The Baker

Chapter 24

These were the moments he cherished. Her naked body curled up to his side, her hand wandering aimlessly on his chest and abs, that wonderful Lavender scent from her hair filling his nose. He loved this. He loved her. But he's also worried. Very worried. She hasn't spoken of her dad since that day in the hospital and he was afraid that she might be bottling up her feelings. He was also afriad of bringing it up for...reasons. But there was one thing he needed to discuss with her now.

"Cass?" He sleepily mumbled in her hair.

"Hm?"

"Um...I kind of made arrangements with my mum a couple weeks ago to go and have lunch with her and my dad on Sunday..." He waited a moment for her to say something, but she didn't. He hesitantly continued, "Given the circumstances, I understand if you wouldn't want to go."

Cassie sat up and looked down at him with furrowed eyebrows. He wasn't going to lie, he felt a little scared of what her reaction might be.

"Of course I want to go, Ben," she lightly scoffed. "These are your parents and I want to meet them."

Ben didn't know what to say. He was sure she would get mad for arragning this without telling her, but then again, she wasn't like every other woman he's dated. "A-Are you sure?" He asked. "It's just, with everything that's happened, I figured you'd want a few days to relax."

Cassie sighed and laid down on her back. Ben propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at her, as she told him, "I just want to forget about that. I want to get back to my normal routine as soon as possible. Obviously, it'll be tough with my dad and all, but my mom said he's doing a lot better than he was a couple weeks ago. I just want to get back to the bakery, get back to writing a little, and get back to us." 

Ben nodded, but then moved down the bed to where he nuzzled his face into her stomach. He looked up at her, his chin resting just below her belly button, and his hands lightly gripping her hips. "I envy you," he told her. "If something like this happened to me, I would be a complete and utter mess. But just know that I am here for you. If anything is bothering you at all, you tell me. Yes?" 

Cassie nodded, and then bit her bottom lip. "Something is kind of bothering me, actually..."

Ben kissed her stomach and asked softly, "What is it?"

"...What am I going to wear to your parents'?"

***

Sunday. Sunday, Sunday, Sunday. The day. Ben had done his best to make sure Cassie was relaxed and reassured. About what? Everything. 

"Is this dress okay?"

"Honey, it's beautiful."

"Will they corner me with questions? Cause I'm not good with being in the spotlight."

"I will make sure they don't, and if they do put you in the spotlight, I will save you."

"What if they think I eat too quickly?"

"Sweetheart, mum will be relieved that I am bringing home someone with a stomach."

"Do they know about...you know?"

"No. And I won't tell them if you don't want me to."

"What if they ask about my parents?"

"Tell them what you like. You don't have to open to anything." 

And that was just in the car, on the way there. Ben thought she was going to explode with all the questions she had swimming through her head. But it wasn't then that he was worried, it was when she grew quiet. With one hand on the steering wheel, he put his other on her leg and asked, "You alright? You're awfully quiet." 

She gave him a weak smile and said, "Yeah. Just thinking."

"About what?" He soothingly ran his hand up and down her leg. She's been good these past few days with being open with him. 

"About when you should meet my parents," she shyly told him.

Ben chuckled and squeezed her thigh. "I'd love to meet them as soon as possible. Do you Skype with them often?"

"Sometimes. My parents can be awfully busy, but..." 

Ben noticed she was being unusually shy this evening. Maybe it was just nerves, but this isn't her. "But...what?" 

Taking a deep breath she said, "I know this might be too early and might be moving too fast, but maybe...you could come back with me for Thanksgiving?"