so cute!" Ben chuckled and took Aiden from her arms. "I have to admit, he is incredibly cute." He tickled Aiden's stomach, then looked to Cassie. 

"What about my costume?" He asked. Cassie looked him all up and down while biting her lip. "Very sexy," she told him. "Can you be a doctor instead of an actor?" He chuckled, then tugged at her short nurses skirt. "Only if you become a nurse." They were practically eating each other with their looks. 

Cassie took in a sharp breath and said, "We should go or we're going to be late." 

Before the party at her office, they took Aiden trick-or-treating. They even took Jake, who had a small pirate hat on his head. They walked around the block for about half an hour, before heading over to the office. "He's not going to stay awake, love," Ben said as he looked at Aiden in the back seat. His eyes were already drooping. 

"We can stick him in my office," she told him. "I have a baby monitor in there for when I bring him with me." They got to the building and went inside just in time for everyone else to. The party was in full swing just minutes after they arrived. 

"There's my favorite author!" Jeffery shouted when he spotted Cassie. He was dressed up as a mummy, which was a shame because the wrappings hid all of his beautiful features...except his face. He gave Cassie a hug and Ben a firm handshake. "I see Aiden is already tuckered out from his first Halloween," he said with a smile. 

Cassie looked to her son in her husband's strong arms and saw he was right. Aiden was already asleep. "We'll go put him in my office," she told him. Her and Ben walked the short distance and put Aiden on her couch. Cassie put pillows around him so he wouldn't roll off. 

Unfortunately, they couldn't accept any drinks that were offered, except water. That was the only non-alcoholic beverage at the party. Ben insisted she drink since he was the one driving, but she rightfully pointed out that, since she's still breastfeeding, it wasn't good for her milk. So, they both stayed sober. 

About an hour into the party, Jeffery made the much anticipated announcement of Cassie's next book. "Now, it won't be out for probably another year or so, but I'm sure we can all agree that we need to find out what in the hell happens when they find that damned cave!" The entire room laughed and applauded. 

"So, Cassie, congratulations and you deserve all of this, babe. You really do. To Cassie!" The entire room erupted in applauses, then the music started up again. "Babe, huh?" Ben asked with a smirk. Cassie whacked his arm and said, "Shush."

When the time got to around eleven, Cassie expressed to Ben how they should be getting Aiden home. "I agree," he told her, "but first...what do you say we move Aiden to Jeffery's office, then have a quickie in your's?" He purred this in her ear, making her shiver. 

**

"Fucking hell," Ben breathed out as he quietly walked through the door of the quiet and dark house. He gently shut the door and carefully took off his jacket and hung it up. He picked up Jake who ran towards him and shushed him before he could even bark. He started tip toeing towards the stairs, until he saw the light in Cassie's office shining under the door. 

After setting Jake down, he opened the door and peaked his head in to see his wife tapping away at her computer. "What are you still doing up?" He softly asked. She looked up at him from the computer and said, "Oh, I just need to finish these few chapters. I'm nearly there."

He smirked, then went over and kissed her head. "You need to be getting some sleep," he told her. "Your guys's flight is early tomorrow." She sighed as she looked up to him. "I wish you could come with us." He leaned down and placed a long kiss on her lips. "I know, baby, but Thanksgiving isn't a holiday here. I can't get the time off from work or school. I'll miss you both terribly, though."

Eventually, he convinced her to get to bed. 

Her alarm went off only a few hours later and she immediately regretted her decision to stay up that late. She maneuvered her way out of Ben's arms without waking him and hopped into the shower. When she got out and got dressed, she made sure her and Aiden's things were completely packed and set them by the door. 

"Ben," she softly whispered as she gently brushed back his hair. He stirred a bit and hard time opening his eyes. "Already?" He sleepily mumbled. "Yeah," she sadly said. "It's only five days. It'll go by quick." As he started to get up, he told her, "Not for me." He got out of bed, then stretched and yawned. "Let me take you to the airport."

She shook her head and told him, "No, I already called a cab. You need to get some sleep." While she grabbed herself some coffee, he carefully got Aiden from his crib without waking him. "Be good for your mummy, baby boy," he whispered. "I love you so much."

He pecked a small kiss to his son's cheek, then sadly sighed. He really wished he could go with them. "The cab's here," Cassie told him. While she got the luggage, he brought out Aiden. When she got settled in the back of the cab, he gently handed him to her, then knelt down. 

"Call me when you get there," he told her. "I'll be there to pick you both up on Sunday." She nodded and said, "Okay. I love you. You and Jake have fun." He leaned up and gave her a kiss that she would be thinking about for the next five days. "We will. I love you so much," he told her. "Bye, baby."

With that, he stood up and shut the door. Cassie waved to him as the cab rolled down the driveway and down the street. Once he was out of sight, she sighed and looked down at her sleeping boy. A small smile crept up on her lips when she thought about how this is going to be the first time her parents are going to meet Aiden. 

They haven't had the chance to try to fly out since their accident. 

At the airport, Cassie struggled quite a bit. Not only did she have to carry a small child, but a couple of heavy bags as well. She wasn't going to check them in, as that would have just been a waste of money. She wished Ben were here just so he could help her with the heavy load. Luckily, she managed to get to the terminal without incident. 

When it came to putting the bags in the overhead bin, she had a man help her because he saw her struggling. "This would be the time and place for a husband, huh?" He joked, obviously thinking she was a single mother. "Yeah," she told him, "unfortunately, he couldn't make it." He gave her that 'yeah, sure' look, which bothered her. 

Aiden had woken up about an hour into the flight. Cassie had his bottle ready and needed to change his diaper almost immediately after. He didn't cry, didn't whine the entire flight. She swears that he is the most well behaved baby on this earth. 

By the time they landed, he was asleep again, probably because of the time change. The same man helped her with getting her bags down and she anxiously walked her and Aiden off the plane. The moment she got to the terminal, she could see her mom, dad and Jordan. They were all preoccupied with talking about something, but then Jordan looked up and frantically pointed at her. 

"Richie!" Her mother squealed before running over. "Oh my goodness, it's Aiden! Mark, it's Aiden!" Mark and Jordan were rushing over. Cassie handed Aiden over to her mom, then was brought into a hug by her dad. "Wow, look at him," he said in awe.

Cassie hugged Jordan and held him close as she watched her parents practically cry over their grandchild. "So, everything you expected?" Cassie jokingly asked. Jenna handed Aiden to Mark, then brought Cassie in for a tight hug. "We are so proud of you," she told her. "Come on, we should go. We have the whole family waiting to meet him!"