If It Gave Us Time

Gently bumping her glasses back up her nose, Isla quirked a small smile to herself as she came to a stop in the doorway of her bedroom, her eyes immediately landing on Gerard who sat up on their bed, quietly fussing over the little girl who sat in his arms, her blue eyes blinking sleepily. It had been a little while, after spending a night in hospital, Isla and the baby had been home for a few days, but still Isla was in love with the sight of Gerard and their daughter. It was something she was sure wouldn’t wear off for a while yet. Chewing on her lip, she attempted to stifle her smile a little before she shuffled into the room, carefully sitting down on the side of the bed.

Gerard, who’d been looking down at the baby, glanced up at the sound of her sitting down before he quirked a small smile. “Where’d you get to?” he asked gently “She started to stir a few minutes ago, and you were nowhere to be seen. Everything OK?” he asked, shifting a little to make more room for her at his side.

Isla shuffled a little closer to him before she nodded, smiling up at him gently. “Everything’s fine” she mused “I just had to take a phone call. Besides, I highly doubt that you even noticed me not being here with her around” she added, gesturing to the baby who stirred a little, letting out a yawn.

Gerard followed her gesture towards the baby before he shrugged, offering her a playful smile. “I might be a little smitten” he quipped nonchalantly.

Isla lifted a playful eyebrow. “A little?” she quipped “I don’t think we’ve actually made eye contact in the three days that have passed since she was born” she added playfully.

Gerard scoffed playfully, playing along. “Can you blame me?” he quipped “Our daughter is perfect” he added, his voice softening a little as he leant forwards, gently adjusting the feet of the onesie that the baby wore.

Isla watched him, a smitten smile on her lips, before she leant a little closer to him, her head gently settling on his shoulder. “We still need to choose a name” she murmured after a few seconds, disturbing the silence which had settled over the three of them.

Gerard, who’d been watching as their daughter curled her tiny fingers around the tip of his finger, glanced up at the sound of Isla’s voice. “Hm?” he asked.

“A name” Isla repeated as she sat up again “You know, something to call her other than ‘sprout’?” she added playfully.

Gerard shrugged, grinning at her impishly. “Sprout’s cute” he replied.

Isla merely offered him a look, something which made Gerard roll his eyes playfully before he nodded his head. “You know what I think” he mused.

Isla nodded. “I do” she confirmed “And I think I’ve come up with something, but if you hate it, you have to tell me, OK?” she added, meeting his eyes.

Gerard’s lips quirked up slightly, like he had thought of something amusing to say, but he stopped himself, instead opting to offer a stout nod.

Isla offered him a dubious look, not missing the flash of amusement which had passed over his features, before she dropped her stare, settling it on her hands which fiddled nervously in her lap. “Madeleine” she breathed softly “Madeleine Isabella Piqué Vasquez. Maddie for short” she added.

“You thought I’d hate that?” Gerard asked.

Isla just shrugged, something which made Gerard shifted slightly, freeing up one of his hands so that he could place it beneath her chin, lightly tilting her head back so that she looked up at him. “I love it” he insisted, his blue eyes mirroring hers.

Isla’s forehead furrowed a little before she opened her mouth to speak, something Gerard was quick to prevent, stealing a soft kiss. “I love it” Gerard repeated between soft kisses.

Isla leant back a little, her eyes searching his face, before a small, sheepish smile stretched across her lips. “You’re sure?” she asked.

Gerard didn’t hesitate in nodding. “Certain” he quipped.

Isla grinned at him proudly for a few moments before the baby let out a soft cry, something which caused Isla to turn, gently lifting the little girl up from her spot in Gerard’s arms. Pulling her close, she gently rubbed her hand up and down her back before she dipped down, kissing the top of her head lightly. “I think someone’s in need of a nappy change” she murmured, her nose wrinkling a little.

“The nappies are in the nursery, aren’t they?” Gerard asked, quickly pushing himself back to his feet.

Isla nodded. “There’s a few left in the bag we bought home from the hospital” she replied “She’ll need a new vest and onesie too” she added.

“There’s a onesie in my side of the wardrobe” Gerard replied, quickly, almost a little too quickly, before he made his way out of the room.

Isla frowned a little before she pushed herself back to her feet, making her way towards the wardrobe. Carefully cradling Madeleine close, she pulled the door open before she looked through a couple of piles of Gerard’s clothes, quickly locating a small piece of yellow material. Tugging it out, she shook it out in her hand to unfold it before she felt her eyes widen a little, her stare scanning the four words which had been sewn into the material.

Gerard, who’d reappeared in the doorway, caught sight of the onesie before he grinned bashfully to himself. “So?” he chirped.

Isla jumped at the sound of his voice before she turned around, settling her wide eyed stare on him.

Gerard laughed gently, trying, and failing, to mask the sudden nervousness that her reaction had sparked in him. Taking in a breath, he hesitated for a second before he stepped towards her, gently sinking down to one knee ahead of her. “I’ve thought a lot about this in the last few months” he announced “I’ve thought of thousands of ways to ask, I had that made just in case I wanted to have Maddie help me ask, but there was a moment earlier that made me just want to throw that all out of the window and just ask you, because I know that this...us and now Maddie too, it’s all I’m going to want. I love you, both of you, so much, Lala, and so, I am asking you. Will you marry me?” he asked.

Isla looked down at him, her stare moving between him and the baby grow which had the words ‘will you marry daddy?” written on the front of it, before she croaked out a soft sound, not quite able to force words out of her mouth.