There's Always a Catch

A few days later and I was thankfully discharged from the hospital, Paul said I shouldn’t go home and should go stay with Emily, I used to excuse that my house was nearer and I wanted to sleep in my own bed.

When I was settled at home and Paul was literally dragged away from Patrol, I instantly felt alone. Seth was coming over soon to keep my company as Paul said he didn’t want me to be alone.

But Seth wasn’t here yet, and the doorbell had rang. I knew it was Alex, it didn’t take a genius to figure out. I waddled to the door and opened it carefully.

“What do you want?” I ask annoyed as I see Alex, looking rather good, leaning on my door way.

“Talk, let me talk” he insists and I furrow my eyes at him, but he looked genuine as could be, so I allowed him to enter. I waddled back to my couch/bed and put the covers over me and turned the TV off, Alex made himself comfortable on the opposite armchair.

“Talk” I order, not wanting to waste too much of my time.
“Casey, I made a mistake okay? I shouldn’t have treated you like that. I was stupid and immature and I’m really sorry” Alex says in an honest way but I wasn’t going to buy his bullshit. He had no idea the emotional trauma I went through.

“That it?” I ask, dryly.

Alex stared at me, somewhat shocked. “How can I fix this?” he pleads.

“By getting the fuck out of the house.” I say seriously. Alex looks at me helplessly.
“Casey, she’s my daughter too” Alex tells me softly, and with that I almost felt like I had been burned.

“How dare you! How very dare you! She’s not your daughter! You’re just some idiot that decided to put his sperm inside of me! You’ll never be her father, you’ll just be the guy that helped me make her. You have no right to say that! You lost all rights to my baby girl the night you slapped me and the night you kicked me out of your life. So do yourself a favour Alex and get the fuck out of my sight. You’re not crawling back to me just because you’ve suddenly developed a conscious.” I say with such hate and coldness I was surprise I even had it in me. Alex got up and looked at me blankly.

“I’m not leaving. I’ll be here when she’s born” he tells me and I simply point to the door. Alex does leave but his words don’t and even when Seth finally comes and asks me what’s wrong. I don’t reply, I simply just stare at my bulged stomach.

“I love you baby girl so much, and I haven’t even met you yet” I whisper to my baby and in response, I feel a small kick.

“Alex isn’t your Daddy, not really. Paul is. Paul’s the man who will love you and watch you grow up but I don’t think Paul can love you as much as I do. Because you’re my world baby. But together you and Paul are my universe. Is that okay baby?” I say lovingly, stroking my stomach and I feel two kicks and I feel suddenly content.

When Paul came home, I kissed him so lovingly he almost seemed in a trance.
“What was that for?” he asked me and I shrugged.
“Because I love you” I say and Paul gives me a smile that makes my toes curled. That night I had another dream about my daughter.

“Momma! Momma! Where’s Daddy!” the little girl, no older than three years old cried. She had gorgeous brown curls that bounced as she walked and trailed all down her back and shimmered in the sun. She was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. But when she looked at me, I was haunted as I saw those green eyes, those eyes that would forever remain.

“He’s there baby!” I say happily, pointing to Paul, who was facing away from us. The little girl took my hand and led me over. She hugged Paul’s legs, but when Paul turned around I gasped, as my Paul, my beautiful Paul morphed into Alex.

“Hey baby, did you miss me?” he says in a creepy voice, the little girl gasped and tried to run away. Alex grabbed her and shook her, anger overthrew me
“DON’T TOUCH HER!” I scream lunging at him ready to tear him apart for harming her, but it was too late, Alex and my baby girl had disappeared, vanished. They were gone.

I awoke suddenly, gasping for breath. “Baby!” I say, clutching my stomach. Paul who had slept beside me soundly awoke abruptly.
“What’s wrong? You in labour?” he asks panicking.
“I had a bad dream” I whisper. Paul props himself up on an elbow, looking at me.
“Want to talk about it?” he asks. I sigh deeply.
“Alex tried to take my baby away” I whisper. Paul frowned at me.
“Casey, the day Alex even tries to do that…I’ll murder him with my bare hands. No one is taking your daughter away, nobody. I’ll always protect you and baby girl” Paul says passionately, I desperately wished he could be my daughter’s father, simply because he deserved to be. But then again, I remembered I was only a teenager and I didn’t want to put that burden on him.

“I love you” I say randomly. Paul smiles sleepily and leans over, planting a lazy kiss on my cheek.
“I love you too, now get to sleep.” he says and lies back, feeling secure I did too and cuddled against Paul, it was great having my personal radiator.
I closed my eyes, worried I might dream again but thankfully I didn’t.