Destined To Be With You

Chapter 15

"Ben, I already know what's going on. Soph practically told me two weeks ago, so there's no need to pretend you don't know", Liv said as she walked down the hall to get to her loft. 

Ben rolled his eyes as he helped her waddle towards the door, "Liv, I'm telling you, I don't know what you're talking about." He was lying and he knew she knew he was lying. She looked at him with an unconvinced expression. They had a doctor's appointment early in the morning but Ben came up with random excuses for not taking her back home. First it was because he needed to get toilet paper because he was running out at his place, then it was because he was hungry so they stopped at a diner to get a quick bite to eat and then it was because he just had to get some ice cream. After the diner, Liv knew he was only trying to buy enough time to get the surprise baby shower ready. Kate and Sophie had been asking hypothetical questions about what she would like at her baby shower. And just two weeks before, Soph slipped a hint that she needed to get pink streamers for measuring when she and Liv were at lunch. Sophie was never good at keeping secrets and surprises. 

"Uh huh." she said giving him a knowing look. "You're lucky I love to eat or else I would've walked my pregnant ass back here and bust this surprise baby shower." 

He took her keys from her hand and unlocked it for her. He stepped aside to let her in first.  Before she stepped over the threshold and into her loft she turned to look at Ben with raised eyebrows. He just smirked at her shaking his head. 

The loft was empty, or at least it looked empty, but Liv was still expecting a baby shower and just when she reached the living room people popped out of every corner. She wasn't surprised but she was definitely overwhelmed with gratitude and happiness. Having her mom and all her friends there to celebrate her unborn daughter meant so much to her. She felt very fortunate to have so many people support her. 

"Surprise!" everyone yelled happily. 

Liv pretended to be surprised by gasping and placing a hand over her mouth. She fooled everyone, everyone but Ben who was chuckling behind her. He came up behind her and whispered in her ear, "Faker." 

She turned her head to see his smirking face and narrowed her eyes at him. It just made him laugh even more so she turned to her guests and began to thank all of them for attending. He watched her waddle her way to each guest giving hugs and laughing. All the women crowded her and looked extremely delighted when Liv let them touch her baby bump. Everyone was just so happy about the arrival of their daughter. 

"Hey jerk! I don't get a 'hi'?" he heard his sister Kathryn say.

He turned to see his smiling sister and gave a weak smile, "Hey, sorry." She just flew in that day from Vegas but he forgot. He had a lot on his mind. 

He hugged her tight and once he let go his sister looked up at his face to really study it. He looked tired,  stressed, and sad. "What's wrong with you?" 

He sighed, "Nothing." He thought he was doing a great job of hiding it but his sister caught him. 

"Yeah, something's wrong. I haven't gotten an insult yet. You're definitely not yourself right now." 

"What's that I hear?" he says as he cups his hand behind his ear. She gives him a confused look before he adds, "Kathryn, mom's calling you." 

"No she's not." 

He calls out to his mom who is just about to walk pass them, "Look mom, it's Kathryn. She's been wanting to tell you all about her time in Vegas but she couldn't find you." 

Kathryn's face drained of color because she had been hiding from her mom. She loved her mom but  just wasn't ready to be smothered with hugs and pestered with questions about her love life.