I Know I Was for a While

Gently tapping his hand against Camila’s bedroom door, Lionel took half a pace backwards, listening for her invitation into the room. She had been quiet, after he’d trailed her back to his car, she had barely said two words to him, and whilst he didn’t want to press her into talking, he did want to make sure that she was alright, even if he was already confident that he knew what he answer would be. He wanted to check on her. he knew that she had been surprised by Isabel’s arrival, the look on her face when she’d looked over at him had confided it, and he knew why it had hurt Camila to see the older woman, even if Isabel hadn’t actually said anything to upset her. He knew that seeing her was a reminder of Noah, a subject Camila had worked hard to hide at the back of her mind.

Staring up at the closed bedroom door, he listened to the silence which filled the hall for a couple of seconds before he let out a quiet sigh, moving to push the bedroom door open slightly. Taking a couple of steps, he paused in the doorway before he tapped the door lightly once more, something which caused Camila, who was sat up against the headboard of her bed to look up, gently pulling her earphones out of her ears. “Sorry” she mumbled “I didn’t hear you knock. You need something?” she asked.

Lionel shook his head. “I don’t need anything” he replied “I just...I thought I’d come and see if you were OK” he added, his tone slightly sheepish.

Camila offered him a look before she shook her head. “Leo...”

“I bought you something” Lionel interrupted, cutting off what he was sure would be her insisting that she was fine.

Camila tilted her head, the faintest trace of a smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. “You bought me something?” she asked.

Lionel offered her a boyish smile before he bought his other hand forwards, showing off the small pot of olives that he held.

Camila shook her head, a laugh falling out of her mouth. “How did you know?” she teased.

Lionel, who’d moved to step a little further into the room, shrugged nonchalantly. “Lucky guess” he played along as he reached the side of the bed, sitting down a little away from her. Offering her another warm smile, he placed the pot of olives down into her hands before he turned away, allowing a couple of beats of silence to pass between the two of them before he shook his head. “Seeing her surprised you” he murmured.

Camila, who’d moved to place an olive into her mouth, sighed a little at Lionel’s comment before she nodded. “It did surprise me” she agreed “And I know that I didn’t exactly handle it well. I just...I don’t know, I half expected her to stand there and tell me how sorry Noah was” she added, her fingers shyly playing with the duvet.

She knew that she had reacted badly, aside from the fact that Isabel was Noah’s mother, there was nothing to suggest that the older woman had been trying to make excuses for her son, but still Camila had been quick to get away from her, maybe a little too quick. It hadn’t occurred to her, with Noah having reacted so badly to the news of her pregnancy, she had doubted that he’d share the news with his family, and the idea that Isabel knew had shocked her. She hadn’t thought that Noah would let slip the reason for their sudden breakup.

Lionel watched her fingers for a couple of seconds before he shifted his hand, gently moving to take a hold of hers. “You didn’t exactly let her get a word in edgeways, Mila” he mused, his voice caught between soft and teasing.

Camila shook her head, an embarrassed smile on her lips. “You think I should have done?” she asked, her dark eyes mirroring his.

Lionel held her stare for a second, thinking over his next words, before he offered her hand a soft squeeze. “You want me to be honest with you?” he asked.

Camila nodded.

Lionel offered her a slightly uncertain look, wordlessly asking if she was sure, before he nodded his head, his hand squeezing hers gently. “I think you ought to talk to her” he noted “On your own terms, of course, but I think that she’s entitled to that at the very least. There’s no getting away from the fact that her son...That Noah’s an idiot, the biggest idiot in my opinion, but she’s not him, and baby is...that’s her grandchild, Mila. I get why you’re wary, after what Noah did, you’re more than entitled to be wary, and if all she does is make excuses for her moronic son, then you’re entitled to push her out, but I don’t think a conversation would hurt, would it?” he asked tentatively.

He knew that it wasn’t his decision to make, what Camila did in relation to her pregnancy was her business, and he didn’t want her to think that he was trying to stick his nose in, but still he wanted to encourage her to give Isabel a shot, even if he did understand her wariness. Isabel was still the baby’s grandmother, regardless of Noah and his reaction, the older woman was still related to Camila’s son or daughter, and she deserved a chance to talk to Camila, even if he didn’t blame Camila for being unsure about it. Having one conversation with the woman wasn’t going to kill her.

Camila stared at him for a moment, allowing his words to hang between them, before she shook her head slowly. “You’re probably not wrong” she noted “A conversation wouldn’t hurt” she added.

Lionel quirked a small smile, refraining from making a jokey comment about how he could be right from time to time, before he offered her hand another gentle squeeze, something which made Camila smile back at him gently. Watching his face for a couple of seconds, she marveled at the warmth in his smile before she shook her head, diverting her stare shyly down towards their hands.

Lionel, who’d been watching their hands, caught sight of the slight flush which had spread across her cheeks, something which made his own grin widen a fraction, more than a little pleased that he could make her blush. Gently playing with her fingers, he allowed the comfortable silence which they sat in to continue before Camila tugged on his hand, gently settling it against the front of her shirt. Lifting an eyebrow, he wordlessly asked what she was doing, before he felt something against his palm, causing his expression to light up.

Camila laughed. “It’s not the first one” she mused “I’ve really started to feel them in the last couple of days, but you’ve never been around when they’ve been noticeable” she added, rolling her eyes teasingly.

“Sorry” Lionel quipped, playing along.

Camila grinned at him, still holding his hand against her stomach, before she shook her head, shyly glancing down at their hands.

Lionel watched her look away before he shuffled a little closer to her, pressing a soft kiss against the top of her head that made Camila’s already pink cheeks darken a shade. Blushing, she gently knotted her fingers through his once more before she offered his hand a tight squeeze, wordlessly noting that she was so glad to have him around.