Rego walks down the hall holding his laptop in one arm and a small box of files in the other he'd forgotten in his haste to leave earlier. He'd gone straight to the Pine Valley Inn and booked a suite for the two of them. Not surprising although the largest in the Inn it wasn't big enough for Cassandra. Nothing was ever big enough or expensive enough or grand enough for Cassandra. That quality in her both amused and infuriated him at the same time and had since the first time he'd met her. Then again everything about Cassandra was maddening and exciting all at the same time. The same could be said about their relationship. The best description for it would be volatile and now, she was carrying his child. What kind of world would they be bringing a child into? Would the fact that she was carrying their child change the way he felt about her or their behavior towards each other? Could they together make a stable home for their child or was his father right was he blind to who Cassandra really was and the relationship between them doomed? He sighs heavily then stops a moment to readjust the box in his arms just outside the nursery door.
"Raaa Raaa Brrr!" Comes a small voice from inside. Rego place his items on the hall chair and smiles broadly as he comes fully into the room.
"Hello my precious boy! What are you doing up?" He chuckles as he lifts Logan from his crib and cuddles him. "Can't sleep with all those noisy revelers downstairs?" Logan giggles snuggling his face into Rego's lapel as he chatters nonsensically back.
"I understand completely! Your ever proud Grandfather dragged you downstairs to show you off to his guest didn't he? Now you can't get to sleep can you?" Logan giggles again.
"Let's see if Uncle Rego can remedy that and get you back to sleepy land." He says walking to the bookshelf and scanning them. "Here's a good one" He says pulling a book from the shelf then sitting in the rocking chair next to it as he thumbs through a couple of pages. Logan pushes up on his lap and stands laying his head against Rego's chest his arm wrapped around his neck clutching his shirt collar on the other side.
"This looks incredibly boring and I'm more than sure you've heard it before. Why don't you and I have one of our little chats hmm?" He's says to a cooing Logan. Rego kisses his cheek making him giggle then plop down into his lap. "I'm going to miss this you and me and our quiet chats. You my little friend are my favorite confidant. You don't judge or offer advise you just listen." Logan looks up at him and grins then snuggles down into Rego's arms. Rego smiles and holds him a little closer as he rocks gently in the chair. "I found out today you are officially going to have a little cousin to play with in a few months." Logan fusses letting out a small whimper then quiets again making Rego chuckle. "I completely get it. Now that it's official I'm not sure how I feel about that either. I mean of course I'll love my son I already do it's his mother. She's the part that perplexes me. I mean she's funny, charming, fun and exciting. She's also calculating, duplicitous and a consummate liar and I don't trust her not that I let your Grandfather know that. If I don't trust her then how can we possibly build a life together or be a family for my son? I don't know why I'm asking you this your mother made the right decision the day she left me for all the same reasons." He says chuckling aloud as he rocks a sleepy eyed Logan. "I was too arrogant, self centered and busy being a "debonair playboy" to appreciate what was right in front of me. I'm sure I wasn't mature enough back then to be a husband or a father. That didn't come till the day you were born my friend. I guess I was her Cassandra." He chuckles again then looks down at a sleeping Logan. " Perhaps if I hadn't been such an ass you, me and your Mum would have been a family." He says whimsically then sighs heavily. "Then the three of us would be going through this." He says with a roll of his eyes. "Perhaps fate stepping in and saving you from that was a good thing. Well none of that matters now does it? Whatever the future brings you and your uncle Rego will always be friends and we'll always tell each other our secrets." He whispers and kisses the sleeping child's head as he rises then places him in his crib. "Good night sweetheart I'll see you soon as we get settled. Uncle Rego loves you." He says as he pulls the blanket up over him tucking it in around him before turning and leaving the room.
Francessca leans back against the wall the baby monitor in her hand falling to her side. She'd heard all of their conversation and the guilt she felt was overwhelming but there was also an odd feeling of affirmation of everything she'd thought of him at the time. Yet he was also right, since the moment Logan was born he'd been wonderful with him. Still it didn't erase his action in the months leading up to Logan's birth. No, she'd made the right decision and Rego had just confirmed it but what about now?
"Hi! there" Rego whispers smiling as he comes out of the room and retrieves his belongings from the chair and comes towards her. "You don't have to bother checking we had a nice little chat then he went right off." Francessca peers over his shoulder at her sleeping son and smiles.
"Thank you so much for getting him settled in." Francessca says walking beside him as he heads toward the stairs.
"It was my pleasure. Now that Cassandra and I moved out I won't see him as much. I'm really going to miss him." He sighs voice tinged with a hint of sorrow. Francessca smiles back at him as she walks stopping at the top of the steps.
"You know you're always welcome to come see him anytime." Rego smiles back as they both descend the steps.
"I may just take you up on that. Not sure how long I can go without my favorite confident" He says with a wink making them both laugh. "You know theses are the first quiet and stress free moments I've had all evening? Thank you." He says feeling a fleeting moment of melancholy for what could have been. Francessca smiles nervously then averts her eyes to hide the sudden pang of guilt rising in her and quickly changes the topic.
"I know it's kind of soon but have you and Cassandra found a place yet?" Rego shrugs then shakes his head.
"For now we're staying at the Pine Valley Inn. I'll start looking for a place for us tomorrow."
"You know that place you and I looked at over on "Honeysuckle Grove" is still for sale. Jamie and I passed it on the way here and the sign was still up." She says as they reach the bottom of the staircase. Rego stares back confused not sure what she was talking about.
"Love, You and I looked at so many properties back then which one was that?" Francessca rolls her eyes then laughs.
"The one you really liked with the modern spanish architecture you loved." Rego's eyes open wide his expression more hopeful then she'd seen it all evening.
"That's fantastic! Do you remember who the realtor is?" He asks excitedly as he sets his load atop the hall table and reaches for his phone.
"Yeah, Miriam Chandler. I still have all the information in my phone if you want I can shoot her a text asking her to contact you ASAP ?" She says not waiting for a response and reaching for her phone. She scrolls through her notes is she speaks. Then sends the text to Miriam.
"You're all set!" She says finishing her text then looking up at him. Rego looks down at his phone a second later a text from Miram already appeared on his phone asking if ten tomorrow would be a good time to meet. Rego quickly text her back agreeing then reaches over and sweeps Francessca into a hug.
"You my dear are a lifesaver!" He says grabbing her and kissing her quickly surprising them both then setting her down.
"What's going on?" Jamie asks his eyes going from one to the other unsure what he had happened upon. The pair stare back at him both looking mildly guilty by his estimate. Thoughts race through his mind none of them comforting. What had happened before he arrived that would make either feel guilty? The thought sending a bolt of jealousy through him. This wasn't happening again and Rego wasn't leaving till he knew exactly what was going on.
*Copyright Takeitish Pine Valley Chronicles 2017
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