Glide With The Breeze

"What's going on with you lately?" Angie asked.

Cassie had just walked back into the living room after getting off the phone with Alex. It had taken almost a whole week, which was longer than she thought it would take, for Angie to finally start asking questions. And she wasn't entirely prepared to answer, so she played dumb instead.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, feigning confusion.

Angie raised an eyebrow. "Don't even, Cassie. You know exactly what I'm talking about," she said.

Cassie shook her head at her friend. "I don't," she said. "I'm sorry."

A loud sigh came from across the room. "Okay, I'll talk to you like you're an idiot, since that's what you're pretending to be right now. You leave the room every time Alex calls you, which you've never done before. You have completely changed your diet. I noticed that you stole at least one of my belts, which, I'm assuming means you've lost weight and your pants don't fit. And that may not be a big deal, but it's definitely weird because you've never been worried about your weight before. You're always tired. And the biggest giveaway that something is going on, you have decaf coffee in the kitchen," she said. Decaf, Cassie. Decaf.

Cassie shook her head again, "Ang, none of this is a big deal. Okay? I leave the room when Alex calls because you almost always get annoyed when he and I are on the phone," she said.

"And you've never cared before," Angie pointed out.

"I'm sorry?" Cassie said, rolling her eyes. The other girl nodded but didn't look convinced of anything. "I'm not worried about my weight. I just decided to try different kinds of foods, and some of them happen to be healthier. And as far as being tired all the time, it could have something to do with the fact that I switched to decaf," she said with a shrug. "See, not a big deal. Just life happening. All around us."

Angie was not amused in the slightest the by the joke Cassie was trying to turn her observations into. "Look, Cass, I'm not stupid. Okay? So cut the shit. Tell me what's going on," she said.

"I'm telling you," Cassie said, "There's nothing is going on. It's not even nothing. If it was possible, it would be less than nothing. Which makes the fact that you're completely overreacting to my lifestyle changes seem just a little bit silly, don't you think?"

The brunette's eyes narrowed. Her temper was obviously starting to get the better of her. "Does Alex know?" she asked.

"Does Alex know what?"

Without another word, Angie turned on her heel in a rage and stormed toward the front door. Cassie tried to call after her but the only response she got was the front door slamming behind her friend. Moments later, the door opened again.

"Angie, you're being ridiculous," she said, turning around just in time to see Peter walk into the living room. "Oh, you're not Angie," she said.

Peter laughed and hugged Cassie. "Not last time I checked," he said. "Angie says you're being a bitch right now?" he said.

She waved off his question and sat down on the couch, motioning for him to have a seat as well. "What brings you here?" she asked as he sat down next to her.

"I just happened to be in the neighborhood," he replied, "I thought I'd stop by and see my friends only to have one of them yell in my face about the other," he said.

"Mmm," Cassie replied, "And it wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that Manda lives ten minutes away?" she inquired. A sheepish grin spread across his face and Cassie giggled quietly. "Yeah, I didn't think so."

"Right, so why is Angie pissed at you?" he asked, changing the subject once again.

Though it wasn't necessary, Cassie recounted to Peter what had just happened. And when she finished, he just grinned at her.

"So she knows you're pregnant?" he asked. "Congratulations, by the way."

Cassie stared at Peter like he had just grown two more heads. "How did you know that? Who else knows?" she asked. "God damn it. I'm going to fucking slaughter Alex. I told him not tell anyone yet," she said, taking her phone from her pocket and dialing his number.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he said, gently taking the phone from her. "Alex didn't tell me anything. You've got the mama glow," he explained. "And you look great. How far along are you?"

"Seven weeks," she said with a sigh. "It sucks not being able to tell Angie. Because I'm excited. I mean, really excited. And I know she will be too. And I totally get why she's mad at me."

"Then just tell her."

"I can't," she said, dropping her head into her hands. "I told Alex I wanted to wait to tell people. And believe me, he was pretty bummed about that. So I can't just very well turn around and tell her. Besides, if I did, she would be excited and end up spilling it to Rian and then Rian would be upset that we didn't tell him and it would be a whole big mess," she rambled.

Peter sighed quietly to himself and looked at Cassie for a long time before saying anything. Finally he reached over and rubbed her back. "Alright. I get it," he said. "It's alright. You know that you two never stay mad at each other. Just give her a little time. She'll get over it. You know she will.

Cassie nodded and lifted her head from her hands and leaned back on the couch. Peter sat back as well and put his arm around her, neither thinking anything of it when he pulled her to him and she rested her head on his shoulder. They sat in silence for awhile until he reached for the remote and turned the TV on.

Nearly an hour later, Amanda called Peter to let him know that she was on her way home from work. Instead of telling her that he was on his way, he let her know where he was and invited her to join them. After some argument from Cassie, saying it wasn't necessary, it was agreed upon. Before he had even hung up the phone, Cassie was in the kitchen looking for something to make for dinner for the three of them.

Not long after, Amanda let herself into the house. Cassie had yet to come out of the kitchen so Peter took that time to quickly give a vague explanation of what had happened.

They spent the night eating and watching TV. Though she was still upset and frustrated, she found that it was easier to keep from dwelling on it with her friends around. They made her laugh and by the time they left, she was tired and felt almost assured that things would be alright.

She was just about to climb into bed when her phone rang. A smile crept across her face when the goofy picture he had set as his caller ID lit up her phone and his name flashed across the screen. She hit the button to answer the call and put the phone to her ear, but he spoke before she could greet him.

"We have a problem."

It confused her and she wasn't sure if he was talking to her or someone else, so she asked, "Are you talking to me?"

"Yeah," he said with a hint of annoyance.

"Oh, excuse me. Okay, hi. I'm great too. Nevermind the fact that my best friend isn't speaking to me. What problem do you have to add to my life right now?" she asked exasperatedly.

Alex sighed. "I'm sorry. I miss you," he said, his tone changing dramatically to one of apology. "Why isn't Angie talking to you?" he asked.

"You miss me? That's the problem?"

He chuckled quietly into the phone. "No, that's not the problem. I wish that was the biggest problem either of us had right now. Why isn't Angie talking to you?" he asked again. "Isn't that a little awkward considering you live together?"

"She left," Cassie said. "I'm assuming she went to stay at yours and Rian's place."

"What the hell happened?" Alex asked, concern dripping from his words as he spoke.

Cassie quickly ran down the events of the evening, starting with Angie's interrogation to how she completely ruined Peter and Amanda's plans for that night. By the time she finished, he was laughing and she was surprising not annoyed by it.

"Why are you laughing at me?" she asked, feigning annoyance.

"Because I'm sure you didn't ruin their night," he said. "And anyway, you should just tell Angie," he continued.

"I can't tell her," she said and then repeated to him what she had explained to Peter just hours before almost verbatim. "So, what's the problem we have that you need to inform me of?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Maybe it's not so much of a problem," Alex said. "More of a," he paused, "Hiccup."

"A hiccup?" she asked.

"Yeah, a hiccup," he repeated.

Cassie was quickly growing irritated. "Spill it, Alex," she said impatiently.

"Well, you know how sometimes we, as a band, have to go places and do appearances or press or something?" he asked.

"Mmhmm," she replied, already knowing where this was going. "Swear to God, Alex, if you miss the doctor's appointment next week I'm going to cut off your left nut," she said.

"Just the left one?" Alex asked, laughing quietly to himself.

"You think this is funny?" she demanded. "It's the first ultrasound, Alex. And I'm serious about both of us being there for this one and when we find out the sex of the baby. I don't care if you miss all the other appointments. This one is important," she said. Her tone had changed from one of frustration bordering on anger to almost begging, on the verge of desperation. Alex wanted to kick himself for making her feel like she had to beg him to him be there.

"I know how important this appointment is. And I promise you I will be there. I want to be there," he assured her. "I've already been working with our manager to schedule everything as close together as humanly possible so that we will make it back in time. And if something is going to run long, fuck it, I'll come home anyway."

"Promise?" she asked quietly.

"I promise," Alex said. Cassie remained quiet on her end. "I love you, Cassandra," he said. "We're going to do this together. All of it. You have my word."

She let out a breath that probably sounded like a sigh to Alex. She could feel herself relaxing a little. "I love you too," she said.

Her voice wavered the tiniest bit and sent Alex into a panic he didn't really understand and most definitely couldn't explain. "Are you okay?" he asked, trying not to let on just how concerned he was.

"I miss you," she whispered. "I was fine ten minutes ago, even though Angie is mad at me. I mean, that sucks, but it's not the end of the world. But now," she sighed, "I don't know. My hormones are out of control." She forced a small laugh. "I'm all over the place."

"I wish I could be there with you," he said with a small sigh.

"I wish you were here with me too," she replied.