Where We Are

07: It’s All Over Her Face

“You know, if you’ve changed your mind about this, it is OK. Just say the word”

Maia, who was curled up on the couch, flicking through the television channels, lifted her head at the sound of Iker’s voice before she offered him a small smile, slightly amused by the slightly nervous expression that he wore on his face. It hadn’t been long, after Iker had first broached the topic of sharing the news of her pregnancy with his parents, only a couple of days had passed, but still he seemed nervous, something which made Maia smile. She had always found the idea of him being nervous cute.

She had no doubt that the news would be welcome, when they had been dating, Iker’s parents had dropped more than a couple of teasing hints about the prospect of grandchildren, and she was sure that they’d be excited, even if things between her and Iker weren’t as simple as they could be. She had little doubt that the news would be welcomed with open arms.

“I don’t mind being here” she mused “But if you’d rather do it yourself, I can go. It’s up to you” she added, shifting in her seat slightly.

Iker, who’d moved to settle his laptop down onto the coffee table, offered her a brief look before he shook his head. “I’d prefer it if you were here” he noted “Is that OK?” he asked.

Maia nodded. “Of course” she enthused, offering him another small smile.

Iker returned it briefly before he flicked his attention towards the laptop, staring at the blank screen quietly for a moment before he turned back to her. “How did your parents take it?” he posed. He knew that he couldn’t avoid it, with the baby’s arrival due in a few months, he knew that he couldn’t shy away from sharing the news of the impending arrival with his parents forever, but still he was worried about how they would take it.

Maia lifted an eyebrow, slightly surprised by his question, before she shook her head. “My mother was thrilled” she replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear “I’m an only child and she has been itching for me to get married or have a baby, just so that she’s got something to fuss over, and she was over the moon when she guessed that I was expecting. My papa...he was a little more reluctant at first. He knew that...that this had the potential to be complicated, and he was worried, but as soon I showed him the first scan picture, he melted. He’s so excited about being a grandpa” she enthused warmly.

Iker tilted his head, not missing the way she stumbled when it came to talking about them, before he let out a soft sigh, something which caused to shift her hand, offering his a tentative squeeze. “It won’t be that bad, Iker” she murmured.

Iker stared down at their hands briefly before he nodded. “I know” he noted “I’m sure that they’ll be thrilled, but I can’t help but worry. It is pretty sudden” he added.

Maia simply offered his hand another light squeeze before she leant towards the laptop, highlighting Iker’s mother’s name on the screen. “Ready when you are” she quipped, leaning back slightly.

Iker glanced at her briefly before he leant forwards, hitting the call button. Reclining into his seat slightly, he eyed the screen warily before his mother’s face appeared, causing him to quirk a small smile. “Hola, madre” he greeted warmly.

“This is a surprise, Iker” Carmen noted “I wasn’t expecting you to call. Is everything OK?” she posed, a small concerned frown on her face.

Iker nodded. “Everything is fine, mama” he assured her “I just...I have some news that I want to share with you and padre. Is he around?” he posed.

Carmen shook her head. “He’s just popped out, actually” she noted “But I will tell him about the call. You have news?” she pressed.

Iker nodded his head gently before he leant down, carefully adjusting the laptop so that both he and Maia were in shot. “We, actually” he corrected.

Carmen’s expression twitched a little at the sight of Maia, something which caused the brunette to shift slightly in her seat before she quirked a shy smile. “Hola, Mrs Casillas” she greeted timidly.

“Maia” Carmen breathed “Sweetheart, it...it has been a while. What are you doing there?” she posed, her expression softening slightly.

“We have some news to share” Maia breathed “Me and Iker” she added.

Carmen tilted her head. “Did you two finally patch things up?” she pressed “I knew that you would. You always were so good for him, Maia” she insisted excitedly.

Maia’s cheeks warmed at the older woman’s words before she shook her head, nervously fiddling with her hair. “We...we haven’t” she murmured “We actually have something else that we want to talk to you about, don’t we, Iker?” she posed, nudging the keeper who looked more than slightly surprised by his mother’s words.

Iker, who’d been mulling over his mother’s words, startled at the dig into his ribs before he blinked. “Huh?” he posed.

“You have something else you want to tell me?” Carmen posed.

Iker pushed a nervous hand back through his hair before he nodded. “Me and Maia” he breathed “In a few months’ time, we’re going to have a baby” he revealed, his voice slightly uncertain.

Carmen’s expression slackened. “What?” she posed.

“Maia’s pregnant” Iker clarified “About 13 weeks now” he added.

Carmen merely stared at him, something which made Iker shift awkwardly in his seat before he felt a hand on his own, causing him to look up at Maia. “You want me to leave you to it?” she posed, lightly brushing her thumb over his hand.

Iker nodded his head gently. “I’ll call you later” he mused.

Maia offered him a small reassuring grin before she stepped out of the room, allowing him to flick his attention back towards the laptop. “Mama...”

“She’s having your baby?” Carmen breathed “You’re going to be a papa?” she added.

Iker nodded. “I am” he confirmed “Are you OK about that?” he pressed.

“Surprised” Carmen noted “I still can’t quite believe that those words came out of your mouth, but it’s a wonderful surprise, Iker. A baby” she breathed, an awed smile appearing on her face.

Iker shook his head. “I can’t believe that I said those words” he breathed “But it is true. Maia’s a little over three months gone and that means that there’ll be a little baby around soon” he added warmly.

Carmen grinned, allowing the words to hang around them for a few seconds before she shook her head. “Have you talked to her?” she posed.

“Mama...”

“I don’t want to push you” Carmen insisted “You’re a grown man and you make your decisions yourself, but you know that you were never happier than when you were with her. Isn’t there any kind of chance that you to might just figure things out and patch them up?” she asked. She knew that it was sore subject, other than telling her that he and Maia had broken up, Iker had been remarkably reluctant to talk about it, and whilst she didn’t want to get too involved, she did want to give him a small nudge, knowing that being with Maia had made him happier than she had seen him in a while.

Iker quirked a small ironic smile, not surprised by his mother’s question, before he shook his head. “It’s not that easy, mama” he noted “Me and Maia....it’s pretty complicated, and right now, we’ve got bigger things to be thinking about than us. You know how I feel about her, mama, you know that I love her, but we’ve got other things to figure right now, which means a conversation about ‘us’ is very much on the backburner” he explained.

Carmen listened to him briefly before she shook her head. “It’s not so complicated” she mused “You love her, and she loves you...”

“Mama” Iker interrupted.

“It’s all over her face, Iker” Carmen noted “And it is all over yours. Talk to her, Iker” she insisted before she mused something about needing to hang up.

Iker nodded. “I’ll speak to you later” he insisted.

“Of course” Carmen mused “And congratulations, sweetheart. I’m so happy for you” she insisted before she ended the call, leaving Iker to stare at the blank screen for a moment before he let out a tired sigh, knowing that a conversation with Maia about what they were or what they could be was hurtling towards them.
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Thanks to FootieJo for the comment :)