When You Close Your Eyes

32: Of Course I Am

Carefully toeing off his shoes, Lionel spared a soft look around the bedroom that Isabelle had led him to, his stomach flipping a little at the thought of the conversation that he knew that they had to have.

It had been a few minutes, after she’d allowed him inside, Isabelle had mumbled something about needing something to drink before she’d ducked away towards the kitchen, and whilst he wanted to get the conversation out of the way, a small part of him was glad for a couple of minutes to himself, even if he had had a few days, he wanted the opportunity to get his thoughts in order, not wanting to say anything that made things worse.

Sparing another soft look around the room, he scanned the pictures which lined the shelves before the sound of the door opening and closing caught his attention, causing him to turn, his dark eyes settling on Isabelle who stood a little away from him, a soft expression on her face. Swallowing a little, he scanned her appearance for a couple of seconds before he shook his head, a shy expression on his face. “How…How are you feeling?” he posed softly.

Isabelle, who’d moved to settle down on the side of her bed, shrugged. “Morning sickness is no fun” she noted softly “But it’s nothing I can’t handle” she added gently.

Lionel nodded his head gently before he moved to sit beside her, a soft sigh falling out of his mouth. “I am sorry, Isa” he murmured softly, his hand gently moving to take hers which fiddled nervously with a loose thread which stuck out of her sweater “When you told me…I should have reacted better and I hate that I didn’t. I hate that I upset you” he added, peeking up towards her softly.

Isabelle spared a soft look down towards their hands before she shook her head, her blue eyes peeking up into his darker ones. “It was a surprise” she noted softly “And I don’t blame you for being surprised, I know I was when I found out, but…”

“I should have reacted better” Lionel interrupted, offering her hand a soft squeeze.

Isabelle offered him another shy look before she shook her head, nibbling on her lip briefly. “It surprised me too” she admitted “But when I found out, I was excited and I hoped that you would be too, even if things haven’t been perfect for us lately, I thought you’d at least crack a smile” she added, gently messing with his fingers.

Lionel watched the movement of their fingers for a couple of seconds before he lifted their hands, allowing him to press a soft kiss against the back of her hand. “It caught me off guard” he mumbled quietly, not wanting to disturb the quiet which had settled around them “You telling me you were pregnant, it was a huge surprise, and whilst I didn’t react fantastically, I want you to know that I am with you, Isa” he added, pressing another soft kiss against the warm skin.

He knew that she was hurting, even if she hadn’t said it, the expression on her face confided it, and he wanted to reassure her, even if he knew that it would take a little work, he wanted to reassure her that he wasn’t going anywhere.

Isabelle peeked at him shyly, something which made him quirk a soft smile before he pressed another kiss against the back of her hand. “This is our baby, Isa” he noted softly “A baby we made together and, I want you to know that I am going to be there every step of the way. I’m going nowhere, Isa, and I hate that I let you think anything else” he added, his tone soft and warm.

Isabelle blinked a couple of times before she tilted her head, her blue eyes peeking up at him gently. “Are you sure?” she posed softly “Because if you’re not…”

“I’m certain, Isa” Lionel interjected. He knew what was coming, the look on her face confided it, and he wanted to cut her off, not wanting her to doubt his words for a moment.

Isabelle blinked, slightly surprised by his interruption, before she shook her head, something which made Lionel quirk a soft smile before he leant towards her, pressing a gentle kiss against her head. “This is our baby, Isabelle” he murmured softly “And I am going to be there for them, even if things between you and me don’t work out, I am going to be here. I promise you, I’m going nowhere” he insisted, pressing another kiss against her head.

Isabelle allowed his words to hang around them for a couple of seconds before she carefully pushed herself up to her feet, something which made Lionel tilt his head. “Isa?” he posed softly.

Isabelle, who’d padded towards the end table, jumped a little at the sound of his voice before she turned to face him, a soft smile on her face. “I visited a midwife a couple of days ago” she noted softly “When I explained what had happened, my madre was insistent that we go and see one, and I thought…I thought maybe you’d want to see this” she babbled softly, her hand shyly offering a small white envelope out towards him.

Lionel eyed the envelope for a couple of seconds before he reached his hand out, carefully taking it out of hers before he moved to open it, his brown eyes softening a little at the sight of the sonogram picture which sat inside.

“Everything is OK”

Lionel, who’d been admiring the picture which sat in his hand, startled a little at the sound of her voice before he lifted his head. “Huh?” he posed softly.

“With the baby” Isabelle noted softly “The midwife I saw said that everything is going along well. I’m about 7 weeks” she added, a soft blush playing on her cheeks.

Lionel mulled her words over for a couple of seconds before he stepped towards her, his hand gently bunching up the material of her sweater before he carefully knelt down, something which made Isabelle shake her head a little. “What are you doing?” she posed, her voice soft and warm.

Lionel quirked a soft smile before he ducked down, pressing a soft kiss against the slight bump of her stomach.

Isabelle watched him for a couple of seconds before she carefully ducked down, pressing a light kiss to the top of his head before she carefully moved to pull him back to his feet. “Are you sure that you want to do this?” she posed gently.

Lionel offered her a soft look before he nodded, offering her a light smile. “Of course I am” he mused softly “I mean, it’s going to take some time to figure everything out, but of course I am, Isa. I should have told you that days ago” he insisted softly.

Isabelle offered him a slightly dubious look, wordlessly asking if he was certain, before she nodded her head, a gentle smile on her lips.

Lionel admired her smile briefly before he stepped towards her, pressing a light kiss against her lips, something she was more than happy to respond to. Smiling a little, she wrapped her arms around him for a couple of seconds before the sound of the front door opening and closing reached them, causing her to pull away from him slightly. “That’s going to be my parents” she murmured softly.

Lionel offered her a soft look before he nodded, his hand gently moving to rest against her stomach. “They’re not happy?” he posed.

“That’s an understatement” Isabelle quipped, shaking her head a little.

Lionel mulled her words over for a couple of seconds before he leant towards her, sneaking a quick kiss before he ducked back, gently tugging her towards the door. “We should probably go and get this over with” he mused softly “Then we can think about heading home” he added gently, a slight smile on his face.

He knew that it wasn’t going to be pleasant, from what he knew of Marco and Francesca, he knew that they were more than slightly protective of their daughters, but he didn’t to shy away from it, even if the conversation that he was going to have with her parents was likely to be less than pleasant, he wanted to get it out of the way before he fixed his attention on taking Isabelle home.
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Thanks to Jayme112234 and FootieJo for the comments :)