Chapter 11

It was early morning the next day. Chloe woke up from her sleep and noticed Beca was already in the room, concentrating on the baby.

He laid so peacefully in the bassinet, sleeping; as if nothing in the world mattered. Beca didn't understand how this little blob of a human being could have captured her heart in a matter of seconds. She never believed in love at first sight; that didn't even happen to Chloe for her. But this little fella had her wrapped around his little finger the minute he was born. She just couldn't stop looking at him - it made her felt like a creep.

Chloe spent the first few minutes of her waking hour watching Beca and their son. If she could describe one picture-perfect moment in her life - this was it.

"Chlo, you're staring."

"It was too beautiful a scene not to stare."

Beca rolled the bassinet slowly to Chloe's bed; thankfully it didn't wake the baby. She sat down on the bed and gave Chloe a kiss on the lips. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel a bit of an ache here and there, but I'm fine. Why aren't you at work?"

Beca shrugged. "I took a personal day off. This little guy came tad early and kinda messed up my schedule."

"I'm sure Theo and Frank would understand." Chloe looked at the baby and smiled. "Now, I am free from work for the next 10 weeks." She stroked her baby son's cheek gently.

"Are you sure taking care of a baby is easier than work?" Beca asked, jokingly.

"I don't know; we'll see." Chloe wanted to give Beca another quick peck on the lips; but somehow, Beca retreated.

"Uh-uh. Not "we", Chloe. Just you." Beca saw the what-the-hell-is-wrong-with-you face on Chloe - the exact response she was aiming for. "You see, you get 10 weeks of maternity leave. I don't. I'm just the girlfriend, not your wife."

"Oh…" The exclamation from Chloe was barely audible but Beca heard it. Everything was going according to plan.

Beca continued, "So, in order for me to get those 10 weeks of paid family leave, I need you to do this -"

She took out a small velvet box from her coat pocket, opened it - and there it was, sitting there, a diamond ring.

"Chloe Beale, I need you to marry me, so I get to enjoy the benefits of being a parent and have the time to bond with my son. Our son."

Chloe looked at the ring and she was completely speechless.

"I figured you were going to be out of words, hence I didn't ask you if you would take me or not; it was basically more of an order than a question." Beca smirked.

Chloe shook her head and smiled; tears were starting to well up in her eyes. "Beca Mitchell you're unbelievable. You know that?"

"Yep." Beca took the ring out and placed it on Chloe's middle finger. She was smiling from ear to ear; so was Chloe.

"How long have you had it in your coat pocket?"

Beca shrugged. "A few weeks. I was talking to the guys at work and Khaled told me I had to "go big or go home". I gave it a little thought and then I said to him, "If I were to raise a kid in New York City AND be able to get my fiancé a big fat diamond ring, I would need a pay rise." She shook her head. "He didn't give me the pay rise."

Wrong joke.

"You had it for a few weeks and you only proposed to me now?!"