Dolce Vita

“Would you stop bouncing like that, you're starting to make me nervous.” Roman told Sloane, feeling a bit like a scolding parent. She immediately stopped bouncing her knees and shoved her finger nail into her mouth, chewing on that instead of bouncing her knees.

“Sorry.” She told him, looking away from him as he watched her curiously. After a few minutes of silence, when he kept looking at her, Sloane asked, “What?”

Roman smiled and shook his head, “Nothing.”

“You have that weird smile on your face. What?” She asked him, turning in her chair to face him. He shrugged and pretended to not know what she was talking about which made Sloane slap his forearm and laugh, “Roman!”

“You're cute when you're nervous.” He told her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. Sloane smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder, letting out a breath of air that made Roman tell her, “Stop worrying, everything's gonna be fine.”

Sloane nodded but she didn't respond to him, instead she grabbed his hand and slipped her fingers through his, opening and closing her fingers against his hand. Roman captured her fingers when they were flat against his hand by tightening his grip on her and she told him, “I'm just worried.”

“About?” He asked curiously.

“Everything.” She told him, sighing when he gave her a look. After a few seconds of trying to figure out how to say it she simply told him, “I just thought she'd call by now.”

“Your mom?” Roman asked her, watching as she nodded. He gave her hand another squeeze and told her, “I know it's not worth much but if she doesn't come around you still have a bunch of people who want to be in your life and this kids life.”

Sloane smiled and told him, “I need-”

A nurse walked into the waiting room and interrupted them, “Sloane?”

Her eyes widened and Roman chuckled and got up, pulling her with him. He held her hand the whole way into their room, and he took a seat in the chair by the examine table and busied himself on his phone while Sloane went through the usual pre-appointment stuff, he learned his lesson last time when she got mad at him for paying too much attention and being able to recite her weight off memory. He was not going to make that mistake twice.

Finally, when they were left alone Sloane sat on the table, swinging her sock clad feet, and pulling at the awful hospital gown she hated being forced to wear. Roman looked up at her and grinned, “You look cute.”

“Shut up.” She told him with a smile, kicking his shin with her foot.

Roman laughed and slipped his phone into his pocket, telling her, “Riley and Webs want to have us for dinner tonight.”

“Okay.” She said, raising her eyebrow when he stared at her in shock.

“I wasn't expecting that to be so easy.” He admitted, making her chuckle.

Sloane shrugged and told him, “Well I'm not in the mood to cook and you're basically helpless.”

He laughed, pulled his phone out to text Shea that they would be there and then said, “I can get by!”

She shrugged again, “That's debatable.”

He couldn't give her a witty retort because the door opened and in walked their Dr. She smiled at the two of them and looked at Sloane, asking, “How are you feeling?”

She shrugged, “Tired.”

“That's unfortunately normal.” She told her, taking a seat on a stool across from Sloane. She opened her chart and went through it, before saying, “Everything looks great from the last time you were here.”

Sloane let out a breath of air and Roman smiled at her before saying, “I told you that you didn't need to worry.”

She rolled her eyes at him before turning back to her Dr. She was reading the chart still, and after a few seconds of silence she closed it and looked at Sloane asking, “Still nauseous?”

“Thankfully no.” Sloane told her, she was glad that the nausea along with headaches had disappeared with the start of the second trimester.

“What about any movement?” When Sloane shook her head she was told, “That's fine, you're early for that.”

“What about um... that amnio thing? Do we need to get that?” Roman asked her curiously, remembering he had seen something about the test in a book he was reading during down time on the road. Sloane couldn't help but smile to herself at him.

“You don't have any family history that would make us worried so if you really want it we'll do it but it's not really necessary.”

The moment she said this Sloane said, “Oh thank God.”

Both her Dr and Roman let out a laugh at her reaction and she blushed. She had seen one single picture of that and it was enough to make her nauseous. Roman was much more interested in what was going on when the Dr shut the lights off and started the ultrasound. He smiled when he heard the familiar sound of the heartbeat, which the first time he heard it he likened it to the sound of horses galloping. He took Sloane's hand, and she turned to look at him for a moment, his gaze stayed on the little screen across from him and she let go of his hand and brought hers up to the side of his neck.

“Do you think we'll be able to see if it's a boy or girl yet?” Sloane asked her curiously, at the last appointment they were told they may be able to find out the sex of the baby and they had both been anxiously awaiting that news.

“Let's see if we have some cooperation or not.” After five whole minutes of moving the Doppler around she announced, “I can't tell yet, sorry.”

Sloane shrugged, and Roman put his hand on her back to help her sit up, even though she didn't need it. She was glad when they were walking out of the clinic, Sloane never liked Dr visits but now they were even worse because she was always nervous going into them. Roman slipped his hand into hers as they got into the car and he started the drive back to his apartment.

He said it before he could stop himself, “You should move in.”

Sloane turned her head to him quickly and asked, “What?”

He sighed and pushed a hand through his hair as he stopped at a stop sign before he told her, “Well you know... it's just uh... it makes sense you know? We might as well just move in together, it will be better for all of us.”

Sloane nodded slowly and told him with a bit of an edge to her voice, “I'm not moving in with you.”

Roman nodded and kept his mouth shut, and Sloane felt slightly bad but at the same time she was tired of everyone putting their relationship on the fast track just because she was pregnant. They were silent the entire drive back to his place, and Sloane didn't say a word to him when she went to his bedroom to have a nap, Roman simply dropped onto the couch and watched TV, not sure what had just went down aside from the obvious rejection.

- - -

“Hey guys come on in.” Riley said, inviting both Sloane and Roman in. Sloane went first, smiling gratefully at Riley, who noted the fact that the two were not speaking to each other. She followed them into the kitchen and shot Shea a look, who glanced between the two of them and shrugged. Starting up a conversation Riley asked, “So how was your appointment? Did you find out the sex?”

“Not yet no but everything's good.” Sloane told her, offering to help her in the kitchen.

Shea passed Roman a beer and they sat at the kitchen island while the girls chopped up vegetables. Riley looked at Sloane and said, “It's a boy.”

“You think?”

Riley nodded and said, “No offence but you're huge. It's totally a boy.”

“That's what Kim says, and I really hope you're both right.” Sloane told her, making Riley laugh.

“You don't want a girl?” Riley asked her curiously.

Sloane shook her head and told her, “Not really. My nieces were awful to deal with. Boys are so easy.”

“I know, when we have kids I really want a couple boys first but then sometimes I almost want a girl just to see what Shea would be like with her.” Riley admitted, glancing back at Shea for a moment. Sloane watched the two of them smile at each other, and her eyes met Roman's before she looked away.

“Kids? Plural? You're crazy.” Sloane told her, making Riley smile.

“Oh yeah, at least three.” Riley said with a nod, making Sloane shake her head.

“You need even numbers. Odd numbers of kids suck.” Sloane told her, and when Riley raised her eyebrow she explained, “Before my sister was born there was three of us and it was hell. One was always left out and the age gaps are weird. Just don't do it.”

Riley shrugged and said, “Alright, four.”

Sloane balked, “Four?! You are bat shit insane.”

Riley let out a loud laugh and told her, “Ah you'll see Roman with this one and want more.”

It wasn't until after dinner, with everyone in the living room that Riley asked Roman to help her with something in the kitchen, intent on getting answers. Once he was in the kitchen and she was sure that Sloane and Shea couldn't overhear them Riley leaned against the counter and stared at him, making him asked, “What's up?”

“What's up with you two? You should be in great moods after your appointment.” Riley stated, waiting patiently for an answer.

“Everything's fine.” Roman stated, making Riley raise her eyebrow.

“The two of you didn't say more than three words to each other all night.” Riley stated with a pointed look.

Roman sighed and pushed his hands through his hair, he glanced over at Sloane, who was laughing with Shea at something. He looked at Riley, who was watching with with a raised eyebrow and he let out another sigh before telling her, “I asked her to move in with me.”

“You did?” Riley asked him with a soft, excited smile.

Roman nodded and told her, “She said no.”

Riley's smile faltered and she asked, “She did? Well... how did you ask her?”

“Why do you always assume it was something I said or did?” Roman asked her curiously.

“I don't mean to, it's just that most times there's a reason for something like that. I'm trying to help you.” Riley told him, watching as he sighed and it was clear just how much her answer bothered and affected him.

“Well I just said that it makes the most sense for us right now with the baby you know? Which it does.” He barely even finished talking when her hand came up and she smacked him upside the head. He looked at her in shock, rubbed the back of his head and asked, “What the fuck?”

Riley shook her head at him and said, “You're an idiot.”

“What did I do?”

She shook her head again, wanting to hit him for a second time but instead she didn't and she told him, “A girl doesn't want to be asked to move in because it's convenient or makes sense. She wants to be asked to move in because you want her to.”

“But I do want her to.” Roman told Riley with a look of desperation.

“But when you tell her 'it makes sense' all she hears is 'you moving in is the most convenient' and that probably makes her feel like either you think you don't really want her to but you think it's the only option, or she thinks you think that you need to do everything at once which probably makes her nervous because everyone is probably trying to fast track her life right now.” Riley told him, watching as he visibly relaxed after her words.

He nodded slowly and said, “You're right. Thanks Ry.”

“Anytime.” She told him, chuckling as he leaned down to hug her gently.

He whispered to her, “You're gonna make a really good mom some day.”

When they pulled apart she smiled and said, “Thank you.”

He nodded and went back into the living room, leaning over the couch to ask Sloane, “You ready to go?”

She nodded and looked at Shea and Riley, “Thanks for dinner but I'm exhausted.”

They nodded in understanding and Shea walked them both to the door. Roman didn't say anything as he drove back to his place, and Sloane kept looking over at him in curiosity. It wasn't until they were in the elevator going upstairs that Roman turned to her and said, “I'm sorry for the way I asked you to move in.”

Sloane raised her eyebrow at him, “What do you mean?”

“I should have asked you because I wanted you to, not because it was the most convenient. So I'm sorry.” He told her, watching as her lips turned up into a small smile at his words. When the doors opened he slid his hand into hers and walked her into the apartment.

Sloane watched as he turned his back to her and fidgeted with something, and when he turned back around he put his hands into the front pocket of his hoodie and Sloane asked, “What are you doing?”

“I should have asked you because I wanted you to, and I do. I really want you to move in Sloane. Sure it would be smart for both of us, I don't want to miss anymore time with you and the baby than I have to, but mostly it's because I want you to move in. I want to go to bed and wake up to you every day I can.” He told her, before he dropped onto one knee and Sloane stared at him, not blinking, in absolute terror. He pulled a closed fist from his hoodie pocket and she thought her heart was going to jump out of her chest. He opened his hand and a silver key was sitting flat in his palm, he grinned up at her and asked, “Will you move in with me?”

Sloane let out a laugh, covered her face and gave his shoulder a shove, “You're an asshole.”

Roman let out a loud laugh and she grabbed his shoulders to pull him up to a standing position, and he asked, “That's not an answer.”

“Yes, I will move in with you but don't ever do that to me again.” Sloane told him with a look.

He raised an eyebrow, “Never?”

“Not at least for another like four years.” She told him with a smile. Roman gave her a big grin, that meant she was planning on being around for a while.