If You Love Me

Gently twisting the ends of her blonde hair around her finger, Nora quirked a soft smile, her blue eyes settled on Gerard who stood ahead of her, babbling happily to Alba as he got her dressed. It had been a while, after they had arrived home from their honeymoon, a few weeks had passed, and with Alba’s first birthday having arrived, Nora found herself slightly excited. She had been looking forwards to it, since they had arrived home, she had been counting down the days until they celebrated the little girl’s first birthday, and she couldn’t quite believe that it had rolled around so quickly. To her, it seemed a little strange that it had been twelve months since Alba had arrived.

“You know, I know you’re smiling at us”

Nora, who’d drifted off slightly, startled at the sound of Gerard’s voice before she lifted her head, not missing the sight of him smirking over his shoulder. Rolling her eyes playfully, she stepped slightly further into the room before she stopped at his side, playfully nudging his shoulder. “I can stop if you’d prefer” she quipped, offering him an impish smile.

Gerard, who’d moved to pull a pair of socks onto Alba’s feet, shook his head. “It’s OK” he noted “Me and Alba are kind of flattered that you think we’re cute” he added playfully.

Nora let out a small laugh, slightly amused by his comment, before she stepped passed him, moving to fuss over Alba who grinned up at her, babbling softly.

Gerard watched the two of them for a moment, grinning as Alba let out a soft laugh, before he took a step forwards, his arm gently wrapping around Nora’s waist. “How long do you think we have before the excited grandparents show up?” he mumbled quietly.

Nora, who’d been quietly babbling to Alba, shrugged. “I don’t know” she noted “I mean, my mama suggested that she would be around about lunch time and your mother said something similar, but they didn’t give me an exact time. Why? Can’t you wait?” she quipped, offering him a playful smile over her shoulder.

Gerard offered her a small pointed look before he shook his head. “I’m glad that they’re excited” he noted “I mean, Alba’s 1st birthday is a big deal for her, and for us too, and I don’t want anything taking away from it. I want to enjoy her day, Nora, and that means I could do without people dropping hints” he added, his voice soft. It was a big deal for him, the idea that Alba had reached her first birthday was important to him, and he wanted to mark the occasion with a day which was solely about the little girl, and not about people hinting at the idea of them welcoming a second baby.

Nora, who’d moved her attention back to Alba, allowed his words to hang around them for a moment before she turned around, her blue eyes peeking at him gently. “They’re excited” she noted “I mean, for a while now, things between us having been progressing quickly, but they’ve been progressing well, and our friends and families, they’re excited for us. They can been overly enthusiastic, I know that my madre is particularly bad, but they’re happy for us and I like that about them” she insisted gently.

Gerard looked down at her, quietly mulling over her words, before he let out a soft sigh, something which caused Nora to lean up, pressing a soft kiss against his cheek. “It won’t be that bad” she noted “Besides, that’s not what today is about. Today is about celebrating the fact that our little girl is a year old” she added warmly.

Gerard smiled a little at the warmth in her voice before he stepped passed her, moving to lift Alba up into his arms. “A year old” he breathed “It still seems like yesterday that we bought her home for the first time” he added, pressing a soft kiss against her cheek.

Nora, who’d stepped up beside him, nodded. “It doesn’t feel like it’s been a year” she agreed “But it has been, and look at her now. She’s pretty amazing” she added, lightly brushing her fingers back through Alba’s hair.

Gerard watched the movement of Nora’s fingers for a moment before he ducked his head, pressing a soft kiss to the top of Nora’s head before he stepped away from her, musing something about making sure that everything was in place for when their families arrived.

~#~
“Alba, princesa, what is that in your papa’s hands?” Nora fussed as she carefully lifted Alba up into her arms, carrying her over towards where Gerard sat, a neatly wrapped birthday present perched in his hands. It had been a busy afternoon, with both of their families around and keen to make a fuss of Alba, the house had been a lot busier than usual, but Nora was pleased by it, even if she knew that Gerard was slightly wary about having their families around, she was pleased that people were around and making a fuss of the little girl’s first birthday.

Stepping across the room, she quickly moved to settle Alba down on the floor in front of Gerard before she moved to sit down beside him, smiling a little as Alba pushed herself up to her feet, taking a couple of quick steps before Gerard stretched his arm out, stopping her from getting passed him. “Not so fast” he quipped playfully “Your madre, she spent a lot of time picking these presents, and wrapping them, and I think we should open them” he added, settling Alba in his lap.

Alba shifted a little, not liking being sat down, before she reached out, her little hands pulling at the paper which covered the present.

Nora watched her for a moment, smiling a little as Alba babbled happily to herself, before she lightly shook her head, her fingers fiddling shyly with the ends of her blonde hair as she snuck a brief glance down towards the front of her shirt. She had had an inkling, a couple of weeks after they’d arrived home from their honeymoon, she had started to feel a little off, but she opted not to say anything to Gerard, even when she had seen the positive result on the pregnancy test which she had stowed in her bedside table, she had opted to keep it to herself, not wanting to pull any attention away from Alba.

“Nora?”

Nora, who’d drifted off slightly, started at the sound of Gerard’s voice before she lifted her head, offering him a soft look. “Huh?” she posed.

“I said that we’re getting ready to sing happy birthday to Alba. Weren’t you listening?” Gerard quipped with a playful smile.

Nora shook her head before she breathed out a soft laugh. “I was in a world of my own” she returned.

Gerard lifted an eyebrow. “You Ok?” he asked.

Nora nodded. “I’m fine” she noted.

“You sure?” Gerard countered “I mean, you’ve drifted off a couple of times today. Is there something on your mind?” he asked curiously.

Nora shook her head without hesitation. “I’m fine” she repeated.

Gerard offered her a slightly dubious look, not sure whether he believed her or not, before he pushed himself up to his feet, moving to carry Alba out towards the garden where a few of their relatives stood. Nora watched him walk away for a moment before she shook her head, smiling coyly to herself. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to keep it hidden for long, as soon as Gerard pressed, she was confident that she would let it slip, but she wanted to herself for a little longer. It excited her, the idea that she was pregnant for a second time, and she wanted to wrap her head around it before she shared the news with Gerard.