WARNING: Possible trigger warning regarding Abortion
Ben couldn’t sleep. He kept thinking about Emma and why she hadn’t told them about the baby yet. He had tried to talk to her and she cut him off. She said she was fine, but she had seemed nervous. It had been two weeks since she was at the doctor. He didn’t think she had done anything stupid because she hadn’t been ‘sick’.
He couldn’t get Grace out of his head either. Seeing her two weeks ago hurt really bad. All of the feelings he had for her came rushing back like a tidal wave. He finally decided to get out of bed. He his neck was getting stiff and he couldn’t keep laying there any longer.
Ben walked into the kitchen and made coffee. He was going to need it to get through the day since he didn’t sleep. He was careful not to wake up Nick. Nick would just start in on what Emma may have said and Ben didn’t want to get into with him.
After he finished his coffee, he decided to go for a run to help clear his head.
He had been laying around indoors too much, so instead of the treadmill he opted for fresh air. It was early so it wasn’t too hot yet and the streets weren’t crowded.
After 45 minutes he made his way back and stopped short. Grace was walking towards his apartment building. Damn.
Squatting down to catch is breath, he watched her climb the steps to his building. He tried to figure out why she was here. Maybe Emma had another appointment. He hoped she wasn’t getting rid of the baby. It would scar her forever.
He thought about Reese and his oldest son, Sam while he waited. Sam’s Mother was only 16 and had wanted to abort their baby. Reese refused. Sam was a good kid and Ben’s stomach clenched at the thought of his nephew never being born. Of being disposed of like yesterday’s garbage. He was lucky Reese was his father. Maybe Reese wasn’t so bad after all. Maybe he should call him and congratulate him on his new baby girl.
Ben’s thoughts drifted back to Emma and her baby. He had to get her to confide in him. It was making him crazy with worry that she felt she couldn’t talk to any of them. Didn’t she know they all had her back?
Ben figured he had given Grace enough time to get inside Emma’s apartment and headed inside himself.
When he opened the door to his apartment, Grace was sitting there talking to Nick. Shit.
“Hi,” stammered Ben trying to smile, not knowing what else to say. They hadn’t spoken since he broke things off with her 3 months ago to the day.
Grace gave Nick a knowing look before turning to Ben. “Hi Ben. I need to talk to you. Do you have a minute?”
Nick looked at Ben sheepishly. “I’m going across the hall if you need anything.”
Ben looked back and forth between the two of them. “O-kay,” he said, not understanding why Nick was leaving.
He hoped Grace was going to tell him about Emma. “Um, do you mind if I take a quick shower first, I probably stink.”
“Go ahead,” said Grace, “I’m in no hurry.”
“Help yourself to coffee or anything in the fridge,” he said and took off for the shower.
Grace got up and quickly poured the coffee down the sink. She found some juice in the refrigerator. She poured a glass for herself and sat it on the table. Then she walked over to the sink. Grace was splashing water on her face when Ben emerged from the bathroom.
“Grace, are you okay?” asked Ben, now more concerned than nervous.
Grace jumped. “I’m fine,” she said quickly and sat down at the table with Ben.
Ben eyed what she was drinking. “I’m sorry, I thought there was coffee made. I can make some more if you would rather…”
“No! Please don’t make any. I just needed something to settle my stomach. The coffee smell was making it worse so I poured it out. Sorry,” she said unable to look him in the eye.
Ben was confused. Simply being near Grace confused him and her being ill made it worse. All he wanted to do was comfort her – take care of her. But he still didn’t understand why she needed to talk to him alone about Emma. “Are you sick? Do you need me to take you home?”
Grace took a drink. “No. I’m not sick. Oh God, this is so hard,” she said, then took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Remember the night at the Bluffs?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Grace looked like she was about to cry. Why is she so emotional? He would never forget that night. It was the best and worst night of his entire life. But why was she bringing it up? “Yes,” he said as gently as he could, “of course I do.”
“We didn’t use protection…”
This was supposed to be about Emma. Was she trying to draw a parallel with Emma? “I remember. But you are on the pill so it didn’t matter.”
“I was taking antibiotics for a sinus infection,” she said quietly and looked at him with fear or maybe hope in her beautiful blue eyes, made even bluer by the tears swimming in them.
That’s when he put the pieces together. Holy fuck! he thought as what she was trying to say hit him. “NO! No, no, no….” he blurted out, “It’s not you, it’s Emma! Emma’s pregnant, not you. It can’t be you!”
Grace started to cry more and yelled at Ben through her tears, “I don’t know why I let Emma talk me into this! I knew this was exactly how you would react! Yes Ben, I’m pregnant! With your baby. Have a nice life! Alone!”
“Oh God Grace,” said Ben as she walked out the door slamming it behind her.
Ben sat there in stunned silence for a few minutes before tears started falling. “I’m sorry Grace. I can’t….I don’t know….” he said to the empty room.
Nick and Rachael came storming in and Ben jumped up.
“Ben! What did you say to her? She’s a mess,” said Rachael glaring at him.
Ben just stared at them, “She’s the one…not Em…” was all he could manage.
Rachael walked up and slapped him. “Get over yourself Casanova. It’s time to grow the hell up!”
Ben put his hand on his face as he stared at Rachael. “You knew didn’t you…why didn’t you tell me?”
Then he looked at Nick who looked guilty. He grabbed Nick by the collar, “NICK! Why didn’t you tell me?!? Answer me!” he said shaking him.
Rachael screamed, “Ben – STOP IT! Let him go!”
Ben looked at Rachael, then looked at Nick’s frightened face. Then finally down at his hands holding onto Nick’s shirt. He dropped him like he was poison and sat down in the chair, tears rolling down his face.
“Rachael, go check on the girls,” said Nick quietly, “I will stay here with Ben. I’ve never seen him like this before. He just needs time to absorb the news.”
After Rachael left, Nick sat down with Ben.
“I’m not supposed to be a father Nick. What if I wind up like my old man and hurt someone? I don’t want to hurt Grace or her baby. What if I do, I couldn’t live with myself. I almost punched you Nick. What if….”
“Ben, you are talking crazy. Why would you hurt Grace or your baby? Your baby Ben, not just hers, yours too?”
“I will pay child support and her medical bills. But I can’t be a part of their life.”
“Ben, do you love, no care, do you care about Grace and the baby?”
“Of course I do. I care so much it hurts. I only want what’s best for them. Why would you think I don’t?”
“Grace told Emma that she loves you Ben.”
“NO! It doesn’t matter! She can’t love me. Don’t you get it? My mom loved my dad and he cared about my mom, but he…”
“What do your parents have to do with this? Just because they divorced” asked Nick, confused.
“Nothing – never mind!” he said quickly, “Is Grace still with Emma and Rachael? I need to talk to her. She thinks I am a monster. Maybe I am, but I have to tell her that I’m sorry and I will take care of the expenses.”
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Holy mackerel! I’m gonna send my simself in there to hammer some sense into Ben’s head. I can’t watch this!
First all those nice thoughts about his nephew and then this. By trying to avoid becoming his father he’s becoming something even worse. The expenses is the last thing on Grace’s mind, dick-hay-ud!
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Yes! Someone needs to send their simself in there and knock some sense into that thick skull of his. His thinking is soooo flawed. But you are definitely onto something. In trying not to become his father that is exactly what he is doing. 🙄 The thing is what will it take to make him realize that?
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We should all send our simselves in and gang up on him until he caves and admit that he loves her.
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That would be totally awesome! 🤣
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Mine is on the gallery. With and without cats. Same screen name. Help yourself to her. lol
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That’s great. An outtake with everyone’s simself attacking Ben! Maybe it would be cathartic. Lol
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Things are getting intense up in here… but I feel as if his fear of hurting others will end up making more people get hurt. But there are some serious esteem issues that he’s dealing with, and I don’t think he’s enough of an adult to realize that throwing money at things won’t fix them.
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A bit intense…..Not sure what it’s gonna take for him to realize money isn’t the answer. And you’re right, distancing himself is not helping anybody.
He does talk to Grace again. We will see how that goes on Sunday.
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Oh Ben, you really can be a dick hay-ud!!
You know how you feel about Grace. Man up, and tell her!! I know that he thinks that he is protecting them, but he is doing mare harm than good!!
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A dick-hay-ud for sure! He does know how he feels about her. He does need to man up. (Gotta love the slap pose!) Rachael was right to tell him to grow up. But he hasn’t told anyone about his past. Even Nick doesn’t know. Regardless, he needs to man up.
Maybe….he will figure it out…but will it be too late for Grace and his kid like it was for him and Emma?
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Man up, Ben! For real! It was so hard for her to go there and tell him. Sheesh. What a dick-hay-ud!
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Yes. What a dick-hay-ud!!!! It was hard. She didn’t want to and Emma talked her into it. I hope she can talk some sense into Ben. She is probably the only one that could. 🙄
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I think you’re right about that.
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Emma to the rescue! Emma is one my all time favorite characters!
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I really like her, too! She is awesome! ❤
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Awwww he’s afraid of ending up like his father 😦 It’s so sad to see. Still though… wake up, Ben. You are your own person. You aren’t your father. But guess what? You’re going to be one and you’ve gotta shape up and do right by Grace and your baby!
Loved how intense this chapter was! The reveal totally lived up to expectations 😉
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Thanks! He is terrified of history repeating itself, but in trying to prevent it, he is doing exactly that. He has to shape up and fast.
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Ben is just scared… but being a little douchey about it too. Im sure he will get his shit together … hopefully before its too late.
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Lol…a little douchey? Maybe a lot. Yes he’s terrified. I hope he does get it together and sooner rather than later.
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Ben no
N O
If he legit goes up to Grace and says “sorry, but uhh I’ll pay for it” he’s going to make it so much more worse hahaha 😂
He’s definitely a dick-hay-ud if he approaches her with that right off the bat 😂
Oh Ben, you just wanna get slapped. 😂
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Haha. He needs Grace to slap him for sure. Yes dick-hay-ud Ben. He is going to have to man up soon.
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Got a mention of Reese! Ah! The memories…I think Ben is going into the direction I said it earlier. As he thinks he will be like his father, he might end up like him, not intentionally, but because he truly belives that if he stays with Grace and the baby, he will hurt them. Your own mind can influence you to do many things. I hope he dosen’t end up like his father, or at least talk to him so that he can get his stuff together.
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That’s a great idea. I think if he ever sat down and talked honestly to his father and his mother he would start down the road of healing. He’s so bitter towards them right now. He was very happy to move to be away from them. By closing himself off he is becoming very much like his father. Hopefully he will see that.
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Ben. You truly are a dick-haaayud.
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😂 Nuff said…Maybe Emma will get through to him.
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Hit him again Rachel … a couple more times!
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Lol. Yes. He totally deserved that slap.
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What is wrong with you dude?! You’re about to make things so much worse by offering to just pay..!
What a dick-hay-ud!! 😁 I really hope he changes his mind.
His face when he found out though, priceless. I felt so bad for poor Nick too!
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Poor Nick. Ben better watch out or he won’t have any friends left. He has a lot to figure out.
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Ben, come to some realizations..I have to repeat it each chapter, for goodness sake! But I feel sorry for him, he’s such a ruin after the break up and then the news. He should stop comparing himself to his father. He can do much better than that!
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He is his own worst enemy…sadly. 😕
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Well then, that reveal went down pretty much how I was hoping it would – Rachel slapping him was a bonus though 😂 Poor Ben has barely come to terms with having genuine feelings for Grace and now he has to consider a potential kid and future with her all at once… I don’t doubt he’ll probably make things even worse somehow before they get better just because he’s Ben. I hope this’ll be the wake up call he needs to realize he isn’t his father and that constantly comparing himself is only turning himself into something worse 😕
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Yes… slapping Ben was probably something she has wanted to do more often than not! Ben’s absolutely terrified. He needed therapy so badly while he was a child. He internalized everything and used the intimacy of sex as a substitute for love. Now that love has happened he can’t deal with it and it scares him.
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“I don’t know why I let Emma talk me into this! I knew this was exactly how you would react! Yes Ben, I’m pregnant! With your baby. Have a nice life! Alone!”
Ack! That hurt. Gosh this is a mess!!
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And the mess continues! Lol. Yes. She was cold, but she was hurt. 😢
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Well. Crap.
Ben… how about you *don’t* waltz in and offer the woman money 😬
Could be worse though, at least he’s not the OTHER kind of poor reactor.
Will this be the thing to derail the cycle?!
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Yes, he would never not help her out. But he is scared shitless right now…
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Ben’s still on that twisted logic, huh? >:c
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Very twisty and tangled logic.
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“We didn’t use protection…” And he still doesn’t get the hint 😂 Oh my goodness. “But you are on the pill so it didn’t matter.” As a man who said that, I am really surprised Ben figured out by the antibiotics. I feel like the knowledge that the pill can fail, too is more common than knowing antibiotics can cause this. Guess Ben only hears what he wants to hear 😏
It’s good that he wants to go after Grace. If she still lets him talk to her. His aggressive reaction must have scared her off a lot, I’m not sure I’d take the risk!
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Yes. She had hoped for a much different reaction. I’m sure Ben knew, he just didn’t want to know.
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Ahhh Ben! Are you ever going to learn? This is getting so, so bad! He is such a hot mess but I’m actually having a hard time feeling sorry for him right now. He really needs to grow up and be a man. Throwing money at the situation just isn’t going to work. His fear is causing a lot more harm and is totally senseless. All of this could have been prevented had he been able to admit that he loves her. I’m gonna be like everyone else and send my Sim self over there to kick his ass. I do TS3 though but can make one for TS4. LOL! My TS3 Version is almost at level 10 of martial arts, so she would be the version to be able to get right in there and deck him. LMAO!
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Get in line … it’s a long one. Lol
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