I wake up the next morning, groggy and still feeling pretty unrested.
I turn over expecting to see Cappie beside me, remembering that he'd slept here last night. But he's not here in my bed now.
I guess maybe he'd gone home.
I sit up then and get up to go to the washroom. The baby was seriously pushing on my bladder.
I come back to my room after to see Cappie sitting on my bed to my surprise.
"Oh god!", I practically scream, looking at him with my arms crossed. "Jesus Cappie! You almost gave me a heat attack".
"Well good morning to you too princess", He jokes with me. He has two paper bags in his hand and a coffee take out tray with two drinks.
I give him a grin then.
"Did you bring me sustenance?", I giggle.
Okay, I admit it, I'm really really happy that he didn't go home.
"Yep, I got you a bagel, and a tea. Decaf, I made sure", He sets the drink down on my bedside table. "And don't worry about the girls, a lot of them are at morning classes and Ash helped sneak me back up here".
"Aw that's nice", I smile, taking the bag from him with my bagel in it.
"So you feeling okay so far today?", He asks me.
"Yeah I feel normal. Just still pretty tired, but normal", I smile. "Thank god. I should be totally fine now".
"That's so good to hear", Cappie sighs of relief. "You have no idea".
I blush at him then as we both eat next to each other on the bed.
"So… I was still thinking that I'd go look at the apartment in Rusty's building today, talk to Sheila about it", I say.
"Yeah? You're sure you're well enough for that?", He asks.
"Yes Cappie", I give him a good natured groan. "I'll be fine. I know you already missed a class or two yesterday so you should go today, don't worry about me".
"Okay", He nods. "It's no big deal though, I've passed classes I didn't even know the names to before".
He gives me a devilish grin and I roll my eyes at him.
"Of course you have", I laugh.
"Well I guess I'll see you later today then. Promise not to go too crazy? Make sure you relax lots too, even the doctor said that", Cap reminds me.
I give him a look.
I finish my bagel then, collecting the garbage into one of the bags.
"All I'm doing is driving ten minutes across town to look at two apartments available in the building", I assure him with a slight laugh. "Not climbing Machu Picchu".
"Okay, well tell Sheila I said hi. Actually… maybe don't. She kinda freaks me out", Cappie jokes with me and I giggle.
"Get to class dummy", I instruct him with my pointer finger.
He puts his hands up, playing along with me.
"Alright mommy".
I shake my head with a laugh as he grabs his book bag.
"Talk to you later!", I tell him.
"Alright, KT is always there for you to stop by", He gives me a look.
"Alright", I laugh. "Bye!"
"Bye!"
Luckily no girl has really said anything about him staying here yesterday evening, and hopefully he can leave without anyone seeing him.
For one I think Cappie tried to hide out in my room away from everyone as much as possible, and two, I think the girls knew I had a rough night and needed him here. Ash had told them everything and I could tell they felt bad for me. Even Rebecca had given me a hug when before I went up to bed which almost sent me into shock.
I get dressed, trying to find something that would actually fit becoming a struggle, especially with the weather getting cold, I couldn't just wear flowy dresses all the time anymore.
I try a pair of my jeans that me and Ash had dubbed my fat pants. Reserved for thanksgiving dinner and days on your period when you felt like eating Willy Wonka's whole chocolate factory.
But dammit, even those wouldn't zip up. I sigh now in frustration, panting out of tiredness from jumping up and down trying to hoist the pants on.
Pregnancy was no joke.
I slump down on the floor, defeated, and give in to grabbing my biggest yoga pants that I kept at the back of my pants drawer.
Looks like I'm going to have to take a trip to a maternity clothes store.
I didn't even know where to shop for maternity clothing, I'd have to search it up. Because I seriously needed a pair of pregnancy jeans or something.
But until then, I put on the grey yoga pants which were the only thing able to fit on the bump comfortably today.
I pick out a pink sweater, add some jewelry and call it a day.
I called Sheila to ask her if it was okay if I came over now and luckily she's around all day.
I come downstairs to a mostly quiet house, sling my purse over my shoulder and open the front door to leave but am surprised by who's standing there waiting.
"Casey!", She beams, looking like she was just about to knock.
It's Katherine, standing here with a gift basket.
"Katherine?", I smile at her. "Wow, how are you? It's so good to see you".
"I'm doing well actually, decided to come back to law school here at CRU. And I heard through the grapevine that you're expecting a little one so I just had to come over and congratulate you for myself", She smiles and hands me the basket.
"Aw", I pucker my lip. "This is so sweet of you Katherine. Why don't you come in?"
"You were just on your way out weren't you?"
"Yeah but… it can wait a few minutes. I'm just happy to see you!", I smile.
"Well alright, I'd love to ZBZ", She smiles and comes in the house as I look inside the basket at what she'd gotten me. "That's rosehip oil nipple cream, according to my manicurist it works like a charm".
"Aw that's so…", I search for a word for what to say to someone when they buy you nipple cream. "Sweet!"
"There's also a documentary DVD in there about women in Africa who deliver their babies in tents, they walk around barefoot all 9 months and have everyone sing a traditional fertility chant while they give birth", she explains. "It's very interesting. Could maybe give you some ideas for when you give birth".
"Wow, that is just…. so cool", I try to match her enthusiasm for walking around barefoot and fat while singing a song. "Thank you".
"I just cannot believe you're expecting", She smiles as we go to the living room. "I didn't have you pegged for someone who wanted to become a mother yet".
"Well", I laugh awkwardly. "I didn't exactly want to. It kind of just happened. But we're happy about it now".
I give her an awkward smile.
"We're?", She questions. "From what I'm hearing the president of Kappa Tau is the father?"
"Yeah, Cappie is the dad", I confirm.
"Very interesting… a ZBZ KT hybrid baby", She thinks about it. "It'll be a greek system baby if there ever was one".
"Yep", I laugh. "Except I'm keeping her far away from frat parties".
"Her? Wow, even better. Well I just wanted to tell you that I'm happy for you and that I'm here if you need anything. Well here for the next three years, after that I'll hopefully be on the path to running for president or something akin to that", She smiles.
"That's so kind of you Katherine. I might have a baby shower, I'd love for you to come".
"I would love that ZBZ! I can make her a knitted blanket for when she's born", Katherine smiles.
"Aw that would be so sweet. To be honest I still have a lot of things to get for her", I laugh. "It means a lot that you came over today, I'm so happy you're in Cyprus".
"Me too", She smiles. "Now… I just have one favour to ask you".
"Sure, anything".
"Well since you're in with KT's president I was wondering… this is going to sound so silly, like a schoolgirl who has a crush", She shakes her head, looking embarrassed. "I'd like to go on a date with… Beaver. If you think he'd be interested".
"Beaver?", I can't help but let out a small laugh.
She looks confused at why I would think that's funny.
"Oh um…", I manage to get a straight face again. "For sure, Beaver would love to go out with you, I'm sure of it. I'll ask Cappie if he can arrange it".
I give her a smile, still stuck on the crazy potential partnership that could be Katherine and Beaver.
"Perfect", She practically jumps with glee. "I knew I could count on you. I stopped by Doblers after homecoming on Sunday and… he was standing there like something out of a Jane Austen novel. I felt like Elizabeth Bennet".
She looks off into the distance and I try and make sure my face isn't showing the inner laughter I have going on inside.
"Who knows Casey, you and me could both be on the arm of a KT man soon", She sighs with a smile, looking lost in thought about Beaver, of all people.
"Oh um…", I laugh nervously. "I mean me and Cappie are friends right now".
"Just friends?", She looks surprised.
"Well not… just friends but uh…", I stammer, trying to come up with a word for what we are. "We're figuring it out I guess. It's complicated".
"KT guys are complicated, who would've thought right?", She says giddily. "There's something about them".
"Oh… totally", I nod with a nervous laugh. "They grow on you".
Cappie would get a kick out of this later, I'm sure. I make a mental note to tell him this whole story. He'd been trying to find Beaver a girlfriend for awhile.
"Well that's all I have to ask of you ZBZ, just a chance with Beaver, and I'd love to know his real name eventually", She smiles.
Did Beaver have a real name? I suppose I'd never thought about it.
"I can't wait to meet the little one and to perhaps have a new beau to spice up my life. I can't be the only 22 year old virgin around this campus anymore. It's time I look for love too", she professes.
"Yeah totally", I encourage her. "We could double date!"
"Yes! So many possibilities", She gleams. "Anyways I should get going. I've got a lot of studying I need to get done. I'll be in touch ZBZ".
We get up and I walk her to the door.
"Bye Katherine, it was so good to see you", I see her out and she waves, taking off merrily down the driveway.
When I close the door and turn around to bring the basket up to my room, I make a mental note to throw out the documentary. I didn't need to be any more freaked out and disturbed of giving birth than I already was.
But I'd show it to Cappie first, unpack the rest of the basket with him. I know he'd find this whole thing hilarious.
Katherine had such a good heart though, I was lucky to have her in my life.
And if she wanted Beaver… well I think me and Cappie could arrange that.
I go back downstairs and out to my car now.
"Time to look at where I'm gonna bring you home to", I say to my belly, excitement to finally get my own place with Cappie making me smile all the way over to the apartment building.
"I can't believe you got the apartment! That's awesome Case. I've got my share whenever you have to make the payment, just let me know", Cappie says, sitting on his bed as I come out of his washroom.
I looked at the two apartments and settled on the one that was a corner unit. Sheila had said it was really quiet. I mean, probably not once we moved into it with a crying baby… but anyways. I really liked it. It was on the third floor, had a small balcony, two decent sized bedrooms. Very similar to Rusty and Dale's unit but was a floor above them.
"I know right, it's starting to feel exciting. Moving out of ZBZ is sad but I'm ready for something new", I smile.
"Yeah... me too actually", he returns the grin.
"Really?", I say, surprised. "Because... I wasn't sure if you'd have trouble leaving here? Not that you'd have to spend every night at the apartment anyway..."
"No, it's time", He looks at me seriously then. "What's important is the baby... and you. And I can visit the guys here anytime. In fact, I'll make a point of it since I'm frankly a little scared of how some of them will function without me".
I laugh then. Cappie was like a big brother or fatherly figure to most of them.
"But Rusty will have to take my place", He smiles.
"I think he'll be good", I nod and hand him my camera and then move back to stand in front of the window where it's now dark outside.
I stand still with my top pulled up so that Cappie can get a good photo.
"Okay got it", He smiles, looking at the result on my digital camera. "That's a good one"
We'd been taking one each week for a scrapbook I'm making. Every week I glue the picture in and write about little things that happened. So hopefully she could look at it when she's older.
I walk over to sit beside him on his bed and look at the screen. We were at his place tonight. We always got more privacy here and I felt like I shouldn't have Cappie around 24/7 at ZBZ because it would probably look bad. Whereas the KT guys didn't care if there was a girl on the upstairs floor. Mostly because… between them there almost always was one up here at some point during the day.
"So what are you gonna write this week? 'Hey baby, me and your dad hooked up, twice, both times were my idea because I couldn't stand his stud like nature any longer, I just had to jump his bones. But that caused a cyst to burst in mommy leading to a very awkward ER visit'", Cappie says sarcastically and I hit him on the arm but I can't help the smile that makes it's way onto my face.
"We are never telling her about that, okay?", I laugh.
"My lips are sealed", He says like it's obvious. "I wouldn't want her knowing that any more than you would".
"I'm just gonna write on the page for this week 'mom and dad got more and more excited at the thought of meeting you'", I suggest.
"Wholesome", Cappie gives me a sarcastic grin. "Very sweet".
I roll my eyes at him.
"And I'll write 'mom had to go shopping for maternity clothes'", I say.
"You did?"
"Yep, I was down to only one pair of pants fitting well", I gesture to the pants I'm currently wearing with a groan. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. I got these jeans that have like this stretchy compartment on them for my belly. When I was there I picked up a few nursing bras too since I don't have one yet".
"Is it bad that that turns me on?", He jokes and I just about hit his arm again but instead I shake my head at him like he's crazy.
"Hey so you'll never believe who came over to ZBZ today asking me to set her up with Beaver of all people", I sit up straight, eyes wide, ready to tell him the gossip.
"Someone should nab Beaver up. I've been saying it for years. I mean, he's like a big golden retriever. Sure, he doesn't always know what day it is but I got him these special underwear with the days of the week on them and that helps", Cap says and I giggle at him.
"You ready for who it is? You're gonna be surprised", I say and he looks at me, waiting. "It's Katherine".
"What?", He laughs. "Really?"
"Yeah she asked if you and me could set them up", I say. "Would Beaver be into that?"
"Beaver would go out with a broom with a face drawn on it", Cappie jokes. "He'd totally be into it".
"Okay good", I laugh. "She called him her Mr. Darcy or something. I don't know it was all very weird".
"Oh boy", Cappie laughs.
"And she also dropped off a gift basket of… rather odd things for me", I say. "But it's the thought that counts".
"Why, what was in it?", He laughs, amused by this.
"I brought it over to show you", I laugh and pull it off the floor where I had it and my purse resting.
"Well first off… a documentary on women in Africa who give birth naturally in tents while the community chants, which we will not be watching", I laugh, showing it to him.
"I can chant for you if it would help on the day", Cappie jokes and I shake my head at him.
"Yeah no way", I giggle and show him a couple more things in the basket.
"Some scented nipple cream, her famous zucchini bread, some fertility beads…"
"Why would you need fertility beads?", Cappie laughs. "You're already pregnant".
"I know right, I want the opposite of fertility beads at this point", I scoff. "And then this book about the benefits of breastfeeding your child into their twos and threes".
I show him the book and Cappie grimaces then.
"Damn that'd be a long time to have someone other than me clawing at your boobs", He jokes and I smirk at him.
"Yeah, there's no way I'm doing that", I state. "And lastly, this…"
I pick out a contraption that looked like something rather inappropriate.
"Oh my god", Cappie laughs, looking shocked. "Is that what I think it is?"
I'll just say it. It looked like a dildo. Not that I'd ever seen one in real life.
"That's what I thought too", I go red, laughing along with him. "And I thought I was going to have to have a very awkward conversation with Katherine. But then I realized it came with instructions and-"
"I'm pretty sure how to use it is straightforward enough", Cappie holds it up with a laugh, highly amused by this.
I shake my head at him with a smirk and continue to explain it.
"Well according to the manual that came with it it's actually a cervix massager", I explain.
"What?", Cappie scoffs with a laughs. "Is that a thing?"
"Apparently it is", I giggle. "It's supposed to help open up your cervix when you're full term or overdue and ready to get the baby the hell out".
"Well, we may as well hold onto it then", Cappie says jokingly. "Could be useful, I can keep it in my drawer with my condoms and my handcuffs".
"Cap!", I giggle at him then.
"I can use it on you when you're 9 months pregnant", he shrugs and I hit him with the manual.
"What?!", Cappie puts his hands up. "Only for the purpose of trying to put you into labour. Not in a sexual way! I mean… unless you want it to be".
I can tell he's joking and this whole thing is making me happy I showed him the basket so I could have someone to share the hilarity of it with.
"No way", I giggle. "It can stay in your condom drawer forever. All jokes aside though, it was nice to see her. And really sweet of her to care to give me these things. Even if they are… filled with her usual Katherine weirdness".
Cappie laughs then as I pack the items back into the basket.
"You know… if you don't want that book about breastfeeding, I'm pretty sure the guys here at KT would take it off your hands. Especially if it has illustrations", Cappie jokes with me, a smile gracing his face.
I hit his arm again.
"Wow you're feisty tonight, I like it", He laughs.
"Yeah?", I laugh, meeting his eyes.
"Yeah", he nods, his face becoming slightly more serious, his eyes searching mine. His face only inches away from my lips.
It would be so easy to kiss him right now. So easy.
But kissing would always lead to other stuff between us. And right now I physically, and emotionally, wasn't allowed to do it. Which only made me want to more, of course.
"Do you want something to eat?", Cappie breaks our gaze, probably trying to combat the feelings that typically arise between us when we're in a bedroom alone together. "Remember the doctor said you should always be keeping food in your stomach?"
"Are you trying to distract me with food so that we don't kiss?", I say bluntly, a smirk on my face.
"Was it that obvious?"
I shrug.
"We have more self control than that, don't we?", I say.
"Well our track record isn't the greatest", Cappie laughs. "… I got that sherbet that you like, the raspberry one. Think that might hit the spot?"
Not like you would, I think. But it'll do.
"Yes!", I nod happily. "Oh and I like chocolate chips in it, if you have them".
"Sure, I'm on it", He smiles and leaves the room.
I look down at my stomach.
Well if I'm gonna eat every time I want to distract myself from wanting to kiss Cappie I was probably going to need to make another visit to the maternity clothing store.
