If It Gave Us Time

Placing the mug of tea that she had made for herself down onto the coffee table, Isla reclined into the couch, a small yawn tumbling out of her mouth. It was late, after she and Gerard had revealed the news of her pregnancy to their parents, they’d spent more hours than Isla would have liked fussing about the impending arrival, and whilst she and Gerard had arrived home a couple of hours previous, she hadn’t quite been able to get comfortable, something which had led to her tiptoeing out of their bedroom, not wanting to disturb Gerard who’d fallen asleep almost as soon as his head had hit the pillow. Reaching across the couch, she moved to collect the blanket that she’d bought downstairs with her before she settled it over her legs, allowing her head to loll backwards against the sofa cushions as she allowed her eyes to close.

“Wouldn’t you be more comfortable upstairs?”

Isla smiled, but didn’t open her eyes. “You don’t think I tried that?” she countered.

Gerard shook his head before he stepped into the room, sitting down next to her. “You’re not tired?” he posed, adjusting her blanket it so that it covered both of them.

Isla shrugged, sitting up slightly. “I was having a hard time getting comfortable” she mused “And rather than disturb you, I thought I’d come down here for a bit. I was probably going to put the TV on and fall asleep in front of it. What about you? You were snoring pretty happily when I left you” she added.

“Firstly, I don’t snore” Gerard quipped, making Isla roll her eyes “And secondly, I like to make sure that you’re OK. I mean, you’re carrying some pretty special cargo, and if you’re behaving strangely, I like to make sure that there’s nothing wrong. There isn’t, is there?” he asked, his fingertip lightly tracing shapes against the front of her pajama shirt.

Isla shook her head, her eyes watching his finger. “Nothing’s wrong” she mused “I guess I am just a little...” she trailed off, trying to think of the right word to say.

Gerard glanced up at her, studying the expression on her face, before he quirked a small smile. “Overwhelmed?” he asked.

Isla opened her mouth to protest, but Gerard cut her off, pressing a soft kiss against the front of her shirt. “I felt the same way” he mumbled “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I was relieved that they were so excited, but I guess...I don’t know, maybe it really hit me. In a few short months, there’s really going to be a baby Piqué Vasquez, Lala, and he or she is going to make things so crazy” he added, peppering kisses over her stomach.

Isla pushed her fingers through his hair, allowing a few moments of quiet to pass between them, before she shook her head. “When Arthur was born, my mother didn’t leave Rodrigo’s home for nearly a week” she announced quietly.

Gerard sat up abruptly. “What?” he spluttered.

Isla shrugged. “He and Cara were nervous” she mused “And my mother being my mother, offered to hang around and help them get used to having the new baby around. Rodrigo thought she’d spend one night, but she was there for days. She would have been there longer if Cara’s parents hadn’t arrived” she added.

Gerard tilted his head. “You think...?”

“She’ll try” Isla mused “But I don’t think you’d survive it. Between her, your hormonal girlfriend who will have just given birth to your baby, and a screaming newborn, I think you’d run off and never look back” she added, offering him a playful grin.

Gerard scoffed playfully, before he shook his head, allowing a few seconds of silence to pass between them. “Would you want her here?” he asked suddenly.

Isla, who’d leant forwards to pick up her tea, looked at him over the rim of the cup before she shrugged, swallowing a sip of her drink. “I don’t know” she admitted “I mean, I love her, but she can be pretty overbearing, and I think...I think I’d want us to have a couple of days, just you, me and Sprout. I think the three of us would probably benefit from some time to get to know each other” she added.

Gerard smirked, like an amusing retort had passed through his mind, before he nodded his head gently. “I think you’re right” he mused “And I’ll talk to our parents, make that clear to them. I know they’re excited, and I love that, but...but I think me, you and Sprout could use some time” he added.

Isla smiled a little before she shifted in her seat, resting her head against his shoulder. “They took the news well” she mumbled after a few seconds.

Gerard turned, kissing the top of her head gently. “You thought they wouldn’t?” he mumbled into her hair.

Isla shrugged. “My mother’s never normally short of things to say” she noted “I mean, don’t get me wrong, they like you, and I think they like us, but I had a couple of scenarios in mind. Either, she or my papa would try to ‘subtly’ hint at the fact that we’ve only been together for a matter of months, and that things are moving a bit too fast, or my papa would pull you aside and try to ask you about your intentions” she added, sparing him a small glance over her shoulder.

Gerard smirked. “What makes you think he didn’t?” he chirped.

Isla’s eyes widened a little, something which made Gerard chuckle before he shook his head. “You should see your face” he quipped.

Isla scoffed, poking his side. “You’re a real jerk, you know that?” she asked.

Gerard just grinned impishly.

Isla rolled her eyes before she wrapped an arm around him, cuddling into his side happily. “I’m scared” she admitted quietly “I mean, Sprout...he or she is going to change a lot of things, and that’s pretty terrifying, but there’s a part of me that just can’t wait to meet him or her either. What you said earlier, about it feeling real now that we’ve told our parents, I got the same feeling, and for a little while it was pretty overwhelming, but then you came down and you kissed my stomach and smiled at me and...I guess you kind of make me feel better” she added, wrinkling her nose a little.

Gerard’s smile softened a little before he leant down, touching another soft kiss to the top of her head. “That’s my job” he mumbled softly.