"Casey?!"
I slowly wake up, confused for a moment about the situation around me.
Firstly, I had a sleeping Cappie next to me, his arm placed over my stomach. He looked the most peaceful I've ever seen him.
And then I had knocking at the door and a voice, Ashleigh's voice, calling my name.
I panic then and sit up quickly, memories of the night before coming back to me. Cappie's scent filling my nose, the crumpled bedsheets proof that it wasn't just a typical night of me sleeping alone in my bed last night.
"Cap!", I tap his arm and he shakes his head, quickly jolting awake as though I've scared him.
"You okay?", are the first words out of his mouth, very much in his gruff morning voice.
"Ashleigh's here", I whisper to him in a panic and he starts to come to more, realizing the situation which was a practically naked me and him in my bed. Our clothes splayed out across the room indicating that we didn't just have a PG coparently talk about the baby last night. Not even a PG-13 one for that matter.
"Casey I don't care, I'm coming in, I've seen you naked before", Ash sighs from outside the door and I look at Cappie in a panic as we both sit up in bed quickly, moving away from each other.
"Oh my god!", She walks in to see us and immediately puts her purse over her face. "I didn't see anything I promise. Crap…. I'm sorry I didn't think-"
"It's okay Ash we both have clothes on", I say, my hands on my temples, embarrassed and knowing Ash would give me a talking to about this later.
"Personally I'm still stuck on the you having seen Casey naked thing", Cappie jokes. "I thought I was special but I guess not".
I hit his arm in annoyance. Typical Cappie.
"I'm sorry, this is your room and I totally invaded your privacy, I didn't mean to interrupt-", Ash starts.
"It's okay Ash, we were just sleeping. That's all we were doing", I cut her off, speaking fast.
I look over to Cappie who gives me a smirk.
"I'll um… I'll wait for you downstairs, the girls are having breakfast anyways", Ashleigh says, giving me a look.
"Ooh do they have any of those mini blueberry muffins I like? ZBZ food is so good. I wish KT had a Dale to cook for us, we just have cereal and 5 day old cold pizza", Cappie says with a smile, trying to lighten the awkwardness.
"I'll save you one", Ashleigh says to him awkwardly. "Alright… see ya".
Once Ashleigh's out of the room I put my head in my hands and let out a groan.
"What?", Cappie laughs slightly and then yawns. "It's not like we were mid having sex".
"Yeah it's just… Ashleigh has been telling me over and over again not to hookup with you… y'know because of the baby and trying to keep things uncomplicated between us", I sigh.
He moves closer to me then with a devilish grin.
"Things are still uncomplicated. The way I see it this is better for the baby. To have her parents getting along so well that they're sleeping together", He moves closer to me then, moving my hair out of the way as he begins to plant kisses down my neck. I give in for a moment, letting myself feel good even though I know my first task at hand should be trying to sneak Cap out of here.
"We're not...", I pause for a moment breathing in hard, his breath on my neck eliciting a familiar stirring in my stomach. "Sleeping together. It was just... once".
He stops what he's doing and looks back me. I sigh. I don't want to hurt him. God, I don't even know what I want.
"Cap I'm really sorry but… the girls cannot see you", I explain to him, moving away from him to get out of bed.
"Casey Cartwright were you just using me for my body and now I'm getting the boot?", He jokes with me and I smile at his joke.
"No, I promise we'll… we'll talk later. But right now…", I look around the room thinking for a way to get Cappie out of here without any of the girls, particularly Rebecca, seeing. "Cap how do you feel about the window?"
I give him a look and watch him put together what I'm asking him to do in his mind and he groans.
"Well I don't really feel like jumping out of it", He sighs. "But… for you. Sure".
I smile at him as he put his clothes back on.
I come over to his side of the bed, noticing how tall he really is when I'm barefoot and next to him. I lean up on my tippy toes and kiss him quickly.
"Thank you Cap", I say. "I owe you".
"Are we talking sexually or…?", He jokes with me smugly and I roll my eyes at him.
"Okay you gotta go", I start to push him out the window as I watch him fall the short drop from my room.
He looks up at me when he lands and gives me a nod and a thumbs up and I mouth a 'thank you' to him and give him a smile before closing the window.
Just as I close the window a knock on the door startles me and I practically jump out of my skin.
"Casey!", I know Rebecca's annoying shrill way she shouts my name anywhere.
"I'm just getting dressed Rebecca!", I call back to her.
"Good because I have a grocery list for you", She says. "So get going".
"Will do", I say back to her with a sigh.
I feel a rush of relief at being able to get Cappie out of here without any of the girls judging and asking me nonstop about it. They already asked me about Cappie and I's relationship status enough.
I really needed a shower but with the amount of stuff already piling on my plate for today such as feeling the wrath from Ashleigh, getting a hangry Rebecca's cheesaritos, and trying to define my relationship with Cappie, I figured I might as well just get dressed and save that for tonight when things might have calmed down.
Since I mostly wore dresses now to avoid having to buy maternity clothing, even though I was just about at the point where I was going to have to cave and just buy some maternity jeans, I put on a comfortable black maxi dress, two gold necklaces and a light pink cardigan overtop.
I quickly do my makeup in the mirror and go to the washroom to brush my teeth and then brace myself for what's downstairs, which I can already hear alive with chatter from the girls.
I walk down the stairs with my head hung slightly knowing I'm gonna have to explain the events of last night to Ash. Although there wasn't much to explain, more so just to admit, since she'd pretty much seen the evidence.
I walk into the dining room where the food is laid out, running into Dale while try to decide what to eat.
"You look pretty today Casey", He gives me a smile. "Might I suggest the blueberry muffins? They're my speciality".
"Oh thanks Dale", I smile contently. "Cappie told me he really likes these".
"Well I did make them for our booktacular meetings. I've been wondering if he'd want to start that up again", Dale thinks to himself. "I've already read What to Expect When You're Expecting but I think it would be a good read for Cappie right now".
I scoff slightly.
"You've… read that? Why?", I ask. Even I didn't bother to read it and I had a 25 week old fetus taking up residency in my uterus.
"Well it was pretty helpful with the cattle when they'd give birth", He explains. "Back home".
"Oh… ", I nod with a smile. "Cool. Well see you later Dale".
I spot Ashleigh across the room and give her an awkward look before I go sit beside her.
"Well well well", Ashleigh crosses her arms in front of her. "I didn't expect to find that this morning".
She gives me a look and I give an exasperated sigh.
"Would you buy that we just fell asleep studying?", I joke with her.
We talk in hushed voices but it doesn't really matter since the rest of the girls are in their own conversations right now.
"Fell asleep without his shirt on? Yes, I often study without my shirt too!", Ashleigh says sarcastically and then hits me on the arm. "Do you know what you've just gotten yourself into?!"
"Um…", I point down to my belly. "I've kind of already gotten into something if you haven't noticed".
"You don't have to get back together just because you're having a baby with him, not to mention the fact that you don't even have any of the living arrangements figured out", Ash says.
"It's not because of the baby", I argue. "Well okay the pregnancy hormones are sort of what made me call him but… I haven't ever felt the way I feel with him with any other guy. And you'll be happy to know I'm pretty sure we did figure out the arrangements".
She gives me a look as though she doesn't believe me.
"He's gonna move some of his stuff in so he can stay with me before the baby comes", I explain. "I'm pretty sure… actually not that sure. We didn't get to the logistics because we fell asleep but… maybe this is what should happen Ash. I don't know. I don't know what the right thing to do is".
"Well you only have 3 more months to figure it out", she urges me. "I'm only being hard on you because you're my best friend and you're carrying my goddaughter".
We both smile at each other then.
"Who deserves to have parents who aren't constantly having one night stands", Ash laughs. "And then breaking up because her dad can't get his shit together".
"Well he is graduating this semester as long as he passes his classes… and he's surprised me with how much he's been there for me. So… I can't really ask for more", I say.
"So…", She reluctantly smiles. "You guys are in love again? Not that you ever stopped".
I smile at her then.
"Nothings official Ash", I say quickly. "I need to talk to him sometime today. I literally made him jump out the window".
Ashleigh giggles then.
"Case! I was wondering how you got him out of here!", She laughs.
"Boy inside!", I suddenly hear and me and Ash veer around.
"Abby it's me, Rusty, you know Jordan's ex boyfriend? Casey's brother? I've been here a few times", Rusty explains and I'm wondering why he's here.
"Really? I don't remember you", Laura says in a slightly bitchy way.
"I'm literally Dale's friend Laura. You know, Dale who you're-", Rusty gets cut off.
"Who works here. Yeah I know", She says quickly and gives him a look. I never really knew whether Dale and Laura's little fling was on or off.
"Well I'm here to see-"
"Rusty!", I call to him to come over to me.
"Casey, there you are", he looks slightly panicked, his eyes wide as he comes towards me and Ash and the other girls go back to talking and eating. "Oh, um… Hi Ashleigh".
I look at them both, sensing some sort of tension.
"Rusty", She nods and turns to her plate to stuff part of a muffin into her mouth.
"We have a problem", Rusty looks back over to me, panic in his eyes.
"What is it?"
"You're not gonna like this but… mom and dad are here", He winces.
"What?!", I panic now. This could not be happening. All I wanted to do was get back into bed and go back to yesterday. I couldn't deal with all of this. "Here, here? Are they outside?"
"No, don't worry I got them to stay at the hotel, I told them I would get you and we'd all meet up at lunch", he explains.
"Crap! A surprise attack? Seriously?!", I put my face in my hands.
"That's uh… not all", Rusty says awkwardly and I look up at him in horror. "They want us to bring Cappie".
"Oh god", I groan. "This cannot be happening".
"What's the big deal? Yeah it'll be awkward but they have to meet him sometime right?", Rusty shrugs.
"Well….", Ashleigh speaks and gives me a look, shaking her head.
"Don't start", I say to her. I was not in the mood for this sick joke.
"I told you there would be consequences", she puts her hands up.
"What's going on?", Rusty looks at us, confused and I gesture for us to move somewhere quieter and more private as I walk over to the empty living room, the two of them following.
Rusty looks at me for answers.
"Well…", I start, really wishing I didn't have to tell my little brother about my sex life. Especially when Cappie was his friend.
"She slept with Cappie last night", Ashleigh interjects before I can speak and I turn to her with a glare.
"Seriously?", Rusty questions and then grimaces. "I did not need to know that".
"How did you think the baby was made? You think your sisters the next Virgin Mary? Please", Ashleigh scoffs.
"Well I know how of course, I just… didn't want to picture my sister doing it with one of my best friends and big brother", He cringes.
"This sounds way more out of hand than it is", I sigh and sit down on the couch. "Me and Cappie are adults and if we want to have sex, we will".
"Yeah but isn't that like… confusing to not know what you are?", Rusty says.
"Thank you! That's what I've been saying", Ashleigh feels vindicated.
"You guys! I get it okay, I just… well you know how I was yesterday Ash", I whine and Rusty looks at the two of us, confused again.
"She was horny", Ashleigh explains to him nonchalantly.
"Ash!", I whine.
"Ew!", Rusty groans and shakes his head. "Y'know what, I can't handle much more of this. Maybe I'll just wait outside".
"No wait!", I grab his arm. "Rusty what the hell are we gonna do about mom and dad?"
"Well, they're kind of here to see you, not me", Rusty shrugs.
"Yeah because they can't accept that I won't go back to Chicago and have the baby there", I sigh. "But I have everything under control, they don't need to be here".
Rusty and Ashleigh share a look.
"What is that look between the two of you supposed to mean?", I say, upset now. "Just because I slept with Cappie once doesn't mean that I'm not gonna be a good mom here in Cyprus without them".
"No that's not what we're implying at all", Ash softens now. "Don't worry, I've seen how you've handled this whole thing so well and I know you're gonna be fine here without them. Just show them that too and they'll step off your toes".
"Thanks Ash", I nod. "But what am I gonna do about them wanting to meet Cappie?"
"Well I'm pretty sure we're gonna have to take Cappie to lunch with us", Rusty says. "Mom definitely isn't gonna give in easily".
I groan then.
"It's gonna be so awkward".
"Yep. Completely. Especially now that I know you guys slept together", Rusty agrees with me. "Look, I don't want them here anymore than you do, I'm hungover from the party last night, for one, and two, I definitely have better things to do on a Saturday".
I give him a look.
"Okay fine, I didn't have plans, but I really could've used this time to study", He crosses his arms.
"Okay well… I guess I'm gonna just have to call Cappie", I put my hands on my temples. "This day could not get any worse".
"Why don't we just go there in person?", Rusty suggests. "I left my sweater at KT last night anyway".
"Yeah okay", I nod.
"Have some good family fun time you two!", Ash makes fun of us, rubbing it in, which is met with death glares from us both. "I'm gonna spend the day painting my nails, maybe going shopping".
"Oh to be you", I joke. "Wait a sec… I'm supposed to go shopping today. I guess I can do it after. Ugh".
"Don't worry, why don't you give me the list and I can do it", Ashleigh offers. "I hang around here and eat here half the time anyways, and it's not like I have to pay for them".
"Aw that would be such a great help", I hug her. "Rebecca would probably kill me in my sleep if I didn't get to the store today".
"Well we can't have that", Ash smiles. "You've got a baby to keep safe. My goddaughter".
Ash really loved to throw it in there whenever she could that she was her godmother.
"Wait a sec… you've made Ashleigh an official godmother and still haven't asked me to be the godfather, and I'm literally your brother? Not to mention the dad's friend?!", Rusty complains.
"Sorry Rus, I just thought it was a given. Unless Cappie has any objections, you're the godfather", I smile. "I thought that was obvious".
"Okay good. I better be", He says, a smile appearing on his face.
"Thanks for being here for me today you guys", I look at them. "I already know how rough it's gonna be and I haven't even seen mom and dad yet".
"Just stand your ground Case", Ash says. "You're 22, they can't make you go with them".
"I know, don't worry, I'm having her here", I say strongly.
"Well… let's go tell them that", Rusty pulls me off the couch, which is a definite help since it's getting slightly harder to pick myself up from sitting positions because it always felt like my stomach was weighing me down.
I go up to grab my purse and then come back down to go out with Rusty in my car.
"Do you think it's too late to hire someone off Craigslist to play Cappie at this thing, or…?", I joke with him as we drive the short distance down the road to the KT house.
"It'll be fine Case", Rusty laughs. "Cappie's likeable".
"Yeah likeable to you and me… but to parents?", I give him a look from the drivers seat. "And that's not to mention the fact that they lowkey blame him for getting me pregnant".
"Well I'll stand up for Cappie too. So it won't just be you. Don't worry", He tries to comfort me.
"Thanks Rus", I nod and then we get out of the car and walk up the driveway. "Also what the hell was up with you and Ash?"
"Um…", Rusty stalls awkwardly. "Let's just focus on you today".
I don't press because I've already got enough going on.
You never really know what you'll find when you walk into the KT house but I hoped since it was Saturday morning most of them would still be hungover and asleep from last night.
"Well no one's sleeping on the porch today", I say. "That's a good sign considering the homecoming party last night".
"Anthony Hopkins did crash in the backyard bushes, but yeah other than that all the KT's made it safely into a bed. It might not be their own bed, but at least it's a bed", Rusty jokes and I laugh. "I guess now I know why Cappie disappeared out of thin air last night".
"Yeah… don't worry I'll never mention me and Cappie sleeping together again. I don't want to scar you for life", I joke with him as he opens the door and we walk in.
As I'd suspected, many of the KTs were sprawled sporadically across the living room, fast asleep.
"Where do you think Cappie is?", I whisper to Rusty.
"Probably in his room", Rusty says. "I'm just gonna go grab my sweater, that is if it wasn't stolen or used as something to mop up vomit again".
I give him a grossed out look but don't question it. There was too much to do today.
I walk upstairs to Cappie's bedroom and knock on the door.
"Rusty?", I hear his voice.
"No it's me", I say and the door opens a second later to a confused, shirtless, slightly wet haired Cappie with a towel around his waist.
"Oh…", I'm surprised by his lack of clothing. And I can't help the way I stare a little too long at his toned physique only covered by a towel around his waist. "Sorry I didn't want to bother you, I can wait for you downstairs".
He instantly gives me a look and laughs.
"Case. C'mon", He invites me in.
"I know, I know. Nothing I haven't seen before", I roll my eyes with a laugh.
"So is this that talk you mentioned us having?", He gives me a smirk. "Because I don't have to get dressed if you want to just forgo that and go for round two".
I give him a slight glare now.
"Cap I have a really serious thing that has come up", I sigh and he looks genuinely concerned now.
"What's going on?", He asks and I sit down on his bed.
"My parents randomly showed up and they want to meet me and Rusty for lunch", I groan. "And they want me to bring you".
"Oh….", He thinks it over.
"This is just the worst timing ever. And they obviously came unannounced so that they could ambush me", I sigh. "I'm sorry. This is just gonna be a really awkward time and you don't have to come if you don't feel like it".
"No, no", He sits beside me. "Of course I'm gonna go. I mean… I see why they want to meet me".
"Yeah because in their minds they think they need to knock some sense into me, try to convince me that this won't work here on my own so they can make me come back to Chicago with them and live out my days staring at my Hello Kitty walls", I explain neurotically.
"Or… maybe they just want to meet the father of their grandchild?", he suggests.
"Cappie I know my parents and I can see right through this, their real motive is to try and get me out of Cyprus", I say. "It has my mom written all over it".
"Okay well we'll just have to stand our ground. I'll try to make them like me as much as possible", He gives me a smirk. "Not that parents really take to me, but I'll try".
"Thank you", I smile at him then.
"And as for us talking about last night?"
"When things calm down with my parents, I promise we'll talk", I look at his eyes. "Maybe tonight".
"Okay", He nods and gets up. "So… what in my closet screams 'I can be a responsible father'"
"Well…", I giggle. "For starters, definitely not your 'Jamaica me horny' T shirt".
"C'mon, that thing is awesome!", He argues, smirking.
"No, no way", I giggle. "I think there should be an unwritten rule that you can't wear that shirt and be a dad simultaneously".
"Okay fine", He laughs. "Jeans and a button down it is. Unless your parents are more khakis kind of people?"
"Just wear what you normally wear", I look at him softly. "I don't want you to change yourself, seriously. Just be you today".
He looks at me quizzically.
"Is this sarcasm or…?"
"No I'm serious Cap. Don't put on an act or anything or be someone you're not. I like you for you, and I'm happy you're her dad. It doesn't matter if they are too. Just be yourself", I smile at him and his eyes soften as they meet mine, his face looking touched.
"So the Jamaica me horny shirt is still in the ring then…?", He jokes with me, putting his finger on his lip as I roll my eyes at him.
"I'll meet you downstairs dummy", I give him a laugh before leaving him to change for this cursed lunch.