I Want You Back

I took a deep breath as I realised Marley had no idea what or where she was.

As I thought about the implications of her memory loss, a plan formed in my mind.

“Baby” I breathed as I sat down on the bed next to her, “Its 2013” I confessed as I watched the fear overtake her face. I quickly moved to reassure her that everything would be okay. “No baby, don’t be scared” I explained as I took hold of her right hand.

She looked down at her belly before gasping as if realising that something was missing.

“Cristiano did…did we lose the baby? Is that why I’m in hospital?” she cried as she tried to figure out what was happening.

I was quick to dispel her fears as I cupped her face and forced her to look at me.

“No babe that’s not the reason you are here. We have a healthy baby boy. His almost 3. He is actually outside waiting to see you” I explained as a smiled took over her face.

“What’s his name?”

“Cristiano Junior. You thought it would be cute if we started a tradition of keeping the Cristiano name going in the family” I explained as she continued to nod.

“Why can’t I remember any of that?” she laughed awkwardly as I explained a bit more about our son.

I bit my lip at her observation but I said nothing because I knew of I told her the truth I would lose her forever.

“Don’t rush yourself babe. You probably have short term amnesia all that matters is that we are together and you are feeling better” I assured her as I pulled her in for a hug. She gripped onto me as what felt like relief washed over her.

“Do you want….”

“How did I end up here?” we asked at the same time.

My heart began to speed up, as the one question I was dreading was brought up. I took a deep breath as I raked my brain for an answer that would help me out of this mess.

“Cristiano please? No matter what it is, I can handle it” she pleaded as her brown eyes searched mine.

I took a deep breath before saying the next words.

“It was Cesc’s fault” I confessed before I had even thought about it.

From my confession, she looked at me in shock and silently asked me to continue.

“You had gone to Barcelona for the weekend because you said you missed seeing Carles” I began to lie as I saw the tears being to form in her eyes. I took her hands in mine as I continued with the fabricated story.

“Cesc wanted to tell you something so he took you for a ride around the city. I think he wanted you to remember your childhood together or something” I added dismissively. “But he got to a part of the city where there was a whole bunch of construction….he lost control of the car and…” I whispered not wanting to finish the sentence.

Tears were falling down her cheeks by the end of my explanation and I could tell she believed very word I had said, as much as I wanted to tell her the truth I knew that I had to keep this lie going if I didn’t want to lose her.

“Marley I’m so sorry. For a while I thought I was going to lose you but I’m glad you are here and with me” I confessed and for the first time since she woke up I was telling the truth. I really did worry that I would lose her. But I’m glad that she pulled through and was now with me.

“Di-did Cesc make it?” she squeaked out after a few minutes of silence.

I nodded my head as relief washed over her.

“There’s not even a scratch on his body. It’s like he wasn’t even in the accident” that is because he wasn’t – my brain screamed at me.

“Babe I completely understand that this is a lot to take in and I won’t blame you if you want to be alone” I explained as I stood up and prepared to leave. Before I could get far, she grabbed my wrist and pulled me to her.

“Please don’t leave me I don’t want to be alone” she cried as I nodded my head and sat back down.

I watched as she leaned back on the bed and let the news sink in.

I know what I did was bad but I love Marley and I would do anything to keep her as mine.

***

“You are going to burn a hole into that door” Vanessa warned as I continued to look at the closed door that separated my sister from the rest of her family.

Why had she asked for him when she woke up?

After everything he has done, he is still the one she cares about?

“Carles stop it you are scaring me” Vanessa pleaded as I finally turned to look at her.

“I’m sorry its just…”

“I know babe but you cant live your sisters life for her. And how do you even know that she called him in for what you think she did. What if she is in there breaking up with him? goodness knows I know it’s the first thing I would do after what he has done” she explained as I nodded.

Of course that’s why she called him in first. She wanted to break it off with him.

I smiled at that realisation as I turned to Cesc who had been sitting quietly in the corner since waiting for news on her. I walked to him as I planned to tell him something that was on my mind for the longest time.

“You’ve been awfully quiet” I teased as I sat down next to him.

He shrugged before answering.

“I wanted to give you guys some privacy” he explained.

I rubbed my neck at his explanation before speaking.

“Cesc can I ask you something?”

He nodded, as he looked me dead in the eye.

“Are you in love with Marley?”

“Yes” he answered before the words had even left my mouth.

“For how long?”

“Carles if I tell you this I don’t want to ruin our friendship”

I just looked straight at him as I waited for his response.

“Since that day she accidentally kicked the ball at me when she and your parents came to visit you at the academy” he explained as my eyes grew twice in size.

“That’s the first time you ever met her” I thought aloud as he nodded.

“I’ve been in love with her since the day I met her” he explained as everything started to make scene.

“Does she know?” he shook his head no.

“She knows I care for her but she doesn’t know just how much” he explained as I cursed Marley for not seeing what was in front of her. “Look Carles I know what you’re thinking but you cant tell Marley who she needs to love. That’s her choice and even though I hate him as much as you. I respect her relationship with Cristiano and the love they share”

“What they share isn’t love. He just wants to control her”

Cesc just shook his head at my explanation.

“We don’t know what happens between the two of them but we need to respect what they have they share a son and that means he will always be in her life. Despite my feelings for her I understand why she goes out of her way to accommodate him”

“What if she decides she wants to be with you? What if this whole experience has shown her how much she needs and loves you? What if she’s in there telling him that’s its over between the two of them?”

Cesc scratched his neck at my question and I saw him mumble something to himself.

“I don’t know what I’ll do but all I know that I would never treat Marley the way Cristiano did” he stated before standing up in an attempt to get some air.

As I watched him walk away, I realised that I would need to step up in my responsibility as a big brother. I needed to find a way to get Cesc and Marley together.