Better in Time

"Thank you so much" I said as I signed the final piece of paper before closing the door after the deliveryman had left.

"Are those all of Callie’s things?" Fernando asked referring to the boxes lined up in the corner of our Chelsea mansion.

"Yep. She had them boxed up and sent over from Daniel’s place" I told him as he pulled me into a hug. "I’m gonna miss her" I added absent-mindedly as Fernando agreed.

"Don’t be sad though. She promised to be here for the Christening, which also coincides with the end of her contract with Doctors without Borders. So it’s not so bad” he bargained as a small smile spread on my lips.

"Yep. Now I just have to wait 6 months before I see my best friend again" I added sadly.

"Baby I’m sorry but at least she’s coming back" He said and I nodded while taking a deep breath and burying myself further into his arms.

It had been a week since we’d made the move from Liverpool to Chelsea and I was already feeling emotionally and physically drained. Not only did I leave behind a city I was familiar and comfortable with but I also gave up my business to be here. I had sold the bakery to a property tycoon, who promised to keep it going even though he wasn’t one for baked goods.

Of course the one thing I was I glad to be rid of was Juan who had resorted to making direct threats to me and Fernando rather that playing it out in the media. Even though a part of me was glad that my dirty laundry wasn’t being aired in public, something within me told me that I shouldn’t count my chickens just yet.

"Hey what are you thinking about?" Fernando asked while making me look at him.

"Nothing important" I shrugged while running my hand over 18 week belly.

"You sure?" he asked again as I nodded.

"You should put the boxes in the spare room before uninvited guests start coming over" I teased as we both laughed. Once we had calmed down, he headed to the corner and started moving the boxes to one of the spare rooms while I went into the kitchen to fix us lunch.

"I’m starving" Fernando said as he walked into the kitchen an hour later.

"Hush, you have no idea what starving is until you are eating for two" I informed him while putting his plate in front of him.

"True" he admitted as I took a seat opposite him.

I was only a few spoonful’s into my meal when the doorbell rang. We both stared at each other, as if silently asking if we were expecting guests, before Fernando stood up and headed for the door.

He was gone for a full five minutes when I decided to see what the holdup was.

A part of me wished I had stayed in the kitchen when I saw who was sitting in the living room and interrogating my boyfriend.

"Mom, Dad. What are you doing here?" I questioned as they both eyed my swollen belly.

"We came to see for ourselves if the rumors about our only daughter shaking up with a footballer, where true" my mother explained as I stood frozen on the spot. "Now sweetie don’t be a statue. Come sit down so we can talk" she instructed as I felt my heart start to pound.

"Fernando do you have any intentions of marrying my daughter?" my father quizzed before I had even settled into my seat.

"Yes sir. I was just waiting…"

"Waiting for what son? Tahiti to finally win a football game?" my father interrupted before Fernando could even finish. I watched as my boyfriend took a deep breath before answering.

"Actually Sir I was waiting for Lisa to give birth before we discussed marriage" he continued as both my parents raised their eyebrows.

"Wait you two haven’t discussed marriage but you are here playing happy families?" my mother snipped as both me and Fernando stayed silent. "Now Lisa this isn’t how I raised you. You don’t let the first man to tell you he loves you; knock you up before putting a ring on it. What happens when Fernando gets bored of this situation and decides he doesn’t want the baby you are carrying?" my mother asked as my mouth went dry.

"Mom he won’t…"

"He won’t what honey? He won’t leave? Trust me with no legal attachments to you or your child he can walk out whenever he wants to. And let’s face it he does have a history of leaving a situation when times get rough" my mother noted while referring to his departure from Liverpool.

"Mom I love Fernando and he loves me. We may have not have discussed marriage yet but we both know what we want and we will do anything to make it work" I finally answered.

"Love doesn’t pay the bills honey" she goaded.

I wanted to say something back but knowing my mother she wouldn’t rest until she got the last word. So rather than continue to spar with her I changed the subject.

"How did you two even find out where I live?"

"Callie told her mother and of course, you know Aunty Celia can’t keep a secret from me" my dad admitted about his youngest sister. "How was she when she left? Her mother mentioned that some boy named Daniel was having a baby with another woman" my dad noted as me and Fernando exchanged glances.

"She was obviously heartbroken but I think the time away could do her good. She could focus on herself rather than making someone else happy" I stated as everybody nodded in agreement.

"That poor girl. Whenever she thinks she’s found the right boy some hussy just comes along and takes him from her" my mother added disgusted. "Why can’t some men see when they have something amazing right in front of them?" she added as Fernando snuck a glance at me, which my father noticed.

"Now enough about that Mary. We’ve just spend 22 hours on a plane from Hawaii to here. We are obviously tired" my dad said while standing up. "Fernando where’s you whiskey?" he added as my boyfriend gave him a weird look. I merely shrugged as I encouraged him to show my father the bar. When the two of them had disappeared, I offered to help my mom with her bags as she has informed me that they would be staying in our guest bedroom for a couple of weeks.

I groaned at that but stopped immediately when I saw the look my mother gave me.

"I see that boy has taught you some nasty habits" she announced as we made our way up the stairs.

"Mom Fernando is a great man"

"Huh" she sneered before opening the door to her room. "I’ll be the judge of that" she informed me before sitting on the bed and instructing me to unpack her and my father’s bags.