If You Love Me

Quietly pulling the door closed behind her, Nora spared a small glance towards the bed, her blue eyes settling on Gerard who laid on it, soundly sleeping with Alba curled up beside him. She wasn’t surprised to see him asleep, after Rafael had arrived, she was pretty confident that he hadn’t closed his eyes for longer than a few minutes at a time, and she was glad to see him resting, even if she was sure that it wouldn’t be too long before he was awake and fussing again. She was pleased that he had allowed himself to relax for a few moments.

Watching him and Alba sleep for a couple of seconds, she quirked a small smile before she padded around the bed, quickly locating her camera which sat on the cabinet beside the bed. Making sure that she was quiet, she lifted it into her hand and quickly snapped a couple of pictures before the sound of a knock at the door reached her ears, causing her to lift her head, her blue eyes settling on Antonella who stood in the doorway, a sheepish smile on her lips. “I’m not disturbing anything, am I?” she posed gently.

Nora returned her smile warmly before she shook her head. “You’re OK” she noted “I mean, we’ll have to be quiet, I don’t really want to wake any of them up, but I am sure that we can handle it. What are you doing here?” she posed as she moved to sit down on the edge of the bed, a small grimace pulling at the corner of her mouth.

Antonella, who’d stepped a little further into the room, shrugged. “I was passing by” she noted “And I figured you’d not mind a visitor. I can go if you want me to” she offered, gesturing over her shoulder.

Nora offered her a small smile before she shook her head. “You don’t have to do that” she noted “Besides, it’s nice to have a visitor” she added.

Antonella offered her a dubious look, wordlessly asking if she was certain, before she padded forwards, sitting down in the seat which sat beside the bed. “How are you feeling?” she posed.

Nora, who’d been quietly twisting her blonde hair around her finger, shrugged. “I feel OK” she noted “I mean, I’m a little uncomfortable, and I am still working on catching up on the sleep that I missed, but I’m alright. He’s pretty worth it” she added, sparing a soft glance towards Rafael who laid in his crib, stirring quietly in his sleep.

Antonella followed the line of her stare before she quirked a soft smile. “He’s adorable” she noted “He looks a lot like you” she added.

Nora shrugged. “He’s blonde” she noted “But Alba had lighter hair when she was born and it turned darker as she grew. I think he’s more than likely going to look like his papa” she added, smiling over her shoulder at Gerard who was still asleep.

Antonella admired her smile briefly before she reached her foot out, lightly nudging Nora’s. “How has he been?” she posed.

“Worried” Nora quipped without hesitation “I think this is the first time he’s fallen asleep for longer than five minutes since we got here, but he’s been great. He normally he is” she added fondly.

Antonella smiled, not missing the fondness in her voice, before she shook her head. “You love him” she teased.

Nora scoffed. “You’ve only just picked up on that?” she quipped.

Antonella giggled softly before Rafael let out a soft sound, something which caused Nora to turn, carefully lifting him up into her arms.

“Do you have a name yet?” Antonella posed, breaking the quiet which had settled over them.

Nora, who’d moved to fuss over Rafael, nodded. “It took us a while” she quipped “I mean, every name that I liked, Gerard detested, and every name he liked, I hated, but in the end we came up with one. We’ve decided to name him Rafael Andres Piqué Hernandez” she added.

Antonella smiled a little at the name before she carefully stretched her arms out. “Would you mind?” she posed.

Nora shook her gently before she leant forwards, carefully settling Rafael into her friend’s arms. Rafael stirred a little, his blue eyes briefly opening, before he settled down, something which made Nora smile before she carefully leant back, lifting her camera up into her hands.

“Are you taking another picture?”

Nora, who’d moved to snap a couple of pictures, startled a little at the sound of Gerard’s voice before she turned, looking at him over her shoulder. “I thought you were still asleep” she quipped.

Gerard, who’d moved to sit up slightly, shrugged. “You two are not as quiet as you like to think you are” he quipped impishly.

Nora rolled her eyes before she scoffed, a teasing smile on her face. “We’ve barely made a noise” she played along.

Gerard spared a small laugh before he shifted his stare, offering Antonella a warm smile. “Hola” he greeted.

“Hola” Antonella replied warmly.

Gerard offered her another warm look before Alba let out a small sound, something which pulled his attention down towards her. “Have we been asleep for long?” he posed, watching as the little girl woke herself up.

Nora shook her head. “Half an hour” she quipped “Maybe forty minutes. You were both sound asleep when I got back from my walk, but I didn’t want to wake you. I think that’s probably the longest you’ve slept since we got here” she added, her voice softening slightly. She knew that he was worried, since Rachel had suggested the surgery, he had been apprehensive, and she wanted to encourage him to relax a little, even if she was confident that she wouldn’t be able to stop his fussing entirely. She wanted him to know that things were fine.

Gerard offered her a soft look, not missing the tone in her voice, before Alba sat up, something which made Antonella lift her head. “Have you had a picture taken?” she posed “The four of you, I mean” she added.

Nora shook her head. “We’ve not all been awake at the same time” she quipped.

“I could take one for you” Antonella noted “If you wanted” she added.

Nora offered her a look, mulling her offer over briefly, before she nodded her head. “I’d like that” she quipped “Gerard?” she added, sparing a look towards her husband.

Gerard nodded his head enthusiastically before he shuffled up the bed, settling Alba into his lap. Nora followed his movements, making her way up towards the head of the bed before she offered her arms out, allowing Antonella to settle Rafael into them. The brunette obliged, quickly settling the infant into his mother’s arms before she padded back towards the end of the bed, collecting Nora’s camera. “Smile” she enthused brightly.

Nora shook her head, mumbling a comment beneath her breath, before she shuffled a little closer to Gerard, encouraging him to wrap an arm around her waist before he ducked down, pressing a soft kiss against her temple. Antonella, who’d moved to snap a couple of pictures of the little family, watched them with a smile, wordlessly hoping that things kept working out for them.