We Took the Fall

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Catalina murmured as she turned onto her side, her blue eyes peeking at Fernando who still laid at her side, his brown eyes staring at her as though it was the first time he’d seen her. Things had been good between them, especially since they’d told their friends and his family that they were expecting their first baby, and Catalina couldn’t help but wonder how things would pan out when their baby made an appearance. Things were settled, they were calm, and she knew what sort of chaos the birth would bring along with it, something which concerned her slightly. She knew that Fernando wouldn’t let it get away from them, from the way he spoke, having a baby was just the first step on a list of things he wanted to do with Catalina, but she couldn’t help but be a little apprehensive. She had no experience with babies, even if she was a school teacher, and she worried that she might not be any good at it.

“What time is it?” Fernando mumbled, propping his head up on his arm.

“It’s nearly 8 on Saturday morning” Catalina mused “Normally, you’re not still here” she added.

Fernando smiled. “Well, thanks to us playing last night, I have nowhere else to be but beside you” he mused, tracing his fingers over her skin “Do you not want me here?” he added gently.

Catalina shook her head. “You know that I do, it’s just strange. I have kind of gotten used to weekends being me and Gizmo” she mused.

Fernando smiled and reached his arms out, carefully pulling her towards him. “You know I’d give anything to spend more time here with you” he murmured, his nose gently nudging against the side of her face as she rested against his chest “I’d love to wake up with you every morning, but right now, it’s just not something that’s going to happen” he murmured.

“I know that” Catalina replied gently “And I don’t hold it against you, I just want savor the next few weeks. In just a few little weeks, we’ll have a little one who will wake us up at all hours and when I have you here, I want to enjoy it” she explained gently. It was a little silly, there were going to be plenty of occasions in the future where it would be just him and her, but she couldn’t stop herself from saying it. Her bump was getting bigger and bigger and it made her more and more nervous.

“Catalina” Fernando murmured softly “Nena, are you alright?” he posed.

Catalina nodded. “Perfectly Ok” she replied gently.

Fernando shook his head. “You know, I can always tell when you’re lying” he murmured “You’re the worst liar” he added.

“I am just a little worried” Catalina murmured softly, her hand gently rubbing the bump which stuck out from beneath her shirt “What are we going to do with a baby, Fernando?” she posed, her blue eyes peeking up at him.

Fernando startled a little at her question, it wasn’t one he had been expecting, but he knew that he had to calm her down. They were novices, neither one of them had a great deal of experience when it came to raising a baby, but he wanted to assure her that they were going to be alright. Novices or not, they had a lot of people around them that were more than happy to help and they were bound to learn as they went. “Lina, you know that we’re going to be OK, don’t you?” Fernando murmured as he leant down towards her, pressing a kiss to her head.

“How can you be so sure of that?” Catalina murmured “This is a baby, Fernando, a little person who’s going to be dependent on us. Does that not concern you?” she squeaked.

Fernando chuckled. “A little” he mused, his hand gently resting over hers which still sat on her bump “But I know that you and I will be fine. It’s a scary thought, of course it is, but that’s our little baby, Lina, the one that you and I made and I am more excited than scared about having them here. It’s not going to be a bed of roses, my madre made that clear the other night when we were over there, but I know that this is something I want to do with you” he explained gently.

Catalina blinked. “Don’t you worry that it could break us?” she whispered, trying not to cry. She hated it, since she had entered the second trimester, she had found herself overly emotional more than once, and she hated that she couldn’t quite get a grasp on it. Her fears were irrational, her tears were unnecessary, but her mind wouldn’t process it.

Fernando smiled gently. “I worry about a lot of things, querida, but our baby breaking us up is not one of them and I know it wouldn’t be a fear of yours if it wasn’t for that bump” he enthused “Lina, we’re going to be OK and I know it. You just need to relax slightly” he grinned before he placed a small kiss against her lips, earning a small sigh from her. “I have something I want to show you” he murmured, kissing the tip of her nose softly.

Catalina frowned. “What are you talking about?” she posed, sitting up slightly as he made his way across the room, locating his jacket which had been nearly hung over the back of the chair the previous night when he’d gotten home. It wasn’t the most romantic thing he’d ever thought of, if he had given it more thought, he was sure that he could have come up with something a little better, but the mood seemed right. Catalina wanted to see how committed he was to her and he was more than prepared to show her. Rifling through his pocket, he quickly found the small box he’d stowed in his pocket before he quietly padded back towards the bed, setting it down amongst the fluffy white blankets.

“I have been thinking, Lina” he murmured as he watched her stare at the box “I know that everything we do right now is about making sure we are ready for our bump’s arrival, but I know that I want to spend my life with you. I let you go before, I shouldn’t have done, and now that we’re together again, I have little intention of letting you slip through my fingers again. We’re moving quickly, I know that, but this is an adventure that I want to have with you. I want all of my adventures to be with you from now on. Catalina De Marcos, will you do me the honor of agreeing to be my wife?” he mused, his eyes studying her face in search of a reaction.

Catalina blinked a little before she peeked back at him, her stomach flipping as she noted the smile on his freckled face. “You want to marry me?” she whispered.

“You know that I do” Fernando chuckled “I did ask before” he added.

Catalina shook her head a little at the memory before she reached her hand out, gently collecting the box in her hand. “Fernando” she murmured gently.

“Yes, mi amor?” the striker posed.

“I’d love to” she whispered gently “I’d love to be your wife” she added.

Fernando smiled at her softly and moved to take the box out of her hand, slipping the ring onto her finger. “Gracias, Lina” he whispered before he placed a small kiss on her lips, causing her to smile a little. She didn’t quite know what she would have done if it wasn’t for him.