Expectations: One

[beanstalk_sims]

Warnings: Alcohol references, sexual references




 Don had poured the red wine before she got there. Everything was in place – Don knew Nina couldn't resist a touch of music and some red wine, though he personally hated the stuff.

Sure, he was engaged. But until he was actually down the end of that aisle, rings at the ready, he was a free man. His life was a stag do, only it lasted for weeks instead of one night.
 

 Nina hadn't been fooled by the red wine, she knew what Don was up to. He'd tried this trick many times, and she would foil him, again and again.

“Don, I know you,” Nina laughed, “don't think you can fool me by styling your hair and offering me wine.”



 Don frowned, “What's wrong with me styling my hair?”


“Nothing at all, if you bothered with it on days you weren't planning on seducing women,” Nina gave another chuckle, before taking a sip of her wine, “so, Cassandra Goth. Looks like someone really pulled this time.”


 

“It's not like that. I'm not after the Goth fortune.”


 

“So why her? Am I not brooding enough? Not weird enough? Is my house not creepy enough?”



 Don rolled his eyes, and Nina smiled. They were old friends, she knew she could get away with teasing him, “Alright, tell me why you're really interested in her.”

 “Did you ever meet her mother? Bella Goth?” Don asked, his eyes glittering at the mention of her name.
 

Nina shook her head, “I didn't meet her, but she's the one who went missing, isn't she?”


 

“Yeah. She was just so...amazing. And tied down to a complete idiot with no regard for anything other than his studies. I would have been better for her, fun, young,” Don sighed, “but I wasn't what she wanted.”

 

 “And now you're screwing her daughter? For revenge?” Nina offered, with another grin, earning a scowl from Don.


 

“Cassandra has some of the magic, Nina. She's so much like her mother, only less...”


 

“Interesting,” Nina finished, before adding, as an after thought, “with terrible fashion sense. Don, you idiot, girls can be interesting, but that doesn't mean you have to marry them.”


 

“Actually, I suggested it.”


 

“Were you drunk at the time?” Nina narrowed her eyes.



 “No, I wasn't!” Don snapped, “It just felt right at the time! The right thing to say...”


 

Nina shook her head, and looked away from him, being careful not to spill the wine she no longer felt like drinking.


 

“I don't know, Don,” she replied, softly, “you always said you never wanted to be tied down.”


 

“I know,” Don said, sadly, “I know.”



 Cassandra Goth sat in the lounge at the back of the house, gazing into the empty fireplace in thought. The house had fallen into its usual quietness, Mortimer working and Alexander reading, giving Cassandra the perfect atmosphere in which to think.


 

“I should tell him,” she whispered, “he has a right to know.”



 “On the other hand, it might drive him away. I don't want to do that,” Cassandra sighed, and sat up straight, the way her father had taught her to sit when she was young, “I love him.”



 She hesitated, twiddling her thumbs, trying to think of something helpful someone had said once, to no prevail.


 

“I need my Mother,” Cassandra said, to no one but the silent room, “but she's not here.”


 

With that, Cassandra rose from her seat, seeking out someone to talk to.



 Mortimer was hard at work. For years, he had been researching an elixir that could extend life, but since Bella's disappearance, his research had turned into thinking time. His papers decorated the desk, but he wasn't paying them the slightest bit of attention.


 

He was thinking about Bella, and the people around him could tell from the mysterious smile on his face when he thought about her.



 “Father?” Cassandra called, from the hallway, looking for him. Mortimer fell out of his trance with a grin. He adored his children.


 

“In the kitchen,” He responded, and set about moving his papers, so it looked like he had been busy. Cassandra entered the room, looking flustered, and he frowned, “what's wrong?”

Cassandra took a seat next to him, and sighed, “If a woman falls pregnant, should she tell her partner?”


Mortimer didn't speak for a few minutes, hiding his expression from Cassandra with his hand, before asking, coldly, “Is this your way of telling me you're expecting?”


 

Feeling sick, Cassandra nodded, “You're going to be a grandfather.”



 “Well, that is good news, Cassandra, am I correct in assuming Mr Lotherio is the father?” Mortimer questioned, politely. Both Cassandra and Alexander knew about Mortimer's dislike for Don, but neither of them had chosen to comment on it in the past.


 

“Yes. I need to tell him, don't I?” Cassandra replied, in a quiet voice.


 

“Tell him?” Mortimer repeated, “Cassandra, we need to bring the date of the wedding forwards. We cannot have a Goth heir born out of wedlock.”



 “Move the wedding date, what a sensible idea,” Cassandra commented, dryly, “I'm sure Don will be thrilled.”


 

“He should be. It means he shall join our honourable family sooner, as opposed to later,” Mortimer rose from his seat, “I will leave you to tell Mr Lotherio the good news. I have to take Alexander to his piano recital. Excuse me.”


 

Cassandra sat there for a moment, in silence, feeling misunderstood. Once the front door had shut behind Mortimer and Alexander as they left the house, Cassandra left the kitchen and wandered up to her room.



 There was the mirror, reflecting her image back at her. Cassandra wasn't showing any signs of the pregnancy yet, but it was a matter of time. Don would know soon, whether she told him or not. Yet Cassandra couldn't shake the feeling that moving the wedding date wouldn't please Don.


 

She wasn't his usual type, she knew that. She had seen Don, before dating him, with one of the Caliente sisters on his arm. Cassandra looked nothing like them. She didn't look like anyone Don had been associated with before.


 

Darkness began to fall, and Cassandra reached up, pulling her hair out of the tight bunches it had been tied into. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror.



 “Time to go tell Don the good news!” She announced, enthusiastically. It didn't take long for the smile to drop as she began her journey to Don's house.



 Don wasn't expecting a visit from Cassandra – they didn't see each other on Tuesdays, it was a night he reserved for other women. Mostly Nina, but sometimes Dina. Kaylynn only seemed to be around during the day.


 

Tuesdays were days where he would be uninterrupted. But this Tuesday, there was a knock at the door.



 “Who could that be?” Don asked, pulling away slightly, smiling a little. Nina tried to catch her breath as Don listened intently to the knocks.


 

“Don? You home?” Cassandra called. Don's eyes widened.


 

“One second, Cassie,” He answered, quickly, “I'll be right there, I'm just on the phone.”



 “Nina, take the back door and run home as quick as you can, okay?”


 

“Don-” Nina began, intent of reminding him about the lipstick mark on his cheek. He didn't let her finish.


 

“I'll see you soon.” Don grinned, cheekily.



 Outside, Cassandra was still waiting, and she grinned as her fiancé came out of the house.


“Cassie, sweetie, I wasn't expecting to see you tonight!” He offered her a hug, and she took it, willingly, pleased to see the man she loved, “You look amazing, you should wear your hair down more often, Cass.”


 

“I've got news, and it just couldn't wait...” Cassandra fell silent.



 “What? Cass, what is it?” Don asked, nervously. He'd played this game many times, surely she couldn't tell he'd been kissing Nina by looking at him.


 

“Whose kiss is that still on your cheek?” Cassandra demanded, coldly. Don reached up and touched the print, wide-eyed.


 

“Cass, I,” Don began, as Cassandra stormed into the house, “Cass! Wait! Please don't do anything reckless!”



 He followed her into the kitchen, waiting expectantly when she stopped suddenly, still furious. They both waited for the other one to break the silence.


 

“Cass...I didn't...”

 “Didn't what, Don?” Cassandra yelled, “Let me guess, this wine is out for her, that mark on your face is from her lipstick, and she left via the back door because that's what she always does? It's routine now, Don!”

Don said nothing, and let her continue.


 

“I can't believe you would do this, Don! You asked me to marry you! I can't believe I agreed, knowing you behave like this...”

 “Behave like what?” Don demanded. He had never been caught before, this was all completely new to him.

“Like some teenager! Like you have no commitments or responsibilities!” Cassandra snapped back, “You need to grow up, Don!”

“If you knew what I was like, then why did you bother?” Don shouted, furiously.


 

“Maybe because I love you, and that's why I stayed, knowing you were banging a different girl every weekend!” Cassandra started to cry, a few tears of frustration, anger and sadness, “How many others are carrying your baby, Don?”



 “How many others?” Don repeated, puzzled, “Wait, are you...you're pregnant?”


 

Cassandra nodded, still upset. Don's expression turned to a look of delight as he thought about being a father. Somehow, the idea of being a Dad appealed to him.


 

“Cass, I am engaged to you. You're carrying my baby,” Don smiled again, “I've made some mistakes, we both know that...but I think we should give this a shot. We can make this work.”



 Cassandra pulled Don into a hug, “I'm stupid enough to love you, despite everything you've done to me.”


 

“I've been stupid enough to mess up. So was that the news you wanted to tell me?” Don asked, quietly. His calm tone soothed Cassandra as she wiped away the last of the tears.


 

“Wipe that lipstick off your face, and then we'll talk.”



 Don entered the room, with a clean face, and smelling like he had just applied aftershave. Cassandra smiled, tiredly, exhausted from the earlier argument.


 

“Are you alright, Cassie?” Don questioned, with a warm smile.


 

“Just tired.” Cassandra answered.



 “Was the baby the news?” Don asked. Cassandra was suddenly aware of how comfortable she was in her relationship with Don, how natural it all seemed to be. That's was the reason she forgave him, she decided.


 

“Sort of. I told Dad about the baby.”


 

“Oh. I bet he was impressed.” Don replied, cheerfully. He knew Mortimer hated him.



 “Not likely,” Cassandra added, “he refused to have one of the heirs to the Goth line born out of wedlock.”


 

“But the wedding isn't for ages, Cass.” Don pointed out, putting his arm round her. He tried to keep a smile on his face, but inside, he was panicking. He knew what was coming next.


 

“The date is going to be brought forwards, Don,” Cassandra said, delighted, “we're going to be married soon.”

 Don wasn't sure what to say to that. He squeezed Cassandra's hand, and tried to smile.

“Great.” He replied, finally.

--------------------------

Since I finished my turn in a RRL in January, I've been thinking of writing up my ideas of Pleasantview into a story of some kind. Naturally, my ideas changed and my focus shifted off the Burbs and the Brokes to Don and the Goths.

Also: The lines are spaced out quite a bit during the actual chapter, and I'm not sure why. I found it easier to read through like that, though, so hopefully it's not too bad.

So this is Expectations, my twist on Don and Cassandra's relationship. I hope you enjoy it :)