Temptation

Can't Help Falling in Love

Ben sighed as he threw himself down on the bed and asked, "Why are you saying this now?" Cassie was wringing her hands in nervousness because she knew he wouldn't react well to this. "Ben, your parents are right," she told him. "You're sacrificing everything for me and...and I don't want you to do that. Not anymore."

He sat up on the bed and stared at her. She didn't seem sincere about what she was saying, but scared. "Cass, that was weeks ago. My parents apologized, my mum admitted that she was out of line. Now, we've already packed up half of our stuff and we've got the house in Santa Barbra. We can't just stop all of this, not while the train is going!"

She sighed and sat down in the chair across the room. Something more was clearly bothering her. "My mother doesn't even care that we have a child," she told him, "but your parents do. I don't want to take Ella away from that. She deserves to know your parents."

Ben was about to protest, but she quickly continued, "Not to mention, you have a really great job! The firm wants you back, Ben, and they're willing to put less of a workload on you. You can't pass that up." He got up from the bed and crossed over to her. 

He knelt down in front of her, then said, "Yes, I can. Cass, I'm tired. I don't want to work fourteen hours a day and never get to see you or Ellie. Don't you get it? I miss my family. Not only that, but I want you to be happy. I want us to be happy. I'm not going to say that when you're happy, then I am—however much that may be true—but I was never happier than when I was in Santa Barbra. I told you, London isn't for me anymore. I will always love it and I will always miss it when I'm not here, but I don't want to live here."

He could tell she still wasn't convinced and he heavily sighed. "Baby, you are not holding me back in any way. I know that you think you are, but you're not. If anything, I'm holding you back; being in a city I don't want to be in and holding down a job that's going to kill me before I turn forty. I don't want this lifestyle anymore, Cass. Don't make me have it, please. I want you to come home to Chinese food and help you grade until late into the night. I want to be home all day with my Ellie girl and take her to the park or shopping."

Cassie let out a laugh while tears welled up in her eyes. He continued, "I want to be able to walk out my front door and go to the beach whenever I want. However, most importantly...I want to see you smile. Bloody hell, I want to see that gorgeous smile of yours. You haven't had it since we moved here and, let's face it, neither have I."

He gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs. "I don't care about your mother," he said. "Yes, I would like El to be raised around...well, loving...grandparents, but that's what Skype and planes are for. Come on, babe. Let's be happy for the first time in a long time, yeah? Hell, if it doesn't work out, we'll figure out something else. It's not the end of the world."

He noticed her body relax and a smile appear on her face. "There it is," he softly chuckled as he ran his thumb over her lips. "Come on, let's finish packing and I'll order us some takeaway."

**

The day finally came when the Cumberbatch family was moving back to Santa Barbra. Their move was a bit delayed because they had to get Ella's immigration papers in order and it took longer than they had expected. Luckily, they were able to get her dual citizenship like Cassie. 

They had Ben's parents over the night before the move for dinner. Despite them having to practically eat on the floor with plastic utensils and paper plates, it was fun. Ben and Cassie let Wanda and Tim take care of Ellie at the house for a few hours after that while they went out.

Ben took his wife to their favorite pub and had a few relaxing after dinner drinks. They hashed out a plan for tomorrow morning and what they were going to do once they got to Santa Barbra.