Chapter 9 Cassidy was about three weeks away from her due date.  She was the most beautiful expectant mother you could imagine.  Somehow she had managed to stay slim except for the obvious pregnant belly that swelled in the front.  She was standing outside early one afternoon, picking flowers as she waited for Matt to return from a long two weeks out on the road.  She didn’t notice as the corvette drove slowly passed her house. Jeff saw her from the road.  He was filled with emotions as she stood up and he caught sight of her.  As she turned around, he saw her round belly - that was his son inside.  Before he knew what he was doing, he put the car in reverse and pulled into her driveway. Cassidy heard the car pull in and thinking it was Matt, she turned around quickly with a smile on her face.  But her smile quickly faded when she realized that she was mistaken.  Jeff stepped out of the car and walked towards her slowly.  She had forgotten just how good looking he was until she saw him and it nearly took her breath away.  "Hey.", he said softly as he reached the spot where she was standing. "Hey.", she simply returned.  It was very awkward after all those months.  "How are you?", he asked. "Fine."   "How’s the baby?", he asked looking at her ever present belly.  "He’s fine.", she said rubbing her hand across it.  "That’s good."   "How are you?"   "Good.  I’m good.", he said nervously.  Just then Cassidy jumped a little.  "What?  What’s wrong?" "He’s just getting a little rowdy in there.  About this time every day, he thinks he’s an acrobat.", she started and paused before finishing, "Like his father."  Jeff’s tension eased slightly and he smiled,"Can I feel?"   Cassidy didn’t know how to react to Jeff’s sudden interest in the baby - the baby that he walked away from,"Jeff, what are you doing here?"     "I don’t know.", he said looking at her with a great sadness, "I couldn’t stand it anymore.  I know I acted like a total ass, but I don’t want to be like that anymore."  "What are you saying?", she asked half way mad at his gall, but also half way hopeful of this new found side of him - that maybe he was changing his mind about the baby…..and them. Jeff ran his hand through his hair, "I guess what I’m saying is…….Cassidy, I want you back.  I want us to be together.  All of us."  She looked at him in shock.  She didn’t want to jump right into his arms and say ‘okay’ because she was still stinging from the way he had treated her.  She sighed, "Jeff, I don’t know."   "Cass, I know what I did to you was wrong.  And I don’t blame you if you never want to see me again.  All I’m asking is that you think about it.  We had great times together, you and me."   What he said was true, but those good times were still behind the bad times that lingered in her mind as she stared at him trying to make sense of what was going on. "You don’t have to decide right now, just promise me you’ll think about it.", he said almost begging.  "Okay. I’ll think about it.  But I’m not making any promises.", she said to his delight. "That’s all I ask.", he returned with a smile. She jumped again slightly.  He stared into her eyes as she grabbed his hand and placed it on her belly.  He felt a jolt to his hand and his heart melted.  "Wow.  That’s amazing.", he said bursting with emotions.   "Yeah, but I’ll be glad when he’s here.  It just wears me out.", she chuckled.  Jeff’s hand was still on her stomach as they heard Matt pull into the driveway and park beside Jeff’s car.  Matt saw red when he saw what was going on before him.  Jeff quickly pulled his hand back, "I should go."  Cassidy nodded in agreement.  The brother’s didn’t speak as they passed each other in the driveway, Matt glaring angrily at his little brother.  But Matt’s anger subsided when he saw her standing there, her pending motherhood glowing from within as she held a bouquet of freshly cut flowers in her hand.  He smiled as he hugged her hello.  "I missed you.", she said as she hugged him back. He put his arm around her, "Let’s go inside."  As they walked onto the porch, Matt turned to look over his shoulder, glaring at Jeff as he drove away.  "What was that all about?", Matt asked as they shut the door behind them.  "I don’t know.  It was weird.", Cassidy said as she struggled to sit on the couch.  Sitting anywhere had become such a feat for her now. "What did he want?", he asked as he helped her lower herself into somewhat of a sitting position. "He came to tell me that he was wrong.", she said catching her breath.  "What?!", he asked in complete amazement. "Yeah.  He wants us to get back together, be a family."   Matt huffed and puffed, "What did he say when you told him no?" "Well, I didn’t exactly tell him no." "What do you mean, you didn’t tell him no?", Matt asked angrily. "I mean, I didn’t tell him no.  He made me promise that I’d think about it." "And you actually told him you would?", Matt said so angry now that he thought he would explode.  "Yeah, Matt, I did.", she said growing a little angry at Matt’s tone.  Her hormones were completely out of control so the slightest little things sometimes sent her on some complete tangent. "Why would you do that?", he asked lowering his voice as he could since her mood.  "He is, after all, the baby’s father."   Her words cut him like a knife, "Yeah, some father.  He splits on you the second he finds out you’re pregnant.  What’s to say he won’t run out on you again?  Huh, Cass?"  "I don’t know, Matt?!?!  I didn’t say yes, I just said I’d think about it.", Cass snapped. "You shouldn’t even do that.  You should’ve told him to go to hell, you don’t need him!", Matt yelled. "Who are you to tell me what I should do?!  If I decide to take him back, then that’s my decision!", Cassidy yelled before she knew what she was saying.  As  soon as those words came out of her mouth, she wished she could take them back, "Matt, I’m sorry."  The hurt in his eyes was more than she could bare and she reached out to touch him but he jerked away.   "You know what?  You’re right.  I’m not the baby’s father and I’m not you’re boyfriend.  I have no right.", he said softly and completely heartbroken, "It’s you’re life.  You do what you want."  He turned and walked towards the door,  tears brimming his eyes. "Matt, wait!  Don’t go.  I’m sorry.", she called after him. He stopped and turned to look at her, "Just remember this.  If….no…..when he does this to you again, I just might not be here to pick up the pieces again."  And with that he walked out the door slamming it shut behind him. All Cassidy could do was sit on the couch, her head in her hands as she balled.            Last Chapter ..*.. Next Chapter ..*.. Chapter Index ..*.. Home