The Beta's Broken Mate

Two Years Later

"Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you" Cassie sang to her son Liam who sat there in all his adorableness, hat on his head and a big smile on his toothy face as he blew at the candles, Cassie laughing and helping when he wasn't successful. God how she loved him she thought, looking at his tousled blonde hair that matched her own, the same blue eyes and the same pale porcelain skin tone. He was perfect. Her little miniature and although it might seem terrible she was grateful he seemed to contain nothing of his father in him at all. She didn't need that painful reminder.

"Bday mummy" Liam cried out and she laughed, cutting him a slice of cake and sitting next to him, trying very hard not to look at the other empty chairs at the table. She would have loved Lauretta and Thomas to take part in the celebrations but Isabelle had dismissed them weeks after helping her give birth, citing that once Cassie had recovered they were no longer needed. It had confused them until it became crystal clear that what Isabelle meant was that Cassie would be taking on their duties while trying to take care of her baby at the same time with no help whatsoever.

She sighed. They now lived in the little gardener's hut away from the main house and while it meant she didn't have to deal with Isabelle or Lorraine and Stephanie, it also meant cold draughts and almost no warmth during the winter, which meant bundling Liam up as warm as possible with blankets while she herself froze, sleeping close to the fireplace but never seemingly warm enough. She would do that and much more though if it meant Liam was being cared for, herself she would deal as best she could. At the very least they had a roof over their head and food to eat, food that Cassie herself provided from the vegetable gardens she planted and the fruit she picked from the orchard. The chickens provided the meat and sometimes the forest provided the herbs and other edibles she could use.

She always had to pick plenty though, required not just to cook for herself but her sisters and stepmother as well. It was one of their requirements for her and Liam to continue living here as Cassie was an embarrassment to them all, having a son and not being married despite this being a modern society, they still held to the old ways and nothing would sway them from it.

"Yummy" Liam said and Cassie was brought back down to earth, smiling at him fondly as she took in his chocolate covered face and hands, noting with amusement he'd managed to get it all over his clothes and hair as well. She shook her head.

"Liam" she said very sternly, holding back a smile as he began to look at her alarmed "you are very messy and have chocolate everywhere" she exclaimed leaning forward "do you know what that means?" she asked him softly and he glanced at her now, looking troubled.

"It means bath time" she shouted out gleefully and Liam's face spread into a huge smile, holding his pudgy hands up eagerly as she grabbed him and whirled him around. His laughter filled the air as she took him to the small bathroom, placing him down and starting the water before stripping him down while he wiggled and squealed. Finally she got the little minx into the tub where he sat and played with some of the cups she placed in there while she scrubbed him clean before sitting next to the bath and leaning her head against it as she watched.

Cassie felt guilty. She hadn't been able to get him a present for his birthday. Isabelle refused to pay her for her work, citing that she was lucky to have a roof over her head and with the hours she spent from gardening to cooking and cleaning for them in the main house, she didn't have enough hours to spare getting a job in town as well. The best she could manage was to bake her son a cake and make him a card, playing games with him and walking around during the day off she'd been given for her son's birthday, something Isabelle had told her to be grateful for. It was her first day off since Liam had turned six weeks old she thought a tad bitterly. His first birthday had been spent cleaning and tending to him at the same time, a cake again the only thing she had been able to provide on what to her, was a momentous occasion.

"Alright Liam" she said softly as she noticed he was beginning to droop a little bit in the water "time to get dressed and go to sleep before the water gets too cold."

He offered no resistance as she pulled the plug and lifted him out, getting him ready for bed as the night got chilly and putting him into bed with a kiss on the forehead, piling his blankets high and watching him pass out completely. God how she loved her son. Cassie was thankful to have him every single day no matter the hardships she endured for his sake.

She cleaned up aware there would be no time for it until tomorrow, giving herself a cursory shower before heading to the fireplace and starting it. She pulled the threadbare mattress that served as hers closer but not too close that she was in danger of being burnt or hit by random sparks. Her pyjamas had holes in them and so did the blanket but they offered the slightest bit of warmth which she took. lying down and shivering as she closed her eyes and did the best she could to fall asleep, as always on the alert for the merest sign of her son waking or crying out with another nightmare as he slept. All too soon the sun was up and Cassie was forced to waken and start yet another miserable day.