If You Love Me

Thirty Eight: I Am

Gently stretching her legs out ahead of her, Nora let out a small groan, trying to swallow the lump which had appeared in her throat. It wasn’t the first time, after she and Gerard had seen in the New Year, for a few days she had felt a little unwell on more than one occasion, but still she was hopeful that it would pass, even if she did have an inkling that it wouldn’t, a small part of her hoped that it passed quickly.

Resting her weight back against the bathtub which sat behind her for a moment, she took a couple of deep breaths before she felt her stomach flip, something which caused her to lean over the toilet, emptying the contents of her stomach before she sat back down, wiping her mouth softly.

“Are you sure that you don’t want me to stay?”

Nora, who’d squeezed her eyes shut, startled a little at the sound of Gerard’s voice before she lifted her head, peeking up at him softly. “I’m OK” she noted softly “I mean, I feel a little better now that I’ve actually thrown up and I am sure that I’ll be fine. It’ll pass” she insisted as she pushed herself up to her feet, moving to collect her tooth brush.

Gerard, who was rested against the frame of the bathroom door, offered her a slightly dubious look before he shook his head. “Are you sure about that?” he posed “I mean, you told me it would pass almost a week ago and you’re still not quite yourself. Are you sure that you’re alright?” he posed softly. It wasn’t the first time, in the week that had passed since they’d celebrated the New Year, Nora had been ill on more than one occasion, and he was slightly concerned, even if Nora didn’t seem overly worried, he was slightly worried about her.

Nora offered him a soft look before she quirked a small smile. “I’m OK” she insisted softly.

Gerard offered her another uncertain look, wordlessly asking if she was sure, before he nodded his head. “If you say so” he noted softly.

Nora smiled gently before she stepped towards him, pressing a light kiss against his cheek. “You’re sweet for worrying” she fussed softly, her fingers lightly straightening out the collar of the shirt he wore.

Gerard watched her fingers for a moment before he leant down, kissing the top of her head lightly. “I have to get going” he murmured softly “If you need anything…”

“I’m going over to Emilia’s” Nora interrupted softly “And I am sure that I will be fine, but if I am not, Emmy will be here. You don’t have to worry” she mused, a soft smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. She knew that he was slightly worried, the look on his face confided it, but she wanted to soothe his worries slightly, not wanting him to fret for no reason.

Gerard offered her another soft glance, searching her face for a moment, before he nodded his head. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” he posed as he ducked back out into the bedroom, collecting his kit bag from its spot of the floor.

Nora nodded. “I should think so” she mused softly “Good luck” she added.

Gerard quirked a small smile before he leant towards her, sneaking a couple of soft kisses before he ducked out of the room.

~#~
“You know, I still can’t believe that you’re a madre, Emmy” Nora fussed as she shifted her hold on Sofia, moving to settle down on the couch. It had been a pleasant afternoon, with both Mateo and Gerard out of town, she and Emilia had been quick to make the most of the opportunity to catch up with one another, and Nora was pleased that they’d done it, even more so that she had gotten to spend a little more time with her niece.

Emilia, who had moved to settle her empty plate down onto the coffee table, rolled her eyes slightly before she shook her head, offering her a sister a small smile. “It’s still pretty strange to think it” she mused softly “But it is the best kind of strange. She’s fascinating, Nora, every little noise or movement is the most interesting thing, and whilst she came as a little bit of a surprise to me and Mateo, I know I’d not change it. She’s amazing” she fussed, her fingers gently smoothing out the tufts of hair which sat on top of Sofia’s head.

Nora watched her sister for a moment, admiring the small nimble movements of her fingers, before she shifted her attention down towards Sofia, a soft nervous sound falling out of her mouth.

Emilia perked up a little at the sound before she tilted her head, wordlessly asking her little sister what was wrong.

Nora hesitated for a second, her fingers lightly messing with the material of the dress that Sofia wore, before she shook her head, another soft sigh falling out of her mouth. “I’ve not been feeling myself” she murmured softly “I mean, usually, around my time of the month, I feel a little queasy, but this has lasted longer than usual and it sort of got me thinking. Gerard and I…we’re not always the most careful and it’s not impossible that…” she trailed off softly, mumbling the last part of her sentence beneath her breath.

“What’s not impossible?” Emilia prodded.

Nora took in a breath before she shook her head. “It’s not impossible that Sofia’s going to have a little cousin a lot sooner than we were expecting” she babbled softly, her eyes not shifting away from the baby who snoozed contently in her arms.

Emilia’s eyes widened at her sister’s words. “You think…you could be…?” she babbled softly.

“It might just be a stomach bug” Nora noted softly “But it’s not impossible” she added, chewing on her lip shyly.

Emilia blinked a couple of times, trying to wrap her head around the idea that her little sister could be pregnant, before she gently shook her head. “You need to take a test” she mused softly.

Nora nodded, wordlessly agreeing with her.

“I have a couple in the bathroom” Emilia noted “You should go and take them” she added as she leant forwards, softly lifting Sofia into her arms.

Nora watched her sister lift the baby into her arms before she softly pushed herself up to her feet, slowly padding towards the bathroom.

~#~
“Have you looked yet?”

Nora, who was sat down on the edge of the bath, lifted her head at the sound of Emilia’s voice before she quietly shook her head. “I haven’t” she murmured softly “I mean, the three minutes were up a couple of minutes ago, but I’ve not looked yet. I’m still trying to work up the nerve” she added, a nervy smile on her lips.

Emilia, who’d moved to sit down beside her, tossed an arm around her shoulder before she offered her a soft squeeze. “You know” she murmured softly “Whatever those tests say, me, mama, Mateo…we’re all here for you if you need us” she insisted softly. She could see Nora’s mind working, from the moment that she had suggested that it was possible that she was pregnant, she could see just how nervous and worried she was, and she wanted to offer her a little comfort, wanting to soothe her slightly.

Nora nodded. “I know that” she murmured softly “And I’m pretty confident that Gerard’s going to be pretty excited, but…it is early, Emmy. We’ve barely been together for 6 months” she added softly, her fingers pulling shyly at her shirt.

Emilia nodded her head softly. “It is early” she agreed softly “And if you are…you know, then it’s going to take work for the two of you to figure it out, but I am confident in the two of you. This isn’t some one night stand, Nora, this isn’t some guy you hardly know, it’s Gerard and I have no doubt that you’ll both give it everything” she insisted, her voice warm and encouraging.

Nora offered her a soft look, quietly mulling over her words, before she let out a soft sigh, her blue eyes returning to the two tests which sat on the counter. Hesitating for a moment, she briefly contemplated asking Emilia to look for her before she leant forwards, lifting the tests into her hand. Holding them for a few seconds, she took in a soft breath before she flipped them over in her hand, her blue eyes scanning the results.

“Nora?”

Nora, who’d been focused on the tests, flinched at the sound of Emilia’s voice before she turned her head, a faint awed smile on her lips.

Emilia admired the smile before she tilted her head. “You are?” she posed softly.

Nora nodded. “I am” she breathed softly.

Emilia smiled gently at her words before she wrapped her arms around her, gently pulling her into a soft hug that Nora was quick to return, holding onto her sister tightly. Squeezing the older woman slightly, she let out a small noise, trying to wrap her head around the idea that she was going to have a baby.
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Thanks to FootieJo and Jayme112234 for the comments :)