In the End
78: You Know I’ve Got Your Back
Gingerly tracing her thumb across the wedding band which had been placed onto her finger, Ariella quirked a giddy smile to herself, her eyes briefly looking up towards Gerard who stood a little away from her, posing for a few photos with his family. It hadn’t been long, after they’d been pronounced husband and wife, only a matter of minutes had passed, and still Ariella hadn’t quite wrapped her head around it, even if she had spent the time that had passed accepting the congratulations of their friends and family. The idea that they’d done it, that they’d made it through the ceremony without a hitch and were husband and wife was one that she didn’t see herself getting her head around for a while.
Gently passing her thumb over the ring, she shook her head a little before she felt a hand on her shoulder, something which caused her to lift her head, her eyes settling on her mother who’d appeared at her side, a soft smile on her face. “You feeling OK?” Estella asked quietly, offering her daughter a knowing look.
Ariella smiled a little at her mother’s concern before she nodded. “I feel fine, mama” she mused “In fact, I feel pretty fantastic” she added, sparing another doting look towards Gerard who was stood, laughing, beside his groomsmen, Toby balanced on his hip.
Estella followed the line of her stare before she quirked a grin, gently nudging Ariella’s shoulder. “He looks made up” she mused.
Ariella nodded, her fingers shyly fiddling with the skirt of her dress. “He’s got a wonderful smile” she mused “And I hope we’ll see it a lot today. I mean, I don’t know that I can stop myself from smiling, and I hope that he feels the same way. We got married, mama” she gushed, a soft blush gently spreading across her cheeks.
Estella giggled, amused by the awe in Ariella’s voice, before she wrapped her in a soft hug, something Ariella didn’t hesitate to return. Estella held onto her for a few seconds, relishing the hug, before she gently ducked back, carefully readjusting a few wayward hairs around her daughter’s face. “Are you sure that you’re feeling ok?” she asked quietly “Because if you need a few minutes, I can cover for you” she fussed.
“I feel fine, mama” Ariella insisted “But, the second I don’t, you’ll be one of the first people I tell” she added, her voice light and teasing.
Estella offered her a slightly dubious look, something which made Ariella roll her eyes slightly before the sound of someone clearing their throat reached their ears, causing them both to turn, their stares landing on Gerard who stood beside them, Toby happily babbling in his arms. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” he asked.
Estella shared a brief look with Ariella before she shook her head, offering him a kind smile. “Of course you’re not” she mused “What can we do for you, Gerard?” she asked.
Gerard frowned slightly, not missing the look that his wife and his mother-in-law had shared, before he gently stretched his arms out, offering Toby out towards his grandmother. “I was hoping that you could take Toby for a few minutes” he mused “The photographer says that we’ve finished up the group shots, and so I was hoping that I could take a few more with my beautiful new wife” he added, sparing a wide smile down towards Ariella who grinned back at him, looking as though she felt as giddy to hear the word ‘wife’ as he had felt saying it.
Estella looked between the two of them, marveling at how made up they looked, before she stepped forwards, gently taking Toby into her arms. “I’d be more than happy to take him” she enthused “Now, go. I want a good selection of pictures to choose from when it comes to putting it up in my home” she encouraged teasingly.
Ariella rolled her eyes, but didn’t say anything, instead opting to slip her hand into Gerard’s before they walked away, stopping ahead of their photographer who greeted them with a warm smile before she excused herself, wanting a few minutes to set things up. Ariella watched the other woman briefly before she felt a soft kiss land on the back of her neck, something which made her smile gently before she turned, her blue eyes mirroring Gerard’s which stared down at her. “What was that for?” she murmured.
Gerard shrugged. “Do I need a reason to kiss my wife?” he quipped boyishly.
“Your wife?” Ariella played along.
Gerard nodded. “It sounds good, no?” he mused, his hands gently running up and down her sides “You’re my wife, I’m your husband...I think it’s got a pretty wonderful ring to it” he added, pressing a soft kiss against the back of her shoulder.
Ariella smiled at the feel of his lips against her shoulder before she gently turned, lightly guiding her fingertips back through his dark hair. “I think it sounds amazing, Geri” she mused gently.
Gerard, who’d leant into her hand slightly, pressed a kiss against her palm, allowing a few seconds of quiet to pass between the two of them before Ariella shook her head, her eyes looking down towards her feet nervously. “I...uh...I have something I need to talk to you about” she stumbled out.
“Do I need to be worried?” Gerard quipped, his voice half teasing and half concerned.
Ariella shook her head. “You don’t need to be worried” she noted “At least, I don’t think you do. I mean, I’m not worried about it, I’m just...it’s a bit of a surprise and...” she trailed off, stopping herself from babbling more than she already had.
She knew that she had to tell him, with two positive test results, she knew that she had to tell him that she was pregnant with their second child, and whilst a large part of her was sure that he would be over the moon at the thought of their family growing by another member, a small part of her was worried about his reaction. It was sooner than they had planned for, although they’d only discussed the prospect of a second baby fleeting, she knew that he’d wanted to wait a while before they tried to give Toby a younger brother or sister, and whilst she knew that it was silly, and that he would almost certainly be thrilled by the idea that she was pregnant again, she couldn’t shake the small knot which existed in the pit of her stomach at the thought of him not reacting excitedly to the news.
Gerard smirked a little, amused by her babbling, before he turned his head, gently pressing a kiss against the inside of her wrist. “You can tell me anything” he murmured between dropping soft kisses against her wrist “Especially if it worries you, or if it’s caught you off guard. I want you to tell me those things, Ella, I want you to tell me everything and I don’t want you to be scared to say something to me. Whatever it is, you know that I’ve got your back, and that’s never going to change, especially not now you’re Mrs Piqué” he added, smiling against her skin.
Ariella’s already pink face flushed a shade darker. “Say that again” she murmured, a shy smile on her face.
Gerard, who’d straightened up slightly, grinned. “Mrs Piqué” he repeated.
Ariella giggled softly, something which made Gerard laugh too before he leant into her, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. “I love you” he mumbled between kisses.
“I love you too” Ariella replied tenderly.
Gerard offered her another small smile before he took a half step backwards, sliding their fingers together. “So” he quipped “What is that you wanted to tell me?” he added, spotting their photographer over Ariella’s shoulder.
Ariella noticed him looking past her before she turned, sparing a look at the other woman before she turned back to Gerard, offering him a shake of her head. “It’ll keep” she mused.
“You sure?” Gerard asked “Because if you want to take another few minutes...”
“Let’s get these pictures taken” Ariella interrupted softly “We’ve got a reception to get to. What I want to talk about can wait a little longer” she added.
Gerard spared her an uncertain look, asking if she was sure, before he huffed playfully. “We really have to go to that?” he grumbled.
Ariella nodded. “We do” she mused “Besides, I kind of want to hear Cesc’s speech. He’s been teasing me about it for days” she added.
Gerard snorted. “It’s not good for either us” he noted “He read me an exert last night” he added as he settled his arms around her waist, allowing the photographer to snap a couple of pictures.
Ariella rolled her eyes. “No one made you choose him as your best man, you know” she quipped, grinning up at him playfully.
Gerard shrugged. “He kind of earned it” he noted “I mean, he’s one of my closest friends, he’s one of your closest friends, and then there’s the fact that he’s the one that introduced the two of us, something I know I am never going to be able to thank him for properly. I think he was the only choice, really” he fussed, pressing a soft kiss against her temple.
Ariella didn’t say anything before she closed her eyes at the feel of his kiss against her head, unable to stop the grin which itched to spread across her lips.
Gently passing her thumb over the ring, she shook her head a little before she felt a hand on her shoulder, something which caused her to lift her head, her eyes settling on her mother who’d appeared at her side, a soft smile on her face. “You feeling OK?” Estella asked quietly, offering her daughter a knowing look.
Ariella smiled a little at her mother’s concern before she nodded. “I feel fine, mama” she mused “In fact, I feel pretty fantastic” she added, sparing another doting look towards Gerard who was stood, laughing, beside his groomsmen, Toby balanced on his hip.
Estella followed the line of her stare before she quirked a grin, gently nudging Ariella’s shoulder. “He looks made up” she mused.
Ariella nodded, her fingers shyly fiddling with the skirt of her dress. “He’s got a wonderful smile” she mused “And I hope we’ll see it a lot today. I mean, I don’t know that I can stop myself from smiling, and I hope that he feels the same way. We got married, mama” she gushed, a soft blush gently spreading across her cheeks.
Estella giggled, amused by the awe in Ariella’s voice, before she wrapped her in a soft hug, something Ariella didn’t hesitate to return. Estella held onto her for a few seconds, relishing the hug, before she gently ducked back, carefully readjusting a few wayward hairs around her daughter’s face. “Are you sure that you’re feeling ok?” she asked quietly “Because if you need a few minutes, I can cover for you” she fussed.
“I feel fine, mama” Ariella insisted “But, the second I don’t, you’ll be one of the first people I tell” she added, her voice light and teasing.
Estella offered her a slightly dubious look, something which made Ariella roll her eyes slightly before the sound of someone clearing their throat reached their ears, causing them both to turn, their stares landing on Gerard who stood beside them, Toby happily babbling in his arms. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” he asked.
Estella shared a brief look with Ariella before she shook her head, offering him a kind smile. “Of course you’re not” she mused “What can we do for you, Gerard?” she asked.
Gerard frowned slightly, not missing the look that his wife and his mother-in-law had shared, before he gently stretched his arms out, offering Toby out towards his grandmother. “I was hoping that you could take Toby for a few minutes” he mused “The photographer says that we’ve finished up the group shots, and so I was hoping that I could take a few more with my beautiful new wife” he added, sparing a wide smile down towards Ariella who grinned back at him, looking as though she felt as giddy to hear the word ‘wife’ as he had felt saying it.
Estella looked between the two of them, marveling at how made up they looked, before she stepped forwards, gently taking Toby into her arms. “I’d be more than happy to take him” she enthused “Now, go. I want a good selection of pictures to choose from when it comes to putting it up in my home” she encouraged teasingly.
Ariella rolled her eyes, but didn’t say anything, instead opting to slip her hand into Gerard’s before they walked away, stopping ahead of their photographer who greeted them with a warm smile before she excused herself, wanting a few minutes to set things up. Ariella watched the other woman briefly before she felt a soft kiss land on the back of her neck, something which made her smile gently before she turned, her blue eyes mirroring Gerard’s which stared down at her. “What was that for?” she murmured.
Gerard shrugged. “Do I need a reason to kiss my wife?” he quipped boyishly.
“Your wife?” Ariella played along.
Gerard nodded. “It sounds good, no?” he mused, his hands gently running up and down her sides “You’re my wife, I’m your husband...I think it’s got a pretty wonderful ring to it” he added, pressing a soft kiss against the back of her shoulder.
Ariella smiled at the feel of his lips against her shoulder before she gently turned, lightly guiding her fingertips back through his dark hair. “I think it sounds amazing, Geri” she mused gently.
Gerard, who’d leant into her hand slightly, pressed a kiss against her palm, allowing a few seconds of quiet to pass between the two of them before Ariella shook her head, her eyes looking down towards her feet nervously. “I...uh...I have something I need to talk to you about” she stumbled out.
“Do I need to be worried?” Gerard quipped, his voice half teasing and half concerned.
Ariella shook her head. “You don’t need to be worried” she noted “At least, I don’t think you do. I mean, I’m not worried about it, I’m just...it’s a bit of a surprise and...” she trailed off, stopping herself from babbling more than she already had.
She knew that she had to tell him, with two positive test results, she knew that she had to tell him that she was pregnant with their second child, and whilst a large part of her was sure that he would be over the moon at the thought of their family growing by another member, a small part of her was worried about his reaction. It was sooner than they had planned for, although they’d only discussed the prospect of a second baby fleeting, she knew that he’d wanted to wait a while before they tried to give Toby a younger brother or sister, and whilst she knew that it was silly, and that he would almost certainly be thrilled by the idea that she was pregnant again, she couldn’t shake the small knot which existed in the pit of her stomach at the thought of him not reacting excitedly to the news.
Gerard smirked a little, amused by her babbling, before he turned his head, gently pressing a kiss against the inside of her wrist. “You can tell me anything” he murmured between dropping soft kisses against her wrist “Especially if it worries you, or if it’s caught you off guard. I want you to tell me those things, Ella, I want you to tell me everything and I don’t want you to be scared to say something to me. Whatever it is, you know that I’ve got your back, and that’s never going to change, especially not now you’re Mrs Piqué” he added, smiling against her skin.
Ariella’s already pink face flushed a shade darker. “Say that again” she murmured, a shy smile on her face.
Gerard, who’d straightened up slightly, grinned. “Mrs Piqué” he repeated.
Ariella giggled softly, something which made Gerard laugh too before he leant into her, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. “I love you” he mumbled between kisses.
“I love you too” Ariella replied tenderly.
Gerard offered her another small smile before he took a half step backwards, sliding their fingers together. “So” he quipped “What is that you wanted to tell me?” he added, spotting their photographer over Ariella’s shoulder.
Ariella noticed him looking past her before she turned, sparing a look at the other woman before she turned back to Gerard, offering him a shake of her head. “It’ll keep” she mused.
“You sure?” Gerard asked “Because if you want to take another few minutes...”
“Let’s get these pictures taken” Ariella interrupted softly “We’ve got a reception to get to. What I want to talk about can wait a little longer” she added.
Gerard spared her an uncertain look, asking if she was sure, before he huffed playfully. “We really have to go to that?” he grumbled.
Ariella nodded. “We do” she mused “Besides, I kind of want to hear Cesc’s speech. He’s been teasing me about it for days” she added.
Gerard snorted. “It’s not good for either us” he noted “He read me an exert last night” he added as he settled his arms around her waist, allowing the photographer to snap a couple of pictures.
Ariella rolled her eyes. “No one made you choose him as your best man, you know” she quipped, grinning up at him playfully.
Gerard shrugged. “He kind of earned it” he noted “I mean, he’s one of my closest friends, he’s one of your closest friends, and then there’s the fact that he’s the one that introduced the two of us, something I know I am never going to be able to thank him for properly. I think he was the only choice, really” he fussed, pressing a soft kiss against her temple.
Ariella didn’t say anything before she closed her eyes at the feel of his kiss against her head, unable to stop the grin which itched to spread across her lips.