"You know… I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry again Casey. For how I've been judging your situation with Cappie the past few months", My mom sighs and I can tell it's hard for her to admit, which makes it all the more special that she's actually apologizing. "I know I haven't been the… nicest when it comes to him".
Me and her were sitting on the couch while Cappie, my dad and Rusty moved all the baby stuff to Cappie's room and moved Cappie's stuff out.
I was eating the dinner they'd brought me back from the restaurant while Noelle laid beside me on her baby pillow.
"Thanks for saying that mom", I give her a smile. "I know that maybe me and Cappie don't have the most conventional relationship but…. I love him. And he's a really good dad, he's the only one I'd want to be doing this with".
I smile to myself.
"I can tell you really love him", She nods, looking me over. "You've never acted like this before. Well…"
She thinks to herself and then laughs.
"The only other time I saw you like this was when you came home for Christmas break during your freshman year and you told me and your father you were dating someone", She gives me a slight smirk. "Which me and your father really thought would just be a college fling and we didn't want you to get your heart broken but…. Well now, 4 years later, he's the father of your baby…"
I scoff to myself then, thinking back to 4 years ago.
"I guess I knew even then", I shrug. "I kind of just… pushed him away for a few years because… I thought we were too different. And I didn't know if he'd ever leave college. But… well, as soon as I told him I was pregnant he talked to his advisor literally that same day so he could make a plan to graduate".
"He wants this with you, that's for sure", my mom laughs slightly. "He looks exhausted..."
The two of us laugh then.
"But also looks so in love with you… and in love with his daughter", My mom adds with a soft smile.
"Well he's had to really be there more for me than I thought because of my surgery", I sigh. "I didn't think I'd have to have a c section and now I can't move well or get up out of bed as easily to get her in the night. But Cappie's really taking on the extra responsibility".
"That's good to hear honey", She looks genuinely happy. "I know I've been hard on you but it's just because I want the best for you. I want you to be taken care of. Back in May when you found out about the baby I thought you were going to be a single mother and I just know how hard that life would be for you. That's the only reason I talked to you about adoption".
I nod, understanding her explanation more now.
"I get it mom", I give her a smile. "I'm really lucky to have Cappie to help. If I didn't I would have to lean on you and dad a lot more and live at home with you guys, at least for the first little while. But… I'm really happy I kept her".
I look down at Noelle sleeping, her eyes shut, her expression soft, lips in a cute little pucker.
"I'm happy you did too honey", my mom touches my leg comfortingly. "She's meant to be with you. I can… see that now. And I know that you'll be a good mother. You already have the most important quality, you love her to death".
I can't help but grin then, finally hearing these words out of my mom's mouth.
"Aw thanks mom", I smile as I keep eating some of my pasta.
"Ow!", I hear in the distance and we both perk up, hoping no one's gotten hurt.
"Oh crap Rusty, was that your foot?", I hear Cap's voice.
"Yes!", I hear Rusty's exclaim in pain.
Me and my mom lock eyes in a slight panic.
"Everyone okay?", I call out.
"Yeah I'll be fine Casey, Cappie just stepped on my foot!", I hear Rusty yell out.
"Can we just finish this? My game is probably half over by now!", I hear my father complain in a gruff voice and I look at my mom to roll my eyes as we laugh.
"Dad it's one game!", I call out to him as I giggle. "Isn't your new granddaughter's nursery more important?"
I hear a pause then as he lets out a long sigh.
"Fine Casey", He finally gives in and I look to my mom smugly as she laughs.
"You know how your father is about his hockey", She laughs.
"Yeah I know", I shake my head, remembering how things were growing up.
It felt good to make up with my mom and dad… to finally have some good times with them. Truthfully, it was nice to have their help with things, to let them bring me food home, to have my dad to help Cappie move stuff, because, let's be honest, Rusty wasn't a lot of help in that department.
I forget that my parents could actually be comforting sometimes.
"Well honey… you'll probably be happy to hear this but…", My mom sighs as she's gotten my attention away from my thoughts. "Me and your father are going to head home tomorrow, around noon. We have a New Years Eve party to attend at the Radcliff's house".
"Aw mom", I give her a frown. "I'm not happy you're going, seriously. It's been… really nice to have you guys here".
"Well, thanks. It's been so great to be here, to meet Noelle, see you and Rusty", My mom smiles. "But… I know you'll be okay now. I know now that you have a boyfriend who cares about you and who'll help take care of you and the baby… and I know that you can handle this now".
She gives me a genuine smile.
"Aw mom!", I lean in to hug her. "You're gonna make me cry!"
"Trust me the hormones don't stop after you have the baby", My mom laughs as I pull away from our embrace.
"Tell me about it", I roll my eyes. "I feel like I've cried like… a million times since having her".
"Well I'm sorry that I was responsible for one of those times", My mom frowns.
"It's… it's fine now", I wave it off. "I understand mom. I guess if I was in your position and Noelle got pregnant 22 years from now with some guy I didn't know very well then I don't really know how I would feel either".
I laugh slightly then as I shrug.
"Well I'm proud of you, truly Casey. I know I was upset at you back when you found out, but you've been really responsible about this. I love you honey", My mom tells me.
"I love you too mom", I nod, feeling warm inside.
"Now let me get up and see how these guys are doing. I might have to get in there and direct them… you know how men are, absolutely no sense for design", My mom scoffs and then gets up as I give her a laugh.
Sure my mom was a bit of a control freak. But she meant well, and I truly couldn't be upset about that. About having two parents that cared this much about me and my baby.
Sadly it was more than Cappie had right now.
"Case!", A voice shakes my from my thoughts. Cappie's voice. "You gotta come see this".
"Okay!", I put my plate down and grab Noelle into my arms.
I walk into what was Cap's old room to see it completely transformed.
"Oh my god!", my mouth is open in shock. "Guys! Where did all this stuff come from?"
I look around to see a cute mobile with a bunch of stars hanging above Noelle's crib, some pink teddy bear sticker like things lining the wall, a cute pink blanket to go in her crib. There's also a bunch of kids books lining the bookshelf which before just had Cappie's CDs in it.
Then we had the stuff that me and Cappie had already gotten for her. Her changing table, diaper pail, my pink rocking chair that Cappie had gotten me after I'd lost our bet.
"Where did all this stuff come from?", I look over to my parents and Rusty and Cap who stand smiling, happy that I'm so surprised.
"Well… me and your father never really got you a baby shower present for her… and we figured we'd combine Christmas too", My mom explains. "After dinner we went to buy some things to try to make her nursery more than just moving some of Cappie's stuff out".
"Aw, guys", I feel my face getting hot as I begin to cry.
"Aw don't cry Case", Cappie laughs slightly, coming over to me and taking Noelle out of my arms so I can fully walk in and appreciate everything.
"I'm just still really emotional and I had no idea you guys were doing this", I sob. "I always wanted her to have a room like this… I just didn't think she would".
"Well now our daughter can have her own room", Cappie grins and rocks Noelle up and down in his arms. "Isn't that right honey?"
"Thanks again guys", I come over to hug my mom and then my dad. "Thanks for missing your game to help move all this stuff Dad".
I laugh slightly as I see my dad smile.
"Anything for you and my granddaughter", He waves it off.
"Where'd Cappie's mattress go?", I ask.
"Well it was from KT anyway, so me and your dad brought it down to Rusty's place", Cap explains. "Me and Rusty will take it back there sometime".
"Okay", I nod, smiling that it's official that me and Cappie aren't going to have to fight the urge to share a bed at night, now we just would all the time. Like a real couple with a baby.
"This is so amazing", I say again, just feeling my heart swell in my chest, happy to have all these people in my life.
"Well now that you're all setup here…", My dad starts a little hesitantly.
"Go catch the rest of your game dad", I giggle at him as he grins and then quickly leaves out the door of the room.
"Rusty, wanna head down to your place, you have the HD channels right?", My dad pokes his head back in to take a reluctant Rusty with him. Rusty had never really cared about sports… like, at all.
"Well I'm gonna finally get something to eat", Cappie scoffs and I realize he really has barely eaten all day.
"Your spaghettis on the counter", I give him a smile. "Here I'll take the baby".
"Thanks", He grins his usual Cappie smile at me, looking me over, I think happy that I'm so happy right now.
"I'm gonna go downstairs with Rusty and your father", My mom gives me a look. "Let your little family have some time together".
"Okay mom", I purse my lips into a sheepish smile as I feel myself going red. "Thanks for everything".
"I'll see you guys in the morning", She gives me a supportive nod and then is out the door to follow Rusty and my dad.
Once she's gone I sit down on the couch with Noelle.
"Yeah how do you like your new room? Isn't it great?", I give her a little squeeze, smiling at her. "Your grandma and grandpa helped decorate it for you!"
Cappie comes to sit down beside me on the couch, bringing his food with him.
"I'm really happy you made up with your parents Case", Cappie gives me a genuine smile as he eats.
"Me too Cap", I nod. "I… I hope yours will come around too. And if they don't, well…".
I scoot over to put my head on his shoulder, holding the baby in my lap as she tries to crawl over onto him.
"Then you always have us", I finish my sentence, looking up at him to give him a grin.
He pauses for a moment, chewing his food and looking down at me with his soft blue eyes.
"I love you guys", He says softly. "And when I'm done eating…"
He smirks at me in that mischievous way he does.
"I'm gonna kiss the crap out of you", He grins.
"Cap! No words like that in front of the baby!", I giggle.
"Hey I wanted to use the F word but I opted for a more PG option", He argues as he laughs.
"Yeah but your version of PG is like… equivalent to everyone else's version of R rated", I giggle.
"Well… you would know", He smiles at me devilishly, giving me a suggestive grin to which I just blush, shaking my head at him.
"Just finish your pasta", I giggle and then look down at Noelle. "Yeah your daddy is bad".
Cappie snickers to himself as we joke around.
"Is it bad that hearing you call me daddy is turning me on?", He looks down at me with that same sinful smile on his face.
"Cap!", I giggle and swat his arm playfully.
"Sorry, sorry", He snickers, focusing on his pasta again. "Last one".
We sit for a moment then, me close to him, him finishing his food.
"Okay fine…", I admit after a pause. And then I look up to him, giving him a sheepish grin. "Saying it kinda turned me on too".
"Oh did it?", He raises his eyebrow at me as he laughs and then he leans forward to put his plate down on our coffee table. He looks absolutely amused by this.
I give him a doe eyed look at I bite my lip, trying to hold in the way I'm smiling.
"Mmm hmm", I nod and then lean in to kiss him now that he's done eating.
We both have our arms around our baby, holding her in between us as we can't help but kiss now that we're all alone.
And even though I had known for awhile now that we were going to try to be a family, me and Cappie and this unplanned baby… Well now was the most I'd ever felt like one, here with him and our daughter tonight. Her room waiting for her… and me and Cappie making my room ours now.
I hug him then, laying against him as I smile to myself, just content to be here with the two of them.
It was the next morning now, me and Cappie had gone to sleep with Noelle pretty early because we were so tired. We ended up having to bring her into our bed again with us, and I had to feed her a few times in the night, one of which I was so sleepy and out of it for I think Cappie just pulled down my top and let her go to town while I was still half asleep.
But the last time I was up to feed her was 5am, and by the grace of god, I was now waking up and it was sunny out. I look over to the clock to see the time.
9:45! I couldn't believe it.
I panic slightly, looking around me to see Cappie gone and Noelle nowhere to be found either. I couldn't believe I'd slept in so late and she hadn't woken me up, I just hope everything is okay.
I get out of bed then to go find them, wearing some pink pajama pants with hearts on them and a pink ZBZ tank top. I peer in the nursery to see it empty and then walk down the hall anxiously, hoping that everything is okay.
When I come out into the kitchen and living room area I immediately smell something good. Breakfast cooking.
I look over to the living room to see Noelle in her carrier, moving her arms and legs around a little bit. I feel like I can breathe again, and I sigh out in relief.
And then I look over to spot Cappie flipping some pancakes in the kitchen.
"Cap?", I let out in a groggy voice, still half asleep, my hair in a bird's nest type ponytail at the top of my head, blonde flyaway strands framing my face.
"Oh hey Case!", he looks over to me, his face lighting up. "You woke up!"
I walk into the room now, waking up more and realizing that there's a display set up on the kitchen counter.
"Oh my gosh", I let out, my mouth ajar as I take in the sight of our kitchen. "Cap… what's all this?"
I walk closer to see the kitchen counter strung out with a string of little fairy lights, Cappie standing behind the counter, smiling, a display in front of him of what looks to be a pie and a red rose. I'm truly surprised, still a little sleepy and out of it, but surprised.
"This…", Cappie grins. "Is our anniversary surprise".
"Anniversary?", I laugh. "We've never even had an official anniversary since our relationship has been so on and off no one would ever be able to peg down a date".
I look at him with a giggle.
"I still say it's August 18th…", Cappie grins, giving me a smirk. "Because that's the night I first saw you".
"Well…", I look at him quizzically. "Unless I woke up in August… I'm pretty sure you have the date wrong Cap, it's New Years Eve today. January 31st".
I raise my eyebrow at him as I laugh.
"Exactly", He grins deviously. "January 31st… New Years Eve. A night where things changed…"
He looks at me, waiting for it to sink in.
"Oh…", I let out, a sheepish smile making its way across my lips. "Right".
I can't help but blush then.
"You didn't have to do this", I look at him with a sweet look, my expression soft, my heart swelling.
"And you didn't have to sleep with me exactly 4 years ago today but… you did, and after some ups and downs of getting back together, breaking up, hooking up, getting back together again, breaking up again and then having a really cute baby… we're still here, together", He smiles at me genuinely, then takes a big breath in, the history of our relationship being a lot to say in one sentence.
I grin at him as I move closer to him, him pulling me in to his body.
"This is really sweet Cap", I hug him close and then pull back to look up at him. "And here I was thinking you weren't really the romantic type of guy".
I giggle, teasing him.
"Well I'm usually not… the evidence would be the two Valentines Days we spent together. But", He puts up a finger jokingly. "That last Valentines Day I truly became a romance god if you remember, and I'm getting better at it month by month".
I can't help but laugh then, giggling so much my stitches hurt but I still don't care to stop.
"Right, you're like a modern day Romeo now", I shrug my shoulders, giving him a teasing grin and then moving away from his arms for a moment to look at his setup. "What's this? Pie?!"
I look at him excitedly, my eyes wide.
"Yep. Pie for breakfast", He smirks. "And it's cherry, your favorite".
"Oh my god, I'm literally going to have an orgasm eating that", I moan jokingly.
"Well we can't have that", He plays along, jokingly looking worried. "Seriously, no action in the downstairs region remember? You're going to have to eat the pie while thinking of something truly unsexy and off putting…"
I giggle then.
"Like Rusty and Ashleigh hooking up, for example", Cappie sets on. "Because let me tell you, I had to hear all the details the other day, but I'll be nice and not relay them to you".
"Ew!", I laugh and swat at his arm, joking around. "Let's just see what else is in your little romantic display".
I give him a smirk and then continue to look on the counter.
"Chocolates", I grin, looking up at him. "And a picture of you and me on last Valentine's Day! Aw! I love this picture, I look so good in that dress, I hope I can look that way again".
I frown down at the picture as I moan.
"I mean, my boobs were a good size, not huge and… milky. And I had a flat stomach…", I sigh.
"You'll look like that again", Cap waves it off. "You're like less than a week postpartum and you already look almost back to normal".
"You obviously haven't seen my belly then", I groan. "My stitches aren't exactly normal".
"I know but in two weeks you have an appointment to go get them out", Cap reminds me. "Seriously though, you look amazing for just having had a baby".
He smiles at me genuinely and I know he actually means it.
"Thanks Cap", I purse my lips into a shy smile. "And what's this? A rose?"
"I feel like that may have been too cheesy but eh… I thought why not?", He laughs.
"How did you acquire a pie at 9:30 in the morning without leaving the apartment Cap?", I laugh, putting my hands on my hips.
"Well lucky for me we both have a pretty awesome little brother", Cappie smiles. "I paid Rusty twenty bucks to go get this pie and a rose at the supermarket".
Cappie grins, a glint of mischief in his eyes.
"Damn he's pretty cheap to get him to do stuff", I joke. "I would've asked for like… fifty".
"I know right!", Cap laughs. "But honestly I think he would've maybe done it for free, he knows they're for you".
I smile, thinking about what a good brother Rusty is.
"He doesn't… know anything about this little anniversary and what the anniversary is for right?", I give Cappie a worried look.
"No, don't worry", He laughs. "Him and your parents know nothing, he probably just thinks I was doing it to be a nice baby daddy after all you've gone through. Which would be valid too."
We both laugh then.
"You are a good baby daddy Cap", I give him a smile, laughing. "Seriously, I can't believe I got to sleep until 9:45!"
"Well I thought you'd need sleep to keep recovering well", Cappie nods. "So when I heard her crying I just scooped her up, brought her out here, put her in her carrier for a bit and voila. Then I changed her and dressed her and she's been fairly calm. I really felt like Martha Stewart for a bit… or Reba".
I giggle at Cappie's joking, my heart feeling warm, really loving him right now.
I move closer to him to lean up and wrap my arms around his neck so my fingers can play with the tufts of brown hair at the back of his head.
"Have I told you that I love you lately?", I whisper to him as I grin seductively at him.
"Mmm… well now you have", He smirks, leaning down to take my lips into his for a kiss. A slow, gentle, passionate kiss that we take our time with.
"I'm really happy that night happened 4 years ago", I smile when we part.
"Me too", He nods, smirking.
"Even if we didn't work out the first time, I'm really lucky that my first was you", I smile against his lips as I lean in to kiss him again. "And… lucky that you'll be my last too".
He smiles genuinely at me and then his lips turn up into his usual Cappie expression.
"Well what if I kick the bucket earlier than expected?", He proposes, putting a finger on his lips.
"How would that happen Cap?", I giggle.
"Car accident, deathly illness… freak sex injury…", he sighs jokingly then as I can't help but laugh, rolling my eyes at his antics.
"Well if any of those things happen… I won't move on I promise. Unless…", I look off then with a shrug.
He gives me a look of fake betrayal, me still in his arms, us leaning against the counter.
"What?!", He says like he's shocked. "Unless what?"
"Unless Chris Evans wants to fly me out to LA… treat newly widowed me to a nice date", I shrug, messing around with him. "What?! You'd want me to be happy and move on right?"
"No!", He laughs. "I would come back and haunt your ass if you did that!"
I giggle then as he squeezes me in his arms, us playing around together like usual.
"Fine", I sigh playfully. "I'll tell Chris Evans no. Me and your daughter will just have to get by by ourselves".
I sigh, looking off jokingly.
"Ghost me would help out", Cappie shrugs, smirking.
"Okay good", I giggle at him and then move to grab two forks from the drawer. "Pie time?"
"Pie time", Cappie nods mischievously as he takes a fork from my hand, clinking it on mine as we cheers each other and then dig in to the pie.
And it's probably the best breakfast I've ever had.
"Okay so this part just goes on your boob and like… squeezes milk out of it?", Cappie gives me a look, a little amused by this contraption as he holds up the breast pump in front of me.
I roll my eyes at him.
"Yes", I laugh. "I read it might hurt the first few times but this means that I'll not be wasting any milk and my boobs won't be so uncomfortable and full. The breast pump like… simulates the same movements that a baby does when it sucks so it tricks my boob into letting milk go".
I explain to him.
"Tricks your boob?", He questions with a smirk.
"Cappie!", I laugh. "Here, just hold this part and I'm gonna look at the instructions again".
I shove the breast pump into his hands so I can look over the pamphlet that came with it.
"Okay so… it says that the nipple has to be at the center of the flange", I start.
"What's a flange?", Cap looks over to me, confused.
"This part Cappie", I point to it. "And it says you can change positions if it hurts but that the nipple should stretch and get used to it after like 10 seconds and then the milk should start to express into the tunnel here. And I can adjust the suction speed".
"Okay", He nods and I pull down the straps of the tank top I have on. I'm still wearing my pajamas as me and Cappie sit on the couch.
I'd already fed Noelle after we'd had breakfast but my other boob was still engorged as ever.
"While I was pregnant I read that the best time to pump is in the morning because that's when the supply is best. So this is perfect", I take the breast pump from him and then position it over my boob. "Okay now I just have to turn it on and then it says to relax".
I turn the button on but still nothing comes out.
"Ugh it's not working", I whine.
"Maybe you're not relaxed enough", Cappie shrugs but I just give him a glare.
"You try to relax when a plastic machine is squeezing your boob in and out!", I laugh.
"Here uh…", Cappie laughs to himself. "The instructions said to massage your breast or use a hot compress before pumping to get the flow started".
"Oh okay. That's helpful", I nod.
"I'll get your heating pad from your room", Cap offers.
"Thanks!"
When he comes back with it I plug it in and use that on my boob for awhile, which, if there was anyone else but us in this apartment, would probably look pretty weird.
"Okay", I sigh out, feeling like I've done it long enough. "Cap…"
I look over to him as he nods.
"Why don't you give me that massage you've been offering since I had her and the lactation consultant mentioned it?", I give him a look, serious but also giving him a smirk, knowing he'll probably like this.
His face brightens up into his signature grin as he nods.
"Yes, that I can do", He rubs his hands together, trying to warm them up as he blows hot air on them which makes me giggle. "Alright… masseuse Cappie is ready".
"Okay", I giggle, and look over to Noelle beside us. "I think she's asleep so she won't see this".
"Oh c'mon", Cappie laughs. "It's not like we're having sex in front of her, we're doing this to try to make her food".
"True", I scoff and then feel Cappie's hands on my boob, massaging it with his hands.
"Is that okay?", He meets my eyes.
"Mmm hmm", I nod up and down and I can't help the way I start to feel tingling down my body. Which I probably shouldn't be feeling since I definitely can't do anything of that… nature right now. "Um…"
I let out a breathy sigh, feeling nervous butterflies.
"Maybe we shouldn't do… this right now", I let out in a breathy voice as he looks back at me, confused for a moment until it clicks in his mind.
"This is totally turning you on right now, isn't it?!", He laughs, looking entertained and pleased by this.
"Ugh Cappie, don't tease me, just-", I stop mid sentence then when I start to feel wetness coming from my breast.
"Oh wow…", Cappie looks down at my boob, his hand now covered in milk. "Well hey, it worked".
"Oh god", I sigh, embarrassed.
He just looks up at me, and then laughs.
"Hey don't worry, don't be embarrassed", he wipes his hands on his pajama pants and then puts his hand on my arm to assure me everything's okay.
"I just got milk on you", I put my face in my hands for a moment as I groan.
"Hey, it's fine", Cappie laughs. "Seriously. Look, we worked as a team and we did it".
"Okay", I nod, speaking meekly.
He truly gives me a genuine smile, his blue eyes lit up as he smirks at me.
He holds the breast pump out to me then and I put it on again to use, turning on the button.
"It's working Cap!", I look at him happily.
"Awesome", He nods up and down, licking his lips.
A knock on the door interrupts us then and we both jump, it taking us out of this kind of sweet moment we were having.
"Casey! Me and your dad just wanted to say goodbye to you guys", I hear my mom's voice. "Are you there?"
Oh crap.
"Oh hi….", I let out, giving Cappie an awkward grimace. "Yeah we're here. I'm just… kind of doing something right now and I may have to be in my room for a bit".
"What?", I hear her confused voice. "Casey if you're kissing your boyfriend or something I'm sure you can stop for a moment to say goodbye!"
She sounds annoys then.
"Mom", I groan. "It's not that, it's… I'm pumping".
"Oh…", I hear her voice. "Okay me and your father will be back in like 20 minutes then".
"Okay thanks", I say. "Sorry I just got it working so I don't want to stop".
"It's okay, we have to pack the car up still anyways", She says.
"Oh do you guys need some help?", Cappie pipes up.
"Oh that's fine Cappie, you stay and help Casey, we're okay", My mom assures him. "Even though… you would be a better help than Rusty".
I look to Cap then as we snicker, my mom alluding to the fact that Rusty was slightly scrawny.
"I've got the bags Karen, don't worry", I hear my dad's voice. "Casey honey… good luck with…. it".
My dad says his last sentence awkwardly and I cringe, looking at Cappie in awkwardness.
"Oh uh… thanks dad", I say, still cringing inside, not totally comfortable with my dad about many things. To be honest ever since I got boobs back in late middle school we hadn't really known what to talk to each other about. He was always a good father to me, but it had always been a little hard to connect I guess.
I hear them walk away then and I give Cappie a look as we laugh awkwardly together.
"Well hey, at least they didn't fully walk in and your dad saw you pumping", Cappie shrugs with a laugh.
"Ugh I know. This whole getting pregnant thing has been so awkward for me and my dad's relationship. I just think… he still saw me as a kid and now I'm someone's mom and not his innocent little girl anymore", I sigh.
"Well…", Cappie scoffs slightly and looks over to Noelle, who's sleeping on her baby pillow beside us. "I can sympathize with him now".
"Yeah I guess you're right", I look at him softly, loving seeing this new side of him. A side I never could've imagined seeing from him even just last year.
I hadn't really thought about having a baby ever until I actually got pregnant, but I wouldn't have imagined this side of Cappie when I thought back to his drinking, womanizing, partying ways. I mean… early senior year I'd gone to see Rusty at the KT house and walked in on him talking to the KT guys about a threesome he'd had the night before. That was mildly uncomfortable for me, to say the least.
And now that guy was a dad. It was still just kind of crazy to me. But he was good at it, honestly.
I lean in then to kiss him, surprising him as his lips at first don't kiss me back, taking a second to probably wonder why I had so quickly leaned in and had my lips on his.
But after a short moment of hesitation he's kissing me like usual, his hand coming up to my cheek, pulling me into him as our lips play against each other.
"Mmm, what was that for?", He grins at me when we part.
"Nothing I just… I'm really proud of who you've become Cap", I smile at him. "I mean you're still you, the you I love, but… you've really grown up to be a good dad to her. Thanks for trying so hard, you have been since literally the day I told you I was pregnant".
"Of course", He shrugs like it's no big deal. "I'm really happy".
"Really?", I give him a smirk. "Because your days of hooking up and drinking and partying are… kind of over. You're okay with that right?"
"Case I stopped hooking up with random girls awhile ago, and I was only ever doing that because if I couldn't be with you, I didn't want to be serious with anyone else. So now that I have you I'm never ever going back to that. I mean as long as you'll have me as your boyfriend… and hopefully more than that one day", He grins at me, playing with my hair, my breast pump still working but I don't really notice it because I'm too full of butterflies and adrenaline right now from his words. "I'm excited to just be with you forever now".
I grin at him giddily.
"Me too", I nod. "No more love triangles".
I giggle then when I see his reaction to that, him chuckling.
"No more hookups with girls you'll never talk to again…", I laugh. "Just you and me, a real relationship. You and me and our baby of course".
"And… any future babies we may want to have", He smiles devilishly at me then, running his hand up and down my arm.
I put my hand out to rest on his chest, pushing him away from me jokingly.
"Whoa there buddy. Let's… table that conversation for at least three years from now", I giggle at him. "My boobs will need a break".
His eyes travel down to my breasts and then he looks back up at me with a glint in his eye.
"Okay", He grins as he nods.
"Eventually she'll switch to baby food and stuff and then they'll go down in size and then I want at least a year or so of having my boobs back", I laugh.
"I get it", he nods. "Then I'll have them back and won't have to share them either".
He gives me his usual smirk that he knows makes me roll my eyes at him, which of course I do right now.
After my parents have gone home Ash comes over for the day, partly to see Rusty, but also to come up to our apartment and see me and the baby.
Rusty and Cappie have gone back to KT to bring his mattress back there so me and Ash are sitting in the living room and she's helping me put together the rest of my scrapbook.
"So I was thinking, now that she has a name, we can put it on the front cover", Ashleigh grins.
"Yeah I like that idea Ash", I nod, going through all the digital photos I'd gotten developed at the film store, them laid out all over the table. "These are all the pictures from when I was pregnant, I still have to get the pictures from the hospital developed".
"Aw these are so cute, I haven't seen these ones!", Ash beams, looking at the ones of me in the summer when I was barely pregnant, the ones Rusty took of me without me knowing.
"Yeah Rusty took those", I scoff. "It was a rough summer but I'm glad he took them even though I never wanted to have my belly on display because I was so upset about being pregnant".
"Well look", Ash smiles, Noelle laying in her carrier beside us, awake. "Now she's here and you love her so much".
"You're right about that", I giggle, looking over to her.
"Not to mention….", Ash gives me a knowing grin. "You also have Cappie in your life again now which I think makes a big difference. You made a family Case".
"I know", I smile and hold up a photo of me outside at our house in Chicago of me in my bikini with my tiny belly. "This me would've never thought that was an option. I never would've believed it would've worked out like this".
I look at the photo of me and then over to Noelle, wondering how I got so lucky, how this scary, horrible thing turned out to be what I needed most.
"Aw", Ash smiles.
We arrange the photos in a timeline, going by how far along I am, and then start to put them together in the scrapbook.
"Aren't you happy that we're former sorority girls Noelle?", Ash looks over to her jokingly. "Because we're well versed in arts and crafts and making things look pretty!"
I laugh at Ash as she puts flower stickers all over the pages. I'm cutting out little pink hearts from a sheet of paper to decorate the pages with.
"So…", Ash starts, giving me an excited grin. "Me and Rusty were talking about it and we were gonna have a little party at his apartment for New Years Eve tonight!"
"Ugh god, I hope I'll make it to midnight Ash", I laugh.
"You have to!", She giggles. "It'll just be like Rebecca and Evan, they're the only ones here in Cyprus. So it won't be much of a party, but it's better than nothing".
"I would've thought you guys would've all been planning to go to Doblers", I give her a look. "Since Cappie told me they're having a New Years thing there. He got the month off work luckily, but they were planning it even before Noelle was born on Christmas".
"Well… we did think about it", Ash admits, giving me a look as we laugh. I knew she and Rusty would probably be going there if it weren't for me, Cappie and the baby. "But I know you can't go and we don't want to leave you guys out".
"If you want to it's okay", I give her laugh. "Seriously. But it would be fun to hangout at least for a bit even if you guys wanna go there after".
"Okay", She nods, thinking it over in her head. "Maybe we'll pregame here, I mean us, not you, and then go to Doblers after when you guys are all tired and putting your baby to bed".
She shrugs happily and I can't help but laugh at her, so blissfully living life how I probably would be if I didn't just have a baby.
"Sounds good Ash", I nod, smiling.
"Perfect!", Ash looks content and then picks up a photo of me when I was about 24 weeks. "Case…?"
She looks at me suspiciously.
It's a photo of me in white lingerie with my bump out.
"What?", I question.
"Who took this?", She gives me a serious look, like she's my mom.
"Ugh fine", I roll my eyes back, admitting it. "Cappie…"
"But I thought this is when you were 24 weeks?", She raises an eyebrow at me.
"It is", I say meekly, avoiding her judging gaze.
"You slept with him again when you were like… 25 weeks! So you were practically naked in front of him even before that?!", She laughs at me then, teasing me.
"Okay, maybe!", I giggle then as she throws the picture at me, laughing. "He came over and we hung out and he was helping me take a bump picture for the scrapbook and I took off my clothes to get a good photo of my body and…"
I trail off.
"And it was nothing he hadn't seen before!", I finish my sentence as I argue with a laugh.
"You guys couldn't stay away from each other if you tried, could you?", She laughs.
"Well obviously not since we did try and it didn't really work", I giggle. "But I swear I didn't even kiss him that night. I just wanted to. But I only kissed him again for the first time on Homecoming".
I put my finger up, speaking matter of fact, defending myself.
"You did more than just kiss him that night if I recall", Ash teases me. "Since I walked in on the evidence the next morning".
I turn red thinking about that awkward day. Waking up with him in the ZBZ house, Ash walking in on us in the morning, then Rusty showing up to hear about it, then my parents showing up….
"Don't tell Noelle any of this stuff!", I giggle, gesturing over to her.
"Sorry", Ash laughs, playing along and then we go back to focusing on the scrapbook until Ash speaks up again. "You know I'm really happy for you that you made up with your mom and dad Case. It sounds like it went really well".
I smile at her then.
"Yeah you know… it actually did. I can't believe it, but they really came around to me raising her here with Cappie. I think they're going to be okay going forward", I nod.
"That's awesome!"
"I know, now she just… has to meet her other grandparents", I sigh.
"Cappie still hasn't heard anything?", Ash frowns.
"Nope", I shrug.
"That sucks. You know… it kinda makes me wish I had cut Cappie some more slack the past few years. I'd always been hard on him because I thought he would never grow up for you but that whole party guy thing he puts on… it's probably just because he had like… no one when he showed up here for school", Ash thinks to herself.
"I never really thought about it that way", I nod as that realization hits me. "But you're right Ash. KT was his family, the only real one he's had, so no wonder he didn't want to leave".
"Well… he left now", Ash grins. "Because he has his own real family now".
"Yep", I smile, feeling that warm feeling in my chest that I sometimes had when I thought about him.
"And that's why I know he's not going to leave you guys ever", Ash adds. "Because you and this baby are everything he wants, anyone around you guys can see that".
"Aw", I pout. "Thanks Ash. I think it's a forever thing too".
"Would you say yes if he proposed?", She looks at me excitedly.
"I….", I shake my head then, averting my gaze from her. "I don't think we're going to do that right now Ash, we're too busy with the baby".
"That wasn't a no", she says in a sing songy voice, teasing me as I twist my lips into a playful glare, looking at her as she laughs.
Okay so fine. It definitely wasn't a no.