Destined To Be With You

Chapter 13

Liv watched as Ben sat in the middle of their unborn daughter’s room trying to assemble the white vintage looking crib they had purchased a week before. She would have set it up herself but the fact that she couldn’t bend over or reach more than a few inches past her belly were what kept her from doing so. That, and her inability to assemble furniture. Though she never actually asked Ben to help with the room, he so sweetly offered. She didn’t know why that surprised her, but everything he ever did to help out was surprising to her. She never once had to ask for help he was always willing to just offer a helping hand. He knew it was difficult for her to depend on other people so he was just trying to make everything easier on her.

 Ben didn’t even bother with the instructions manual, he immediately went to arrange the pieces together by eye. She watched as he easily put parts together until his phone rang. He looked at the caller id and sighed before he answered, "Hey mom." 

Almost immediately, Liv heard a loud enthusiastic voice on the other end. While Ben cringed at the sound, Liv smiled. Liv only met his mother one time but the memory of her lively, bubbly personality never faded. 

***

"Ben, I only have thirty minutes so no foreplay" she called out as walked further into the apartment. She lifted her shirt above her head and yelped once she saw three strangers and Ben standing in the middle of the living room staring at her in shock. Her arms immediately flew up to her chest to cover up. Silently, she thanked God she chose to wear a bra that day. She tried to find the shirt she carelessly threw on the floor but couldn't. Suddenly, a T-shirt was offered to her. She looked up at the person gratefully until she saw that it was Ben, shirtless. He took his off to give it to her. She took it from his hands begrudgingly and slipped it on. 

"I'm sorry", he whispered with a grimace. 

She didn't know what to say so she just glared at him and reluctantly turned to face the three strangers behind her. Once she saw them, she immediately apologized, "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize Ben had company." 

They shifted uncomfortably but quickly dismissed her apology. The woman who appeared to be in her late 40's smiled empathically and said, "Oh no, don't worry about it. This happens to us all the time."

Liv did her best to smile, "It does?"

"Well, no. Not really..." she trailed off. Liv was completely mortified, she covered her face with her hands. She heard the sounds of heels walking towards her. "Oh, honey, don't even worry about it" the woman laughed as she comfortingly wrapped her arm around Liv's shoulder. Liv wasn't use to strangers comforting her, but for some reason this woman reminded her of her mom. Her embrace felt warm and welcoming. Her voice, though loud and high pitched, made Liv smile. Liv tentatively removed her hands from her face to look up at the woman comforting her. Her big brown eyes somehow put Liv at ease. She gave the woman a weak smile as the woman joked, "It's a good thing you were wearing a bra, huh?" 

Liv laughed and nodded. 

"You don't have to be embarrassed, we're practically fam-" the woman said sweetly before Ben interrupted her. 

"Mom!" 

Liv's eyes widened as her mouth fell slightly open. She looked at the woman and mentally slapped herself for not realizing it sooner. The woman had those same big brown eyes, pointed nose, and full lips that Ben had. Then she looked at the man and he had that same jaw and same eyebrows as Ben. Those were his parents. This was her first time meeting a guy's parents and she had no idea what to do. She just stood there awkwardly as his mother still had her arm around her shoulders smiling sweetly. His father stood in the same spot with a polite warm smile on his face while the other stranger who was his sister had an amused smirk on her face.