You Call It Chaos, We Call It Family

Chapter 11

It had been two weeks since Claire had found out she was pregnant; she had roughly calculated to be on her seventh week, which meant her symptoms were getting worse and harder to hide.

The redhead was still keeping the pregnancy hidden from Owen and hadn't told anyone yet. It was Janet at the local CVS who was helping her with morning sickness treatments and other things she might need, the employee still the only one who knew about Claire's condition.

The only nights Owen was staying over were Wednesdays now. Claire was still very much upset with him but Mason was always looking forward to their pizza night and she couldn't keep that from her kid.

Claire spent every night throwing up by the toilet, feeling completely restless and drained. The fact that she wouldn't be able to suppress her symptoms around Owen, thus arising suspicion in him, kept her anxious; but to her surprise, when she was around the baby's father, her morning sickness ceased and her headaches weren't as strong. She also found it very comforting to sleep in his embrace and it was the only night of the week when she managed to get some sleep.

However, the whole situation he had pulled off kept her from being able pretend nothing was wrong. Owen had slowly let her be, happy to be around when she agreed. They would still talk over the phone and his charm kept wooing her day after day, feeling like he was winning her over every morning.

Claire wasn't lying when she said she couldn't stop loving him, not one bit, and she missed him horribly at night. She would text with him and sometimes let it get carried away, allowing him to have a heated conversation with his girlfriend while each of them rested in a half empty bed a couple of miles away from each other.

That Friday night she asked him to spend the weekend over with her. It had been a couple of weeks now since the last time, and she missed him. It was a weekend he would have Lizzie with him too, so it would be fun for all four to hang out and plan a fun Saturday.

Claire was caressing her belly while texting him. She couldn't stop smiling at how goofy he was, and it killed her that she couldn't find a way to ask him why he had harmed their thrust bond with something so insignificant.

She had to take a deep breath, trying to keep herself from crying the silent tears she felt rolling down her cheeks.

It didn't take her long to tell him she was feeling tired and would see him in the morning after he picked Lizzie up. She made sure to let him know how much she loved him and missed him, how much she wished he were here, holding her and kissing her. It was more for herself, to remind her brain that she was madly in love with him and try to find a way to get to terms with the fact that she was carrying his child and not to overthink his motives behind that immature stunt with the condoms.

Owen and Lizzie made it to the apartment at around 9AM that following day. Mason rushed over to the living room after hearing them unlocking the front door and stepping in.

"Hey, what's up?" Owen tilted his head when he saw the alarmed look in the young boy.

"Mom has been sick all morning." He frowned. He had been feeling funny too. "We decided to have fun with our leftovers last night," He explained while Owen took his jacket off and started walking to the bathroom to check on his girlfriend. "And I think that's why she's throwing up."

Claire was starting to deal with pregnancy cravings and she had found a way to disguise them by challenging Mason into eating with her some 'crazy food'. The previous night they had ended up eating combinations of food that tasted disgusting, but Mason was a boy who found it funny. He had no idea how he had managed to have leftover noodles with peach jam for example, but Claire was enjoying it.