You Took My Heart by Surprise

“You look amazing, Emmy” Charlie grinned as he wrapped his arms around his daughter, greeting her gently. It had been a little while, since Emilie had gotten back with Sergio, her dependence on him and his wife had lessened, but Charlie didn’t mind that her visits had become less frequent, if anything, he was taking it as a good sign. He knew that Emilie wouldn’t rush things, even before Jeremy, she had been meticulous and careful, but he liked that she was spending more time with the defender. He was easily the best thing that had happened to Emilie in a long time and Charlie liked that she was letting him in again. He knew that Sergio had little to no intention of hurting his daughter and trusted him almost entirely.

“I doubt that” Emilie replied as she stepped away from her father “I took more than three attempts to find an outfit that didn’t make me look awful” she added, her hands playing with the bottom of the shirt she wore. It had been a long process, even with the maternity clothes that Sergio had thoughtfully bought for her, she had struggled, but she couldn’t skip out on a dinner with her parents. Charlie would have only appeared at her home if she had.

“You look wonderful” Adelina smiled “I wish I could have looked as good as you do when I was carrying you or Oscar” she added.

“You can keep telling her that, but she won’t listen” Sergio commented from his spot beside his girlfriend, his arm gently squeezing her waist “I told her at least 10 times before we left and she wouldn’t believe me” he added.

“Always so stubborn, Em” Charlie grinned before he led the way towards the table, helping his wife into her seat.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Sergio” Adelina smiled at the defender who’d taken a seat beside Emilie, his hand gently squeezing hers “A small part of me had thought that our little girl would keep you at arm’s length” she added.

“Mama” Emilie warned. It was no secret, a lot of people had doubted that Emilie would ever allow Sergio back in properly, but she had and didn’t particularly want to fixate on what had happened before. If she thought about the past, she would worry and worrying would lead to her messing up again, something she was reluctant to do again.

“I’m merely saying, Em” Adelina mused “You’re not exactly great at letting anyone in” she added.

“No, I’m not” Emilie murmured “But he’s not anyone” she added with a little look towards Sergio who grinned back at her, squeezing her hand gently.

Adelina admired them before she turned to Charlie, offering him a bright smile which confided her joy at seeing her daughter so happy. It had been a long time coming and Adelina, like her husband, could only hope that Emilie allowed it to continue. It was no secret that Sergio wanted her, just one look at him when he was with her confided it, but a lot came down to Emilie. One moment of doubt tended to get blown out of proportion with her and Adelina could only hope, especially with the twins on the way, that she could get out of her own head for a little while and enjoy being happy.

“You two look good together” Charlie smiled, his attention on his daughter “You must be getting excited” he added with a little look towards her bump.

“I am” Sergio grinned “Emmy’s a little more hesitant, but I think we’re getting there” he noted.

“You haven’t got long left, have you Em?” Adelina posed.

“Only just under 4 months” Emilie replied softly, her hand nervously brushing over her bump.

“I’d love to take you out” Adelina smiled “And to throw a shower” she enthused. She was excited, since Emilie had informed her and Charlie that she was expecting, Adelina had been itching to make a fuss, something she intended to do in the last few months of her daughter’s pregnancy.

“I don’t know about that” Emilie murmured, her hand still nervously playing around her bump “I don’t want to be made a fuss of” she added.

“I’m about to be an abuela” Adelina smiled “I want to make a fuss, Emmy” she added.

Emilie offered her mother a slightly dubious look. Being the centre of attention had never been a forte of hers.

“It’ll be small” Adelina offered “Perhaps in the new year. You’re going to Seville for the holidays, Sergio?” she posed, her eyes glancing towards the footballer who was talking animatedly with Charlie about Real Madrid’s recent record.

“I’d planned to” he admitted gently “But me and Emmy, we’d not exactly talked about it” he added.

Adelina nodded, not missing the hesitant expression on her daughter’s face, before she took the wine menu from her husband’s hand, sensing that she had touched a nerve.

~#~
“Your parents seemed to have a good time tonight” Sergio commented as he neatly hung up his jacket on the door of Emilie’s wardrobe, his brown eyes peeking over at the ginger girl who’d already climbed into bed. It had been a pleasant dinner, Charlie and Adelina seemed to have had a wonderful time, but Sergio’s attention had been fixed on Emilie. She’d been quiet, in particular since her mother had mentioned his plans to spend the holidays in his home town, and he could already sense what was on her mind. It’d been on his since he’d told his parents about Emilie’s pregnancy.

“They did” Emilie noted, not moving her eyes away from the book she was reading “They really do love you” she added.

“I’m hard to not love” he noted with a small smile, his body leaning down to lay next to her “But there’s something more on your mind than your parents liking me more than you” he added, poking her side.

“It really doesn’t matter right now” Emilie noted gently.

“It matters to you” Sergio reasoned “And if it matters to you, it is stressing you out and that’s no good for these two” he mused, pressing two distinct kisses to her bump, one for each baby.

“You’re going home for the holidays” Emilie murmured.

“You’re not obligated to come with me” Sergio countered.

“I know that” Emilie replied “And I have every intention of spending the day with my parents and Oscar, but it got me thinking. I’ve not seen your parents since you told them about this” she noted, her hand on her bump.

Sergio sighed.

“They hate me” she mumbled “Your mother does, at least, and I don’t wa…”

“Don’t even say it” Sergio cut in, his voice firm.

“You don’t know what I am going to say” Emilie retorted.

“That’s your ‘You’re better off without me’ voice” Sergio countered “I know it well” he added.

Emilie fell quiet. He’d hit the nail on the head.

Sergio let out a little sigh before he carefully wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. “I want to go there to talk to them, Em” he murmured “I want them to be involved with the twins, but I am not just going to let them walk all over us, or you. They want to be there for the twins, they have to get on board with you and me because it’s not going anywhere any time soon” he informed her gently as he pressed a kiss to her head.

Emilie leant into his touch, feeling more than a little content in his embrace, and closed her eyes, knowing that if she said anything else, she ran the risk of regretting it.