The Perfect Combination

A COUPLE MONTHS LATER

"And there’s your son, Mrs. Ramos" Dr Lorenzo continued explaining and I rolled my eyes "And It seems like everything is where it should be" he ended as he switched off the monitor and gave me time to get dressed and meet him back in his office.

I was currently at Dr Lorenzo’s office, with Sergio, for my routine checkup. 7 month check to be exact and with all the upheaval happening in my life I was very happy to hear that nothing was wrong with the twins.

"Natalia, are you listening" Sergio asked whilst bumping my shoulder.

"Yeah" I answered lamely knowing very well that I wasn’t.

Even though me and him had decided to raise the children together I had noticed a change of dynamic in our friendship. He never called me Lia anymore, always Natalia and whenever I tried to talk about Fernando he would just change the subject. Somehow I knew that would be expected but I didn’t think me and Fernando growing closer would mean the end of my friendship with Sergio.

"And I’ll see you in four weeks for your final checkup before the babies are born" Dr Lorenzo concluded as we all stood up to say our goodbyes.

Once I had collected my vitamins and the next appointment was confirmed I walked, silently, back to the parking lot with Sergio.

"So…." I began awkwardly as I walked to my car.

"So…"Sergio repeated.

I rolled my eyes at him before I finally gave him a piece of my mind.

"Oh My Gosh Sergio STOP IT" I yelled.

"Stop what?" he asked innocently.

I narrowed my eyes at him, knowing very well that he knew what I was referring too.

"Do you need me to spell it out to you?" I asked and he nodded. "Stop acting like an ass. Ever since me and Fernando have gotten close all you’ve done is ignore me and treat me like nothing more than an incubator for our children…"

"That is not true" he interrupted me. "Since you and Fernando have gotten ‘close’" he emphasized using air quotes, "all I’ve done is respect your wishes to be nothing more than the father to our children".

"But I don’t want that" I began to yell. "I want you to still be my best friend and the father of my children. Just because I’m with someone it does not mean we can’t be friends" I argued.

"Yes it does" he said firmly.

"Why?" I squeaked, completely flawed at his admission.

"Because I don’t want to be friends with you Natalia. Not if it means I have to listen to you talk about how romantic and sensitive Fernando is. Or what a great man he is. Not when I have to see you smile and be happy and know that I’m not the reason you are that way. And especially not when I know you love him and I have to listen to you tell me all about it."

"Sergio I don’t understand what you’re saying" I asked in a lower tone.

"I’m saying I don’t want to be friends with you because" he took a deep breath "because I lo….You know what?! Never mind. It’s not important and it won’t change anything" he answered exasperated as he turned around and walked to his car.

Before I could ask what he meant he had already driven away. And I was left there to ponder whether the reason Sergio no longer wanted to be friends was because he was in love with me.

No it’s not possible...

Or is it?

~

Sergio POV

As I opened the door to my house all I could think about is was how big of an idiot I am. I had the perfect opportunity to tell her how I feel and I blew it.

"Idiot, Idiot, Idiot" I kept on repeating out loud as I walked to the kitchen.

"Now Sese how many times must I tell you to stop being so hard on yourself?" My mother asked when I sat at the kitchen table.

I smiled at her because no matter how many times I screw up my mom is always there to make me feel better.

"Mama, if I told you what happened today then you’d be calling me an idiot too." I answered.

"I highly doubt that but still, tell me what happened" she says as she takes the seat across from me.

I tell her everything that’s happened from the day at London City Centre when Lia was freaked out by the baby’s kicking and the fashion show in London when Fernando introduced her to his family. I also tell her about today’s appointment with the doctor and our little confrontation in the car park.

"Is that all?" My mother asks suspiciously.

"Yes. Why?" I deflect knowing that there is a very big detail about this story I’m leaving out.

She shakes her head and smiles at me before she speaks again.

"Sergio are you in love with Natalia?" she asks bluntly.

"YES" I admit out loud for the first time and I feel as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

"Then why don’t you tell her?"

"It’s complicated" I answer as I attempt to stand up. From the look my mother gives me I realize this is a bad idea and I sit back down to continue the conversation.

"How is it complicated? You love her and she loves you. It seems very simple to me"

"Mama" I whine "She does not love me, that much is obvious. If she felt anything for me at all she would not be with Fernando ‘Mr. Perfect’ Torres right now. So she obviously loves him."

She shakes her head at my reasoning before suggesting.

"Have you ever thought that the reason she is with him is because she thought she never stood a chance with you?"

I attempt to answer her question but she stops me by raising her hand and continues.

"That girl has been in your life since you moved to Madrid when you were 17. She’s seen you at your best as well as your worst and you to with her. What makes you think she would live though all of that just to be friends with you? Open your eyes Sergio. Natalia has been in love with you since the day that you met but you’ve both been too stubborn to admit it. And now you two are bringing children into the world and this should be the time when you are enjoying being a family but you’re not because you’ve waited too long to see what’s being staring you in the face. Natalia has and always will be, the only woman for you. You now have to find a way of convincing her that she should leave Fernando and be with you"

"How do I do that?" I asked completely floored that my mother could see what I had been ignoring for so long.

"You start by telling her you love her" she announced as she stood up and walked out.

And like a good boy I did what my mother told me. And even though I couldn’t summon up the courage to tell her face-to-face, I did the next best thing. I sent her a text.

Lia, the reason we can’t be friends is because I LOVE YOU. I don’t just want to be the father of your children; I want to be your other half. I’m tired of having to sit on the side lines and watch other men attempt to make you happy. I want to show you what true happiness is. Now I know you are with Fernando and you think you love him but trust me you don’t. And I swear to you on our children’s lives from this day on I will spend every day showing you what true love is and how much I love you. Fernando may be with you now but I know that your happily ever after is with me.