Slow Dancing in the Darkness

“I am sorry that I am late” Elliot announced as he stepped into Gabriela’s apartment, Noah’s little hand clasped in his own. He had wanted to be late, he knew if he was, then there was less of a risk that he would run into Gabriela’s husband, but just one look around the apartment told him otherwise. Gabriela stood in the hall, her arms crossed over her chest, and Lionel stood behind her, his dark eyes narrowed on the other man.

Gabriela glanced at her former husband before she offered her hand out to Noah, escorting him out of the room so that Lionel and Elliot were alone. Elliot glanced at the other man before he shook his head. “I don’t know what she told you…”

“She told me that you put the moves on her…again” Lionel spat “She told me that you had your little girlfriend show up whilst she was having lunch with our friend and drop a photo on her that made it look as though I was cheating on her. You’re meddling in my marriage and I am desperately trying to stop myself from heading over to yours and telling Elena that all your time is devoted to trying to win back your ex” he muttered.

Elliot snorted. “You don’t have it in you. You’re too soft” he muttered.

Lionel shook his head. “I am tempted” he commented “I wonder how your little girlfriend would feel if she knew that her showing up at the restaurant was all part of a ploy to get Gabriela to run off with you, leaving her and your son in the lurch” he mused.

Elliot shook his head. “I really don’t know what she sees in you” he muttered.

“A damn sight more than she ever saw in you” Lionel spat “Go near her again like that and I will be more than happy to tell Elena that her boyfriend’s an ass. You aren’t going to get Gabriela away from me, Eli, even if she did leave me, there is no way in hell it would be for you and you need to get that through your skull. You had one shot with her and you messed up” he muttered sharply “Now get out of my home before I do something I regret” he spat.

Elliot rolled his eyes, muttering a few curses under his breath, before he stepped out of the door, slamming it for emphasis.

Lionel shook his head and made his way into the living room, greeting Gabriela with a knowing nod. “He gone?” she posed.

“For the next fortnight, yes” Lionel mused. He hated it, with Noah around, Elliot was going to be a fixture in Gabriela’s life for a while yet, but he merely had to handle it. He knew Gabriela’s feelings, he knew that they lied with him and not with Elliot, and that had to be enough to satisfy him. “Have you told Noah the news?” he posed, switching the topic to something lighter.

“News?” Noah squeaked “Mama, is baba ok?” he posed, his dark eyes peeking at his mother’s bump.

Gabriela smiled. After the initial shock had worn off, Noah had warmed immensely to the idea of being a big brother, fussing more that Lionel did about the well-being of his mother and the baby. “Baba’s fine” she assured him gently.

“Then what news?” Noah mumbled.

“Your madre and I have been doing some thinking” Lionel started gently “How would you like a bigger bedroom?” he posed.

Noah furrowed his forehead, something which made Gabriela smile. He was adorable.

Pulling his phone out of his pocket, Lionel scrolled through to the photographs that he had been sent of the little boy’s bedroom in their new home. “In a few weeks, we’re going to move house” he explained softly “And I thought today, I could show you what your new room was going to look like” he added placing the phone in the little boy’s hands.

Noah offered him a little look before he turned his eyes to the phone, a smile appearing on his face. “Barca” he enthused, showing the picture off to Gabriela who smiled. She had been a little surprised by how much work had been done, after she had gotten over her concerns, Lionel had given her a tour of the home he had bought for them, and she had to admit that he’d done a wonderful job with the planning, even if he hadn’t done the decorating himself. Almost all of the rooms in the house were completed, with the exception of the nursery which he insisted he would do himself.

“I thought you’d like it” Lionel smiled, ruffling the little boy’s hair.

Noah smiled up at him and moved to stand up, wrapping him in a hug that Lionel didn’t hesitate to return.

Gabriela smiled at the pair of them before she felt a slight movement in her stomach, causing her to frown.

“Gabby?” Lionel posed, not missing the frown on her face.

Gabriela stared at her bump for a second longer before she reached out of his hand, pulling him closer to her so that he could settle his palm comfortably on the bump.

“Gabby…”

“Just wait” Gabriela interrupted.

Lionel frowned at her for a moment before he felt the slight movement, drawing his eyes back down to the front of her sweater. It was only small, the movement against his palm, but it still managed to bring the grin to his face. It wasn’t the first first kick he’d felt, he could still remember Thiago’s vividly, but it still mesmerized him. It made it very real that they were expecting a baby in a little over 4 months.

“Mama?” Noah chirped.

Gabriela smiled at him gently and ushered him over, taking his little hand and placing it against her bump. Noah held it in place for a moment before he jumped, offering his mother a confused look. “That’s the baby, Noah” she enthused softly.

“Baba?” he posed.

Gabriela smiled, nodding her head.

Noah glanced at her bump before he stepped towards her, pressing a little kiss to her shirt, mumbling the word ‘baba’ softly in a way that made Gabriela coo. She doubted she could have been much prouder of how well he was adapting to everything that had been thrown at him.