Chapter 5
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Six weeks later, Casey's life took a turn. Her normal routine was to jump out of bed at 6:30 am and get a cup of coffee before jumping into the shower and going off to work. This morning, she had barely made it out of bed when the nausea hit. She almost didn't make it to the toilet before she started to puke her guts up. Oh no, she thought, not the flu. Within an hour the nausea was gone. She felt fine and headed to work.
The next morning was a repeat of the previous as was the next. As Casey sat with her head in the toilet, it finally dawned on her she hadn't had her period. It was always on time. In fact you could set a clock by it. She frantically found her calendar. She was 3 weeks late! No, it couldn't be, she couldn't be pregnant. Then she remembered they had forgotten to use condoms and she was not on the Pill! On her way to work that morning, Casey got up the nerve to stop at the pharmacy for one of those early pregnancy test kits. As soon as she got to the job, she went to the bathroom. Within minutes the answer was there, a big + sign stared back at her. She was pregnant.
The choice to have the baby was easy for Casey to make. If she couldn't have Pik, she could have something that was a part of him. Where was he now, she wondered?
Ten thousand miles away in South Africa, a dark brooding man was sitting on a porch with a cup of coffee. He had been brooding since showing up at his parents' house two weeks prior. His mother had never seen her son so preoccupied or so miserable. There was only one thing that caused that emotion, Love! Her son was in love!
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For the next 6 months, Pik went through the motions of helping his parents with their plantation, but he was miserable. All he could think of was Casey and what she was doing. Did she still think of him?
Finally, his parents could take no more. "Son, something is bothering you? From the looks of you, I would venture to guess it was a woman." Pik's father said one day. Pik turned and smiled, "Yes Dad, it is a woman." "So what are you going to do about it? Sit here for the rest of your life and be miserable or go to her and make a life? Fouchon is dead. You can do anything you want now. You have money enough to live on without working again. If she means as much as we think she does, then go to her. Marry her and start a family! You are not getting any younger and you've cheated death enough times." Pik's Dad had never thought that he would have to tell his son to do anything, but this time Pik needed a kick in the pants to get him started. Pik grinned at his Dad. "You're right."
They walked back to the house. Pik's Dad nodded to his wife as he walked in. She just smiled. If things went well, she would have a daughter-in-law in a matter of days, and a grandchild she hoped before the next year was out! Little did she know, that part was going to be coming true in about 8 weeks!
Pik caught the first flight out from Pretoria to Houston, TX. Arriving at Casey's ranch just before 11 pm the next night. Pik took up the spot where he had first seen Casey.
The lights were on in the living room so she was still up. Then they went out. Well, good timing. She's going to bed. He watched her enter the bathroom. He rubbed his eyes, must be tired, she looks "heavier" than she did. He watched her remove her clothes and step into the shower. That's what he had been waiting on. With silent footsteps, he entered the front door. Noting that she still did not lock it at night. He walked through the bedroom and into the bathroom. Slowly he removed the towel that she had placed on the rack outside the shower. The water suddenly shut off and the door opened. Her hand reached for the towel. Emptiness greeted her hand. She felt around, nothing. What was going one? She opened the door and the towel was gone. Stepping out of the shower dripping water onto the carpet, Casey shrieked when the towel suddenly wrapped around her and she was encased in a pair of strong arms. Arms that she would know anywhere!
She spun around and threw her arms around Pik. He crushed her to him, suddenly becoming aware of something between them. He looked down and his mouth dropped. He was staring at her very pregnant stomach. He brought his eyes back to hers. "Yes, it's yours." Was all Casey said. Pik slowly lowered his hands to her belly. It was at that opportune time that the baby let out a hard kick. "Pik, meet your son! Yes, it's a boy. I had a sonogram." "When?" was all Pik could utter. "Oh in about 8 weeks."
This was more than Pik could comprehend in one instance. Here he was, with the woman he had intended to ask to marry him only to find out he was going to be a Daddy in 8 weeks. He sat on the edge of the bed. Still holding his hands on her belly, he looked up into her eyes, eyes that were filled with love. Love for him and love for their unborn child. He knew right then that he had made the right choice in coming back.
"Will you marry me, Casey?" he asked gently. "I came back because I couldn't stand being without you one minute longer. Please say yes!"
She smiled and bent to kiss the lips that had filled her dreams since the day they met. "Yes".
She quickly had Pik undressed and into bed. With a tenderness he did not know he was capable of, Pik made love to Casey, carefully as to not to hurt the baby. This brought tears to Casey's eyes. That he loved her so much. "I love you, Pik Van Cleaf, now and forever".
With that, Casey dropped off to sleep a contented smile on her face. Pik had her in his arms and whispered, "I love you Casey".
As he drifted of to sleep, Pik realized he was where he wanted to be. Home with the woman he loved.