I Know I Was for a While

Letting out a quiet groan, Camila tossed onto her side, her ears filled with the hum of her phone vibrating against the end table. It was early, the fact that Camila hadn’t heard Lionel start to move around the house confided it, and she was surprised to hear her phone, not quite sure why anyone would want to speak to her so early in the day.

It had been a while, after she had gone out with her mother, a few weeks had passed, and despite Lucille’s words ringing in her ears, things between Camila and Lionel had been as comfortable as ever, something which pleased the brunette, even if she couldn’t deny that the conversation with her mother had gotten her thinking. She was glad to see that things between her and Lionel were as easy as they’d ever been. It played on her mind, after her mother had suggested that there was something more than friendship between her and Lionel, it had stuck in Camila’s head, but she hadn’t said anything about it, not wanting to mess up something which seemed to be good for both her and Lionel based on feelings she couldn’t quite figure out herself.

Blinking her eyes tiredly, she listened to the vibrations of her phone for a couple of seconds before she reached her hand out of bed, moving to pick it up. Yawning, she rolled over onto her back before she pressed the phone against her ear, mumbling a tired ‘hello’.

“I’ve woken you up” Lucille chirped.

Camila merely grumbled quietly in reply, something which made Lucille laugh softly. “I’m sorry” she mused “I know it’s early, and I apologize for disturbing you, but I needed to talk to you about your appointment this afternoon” she added, her tone growing slightly softer.

Camila, who’d closed her eyes again, blinked them open at the tone of her mother’s voice, a soft frown spreading across her features. “Mama...”

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart” Lucille interrupted gently “You know how much I’d love to be there, but my boss scheduled an important meeting for this afternoon and I can’t get out of it. Believe me, I’ve tried to” she added.

Camila was quiet for a couple of seconds, allowing her mother’s words to hang in the air, before she breathed out a soft sigh. “It’s OK, mama” she murmured “I mean, if you can’t get there, you can’t get there. There’s nothing you can do about it” she added gently.

“I really am sorry” Lucille noted gently.

“I know you are, mama” Camila replied “But it’s Ok. I’ll send you a picture of the scan later” she added, trying to sound more upbeat than she felt. She knew that it couldn’t helped, if her mother was pulling out of attending the midwife’s appointment with her, then she knew that she had to have a good reason, but still she couldn’t help but be a little disappointed, even if she had originally intended to go the appointment alone. The reality of it was something which upset her a little.

Lucille seemed to hesitate for a second before she sighed down the phone. “I look forwards to seeing it, sweetheart” she mused “Good luck with the appointment, and make sure that you call me. I can’t wait to make a fuss” she added brightly.

Camila smiled gently. “I’ll call you later, mama” she mused “Adios” she added.

Lucille replied with a quick ‘goodbye’ before the line went dead, allowing Camila to toss the phone down onto the duvet, another soft sigh falling out of her mouth. Staring down at the phone for a couple of seconds, she messed with the ends of her hair before the sound of a light tap at the bedroom door reached her ears, causing her to pick her head up, sparing a look towards Lionel who’d stopped in the doorway. “Did I wake you?” she asked.

Lionel shook his head. “You didn’t” he noted “I was just on the way past and I heard you speaking to someone. Is everything OK?” he asked.

Camila shrugged. “My madre was going to come to my appointment this afternoon” she noted “But something’s come up at work and she can’t get away. I know she’d get away if she could, but still...” she trailed off quietly.

Lionel stared at her for a couple of seconds before he stepped a little deeper into the room, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “You’re allowed to be disappointed” he mused.

Camila shook her head. “I know she’d be there if she could be” she repeated “I just...I’d gotten used to the idea of not going alone. I was pretty nervous ahead of the first scan and I didn’t exactly have anyone with me. I was looking forwards to having someone there” she explained with a halfhearted smile.

Lionel admired her smile for a second, quietly thinking over her words, before he shook his head, offering her a small smile. “I...I could go with you” he stuttered out “I mean, I know I am not Noah, or your madre, and if you think that’s too weird, then forget I offered, but...if you’re looking for a hand to hold, I’m free this afternoon” he babbled out. He didn’t want her to think that he was trying to be too involved, her pregnancy was something that was her business and he didn’t want her to think he was trying to intrude on it, but still he wanted to offer, even if she said no. He wanted her to know that she was there if she needed him to be.

Camila blinked a couple of times, something which made Lionel shake his hand, holding his hands up ahead of him. “Forget it” he mused “I shouldn’t have...”

“I’d love it” Camila interrupted “If you’re sure about it, I mean” she added, flashing him a timid smile.

Lionel blinked a couple of times, surprised by her interruption, before he nodded his head, returning her smile just as shyly. “I’m sure” he noted.

Camila marveled at the soft smile on his face for a moment before she leant towards him, offering him a quick hug.

Lionel wrapped his arms around her, holding onto her for a second longer than Camila had been expecting, before he allowed her to stand up, mumbling something about making breakfast for the two of them as she stepped out of the bedroom, a soft smile on her face.

~#~
“Are you feeling OK?” Lionel asked as he looked up at Camila, not missing the pensive expression that she wore. She had been quiet, since they’d arrived at the hospital for her midwife’s appointment, she’d barely uttered two words, and Lionel wanted to ensure that she was alright, even if he wasn’t surprised that she was a little nervous. He wanted to know if there was anything he could do to make her feel any better.

Camila, who was perched on the edge of the examination bed, swinging her feet, quirked a small smile at his question before she lifted her head, offering him a small nod. “I’m OK” she mused “Just a little nervous” she added.

Lionel nodded, allowing a beat of silence to pass between the two of them, before the door to the examination room opened, allowing a woman to step inside. “Camila” she greeted warmly “It’s good to see you again. How are you feeling?” she added.

Camila shrugged. “Pretty good, Tessa” she replied “I mean, I’m starting to get more tired, but the nausea is wearing off, so it’s not all bad” she added.

Tessa, who’d moved to take a seat beside the ultrasound scanner, offered the brunette a warm smile before she spotted Lionel, something which caused her to tilt her head. “Hello” she greeted “Is this...”

“He’s a friend of mine” Camila cut the midwife off, knowing precisely what her question would be “Leo, this is Tessa, my midwife” she added, forcing a shaky smile onto her lips.

Lionel offered her a soft look, not missing how forced her smile seemed, before he pushed himself up, shaking Tessa’s hand quickly. “It’s good to meet you” he mused politely.

Tessa flashed him a warm smile before she turned back towards Camila. “You ready to get started?” she asked.

Camila nodded her head but tensed a little when Tessa pushed her shirt up, something which caused Lionel to take a step towards her, hesitantly offering his hand to her. Camila eyed it uncertainly for a couple of seconds before she reached hers out, allowing him to knot their fingers together.

Tessa smoothed a little gel over Camila’s bump before she lifted the scanner up, running it over the brunette’s stomach quietly for a few long seconds before a clear thumping filled the air, something which caused Camila’s face to light up as Lionel squeezed her hand tightly, his own face holding a warm smile.

“Baby’s looking good” Tessa enthused brightly “I can tell you the sex if you want me to” she added.

Camila shook her head quickly. “I don’t want to know” she mused.

“Really?” Lionel asked in surprise “I thought you’d want to know as soon as possible. You hate surprises” he added with a grin.

Camila offered him a playful glare, something which made him laugh, his hand still squeezing hers.

Tessa smiled at the two of them before she cleared her throat. “I’ll go and make you your next appointment” she mused before she stepped out of the room.

Camila watched her go before she turned back towards the screen, her expression softening a little as she studied the picture of the baby which still filled the screen.

Lionel watched her quietly for a second before he gently nudged her shoulder. “You OK?” he asked quietly.

Camila blinked a couple of times, surprised by his voice, before she nodded. “I’m fine” she mused “Better than that actually. I know it’s not how I imagined this and I know that things are a bit of a mess, but...but I am so excited about that little baby, Leo. I can’t wait for him or her to come along” she gushed softly as she lifted her head, her dark eyes mirroring his.

Lionel merely smiled back at her, something which brought a soft smile to Camila’s face before she lifted her hand, gently pushing it back through his hair. “I’m glad you’re here” she mused softly.

Lionel covered her hand with his, offering it a soft squeeze.

Camila stared up at him for a couple of seconds, her dark eyes searching his, before she leant a little closer to him, something Lionel mimicked before the sound of the door opening again startled him, causing him to jump back slightly, a blush spreading over his cheeks.

“You’re next appointment” Tessa announced as she stepped into the room, handing over an appointment card to Camila.

Camila, who’d quickly averted her eyes towards the floor, took the appointment card out of the midwife’s hand before she mumbled a quiet ‘thank you’, her dark eyes subtly peeking towards Lionel who had quickly averted his own stare towards the ground. Looking at him briefly, she felt her cheeks warm up before she gathered her jacket, quietly stepping out of the room with Lionel following awkwardly behind her.