*NOT EDITED*

Chapter 48

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I stepped out of the bathroom with a towel tightly wrapped around my body, letting the steam escape. I opened my closet and picked out comfortable sweatpants and a loose band shirt after applying lotion and body spray from Bath and Body Works.

Just as I was about to slip into my clothes, something caught my eye.

A spider.

An ear piercing scream escaped my mouth as I jumped a couple steps back, clutching the towel tightly.

"What's going on, what happened?" Damon asked frantically as he rushed into my room.

I wordlessly pointed to the evil creature by my hairdresser. Damon followed my fingers to the spider before approaching it cautiously.

He grabbed my hair brush and swung back-

"Stop! Not with my hairbrush," I exclaimed.

"Watch the spider, I'll go get something to kill it."

I nodded and tightened my grip on the towel. The spider started moving to the left, away from the hairdresser and to my bed.

No, no, no, I thought, not the bed.

I tried shooing it away, but then it got closer to me. I took a couple steps backward as it kept getting closer.

Just in time, Damon came back with a baseball bat in his hand. He looked to where the spider previously was before giving me a questioning look.

"It's right in front of me. Literally, a step away," I said weakly.

He nodded and approached the spider slowly. As he was about to swing the bat and hit it, the spider scurried away between my legs, erupting a scream from me.

I ran away to the other side of the room as Damon repeatedly struck the spider.

"Did you get it?"

"No, the damned thing ran away."

I looked over Damon's shoulder to see my bedside table destroyed from the bat. "You managed to break down my bedside table but not the spider?!"

"It's not my fault that- oh, there it is!" Damon's eye's widened as he ran after the spider outside of my room.

"Thanks a lot, Damon!" I called out before shutting the door to my room.

I looked back to the mess he made and sighed. Those evil creatures may just end up ruling the world one day.

"Damon, I'm not doing this," I said defiantly. "Figure out a solution."

"Come on, Ashie-pie. Do some good to others in your life." He followed me into the kitchen and sat in one of the seats by the counter, watching me open the fridge.

"I do good to everyone every day by simply existing," I said as I grabbed the Cheesecake Factory leftovers.

He mumbled something under his breath that I couldn't decipher.

"What was that? I didn't hear you." I smirked.

"Nothing," he huffed, "please let me borrow it."

"Damon, I'm not taking an Uber because you're trying to impress the new chick." I rolled my eyes.

"What's wrong with Ubers? Some of the drivers are really nice and have snacks in the backseat."

"If you like them so much, why don't you take one?"

"Okay, I'll make you a deal," he said, ignoring my suggestion, "you let me borrow your car for today and I won't tell Elyse that you're the one that hoards the donuts in your closet every time dad buys a new box."

"How did you find out?" I spun around so fast to see a smirk on his face.

"That's not important for now."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You won't do it."

"Do what?" Elyse asked as she walked into the kitchen in her workout clothes.

"Find out that Ash is the one who-"

"Is generous enough to let him borrow my car." I walked to Damon and rested my arm on his shoulder with a smile. "That's just the kind of sister that I am."

"Yup, my dear sister." Damon reached out and ruffled my hair.

I subtly leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Don't push it, McMoron."

Elyse took the orange juice in her hand, looking weirdly between of us as she backed out of the kitchen. "Don't get yourself arrested."

Damon spun in his chair and outstretched his arm with his palm facing upward. "The keys, my dear sister."

"They're in the bedside table's drawer in my room," I grumbled.

"Thank you, my de-"

"Don't dare," I warned.

He raised his hands in mock surrender before leaving the kitchen with a grin.

Grumbling under my breath, I left the kitchen and climbed up the stairs to my room. I had to get ready and be at the hospital in less than thirty minutes. Cameron was learning the baby's sex today, but she wanted it to be a surprise so I'm supposed to be assisting her today.

I quickly stepped into clothes fitting for the weather - black jeans, a sweater, a scarf, and Uggs - and grabbed some cash and my phone before heading back downstairs.

"I ordered you the Uber, tell Cameron that I'll be there a bit late," Elyse said before rushing up the stairs in a hurry.

I called a thanks loud enough for her to hear and left the house. In our driveway was a white van that I've never seen before. The passenger seat's window rolled down, revealing a burly man with a kind, genuine smile.

"Uber for Ash Brooks?" He grinned and I took a step forward.

"Yes?" I asked wearily.

"First time ordering an Uber, eh? Don't worry, I'm not a creepy kidnapper. 906 398-999, that's your number, right?"

"Yeah," I chuckled nervously.

"Well, come on in, then," he reached out and unlocked the doors, "but take the very back seats please."

"Okay."

I pulled the door open and climbed into the back of the car, leaving the seats between mine and the driver's seat empty. I didn't question his request, maybe the seats just weren't clean.

"To the local hospital, right?" His eyes traveled to mine through the rearview mirror.

"Yes," I replied quietly.

I watched from the window as he drove by our neighborhood. After a few seconds of the drive, a weird noise grabbed my attention from the seat in front of me. Listening closely, I realized they were small animal noises.

I leaned over the edge of my seat and peered over to see a cat litter box, except it didn't have a cat inside. Getting a closer look, I realized they were rats.

The drive gave me the back seat to give this seat to his rats.

God, help me. This is why I don't like Ubers.

After a few more minutes of hearing rats squeaking in front of me, the driver stopped by the hospital. I paid him the money and gladly stepped out of the van, giving him a thank you.

The hospital was the same hospital Benjamin stayed at. I wasn't sure if I should've been concerned about my frequent visits to the hospital, or happy that I wasn't the one in the hospital beds.

I walked into the hospital and to the same receptionist I met a few days ago. "Hi. Which floor is for the Obstetricians?"

"First floor," she replied with a smile as her eyes flashed in recognition.

"Thank you," I smiled back and turned on my heel, walking to the elevator.

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Author's Note:

Hey, guys! Sorry for the short chapter, but I've been having major writer's block and it was a feat to finally finish this chapter.

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