If You Love Me

Pulling her blonde hair off of her face, Nora closed her eyes for a moment, taking in a couple of deep breaths as she attempted to settle her stomach. It wasn’t too bad, the slight hit of nausea wasn’t the worst that she had had, and she was grateful for it, even if she had spent a little longer in the bathroom than she would have liked, she was glad that she hadn’t been sick. It hadn’t been long, after they’d celebrated Alba’s first birthday, only a couple of days had passed, but still Nora hadn’t found the right moment to tell Gerard that she was pregnant.

She wanted to tell him, from the moment that she had seen the positive result on the pregnancy test, she had wanted to tell him, but she was looking for the right moment, something she had yet to find. She knew that he would be excited, for a while, they had been talking about the idea of giving Alba a little brother or sister, but still she hadn’t quite worked up the nerve to say the words to him, even if she was confident of his reaction. She hadn’t quite managed to get the words out of her mouth.

Keeping her eyes closed, she took in a couple more breaths before she pushed herself up to her feet, quietly stepping out into the bedroom. Ensuring that she was quiet, she padded across the room before she settled back down onto her side of the bed, something which caused Gerard to stir slightly, his blue eyes peeking up at her sleepily. “Nora?” he mumbled sleepily.

Nora, who’d moved to shrug off her robe, startled a little at the sound of his voice before she turned slightly, offering him a small smile over her shoulder. “Did I wake you?” she posed “I didn’t mean to” she added.

Gerard frowned before he pushed himself up slightly, moving to flick on the bedside lamp. “What time is it?” he posed.

“It’s a little after five” Nora replied as she reached up, attempting to readjust the ponytail that she had pulled her blonde hair up into.

“Five?” Gerard asked “What are you doing out of bed at five in the morning?” he posed, stifling a yawn into his hand.

Nora shook her head. “I got up to use the bathroom” she quipped “You should go back to sleep. It won’t be too much longer before Alba wakes up” she added quickly as she moved to lay down against her pillow.

Gerard watched her for a moment before he shook his head, moving to rest his hand against her shoulder. “Nora” he murmured “Amor, what are you not telling me?” he asked gently. It wasn’t the first time, for a few days, she had been quiet and a little distant with him, and he knew that there was something on her mind, even if she did deny it every time he tried to push her on it. He knew that there was something she wasn’t telling him.

Nora noted the softness in his voice before she gently rolled onto her back, her blue eyes peeking up at him softly. “Gerard...”

“You’ve not been yourself” Gerard interrupted “You’ve been quiet, and slightly distant with me for the last few days, and it’s worrying me, nena. Is there something I should be worrying about?” he posed, his voice slightly fretful.

Nora offered him another soft look before she shook her head, moving to sit up once more. “There’s nothing to be worried about” she insisted “Things between us are great, Gerard, you know that, and if I’ve worried you, I’ve not meant to. I was just...I was waiting for the right moment” she babbled reassuringly.

“The right moment?” Gerard pressed.

Nora offered him a timid smile before she leant over the side of the bed, pulling the drawer in her bedside table open. Rifling through it for a second, she set her hand on what she was looking for before she pushed the drawer closed, holding the object in her hand.

Smiling a little, she spared a quick glance down at it before she flicked her eyes back up towards Gerard, not missing the frown on his face. “I found out a couple of days ago” she revealed “But I didn’t want to say anything. We were so close to Alba’s first birthday and I didn’t want to take the attention off of her, so I kept it to myself. I’ve been looking for the right moment for days” she rambled shyly.

Gerard listened to her babble for a moment before he shook his head. “Nora, what are you talking about?” he asked confusedly.

Nora let out a soft giggle, slightly amused by the confusion in his voice, before she gently reached her hand out, settling the object that she held in her hand in his. “You should look at that” she quipped “That might clear things up for you” she added playfully.

Gerard offered her a slightly bemused glance before he moved to open the piece of tissue that she had placed in the palm of his hand, his eyes settling on the two pregnancy tests which sat inside. Blinking a couple of times, he quickly scanned the results before he lifted his head, meeting Nora’s stare. “I’m awake, right?” he mumbled.

Nora let out a soft laugh before she nodded her head. “You are” she confirmed.

Gerard nodded his head slowly before he quirked a small smile. “Positive” he breathed “These are positive. You’re pregnant” he added, his smile widening with each word.

Nora nodded. “I am” she enthused.

Gerard breathed out a slightly awed laugh. “We’re going to have another baby?” he pressed.

Nora simply nodded her head, a warm grin on her face.

Gerard allowed the words to hang in the air for a brief moment, trying to wrap his head around the idea that Nora was pregnant for the second time, before he let out a small laugh, something which made Nora shake her head. “I am taking your nervous laughing as a good sign, you know” she teased gently.

Gerard shook his head. “It’s not my fault that I am lost for words” he countered, playing along “You did tell me when I was half asleep” he pointed out with a grin.

Nora shook her head playfully, giggling at his joke.

Gerard marveled at the soft sound before he carefully leant over, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. Nora stilled momentarily, surprised by the soft kiss, but she quickly grew into it, kissing him back happily for a couple of moments before she leant back, lightly combing her fingers through his messy hair. “You’re happy?” she posed, lightly brushing her nose against his.

“Surprised” Gerard replied “I thought it would take a little longer, but I am thrilled, Nora. We’re going to have a baby” he enthused warmly.

Nora smiled at the enthusiasm in his voice before she moved to rest against him, something which encouraged Gerard to wrap his arms around her, holding her in a comfortable hug for a few moments. It had surprised him, the sight of the pregnancy tests had caught him off guard, but he was thrilled with the news that Nora was pregnant, even if it had arrived sooner than he had been expecting. He was more than happy about the prospect of their family getting bigger.