Can’t Look Away

48: I’d Probably Have To Tell Him First

“How opposed do you think Lionel would be to having another room-mate?”

Sasha smiled around her glass, watching as Cassie padded across the patio and plopped down into the seat beside her. It had become a frequent occurrence. The house was big, and when Lionel wasn’t home, it felt particularly empty, and whilst Cassie tried to hide it, she didn’t like how quiet her apartment was either, meaning that the two of them often found themselves sat on Lionel and Sasha’s patio, sipping from glasses like they had done more times than either of them could count when they’d lived together. They missed living together. Whilst Sasha didn’t regret that she and Lionel had moved forwards like they had, she did miss sharing a home with her friend, and she knew, even despite Cassie’s best attempts to be happy for her, that her friend felt lonely, something she tried her hardest to help to alleviate.

“What’s your plan?” Sasha quipped “Are you just going to swipe my keys when I am not looking and start moving your stuff into the spare bedroom?” she added.

Cassie grinned. “Do you think he’d notice?” she asked.

“I think we could make it work” Sasha replied with a shrug.

Cassie laughed softly as she leant across the table, topping up her glass of wine. “Seriously” she said “Are you settled here now?” she asked, the teasing edge to her voice fading into something softer and more curious.

Sasha swirled the last of her drink around the bottom of her glass, thinking over the question, before she quirked a gentle smile. “I think so” she answered “I mean, I am not too fond of how quiet it is when he’s not here, and I am still a little worried that he’ll grow to hate me if I keep waking him up in the early hours, but I think we’re getting there. I like it here. I hope he likes having me here” she added, a bashful laugh falling out of her mouth.

“Of course he does” Cassie mused “If he didn’t, you’d be on your couch in my apartment” she added, softening her comment with a small smile. The truth of it was that she had no doubt that Lionel loved having Sasha around. His entire face lit up when Sasha was in a room, and she had no doubt that, despite her quirks, he adored having her around all of the time.

Sasha scoffed out a laugh. “You’ve still not replaced that couch?” she prodded.

“Why would I?” Cassie retorted “It’s perfectly good and it’s not like you need it” she added.

Sasha rolled her eyes before she lifted her glass, finishing off her drink.

Cassie pushed the wine bottle across the table. “You’re letting me have a spare room tonight, aren’t you?” she prodded.

Sasha dismissed the bottle with a small wave of her hand. “As long as you promise you won’t start picking out paint colours” she joked.

Cassie furrowed her forehead, slightly perturbed by Sasha’s refusal of the wine, but she didn’t comment on it. Instead, she peeked at her watch before she swept her glass up into her hand. “Come on” she mused “Your boyfriend’s match kicks off in a few minutes” she added, sliding the patio door open.

“Go on through” Sasha mused “I’m going to grab a snack” she added.

Cassie nodded before she progressed into the house. Padding into the living room, she settled her glass down onto the coffee table before she looked around for the television remote, finding it sat on top of a pile of magazines. Snatching it up, she accidentally bumped the pile, something which caused her to curse quietly before she crouched down, picking up the few magazines she’d displaced. When she moved to place them back onto the table, however, she paused, her eyes catching on a pamphlet that had been hidden in amongst them.

“I know that you’re not big on vegetables as snacks, but you need to try this dip. It’s...”

“Are you pregnant?” Cassie squeaked.

Sasha’s footsteps stuttered to a stop in the doorway. “What?” she asked.

“Are you pregnant?” Cassie repeated “I mean, you weren’t touching the wine I bought with me, and now you’re suggesting vegetables as snacks. There’s this too” she added, waving the pamphlet in Sasha’s direction.

Sasha blinked a couple of times before she shook her head, letting out a quiet laugh. “I told Leo to put that upstairs” she mused.

“Sasha...”

“No, I am not pregnant” Sasha interjected “Don’t you think that if I were, I’d have told you first?” she prodded.

Cassie’s lips quirked. “Even before Leo?” she quipped.

Sasha laughed. “I’d probably have to tell him first. He’d probably complain a lot if I didn’t” she teased “But after him, definitely you. Even before my own mother” she added.

Cassie nodded her head before she glanced back down at the pamphlet, something Sasha mimicked, shaking her head gently. She and Lionel had talked about it a lot. In the handful of weeks that had passed since their initial conversation in James’s living room, it was practically the only thing they’d really discussed, but eventually the conversations had moved from ‘if’ they started trying to ‘when’. They were both agreed that they felt ready, and after they’d visited a doctor to discuss the decision, they’d started to try, something they’d immediately agreed to keep between themselves.

“We didn’t want people to know” Sasha admitted softly “Just in case it doesn’t happen. You know how nosy my family are. If they had the slightest inkling that we were trying to...to get pregnant, then they’d be asking every five minutes if I was, and I know I couldn’t deal with it” she added, her cheeks flushing at the word ‘pregnant’. As often as she and Lionel had used it, she still wasn’t quite used to saying it out loud.

Cassie looked up again, a gentle smile on her face. “I won’t tell” she mused.

“Thank you” Sasha sighed in relief, offering her a grin.

“You’re really trying to get pregnant?” Cassie asked “You, my overly cautious best friend, is considering having a baby with your boyfriend of just a year?” she added, her voice bright and teasing.

Sasha giggled, nodding her head sheepishly. “I know, it’s a pretty huge deal” she mused.

“It is” Cassie agreed “But, if it happens, it’ll be amazing” she added.

“You’re not going to tell me it’s too soon?” Sasha asked.

“I’m not you” Cassie retorted impishly.

“Cassie...”

“You would have thought it through, Sasha” Cassie interjected “You’re not the type to do something on a whim. If you and Leo feel ready, which, from this, I am guessing you do, then that’s fantastic” she added, waving the pamphlet again.

Sasha’s smile was shy, but happy, something which made Cassie smile to before she stepped towards her, wrapping her in a gentle hug that Sasha was happy to return. “Your kid is going to be adorable” she cooed happily.

Sasha let out a gentle laugh and squeezed Cassie a little tighter, wordlessly hoping that the positive test came along quickly.
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Thanks to Twisted;;Symphony for the comment :)