Somebody Like Me

“You know, I still can’t wrap my head around the idea that you’re a madre, Cass” Javier quipped as he shifted his hold on Noah, moving to settle down on the couch.

It had been a couple of days, after Sergio had proposed, a few days had passed, and with the defender away for the night with Real Madrid, Javier and Mia had opted to visit Cassie and Noah, wanting to spend a little time with their friend and the little boy. It was rare, with Cassie’s time often spent with Noah and Sergio, the opportunities for her to catch up with her friends seemed few and far between, and Mia and Javier wanted to make the most of that night, wanting the opportunity to catch up with Cassie and what was going on in her life.

Cassie, who’d moved to place a box of pizza down on the coffee table, shook her head. “It’s still a little strange for me” she quipped as she moved to sit down beside Javier “But it’s the best kind of strange. He’s pretty adorable, isn’t he?” she added, pressing a light kiss against Noah’s cheek.

Noah, who’d been contently messing around with the material of Javier’s shirt, paused a little at the feel of the kiss before he lifted his head, offering his mother a bright grin before he carefully shifted a little towards her, encouraging Cassie to lift him into her arms, settling him down in her lap.

Javier watched the two of them for a couple of seconds before he nodded his head. “He’s an adorable baby, Cass” he fussed “He looks a lot like you” he added, offering her a kind smile.

Cassie shook her head. “He looks more like Sergio now” she mused softly “I mean, he’s got his lighter hair and I’m pretty sure that he’ll get Sergio’s brown eyes” she added, lightly smoothing out the dark hair which sat on the top of Noah’s head.

“Either way, he’s more than adorable” Mia quipped, settling a glass of wine down on the table “Any baby that you and Sergio had was always going to be” she added brightly, offering a small smile towards Noah who giggled impishly. It was still a little strange, the idea that Cassie was a mother was one which was still a little odd to Mia, but she had to admit that she was proud of the way that Cassie had adapted to having Noah around, even if she had been a little nervous when she’d first found out that she was expecting, she was a natural with the little boy.

Cassie’s cheeks warmed a little at the compliment before she moved to collect the remote, flicking on the television before she settled on the Real Madrid match, something which made Javier chuckle softly before he shook his head. “You watch his matches?” he posed, placing a piece of pizza onto his place.

“Sometimes” Cassie mused, shrugging slightly “I mean, Real aren’t my team, but I still watch them sometimes. I like watching Sergio smile after they win” she added softly, the blush on her cheeks darkening a little with each word.

Mia, who’d moved to collect a slice of pizza the box, spared Cassie a soft look before she shook her head, a small amused smile appearing at the corner of her mouth. “I can’t believe that a little over a year ago you were denying that you were into him” she quipped amusedly “I mean look at you, you’re like a smitten teenager” she added brightly, her foot lightly nudging Cassie’s.

Cassie spared a soft glance down towards her foot before she shook her head. “I am not that bad” she mumbled.

“You are” Javier quipped “I mean, I’ve only seen you talk about him a couple of times, but it’s pretty cute. You two, you’re good together” he enthused warmly.

Cassie spared him a soft look before she gently shook her head, a soft sigh falling out of her mouth, something which caused Mia to lift an eyebrow. It wasn’t the first time, since she and Javier had arrived that night, Cassie had appeared a little cagey whenever Sergio’s name had come up, and it worried Mia a little. They were good together, for months, Cassie and Sergio appeared to have been happy, and Mia didn’t want to watch them stumble. She liked the two of them together.

“Cassie?” she posed gently “Is there something up?” she added.

Cassie, who’d started to mess with the material of her shirt, hesitated for a couple of seconds before she shook her head, her green eyes deliberately trying to avoid both Mia and Javier. “Sergio…Sergio kind of proposed to me a few days ago” she stumbled out quietly.

“What?” Javier squeaked, his voice slightly surprised.

“Sergio asked me to marry him” Cassie repeated softly “And I…I didn’t exactly say yes to him” she added, her voice soft and uncertain.

“You didn’t?” Mia posed, a look of surprise etched onto her features. She knew that it had been coming, for a little while, Sergio had been flirting with the idea of proposing, but she was surprised that Cassie hadn’t said yes, even if she knew that her friend had a tendency to overthink things, she knew that Cassie loved Sergio and saw her future with him.

Cassie shook her head softly. “I didn’t say no either” she noted defensively “I just…I told him that I needed a little while to get my head around it. It’s a huge deal, Mia, and he caught me off guard” she added gently.

Mia mulled her words over for a couple of seconds before she carefully leant forwards, gently taking a hold of Cassie’s hand which fiddled nervously with the bottom of her shirt. “It is a huge deal, Cass” she agreed softly “I mean, getting married is a huge step forwards, but you have to know how good you and Sergio are together. You two, you’ve had a lot thrown at you in the last 12 months, but you’ve come through it and you’re still like smitten teenagers around one another. You and him make sense, Cass” she added, her voice warm and encouraging.

Cassie spared her a soft look before she shook her head softly. “It’s been a year, Mia” she mused softly.

“And?” Mia countered “Cassie, this isn’t some exact science. One year or 20 years, it doesn’t matter. Do you love him?” she pressed gently.

Cassie spared her a shy look, a small smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. “You know that I do” she mumbled gently.

“I do know that” Mia quipped “And I know I’ve not seen you this happy before either, Cassie. Sergio’s been good for you, perhaps the best thing that could have happened to you after things with Hector, and I think you’d be making a mistake if you didn’t take the jump and say yes to him. Can you quite imagine how things might be for you right now if you hadn’t bumped into Sergio when you did?” she posed gently.

Cassie paused for a couple of moments, quietly mulling over Mia’s words, before she lightly shook her head. “He’s been amazing” she mumbled softly “I mean, after what happened with Hector, what Sergio and I had to start with, it was exactly what I needed. And then there is Noah…” she trailed off slightly, her eyes settling on Noah who sat in her lap, napping quietly against her.

Mia admired the soft look that Cassie wore for a couple of seconds, not missing the slight sparkle which had appeared in her green eyes, before she gently nudged her foot. “I think you might have an answer, Cass” she enthused softly.

Cassie blinked a couple of times, slightly surprised by the small nudge, before she quirked a gentle smile. “I think I do” she murmured softly “Mia…”

“Don’t say it” Mia interrupted softly “I’ll just call dibs on maid of honor” she teased brightly.

Cassie’s cheeks blushed softly before she quirked a shy smile, knowing that she had answer to give to Sergio who, since he’d asked, had been patiently waiting for it.