Take Good Care of My Baby

"It is with great joy and emotion that I inform I have recently become father to a baby boy."
Cristiano Ronaldo

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News had broken that Cristiano had become a father and chaos ensured soon afterwards. After a bad World Cup which saw Portugal getting knocked out by Spain in the knock out stages, Cristiano had headed straight to New York to spend time with his girlfriend Irina. He had dropped the bombshell that he was going to be a Dad only weeks before his son had arrived and Irina still wasn't too happy with him. His phone had been buzzing since the news broke. But the people he wanted to talk to weren't really talking to him.

"What are you doing?" Irina asked her boyfriend as he sat sitting up in the bed. Cristiano turned his head to look at her. "Waiting to video chat with Junior and Maé" he replied opening his laptop. "Now. We're going for dinner" she said tapping her foot. He looked at his watch. "We have ages. And you said you wanted to change after the show taping" he said. He had spent the day following Irina around the city as she did press interviews. He enjoyed it but he just wanted to see his son.

"I thought we could rest before we go" she smiled. "We have all night to rest" he smirked back. "I wasn't talking about resting Cristiano" she sulked. "Neither was I but it's late already in Portugal and Maé is waiting for me. I was meant to ring earlier but I got distracted by your show taping on Letterman" he sighed messing with his laptop. "I'm sorry my career is distracting for you" Irina snapped back. "That's not what I meant Irina. You can distract me like that anytime. You looked hot during the interview" he smiled at her hoping she would just give him a few minutes of peace. "You should just wait till we come back from our night. It's going to be a long fun wild night. So we'll prob be back when its morning over there" she said.

"I told them I'd speak to them now so I better" he said. He got the feeling his mother wasn't too happy with him at the moment anyway. No need to make her more annoyed. "I'm going for a bath. You should join me" she said walking seductively over to him on the bed. "I thought you were in a rush. If I join you, we'll never be on time" he smiled as she moved his laptop to the other side of the bed and sat on the edge stroking his chest.

"I'd be willing to hear the girls give out for us been late if you were" she said opening his shirt buttons one by one, before taking his mouth with hers. His phone buzzed and she pulled back. "That phone" she snapped. "Who's it this time? Jogre? Katia? Ricky?" she said as he picked his phone from the nightstand. “It’s Maé. She's ready to Skype" he said. "I just want to spend time with my boyfriend. Is that so much to ask?" she pouted.

"I've barely left your side all week. And we could stay in tonight if you like?" he said. "I told everyone we're meeting them" she said standing. Meeting her friends he thought. If it was his friends they were meeting he knew she would change her mind about going out. "We only have a few more days and you'll be gone you know" she said. "I have to get back. I've been gone for weeks" he pointed out. "But you've got ages till before season or what ever its called starts" she said. "It's pre season and I do have a son to see" he said.

"How could I forget?" she mused. "Irina" he said. "I'm just tired of the paps asking about it. And my friends. It's not easy trying to explain to everyone you know that your boyfriend just had a kid. With another woman too" she said turning to walk. "Hey" he said catching her hand. "I know none of this is easy for you. And you are amazing for been so understanding. I'm lucky to have you. The paps will find someone else to bother" he said.

"I don't mind them following me. I just want them to not ask about the baby. And you are lucky to have me" she smiled and kissed his cheek. His phone buzzed again and he knew he really needed to end this conversation with his girlfriend. "Talk to your mother. I'm going for my bath" she said. "Don't you want to say hi?" he asked. "Don't want to disturb" she said heading off to the bathroom.

He sat his laptop on his lap and logged on. "Hey Maé" he said as she appeared on his screen. "Finally" she said. "Sorry I'm late" he said. "It's almost time for bed over here Cristiano. I don't have time to be sitting around for you to finally answer" she said. "I know Maé. And I'm glad you stayed up to talk. I got delayed" he said. "Of course you did" she muttered. "Where's Junior?" he asked not seeing his son.

"Your sister has gone to get him" she said. "How is he? I can't wait to see him" he said. "You might be on time the next time then if you are so keen to see him" she mumbled. "Maé I said that I was sorry" he said. "I'll go and check on what's keeping Katia. Talk to Elma" Dolores said shifting her laptop so he could now see his sister. "Jezz I've apologised. What more can I do?" he said to Elma who was grinning.

"You could start with buttoning up your shirt little brother" she said. "Shit" he muttered quickly closing his shirt. "Guess we know what kept you" she smirked. "Shut it Elma" he said. "No point in asking how you are so" she said. "I'm fine. I just want to see my son" he snapped. "He's coming. How's New York. Are you sick of Zé and Ricky yet? Or has Irina been taking up all your time?" she asked. "It's been fun. We've just shopped and hung around the pool for most of it" he said as his toes moved impatiently at the wait for his son. "Zé told Katia that ye were going out later. That sounds like fun" she said. "When did he tell her that?" he asked. "Hours ago. Zé was barely awake. He phoned to say hi to Rodrigo" she said and before he could say why he hadn't phoned earlier she started talking.

"They're coming with him. Talk later little brother" Elma said standing. He waited as Katia and Dolores took a seat and fixed the laptop so he could see better. "Now here he is" Katia said before his son appeared on his sister's lap. Cristiano smiled at the sight of his son. "Hey Cris. Warning he should already be in bed and he's cranky" Katia warned. "Hi Junior" Cristiano waved to the oblivious baby. "How is he?” Cristiano asked.

“He didn't sleep much last night. Just as well he can't talk yet. He’s been really cranky the last few hours" Katia said. "He's not the only one cranky" Dolores muttered. "I hope you aren't doing too much Maé" he said. "I love spending time with my grandkids. And everyone is helping. Just like you will when you come back to Portugal" she said. "I swear he's got bigger since last night" he said smiling at his son who had just started to cry. He watched as his mother tried and failed to settle him.

“Think its time for bed. Sounds like he needs a cuddle too. Denis has only just gone down too" Katia said. "Sorry Cris. Talk to you soon" Katia said before disappearing from view. "He's just cranky" Dolores said noticing the sad look on her son’s face. "I'll be home soon" he said. "Enjoy your holiday" she said before the screen went blank.

He knew his mother wasn’t impressed that he had left South Africa and went straight to New York instead of coming home. But he had Irina in one ear about spending time together and his family in his other. He needed a holiday so why not kill two birds with one stone and see Irina and have a break at the same time. Although he hadn’t thought about how much he would miss his son. He had barely got to spend any time with Junior since he was born. Between the World Cup and Irina. He clicked open a folder named pics and gazed over all the pics.

Katia had been great with sending him pictures every day of his son. But while he loved getting a new photo, he always felt a little sad that he wasn’t with his son. He laughed as he came across an old photo of Rodrigo looking grumpy next to Alicia after she made him dress up in as he described “terrible” batman costume. He paused for a moment before clicking the page back. He sighed. The photo had been taken on the pitch at Old Trafford after he had won his last trophy with the club. He was about to begin his second year with Madrid.

United felt like a lifetime ago with everything that had happened during the year. He smiled at the picture of Rodrigo jumping around on the pitch. His eyes didn’t miss the other person in the picture. Molly. She had a huge smile on her face as she watched his nephew have fun. She looked so different from the last time he saw her.

She had looked so pale. So weak and tired. Her eyes were blank and almost lifeless. He had never expected to hear her response to his question that day.

“Cristiano” Irina shouted and he shut the screen down.

“Coming” he called out. He took one last look at the photo and sighed before closing down the laptop.

Future not the past he thought.