Remedy

Jordie slipped into the booth beside Kelly, and across from Callie and Kara, Kelly still wore slightly pink cheeks around Callie, and seemingly got over it encounter from the week before. Once they were seated Jordie couldn't help but leaning down to kiss Kelly quickly and Callie made a face before telling them, “would you two stop it, you're grossing my baby out.”

Jordie and Kara laughed, Kelly simply looked at Callie and asked, “not that I mind, but what was with this random lunch invite?”

Callie shrugged and pretended to be interested in the menu when she said, “nothing. I just wanted to eat a meal with someone who didn't measure every ounce of protein I eat.”

Kara smiled at her and asked, “Jamie's still dictating your food, even after you threatened to impale him with your fork?”

Kelly turned to Callie and asked in disbelief, “Jamie dictates your food?”

Before Callie could answer Jordie asked, “you threatened to impale him?”

“That's really all you got out of that conversation?” Kelly asked him, making him roll his eyes and wrap his arms around her tight.

As Kelly struggled against him Callie turned to Kara and told her, “see, told you, it's actually hard to be around them now.”

Kara laughed, and started up the previous conversation with her while Kelly and Jordie did their own thing, “so like...what else is on the Callie isn't allowed list?”

Callie made a face that showed her displeasure and said, “oh lets see...I'm not allowed to eat Lucky Charms, or gummy bears, they're too high in sugar. I'm only allowed a certain amount of bacon, something about nitrates or something I don't know I stopped paying attention when he told me I have to limit my coffee. I blame Courtney for sending him a fucking book. What soon to be father even reads the books?”

“The ones that are really excited to be a dad, and are just worried about anything that could happen.” Jordie told her, making Callie turn to him and pout.

“Don't you go making me feel guilty, sometimes the baby just wants chocolate. Jordie, you do know he's making me drink tea instead of coffee... I don't even like tea..you are not going to like me if I can't drink coffee for the next 5 months. This whole pregnancy thing drives me to drink and oh right, I can't even do that.” Callie told him, before realizing what she said and then saying, “I'm gonna be the parent that loses the children in the supermarket.”

There was a round of laughter and Kara told her, “no honey....Jamie isn't even gonna let you go to the supermarket with them.”

Callie narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, making Kelly throw her hand up to cover her chest and exclaim, “whoa, put those things away.”

“You know what, I've come to the conclusion that they might just be the only good thing to come out of this whole pregnancy thing. I mean, do you know how easy it is to get Jamie's attention now?” Callie asked, laughing as Jordie shook his head.

“I didn't need to know that.”

Callie countered his comment with, “well I didn't need to see your bare ass, among other unspeakable things, either.”

Kara enquired curiously, “so... is being well equipped a Benn trait or...”

Kelly raised her eyebrow as Jordie flushed, and asked, “wait how do you know whether Jamie is...you know...size wise...?”

Kara smirked, “I was meeting Callie for lunch one time and Jamie walked out of the bathroom naked. And after that moment I understood completely why Callie stays home so much.”

Jordie's face was bright red and he shook his head again, “seriously, this is way too much information.”

Changing the subject Kelly told Kara, “I'm dragging Callie clothing shopping after this, you wanna join?”

Kara nodded and Callie groaned, “I still don't get why I can't just wear what I'm wearing.”

“You couldn't get jeans done up today.” Kelly told her with a pointed look.

“I could go up a size...or two.” Callie stated, and when she was met with two unamused looks, she said, “why do I have to resort to maternity clothes?”

Jordie asked curiously, “um...Cal...aren't maternity clothes what pregnant women generally tend to wear?”

Callie turned and narrowed her eyes at him before she stated, “yes, but do they all have to be so bright and colorful and...ruffly...couldn't they make something without a stupid bun in the oven like comment on it, or you know...something black?”

- - -

“I feel ridiculous.” Callie muttered from inside the change room she had practically been forced into.

She was staring at herself in the full length mirror, she had agreed to try on an outfit just to humor Kelly and Kara, and she was now glaring at reflection. They had been so excited to find jeans, but Callie hated them the minute she saw them, even more so when they were on. They were loose, and the elastic not only freaked her out but it was itchy too. The top, as she played with it, she narrowed her eyes even more at it. It was a dusty pink color, three quarter sleeved, and had a line of swirly patterns down the front that she thought only made her look bigger.

“Come on, it can't be that bad.” Kara called out, making Callie roll her eyes and open the door. Kelly had to practically drag her out of the room, and then took a picture of Callie looking less than impressed and sent it to Jamie.

A sales woman walked past them, and stopped only long enough to send Callie a sickeningly wide smile and say, “oh, you look so cute!”

Callie immediately turned to Kelly and said sternly, “I don't want to be cute Kelly. Get me out of here now.”

“No, you're not leaving until we find at least one thing.” Kelly told her, making Callie sigh dramatically.

“Fine, you go find something and I'm just gonna go back into the change room and cry.” Callie stated, already feeling the frustrations bubble over and turn into tears.

Kara dragged her a few feet over to where a couch was and the three of them sat down, Callie between them, before Kara put her arm around Callie and told her, “I know clothes shopping sucks but it's okay, you don't have to cry, we can leave.”

Callie shook her head and wiped furiously at her cheeks before she said, “it's not the clothes. I just... having to try things on. You always hear about how great pregnancy is in the magazines and it's all bullshit. I don't get how people can talk about how much they loved their body when they were pregnant. I'm calling bull on that. I actually wanted to cry when the doctor said I could gain like 40 pounds. I'm not one of those superficial people but god it's so hard to feel good about yourself. And Jamie doesn't even touch me anymore.”

“Oh, honey. Jamie loves you, you know that.” Kara told her, watching as Callie shook her head.

“Well it definitely doesn't feel like it lately. I feel like a walking incubator. I mean I know I made the thing about no sex anymore because I find it weird but he doesn't kiss me, he doesn't hug me. The only time he touches me is when he touches my stomach.” Kara let go of Callie's shoulder long enough to wipe the tears off her cheeks before she went back to their previous position.

Kelly then said, “we can try this again another time Cal. I think maybe this was a bit much too soon.” Kelly told her softly, giving her shoulder a gentle rub, making Callie nod slowly.

- - -

Callie followed Kelly into the condo, slipping her shoes off before she walked into the kitchen where Jordie, Jamie and Brenden were. Jamie smiled at her and got up from the table as Callie stopped by the island, depositing her purse. Kelly was filling a glass with orange juice, Jordie and Brenden were already out of the kitchen.

“We're just gonna hang out in the back for a bit, and then I'll throw the steak on the grill around 5 for dinner.” Jamie told her, and just when Callie thought he might wrap his arms around her he bent slightly, and pressed his palm gently against her stomach.

Callie turned to Kelly as if to say 'see what I mean' before she grabbed her bag pulled away from Jamie and said, “I'm gonna have a nap.”

Jamie turned to Kelly when Callie was up the stairs and closed the bedroom door behind her before he asked her, “did I do or say something?”

“You should probably just go up there and talk to her.” Kelly told her, getting a look from Jamie that made her sigh, “okay look you didn't hear this from me. She's just having kind of a rough go with this, and that right there, touching her stomach when you normally would have kissed her, Jamie just because there's another human being coming into your family doesn't mean Callie doesn't need attention, she does have feelings.”

Jamie sighed, set his beer bottle on the counter and made his way upstairs, feeling a bit like a dog with his tail between his legs. He pushed the bedroom door open and closed it behind him. Callie was in the bathroom wiping her makeup off, but he could hear her sniffling before he got to the bathroom, and it instantly made him feel guilty. Callie jumped slightly when she saw him, and wiped her hands under her eyes to get rid of any evidence that she'd been crying.

“I'm sorry. Whatever I did, or said, to make you feel like this, I'm sorry.”

Callie sighed and turned to him, “it's so easy for you.”

“What is?”

“This. All of it. It's easy for you because you don't have to go through any of it.” Callie told him, walking past him and into the bedroom. She tossed the clothing she had changed from earlier into the hamper as Jamie leaned against the door frame.

“I do go through it all. Maybe not in the same way, but I go through the roller coaster emotions, the middle of the night food cravings, the tossing and turning. There's only so much I can go through right now Cal, and when you shut me out and don't tell me your feelings there's nothing I can do.” He told her calmly, and it only irritated Callie, that was evident on her face.

“Of course I don't tell you. You're a guy, all you want to do is fix things, and sometimes I don't want my problems fixed. I'm not broken. Sometimes I just want to feel crappy about a situation, or myself.” Callie told him, his expression hadn't changed, and she knew she was hitting a wall which made her say, “this is exactly why I don't talk to you. You can't take what I say and sit with it, it's either like I'm talking to a brick wall, or it's like I'm talking to Dr. Phil.”

“So what, is that what today was? You're feeling bad about yourself?”

“You don't get it. You have no idea what it's like.”

Jamie sighed in frustration, “then tell me! Of course I don't get it, you don't talk to me.”

“You want me to tell you how I feel about myself? Well okay, I feel disgusting.” Callie stated, her voice raised slightly, and she saw Jamie go to say something but she cut him off, “no, don't. I don't want you to try and tell me otherwise, that's what I meant by fixing it. You couldn't possibly get it, and that's not your fault, you're not the one that has to gain all this weight, you don't look at yourself and immediately see all the different areas that all of a sudden have extra weight. You have no idea what it's like to have a fiance that won't even touch you anymore. I feel like you don't want me anymore, and it's hard to feel like you ever will when you won't even kiss me.”

Jamie's facial expression softened, and he said, “I just assumed when you made the comment about the sex thing that you were uncomfortable with... I'm an idiot.”

“I'm sorry, I... I didn't want to make you feel bad I just... I'm emotional and kind of crazy lately.” Callie mumbled, feeling tears well up in her eyes again.

Jamie walked forward, standing as close as they could, he put his hands on either side of her face, rested his forehead against hers and for a second Callie thought she saw his eyes water, before he told her, “don't for a second ever think I don't want you. You're the only girl in the entire world I could ever want Callie. You're just as beautiful and perfect to me now as you were 10 years ago, in fact you're even more so now. I'm sorry I ever made you doubt that.”