White Lies

Prince of Charm Part One

How does it all go from bad to worse in a blink of an eye?

Bee cannot shake off the nagging feeling on the back of her neck. Did she forget something? Hunter has kept her under a watchful eye since coming out of the hospital. It was an isolated incident, but nothing that either one of them would want to repeat. He knows Blanche is as careful as anybody. One time she forgets to hydrate well and faints, and all of a sudden, she's not allowed to move, let alone think.

Hunter is around the corner, ready to pounce on her if she even lifts a finger.

"Go to work, please!" she begs of him. "You are driving me insane, Hunter."

Resigned and dejected, Hunter stands at the end of the bed while holding a bowl of fruit and a glass of water. He says nothing back.

Bee detects his compliance. "Hunt, I'm fine. To be honest, I'm getting a little bored sitting and lying down like I'm an invalid. I want to go to work," she explains, careful not to raise her voice again. She should count herself lucky that there is a man who's waiting on her hand and foot, a privilege not experienced by many. And in her situation, Hunter is what the doctor ordered. What she can't stomach is when he freaks out over a slight alien sound when they're in bed, or a quick flash of movement from an unseen corner. He's been overprotective and it is suffocating her.

Hunter walks over to the bedside and places the bowl and glass down before sitting beside Bee. With his fingers, he brushes off her growing hair--the light-colored roots coming out--from her face. A sigh blows out of his lips before he speaks. "I know I'm a bit much. I just want to make sure you and the baby are okay. I was so worried, babe."

He is sweet, Bee thinks, as she traces the worry around his eyes and lips. "You're doing great taking care of me, of us, but it's a little irritating. I'm getting cabin fever being stuck in this house. And I want to go home, with you, to our apartment. Our bed."

Apart from Hunter, Marianne has been too attentive as well. The only relief she gets are from when Jason comes home and talks to her about work, much to Hunter's dismay, and Trisha's rare visits.

"It's been an entire week of doing shit all." Blanche reaches for Hunter's hands. "I know you've moved your schedule around to watch over me, but you and Red have a business to run." The red-headed beauty has visited her as well, initially to apologize for her fiancé's behavior. Bee has guaranteed that whatever Wolfe has said and done have nothing to do with her fainting.

Her second visit was to bring baby items Red has seen in a baby store near her home. "I couldn't help myself. Wolfe had to stop me and remind me that you guys don't even know what the sex of the baby yet," Red confessed.

"Just try it out for today, Hunt. I promise I won't go anywhere, but one of us has to do something out of here. I'll go for a walk with Marianne later."

Hunter rubs his hands over his face and surrenders, "Fine. I'll work for a few hours this afternoon. Promise me you won't go anywhere without Mare." He waits for her reply, which is a curt nod and a sweet smile. After a soft kiss on her lips, Hunter stands to get himself ready for work.

***
"I'm so glad he went to work. He was driving me crazy, Mare," Bee tells Hunter's sister-in-law. She stretched her arms and legs before taking a space on the sofa, ready for a movie marathon. Their earlier walk as soon as Hunter left was a welcomed relief from being somewhat of a prisoner in Mare and Jason's house.

Mate chuckles. "You know he's just nervous. It's natural since this is both your first time with pregnancy."

She says the words like she expects Bee to have more than one child with Hunter. Since Bee and Hunter have only figured out recently that they want a "real" relationship, Bee wants to take it slow, one step at a time. Well, as slow as two people who live together and are about to have a family of their own can be.