If You Love Me

Folding the piece of wrapping paper over the gift which sat in front of her, Nora moved to place a piece of tape onto it, fastening it in place before she flipped the gift over, moving to affix a bow to it.

It wasn’t the first one that she had wrapped, with Christmas only a couple of weeks away, she had taken to using moments when Gerard was around to watch Alba to wrap gifts for their friends and family, and it excited her a little, even if they were still a couple of weeks away. She had always adored the holidays and was looking forwards to spending it with her boyfriend and their little girl. It was to be first for them, the previous year, she and Gerard had spent the majority of the day with their respective families, and Nora was excited about the prospect of spending the day with him and Alba.

Studying the gift which sat in her hand, she ensured that the paper covered it before she moved to settle it down onto the floor, adding it to the pile which sat at the foot of the bed.

“What is your mama doing, eh?”

Nora, who’d moved to collect another gift from the end of the bed, smiled a little at the sound of Gerard’s voice before she turned her head, peeking towards where he stood in the doorway, Alba balanced on his hip. “I thought you were trying to get her down for a nap?” she posed as she shifted on the bed slightly, making room for him at her side.

Gerard, who’d stepped a little further into the room, nodded. “I was trying” he confirmed “But she is proving a little difficult to settle so I thought we could come up here and see if you were too busy to give it a go. She tends to settle a bit better with you than me” he added, offering her a small impish smile.

Nora rolled her eyes at his smile before she shook her head, offering her arms out towards him. Gerard flashed her another light smile before he ducked forwards, settling Alba down into her arms. “What are you up to?” he posed as he sat back a little, his blue eyes peeking around the room curiously.

Nora, who’d shuffled towards the head of bed, quirked a small smirk. “The wrapping paper doesn’t give it away?” she teased, playfully nudging the festive paper with her foot.

Gerard offered her a playful glare, something which made Nora giggle before rested back, allowing Alba to rest happily against her. “I was just wrapping a few Christmas presents” she noted “I know that we’re still a couple of weeks out, but I’ve already bought a lot of it and I thought I could figure out what I was missing by wrapping what I already had. Have you even started your shopping yet?” she asked, her eyebrow lifted teasing

Gerard, who’d moved to lay down, shrugged. “I don’t have a lot to buy” he quipped “I mean, I know that you’ll have already bought presents for my family because you think I’ll forget otherwise, and you’ll have bought for your family too, so that leaves me to get a couple of presents for Alba and some for you” he added with a lazy smile on his face.

Nora scoffed. “One of us has to be organized” she quipped, nudging his shoulder with her foot.

Gerard chuckled softly before he nodded. “And I am glad that you are” he noted.

Nora offered him a soft smile before she flicked her attention down towards Alba, her fingers lightly smoothing out the tufts of dark hair which sat on the top of the little girl’s head. Alba, who’d been sleepily pulling at the collar of the t-shirt Nora wore, stirred a little before she lifted her head, allowing a soft yawn to fall out of her mouth, something which made Nora lean down, pressing a soft kiss against her head before a small yawn fell out of her own mouth.

Gerard, who’d been quietly watching the two of them, let out a soft laugh before he shook his head. “Do you want me to leave you to it?” he posed.

Nora shook her head. “I’m Ok” she noted “Besides, I want to hear about the wonderful Christmas present that you plan on buying me” she added, her voice caught between teasing and sleepy. It was rare, with Gerard often busy with Barcelona and other commitments and their families keen to spend a lot of time around Alba, it was a rare occurrence for the two of them to have a little time to themselves, and she was keen to make the most of it, even if she was slightly tired, she wanted to enjoy a quiet moment with him.

Gerard, who’d moved towards the head of the bed, laughed gently before he leant a little closer to her, brushing a few loose blonde hairs off of her face. “It’s not going to be much of a surprise if I tell you about it, is it?” he quipped quietly, not wanting to disturb the comfortable atmosphere which had settled over the room.

Nora offered him a dubious look before she shook her head, mumbling about him having no ideas beneath her breath. Gerard caught her comment and scoffed playfully before he leant down, pecking her lips a couple of times. “I’ll come up with something” he noted confidently.

“Of course you will” Nora agreed, her voice slightly sarcastic.

Gerard offered her an unimpressed look, something which made her giggle gently before she leant up slightly, pecking his lips lightly. “I am sure that you’ll figure something out” she noted “And when you do, it will be wonderful. Maybe not as wonderful as the presents that I got for you from me and Alba, but I am sure that they’ll be great” she added teasingly before another soft yawn fell out of her mouth.

Gerard smiled, not missing the yawn, before he leant down, pressing a soft kiss against her forehead. “Get some sleep” he noted softly.

Nora opened her mouth, attempting to argue with him, before another yawn fell out of her mouth, causing her to let out a soft sigh before she rested back, settling her head against the pillow. Shifting a little, she moved to ensure that both she and Alba were comfortable, before she quietly fell asleep, something which made Gerard’s smile widen before he dipped down, pressing a soft kiss against both her and Alba’s heads.

Ensuring that he’d not disturbed them, he quietly pushed himself up to his feet before he stepped towards the door, ducking out of the room before he shook his head. It was still on his mind, the idea of proposing was one that he had toyed with more than once since he had revealed his intentions to Lionel a few weeks previous, but as more time passed, he grew more certain of it, something which made him think that the moment he found himself asking would come along sooner rather than later.