I Know I Was for a While

Stirring slightly against the mattress, Camila blinked her dark eyes open, slightly overwhelmed by the nauseous sensation which bubbled in the pit of her stomach. It had started to get more frequent, in the couple of weeks that had passed since she and Lionel had discovered that she was pregnant, feelings of queasiness and dizziness had become a common part of her day, and whilst it often left her feeling a little washed out, she knew that it was something which was going to last for a while, knowing that her pregnancy was still in its early stages.

It hadn’t been a surprise, much like she when she had been pregnant with Oscar, the symptoms had started to show early, but still the scan picture which sat on the end table made her, and Lionel, smile, even if there wasn’t much to look at yet. The mere idea that there was only a matter of months separating them from the arrival of their baby was one that had the two of them a little giddy.

Taking in a couple of deep breaths, she willed the sensation to pass before she felt her stomach give another turn, something which caused her to let out a quiet groan before she rolled onto her other side, hurrying herself out of bed. Jogging across the bedroom, she pushed the bathroom door open before she hurried towards the toilet, reaching it just in time to spill the contents of her stomach.

Wiping her mouth slightly, she gently settled down on the cool floor beside the toilet before she leant her head back, closing her eyes for a few seconds before the sound of movement reached her ears, causing her to look up, her dark eyes landing on Lionel who stood a little away from her, a mug clutched in his hands. “Hi” she mused, a weak smile on her face.

Lionel, who’d moved to place the mug down on the counter, smiled back at her gently. “Hi” he mimicked “You Ok?” he added.

Camila let out a soft laugh, briefly contemplating teasing him, before she nodded her head, her fingers gently pushing her slightly messy hair off of her face. “I mean, I could do without waking up like this most mornings” she mused “But it’s nothing new. It’ll pass in a few weeks” she added, stifling a sleepy yawn into her hand.

Lionel frowned at her for a second, wordlessly asking if she was sure that she was alright, before he nodded his head, gesturing towards the mug that he’d placed down on the side. “Ginger tea” he mused “I read that it was supposed to help with the nausea. I also bought up a box of plain crackers if you want them, if not, I can just take them away” he fussed, trying, and failing, to hide the familiar pink hue that had been quick to spread across his cheeks.

Camila, who’d been messing with the ends of her hair, admired the soft hint of colour on his cheeks before she quirked a small smile. “You read about it?” she queried, her voice caught between soft and teasing.

Lionel shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “I might have looked a few things up when you were pregnant with Oscar” he admitted “I mean, I know you were further along with him when you started to stay here, but I still wanted to find ways to help. I still remember a few things that might come in handy now that you are...” he trailed off, sparing a meaningful glance down towards her stomach.

Camila followed his stare, marveling at her stomach for a few seconds, before she looked back up at him, offering him a lopsided smile. “Now that I am pregnant?” she quipped giddily.

Lionel breathed out a soft laugh before he nodded. “Yes” he quipped “Now that you’re pregnant” he repeated.

Camila grinned up at him for a few seconds before the sound of Oscar’s voice filled the air, emanating away from the baby monitor in the bedroom. Shaking her head, she lifted her hands and offered them out towards Lionel, wordlessly asking him to help her up from her spot on the floor, something which made the argentine scoff playfully before he took a hold of them, gently tugging her back to her feet.

“I’ll go and check on him” Lionel mused “You should drink the tea” he added with a warm smile as he stepped out of the room.

Camila rolled her eyes playfully before she stepped towards the counter, taking a couple of sips of the tea. Placing the mug down, she moved to pick up a couple of the crackers before she followed Lionel out of the bathroom, making her way across the hall towards Oscar’s nursery. Placing one of the crackers in her mouth, she watched as Lionel gently settled Oscar down onto his feet before he took a hold of his hands, guiding him through a couple of wobbly steps before he lifted his head slightly, grinning at Camila who stood in the doorway. “Look who’s come to say good morning, Oscar” he cooed, gently turning the little boy around so that he looked up at his mother.

Oscar wobbled a little, still a little unsteady on his feet, before his face lit up. “Mama!” he squeaked excitedly.

“Buenos dias, baby” Camila greeted gently “You ready to come downstairs and have some breakfast?” she added as she crouched down a little.

Oscar grinned before he gently pulled his hands out of Lionel’s, taking a couple of wobbly steps across the room before he reached his mother.

Lionel blinked a couple of times, watching in awe as Oscar toddled towards his mother, before he lifted his head, his wide eyed stare mirroring Camila’s for a few seconds before wide smiles bloomed on both of their faces. Shaking his head, he watched Camila gather Oscar up into a warm hug before he stepped towards them, his arm slipping around Camila’s waist. “Well done, Oscar” he cooed, pressing a soft kiss against the side of the little boy’s head.

Oscar merely grinned, cooing the word ‘papa’ excitedly, something which made Lionel shake his head, a familiar awed smile on his face.

Camila looked between the two of them, marveling at the warm smiles that both of her boys wore, before she quirked a small smile of her own, hoping that things for their little family stayed as good as they had been for a while. They were in a bubble, after they'd found out about her pregnancy a couple of weeks previous, things had very much been about her and Lionel as a couple, and their little family and its growing, and she hoped it would stay like it for a while, even if she knew that eventually they had to share the news with those around them. For a while, she wanted to enjoy the private bubble that they found themselves in.