Somebody Like Me

Gently shifting her hold on Noah, Cassie moved her feet a little, her green eyes peeking around the airport terminal quietly. It wasn’t where she wanted to be, even despite the fact that Sergio’s parents had been nothing but welcoming to her since they’d met, she was still a little nervous about the prospect of spending time with them, but with Sergio due at training, she offered to collect them from the airport, even if it did make her a little nervous. She had wanted to make the effort.

It had been a few days, after she had said yes to Sergio, they’d agreed to take a little while to let the idea of their engagement settle in before they shared the news with their friends and families, but with his birthday only a matter of days away, they’d arranged for his parents and her father to visit, something which Cassie was both looking forwards to and dreading.

She knew that it was a big deal, the idea that they she and Sergio had reached the point in their relationship where they were contemplating getting married was a huge milestone, but a small part of her was still apprehensive about the idea of moving things along too quickly. She knew what she wanted, in the long run, she knew that she wanted to marry the defender, but she wanted to take their time about it, even if they were already engaged. She didn’t see the harm in taking their time when it came to wedding planning.

Carefully adjusting Noah on her hip, she spared another look around the airport before she felt a hand nudged against her shoulder, something which caused her to turn, her green eyes settling on Paqui who stood beside her, a warm welcoming smile perched on her lips. “I wasn’t expecting you, Cassie” she greeted softly “Where’s Sergio?” she posed, gently greeting Noah who smiled up at her softly.

Cassie spared her a small shy smile before she shook her head gently. “He had to get to training, so I offered to come and get you in his place. I’m taking you back to ours?” she mused softly.

“That’s what Sergio suggested” Paqui mused “But you really didn’t have to come all this way to get collect us. I am sure that we would have been able to get a taxi” she added as she spared a look over her shoulder, watching as her husband stepped towards them, their bags in his hands.

“It was no trouble” Cassie mused softly “I’m still on maternity leave so I’ve got a lot of time on my hands” she added gently.

Paqui offered her a soft look, wordlessly asking if she was sure, before she quirked a small smile, moving to wrap her arm around Cassie’s before she offered it a light reassuring squeeze, leading her towards the exit. She could see that the younger woman was a little nervous, one look at the shy smile she wore confided it, but Paqui wanted to reassure that she had nothing to worry about. She liked her, Cassie and Noah had been good for Sergio, and Paqui doubted that the brunette was going anywhere any time soon.

~#~
“So, everyone is here”

Cassie, who was quietly stirring a pot which sat on the top of the stove, jumped a little at the sound of Sergio’s voice before she lifted her head, peeking at him over her shoulder. “My papa arrived a little after you left for training this morning and I went to collect your parents from the airport when their flight got in” she mused gently.

Sergio, who’d moved to sit on the counter at her side, nodded. “I should thank you for that” he mused softly.

“They’re your parents” Cassie quipped “What am I supposed to do? Leave them at the airport?” she added, offering him a slightly sarcastic look.

Sergio spared a small laugh before he shook his head. “I know that” he mused “But I know that you’re still nervous when it comes to them, so thank you” he added, offering her a gentle smile.

Cassie returned his smile lightly before she flicked her attention back towards the pot which stood ahead of her, stirring the contents.

“You’re sure about wanting to tell them?” Sergio posed, breaking the quiet which had settled around them “I mean, it’s only been a few days and if you wanted to keep it between us for a little longer…”

“You don’t want to tell people?” Cassie interrupted, her voice slightly amused.

Sergio scoffed. “We both know that I’d yell it from the rooftops tomorrow if you let me” he countered playfully “But I just wanted to make sure that this is what you wanted to do. Once we tell them, we can’t take it back, and I want to make sure that you’re sure” he added, his tone softening slightly.

Cassie smiled a little at the soft tone of his voice before she took a couple of paces towards him, her hands lightly taking a hold of his. “I’m sure that I want to tell them, Sese” she mused softly.

“You are?” Sergio posed softly “Because if not…”

“I’m sure” Cassie interrupted softly “I just don’t want to run into wedding planning. I know it is what I want, I’d never have said yes if it wasn’t, but…”

“We don’t have to run into anything, Cassie” Sergio interrupted softly.

Cassie blinked. “Huh?” she posed.

Sergio spared a small chuckle before he shook his head. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I kind of gotten to know you in the last year, Cass” he teased impishly “And I know that you’re not going to run into this. We’ve been together for a year, Cass, and in that year we’ve managed to move in together, have a baby, and then get engaged. I think we could probably afford to wait a few months before we actually start planning a wedding” he added, offering her a warm smile.

He knew what was coming, from the moment that she had said yes, it had only been a matter of time before she asked for them to hold off for a little while, but Sergio didn’t mind the idea of waiting for a little while, even if he was looking forwards to the idea of them getting married. He didn’t mind the idea of waiting a while before they moved to start planning.

Cassie offered him a slightly dubious look, wordlessly asking if he was sure, before the sound of Noah’s cries filled the air, something which caused Sergio to shake his head before he carefully pushed himself back to his feet. Offering Cassie an impish smile, he pressed a brisk kiss against her lips before he ducked out of the room, something which made Cassie shake her head gently, wordlessly musing about how good things were between the two of them.

~#~
“Can I get anyone anything else?” Cassie posed as she padded around the table, refilling her father’s glass of wine. It had been a quiet evening, with their parents content to stay in for the night, Sergio and Cassie had prepared dinner for them, and Cassie had to admit that she was pleased by how well things seemed to be going, even if she was a little nervous about the idea of revealing their engagement, she was pleased to see her father getting along with Sergio’s parents.

“I think we’re alright, Cassie” Jose mused softly “Why don’t you sit down?” he added, gently gesturing towards her seat.

Cassie offered him a small smile before she carefully moved to retake her seat, something which caused Sergio to reach out, his hand quickly taking a hold of hers.

Alonso, who was sat at the other end of the table, watched the small amorous action before he quietly shook his head, a brief laugh falling out of his mouth.

Cassie, who’d been quietly mumbling to Sergio, noted the sound of her father’s laugh before she lifted her head, tilting it slightly. “Papa?” she posed softly.

“I think you have something to tell us, Cassandra” Alonso quipped “You two have been mumbling all night” he added, offering her a soft smile.

Cassie blinked a couple of times, slightly surprised by his words, before she spared a look towards Sergio who offered her a small smile. “I think we might have been caught out” he quipped impishly.

“Caught out about what?” Paqui asked softly.

Cassie spared Sergio another soft look, wordlessly asking if he was certain, before she flicked her attention towards the older woman, offering her a small smile. “We have some news” she breathed softly.

“You do?” Paqui squeaked “Are you pregnant again?” she added, her eyes slightly wide.

“No” Cassie replied softly “I’m not, but a few days ago, Sergio…he…”

“I asked her to marry me” Sergio interrupted, finishing for her “And Cassie said yes. We’re engaged” he added, a bright grin appearing on his lips.

The room was quiet for a couple of seconds, digesting the news, before Paqui pushed herself up to her feet, quickly pulling Cassie into a tight hug before she ducked back a little, quietly fussing over the ring the younger woman wore.

Sergio smiled, admiring the two of them for a couple of seconds, before he felt a hand clap his shoulder, causing him to turn slightly, his dark eyes peeking up at Alonso who grinned at him impishly. “You finally asked her then?” the older man teased brightly.

“I did” Sergio confirmed with a soft nod “You not changed your mind about me, have you?” he added impishly.

Alonso spared a small laugh before he shook his head. “I haven’t” he mused softly “In fact, I’m pretty glad that you asked her. You’ve been pretty good for her since you came along” he added softly.

“Gracias” Sergio mused softly.

Alonso shook his head before he stuck a hand out ahead of him. “Keep doing what you’re doing, Sergio” he mused softly “And welcome to my little family” he added brightly.

Sergio smiled brightly at his words before he shook the older man’s hand, something which made Alonso smile gently. It had been a surprise, when Sergio had arrived in Cassie’s life, it had caught Alonso more than a little off guard, but he had to admit that the defender had grown on him. He liked Sergio and hoped he was around to stay.