We Took the Fall

Resting her head against the cool porcelain of the bathtub, Catalina sighed, her eyes stinging. It was early, even for her who had grown accustomed to getting out of bed before 7 in the morning, and she didn’t quite know how she was supposed to cope. They were only a few weeks in, a visit to a midwife had confirmed that she was coming up on 11 weeks pregnant, and whilst she was pleased that she was pregnant, the early stages were starting to take their toll. She was often sick, more than she had thought she would be, and she wanted it to stop. In the 2 weeks since she had told Fernando, she couldn’t quite remember a time where she hadn’t gotten out of bed early to throw up and she missed being able to sleep without it. Swallowing, she wiped her mouth over with a towel before she carefully climbed back to her feet, quietly stepped into her bedroom.

“You should have woken me” Fernando mused, stretching as he quietly padded towards her.

Catalina shook her head. “There’s nothing you can do” she commented, stifling a yawn “And besides, I didn’t want to wake you. You’re adorable when you’re asleep” she smiled.

“I am not adorable all of the time?” Fernando posed, gently taking her hand and leading her back towards their bed, attempting to get her comfortable once more.

Catalina smiled. “Of course you are, but you don’t talk when you’re asleep, and I kind of like it” she teased.

Fernando scoffed. “And here was me thinking you loved me all of the time” he played along, tucking the blankets around her.

Catalina giggled and reached her arms up, wrapping them gently around his neck. They were happy, more so since Catalina had given up her second job, and she liked the way they were, even if she did miss it a little, she wanted things to work with him, especially with the baby in the picture. “You’re very cute from down here” Catalina murmured, marveling up at him.

“And you’re very cute from everywhere” Fernando replied, leaning down to kiss her head “Even more so now” he added, one of his hands slipping beneath her shirt, his thumb brushing against her small bump. It seemed a little surreal, the idea that Catalina carried a bump that would house their first child, but he couldn’t get it out of his head. Just one look at the tiny, barely-there, bump sent his mind into thoughts about a future that was rapidly approaching them and it hadn’t stopped making him smile. He wanted a future, a life with her, and their child was the first step towards it.

Catalina smiled. “You already love that bump” she whispered, pressing small kisses to his cheeks.

“How can I not?” He posed, brushing his hand gently over it “It’s our bump, isn’t it?” he grinned.

Catalina nodded. “It certainly is” she assured him.

Fernando ducked his head softly and scooted the material of her shirt up, kissing the skin tenderly. “I have been thinking” he murmured.

“About what?” Catalina posed, her voice a little unsure. She knew that he was thrilled, for 2 weeks, he had barely been able to stop himself looking at or touching her stomach, but she didn’t want it to be the start of him hurrying her down the aisle. She was happy, they were still moving at their steady pace, and she didn’t want to accelerate it just because she was pregnant. She still wanted to take her time and be certain about them.

Fernando smiled, noting the slight shake in her voice. “Not that, querida” he smiled. He knew that she was still a little shaky and he didn’t want to push her into anything. Having a baby was enough right then. “I was thinking about telling other people about bump” he added.

Catalina tilted her head. “You want to tell people?” she posed gently.

Fernando nodded his head. “I am not saying we tell the world, but I would like to tell my parents and my brother and sister. I know that they’re going to be thrilled. I also want to tell Sergio” he noted.

Catalina nodded. “I don’t see why you can’t tell them” she noted, smiling up at him gently “They’re going to be very excited” she added, her voice drifting away slightly causing Fernando to sigh, his forehead resting on hers.

“Lina” he whispered.

“It’s fine” Catalina dismissed, not wanting to talk about the fact that her parents wouldn’t be around for her.

“It isn’t” Fernando sighed gently “We can tell them if you want” he added.

Catalina scoffed. “What would that achieve? My papa isn’t that interested in us, my mother hates the notion, and my big sister wanted you to herself. We could tell them, but no one is going to throw their arms around me and congratulate me like they will you” she whispered. It was still a sore spot, the way that her family had fallen apart around her, and it had hit her harder recently. She was pregnant, she was going to give her parents their first grandchild, but she doubted it would be greeted with open arms. Santiago was keeping his distance, Marisol wanted nothing to do with her younger daughter, and Alicia would never accept Catalina’s child, not when it had been fathered by the man she had intended to marry.

Fernando sighed. “I wish there was something I could do, Lina” he murmured, holding her close to him.

Catalina shook her head. “I have you, Esther too” she noted.

“My parents would be more than happy to help out, as would my brother and sister” Fernando contributed.

Catalina smiled. “Then I should be OK, but I need to get accustomed to the notion that it isn’t going to be the same as it is for you. Your family will rally around, mine just won’t” she whispered.

Fernando placed a kiss against her lips, gently brushing the blonde hair out of her face. “It will be OK, querida” he whispered gently.

Catalina smiled. “As long as I have you, I should be” she teased, her nose wrinkling at the cheesy statement.

Fernando smiled. He was going to do the best he could do by Catalina and their baby, he just wanted them to be happy.