The Things That You Do

61: Why Wouldn’t He Be?

Lightly brushing her fingers over Zachary’s stomach, Alexa quirked a sleepy smile, marveling at the little boy as he slept. It was quiet, with Lionel having ducked out to take a call from his mother, the hospital room was quiet and calm, and it pleased Alexa a little, even if she was glad that Lionel had been at her side when she had pushed Zachary into the world. A small part of her was relieved that he had ducked out for a few moments.

The atmosphere was awkward, with Lionel’s proposal hanging between the two of them, neither she nor Lionel quite knew what to say to the other, and it irked her slightly, something which meant that she had been relieved when he had ducked out to take the call from his mother. She knew that they had to talk, with Lionel having proposed, there was no way that they could avoid it, but she wasn’t quite sure what to say him, something she knew that he shared in.

It had been a surprise, when the words had fallen out of his mouth, both she and Lionel had looked surprised, and she knew that she needed to give it some time, even if it was the elephant in the room. She knew that they both needed a little time to figure out what it was that they wanted to say to one another.

Gently lifting her hand, she tenderly smoothed out the dark hair which sat on the top of Zachary’s head before the sound of a light knock against the door reached her ears, causing her to quirk a small frown. “Hello?” she queried “Leo?” she added.

“Not Leo” Marco replied as he popped his head around the door “But I did pass him in the hall. He said that you’d not mind me dropping in, but if you’d prefer, I can leave you to it. I’m sure I can wait to meet my first nephew” he added with a playful grin.

Alexa scoffed playfully, quipping a comment about Marco never having been patient, before she waved him over. “I am sure I can put up with you for a few minutes” she noted “Although, I am a little surprised that it is you. I figured madre would be the first one to show up” she added as she carefully leant down, lifting Zachary up into her arms.

Marco, who’d moved to sit in the seat beside the bed, watched her with the newborn for a moment before he shook his head, a slightly awed smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. It was strange, the idea that his little sister was a mother was one which felt unfamiliar to Marco, but he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her with the baby. It was something which appeared to agree with her. “She wanted to come” he mused “She’s very excited to meet her newest grandbaby, but I convinced her to leave it for a little while. I’m only here because it’s on my way to work and I thought I could pop by and see if you need anything” he explained.

“You’re not a little curious about your new nephew?” Alexa quipped playfully.

Marco offered her a non-comital shrug, something which made Alexa scoff before she shook her head, a small laugh tumbling out of her mouth. “Did you come here to just be a pain?” she posed.

Marco let out a small laugh before he shook his head. “Of course not” he noted “I came to see how you, and he, are doing” he added, peeking down towards Zachary who let out a small snuffle in his sleep.

Alexa followed the line of his stare, her smile widening a little as she settled her blue eyes on Zachary, before she shook her head. “I’m doing OK” she replied “I mean, I’m tired, and I hurt a little bit, but it doesn’t matter too much. The end result is pretty wonderful” she added dotingly.

Marco grinned at the doting tone of her voice before he shuffled forwards in his seat, allowing him to get a better look at the baby. “He’s got a lot of hair” he commented.

Alexa snorted, slightly amused by his simple comment, before she shook her head. “Isn’t there anything else you want to say?” she posed.

“I don’t think I can say anything you don’t already know, Alexa” Marco countered, his voice soft and warm “He’s beautiful” he added.

Alexa grinned. “He is, isn’t he?” she fussed.

Marco offered her a tender smile before he carefully stretched out his arms. “Do you think that I could hold him?” he asked.

Alexa simply offered him a small nod before she carefully leant over, settling Zachary down into her brother’s arms. “Mind his head” she mused.

“This is not the first baby I’ve held” Marco retorted with a smirk.

Alexa rolled her eyes slightly before the sound of the door opening and closing filled her ears, causing her to look up as Lionel stepped back into the room without so much as a glance towards her. Biting her tongue, she watched him step across the room before she quietly shook her head. “How was your madre?” she spoke up.

Lionel, who’d padded towards the open bag which sat at the foot of Alexa’s bed, shrugged, but didn’t look up at her, instead opting to continue looking through the bag. “She’s excited” he quipped “I mean, it’s another little grandbaby for her to make a fuss over, and she can’t wait to meet him. She thinks that she and my papa will be able to make it over in a couple of weeks” he explained.

Alexa nodded her head stiffly. “What are you looking for?” she posed.

“My phone charger” Lionel replied, still rooting through the bag “I was sure that I’d packed it” he added.

“I think we might have left it behind” Alexa countered “We were in a bit of a hurry and I am pretty sure that it’s still plugged into the wall in our bedroom” she added.

Lionel paused for a second, briefly mulling over her words, before he let out a soft sigh. “You’re right” he grumbled.

“I could go and pick it up for you” Marco offered “I mean, I’ve got some time before I need to be in work. I could swing by the house and grab it” he added.

“It’s OK” Lionel replied “I could use the drive” he added.

Marco tilted his head. “You sure?” he posed.

Lionel merely nodded before he stepped towards Marco slightly, dipping down to press a tender kiss against the top of Zachary’s head. “I’ll see you in a bit, Zach” he murmured before he stepped towards the bed, pressing a brisk kiss against Alexa’s lips. “I shouldn’t be gone for too long” he mused.

Alexa nodded. “I’ll be here when you get back” she joked weakly.

Lionel offered her a stiff smile before he ducked out of the room, something which caused Marco to frown. “Is he Ok?” he posed tentatively.

Alexa nodded quickly, a little too quickly. “Why wouldn’t he be?” she posed.

“I don’t know” Marco replied “But he seemed a little off to me. Is everything alright?” he pressed curiously. He knew that it wasn’t his business, whatever happened between Alexa and Lionel was very much between the two of them, but he couldn’t help but be a little curious. Lionel had been distant, when he had stepped into the room, he had barely even looked up at Alexa, and it hadn’t escaped Marco’s notice. There was clearly something up between the two of them.

Alexa glanced at him for a moment, briefly contemplating telling him what had happened, before she shook her head, fixing a small smile on her lips. “He’s probably just tired” she noted “I mean, I did wake him up in the middle of the night” she added.

Marco lifted a dubious eyebrow, not quite believing her, before Zachary let out a loud cry, something which caused Alexa to lean forwards, offering to take the baby from her brother. “I think he’s probably hungry” she mused “Do you mind?” she added, gesturing subtly towards the door.

Marco shook his head. “Of course not” he noted “I’ll see you both later?” he posed.

“Feel free to drop by” Alexa replied.

Marco offered her a small smile before he made his way towards the door, his smile sliding off of his lips. He knew that there was something wrong, one look at the interaction between Alexa and Lionel made it clear that there was something going on between them, and he hoped that they figured it out. The last thing he wanted was to watch them fall apart so soon after their little boy had made his first appearance.
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Thanks to FootieJo for the comment :)