Somebody Like Me

“Sergio?”

Sergio startled a little at the sound of Cassie’s voice before he blinked a couple of times, refocusing his stare on her face. “You…you’re sure?” he spluttered softly. It had knocked him for six, the word ‘pregnant’ falling out of Cassie’s mouth had been more than a surprise to him, but he knew that he needed to say something, even if words did appear to be failing him. He knew that he simply had to force some kind of sound of out his mouth.

Cassie, who’d moved to sit down against the hall wall, offered him a soft look before she nodded her head. “I am” she confirmed softly “I mean, I’ve not seen a midwife yet, but I went to see my doctor and she confirmed it” she added, her fingers pulling at a loose thread which poked out of the sweater she wore.

Sergio nodded his head quietly before he moved to sit down beside her, his hand pushing through his hair as he attempted to conjure something to say.

Cassie watched for a couple of seconds before she shook her head, a soft nervous sigh falling out of her mouth. “I’m sorry” she murmured softly “I know that this is a surprise and I’m sorry…”

“You don’t have to say that” Sergio interrupted softly “I’m glad that you told me” he added, sparing her a soft look.

Cassie admired the soft expression on his face before she shook her head. “I figured that we’d need to talk” she mused softly “I mean, we don’t have to do it right now, but I figured…”Cassie’s words trailed off a little as Sergio gently reached his hand out, offering hers a soft comforting squeeze. He knew that she was nervous, from the moment the word ‘pregnant’ had fallen out of her mouth, she had looked more than slightly uncertain, and he wanted to offer her a little comfort, even if he was still trying to wrap his head around the idea that she was pregnant. He didn’t like the idea of seeing her upset.

Cassie spared a soft glance down towards their hands before she let out another soft breath, something which made Sergio squeeze her hand softly once more as a soft silence fell over the two of them.

Allowing the quiet to hang over the two of them, Sergio spared a soft glance down towards their hands before he shook his head. “You have an appointment with the midwife?” he posed quietly.

Cassie, who’d been quietly fussing with her sweater, jumped a little at the sound of his voice before she lifted her head, offering him a soft look. “I do” she confirmed softly “It’s on Monday at 2” she added gently.

Sergio simply nodded his head quietly, something which made Cassie peek at him before she shook her head. “You know, you don’t have to come with me” she mumbled softly.

Sergio tilted his head. “What?” he posed.

“The appointment” Cassie mused gently “You don’t have to be there. I’ve got a friend, Mia, she’d be more than happy to go…”

“You don’t think I want to be there?” Sergio interrupted, a slightly quizzical expression on his features.

Cassie shrugged. “I don’t know” she murmured softly “But I don’t want you to feel as though you have to be there. I simply wanted to let you know about the baby” she added, her eyes dropping towards her feet.

Sergio allowed her words to hang in the air around them for a couple of seconds before he shook his head. “You don’t think I want to stick around?” he mumbled softly.

“It’s not exactly what we had planned” Cassie mumbled, her gaze not shifting away from her feet.

Sergio snorted out a small nervous laugh. “It’s not” he confirmed “But I am not just going to walk away from you, Cass” he mumbled gently.

Cassie, who’d been tracing the pattern on her socks, stilled for a brief second before she lifted her head, her green eyes mirroring his darker ones. “What?” she squeaked softly.

Sergio quirked a small smile at the surprise in her voice before he shook his head. “You’re pregnant, Cass” he mused gently “You’re carrying our baby, and that is as much my responsibility as yours” he added, his fingers softly knotting with hers.

Cassie tilted her head. “Sergio…”

“It’s our baby, Cassie” Sergio interrupted softly “And whilst it isn’t exactly what we had planned, I want to stick around. It’s as much on me as it is on you” he added, his dark eyes briefly peeking down towards her stomach. He knew that it was a big step, agreeing to stick around, but he knew that he couldn’t simply duck out, even if things between him and Cassie were a little unclear, he knew that he had to, at the very least, try.

Cassie mulled his words over for a couple of seconds before she shook her head. “Are you sure?” she asked gently “Because if you’re not, that’s fine. This is a huge thing, Sergio, and I am not going to push you into anything you don’t want to do” she added concernedly, her green eyes briefly meeting his before she diverted her stare down towards their hands. It was a relief, the idea that Sergio wanted to stick around, but still she wanted to offer him an out. It was huge thing, her being pregnant had come along out of the blue, and she didn’t want him committing to anything only to change his mind a little way down the line.

Sergio quirked a small smile at the concern in her voice before he offered her hand another gently squeeze. “I want to stick around, Cassie” he mumbled softly.

“Are you sure?” Cassie squeaked “Because once you’re in…”

“I know” Sergio interrupted “And it is probably going to take some getting used to, but I am with you, Cass” he added, offering her another comforting smile.

Cassie offered him a slightly dubious look, wordlessly asking if he was sure, before she quirked a small fretful smile.

Sergio admired the nervous look on her face before he shuffled a little closer, wrapping an arm around her waist. Cassie startled a little at the feel of his arm before she cuddled into his side slightly, her head resting against his shoulder as she squeezed her eyes closed.

Sergio spared her another soft look before he leant down, pressing a soft kiss against the top of her head as he mumbled some soft comforting words. He knew that it was going to take a little work, with things between the two of them being as they were, he knew that it was going to take some figuring out, but still he wanted to do it, even if it did have the potential to get complicated, he wanted her to know that she had him.