I Choose You : A New Chapter

Extended Vacation

"Ugh, seriously?" Cassie asked as she held on to her aching stomach. She's been feeling sick all week, but she isn't sure if it's because of the pregnancy. Her morning sickness came and went pretty quickly, within the first couple of months, but this was different. 

She got up from her desk and stretched out a bit. She figured she just needed to get the blood flowing since she's been sitting for nearly seven hours. She walked up to her window and took in the beautiful New York scenery. It was hot and gross out, so she was fine with there being a solid window between them. 

Ben was away filming a TV show in South Africa, has been for sometime now, so Cassie took Aiden here to get away from the gloomy London weather for the Summer. They were going back in a few weeks, before his school starts up again, but they were going to make a quick pit stop in California to see her parents and Jordan. 

As Cassie stretched a little more, she felt her stomach start to ache again. "Oh, come on," she whined. She had an urge to take some stomach ache medicine, but nothing ever worked! It made her want to cry!

"How are the stomach pains doing?" Ben asked over the phone one night. "I really think you should get checked out, whether they're gone or not." Cassie, with the phone between her ear and shoulder, carefully picked up a sleeping Aiden from the couch. 

"I will, I already have an appointment when we stop in California," she whispered. "There isn't a single doctor available in the city for the rest of the week. I think every woman in New York is pregnant." He laughed so loudly, it woke up Aiden. 

"Is that daddy?" He tiredly asked. Cassie smiled, then said to Ben, "Hang on, someone wants to talk with you." She gave the phone to Aiden as she got him into bed. "Hi, daddy," Aiden said with a wide smile. "Hey, baby boy," Ben greeted. "How are you liking New York?"

Cassie heard the question and just knew that Aiden was going to try and talk his ear off for hours about all of his favorite things here. So, she went to go get dressed in pajamas while he did that. She took her time getting dressed, washing her face and rubbing coconut oil on her three month along belly. 

When she got back into Aiden's bedroom, he was going on about all of the dogs he's seen in the streets. "Alright, time to let daddy go so he can work," she gently told him. He pouted, but handed her the phone. "Okay, Ben, we're going to let you go. Have a good day at work."

"Thanks, love, and have a good night's sleep. Tell me what the doctor says when you go. We're moving locations today and they said the reception is shit, but I still want you to try and get a hold of me when you find out anything."

"I will, Ben, I promise," she told him. "I love you."

"I love you, too, baby. Have a good night."

**

For the next several days, Cassie didn't hear from Ben. She wasn't worried since he told her the reception would be shit, but she still missed talking to him. She was hoping that, by the time they landed in California, he would have called. 

She didn't even get a text. 

It was difficult to enjoy herself with her family because she felt like she needed to hear from Ben. Just a simple hello, love or I miss you would suffice! Her parents and grandparents could see her distress over this, so they tried to distract her with playing games and even with inviting her to Fallen Leaf Lake. 

Aiden has yet to go there and she hasn't been since her and Ben's last year of college. She wasn't in any rush to get back home and happily took them up on the offer! It was going to be different without Ben, but she was so glad she was going to be able to share it with her son.