When We Were

“So, on a scale from one to ten, how upset do you think Luca is going to be?”

Emilia, who was still staring down at the ultrasound photograph which she held in her lap, quirked a small smile before she turned, catching the grin which was fixed on Lionel’s face as he stared ahead of him, driving the two of them home. Things had been comfortably quiet, with the news that they were expecting a daughter still settling over the two of them, they hadn’t said much to one another since they’d gotten into the car, but it had been a comfortable silence, one which was laced with warmth and happiness. It was no secret that Luca would be upset, he wanted a baby brother and Emilia could already picture the pout that would fill his face when she told him that he was getting a little sister, but it hadn’t caused the smile she wore to waver. She had wanted a daughter and was ecstatic that their little girl was going to be joining them in a few months.

“A solid eight, maybe a nine” Emilia replied “He really did have his heart set on a little brother” she added, once more grinning down at picture she held.

Lionel watched her out of the corner of his eye, his smile growing a fraction. “You wanted a girl, though” he quipped.

Emilia shrugged, her cheeks flushing a faint shade of pink. “I wanted a healthy heartbeat” she mused “I wanted to hear Valeria say that everything was OK, and after that, maybe, just maybe, I was hoping to hear her say that we’re going to have a daughter. I’d have been happy either way, but...but I did kind of want a little girl” she admitted, her fingertips touching the top of her bump gently.

Lionel glanced over at her, still smiling softly. “I could tell” he noted “The way your face lit up...” he trailed off with a little shake of his head.

Emilia laughed shyly, ducking her head slightly as she pushed her hair behind her ear. “What about you?” she asked.

“I’m still pretty in awe of the whole idea of this” Lionel replied, gesturing vaguely towards her bump “So it’s just added to that. A boy or a girl, I would have been ecstatic because I am just thrilled about all of this” he added.

“And now you know we’re having a little girl?” Emilia asked.

“I can’t wait to meet her” Lionel replied softly “I mean, I couldn’t wait to meet them anyway, but...but knowing that she’s a girl, it somehow makes it feel a little more...real?” he asked rather than stated.

Emilia smiled, shifting in her seat a little as he pulled up at the house. “Just wait until you get to hold her for the first time” she mused, undoing her seatbelt “I mean, I was pretty out of it when I held Luca for the first time. I’d been in labour for almost 24 hours and I was tired and had had all the pain medication they could give me, but when they put him in my arms for the first time, I just remember falling so in love with him. He was crying, I was crying, my mother, who never cries, was crying. It was just...I don’t quite have the words for how amazing it was” she fussed.

Lionel looked at her for a second, marveling at her warm, nostalgic smile, before he shook his head. “I can’t imagine Marcella crying” he quipped, pulling the keys out of the ignition.

Emilia snorted out a laugh as she moved to climb out of her car. “I think she was just relieved that the pregnancy portion was over” she quipped “I was two weeks overdue when I went into labour, and I’d been staying with her and my papa because I wanted to make sure I had someone with me when it finally happened. For the last two weeks, I was a nightmare and her tears, they were probably 50% love for her newborn grandson, and 50% joy that I was going to stop crying at the most ridiculous things” she added impishly.

Lionel laughed as he moved to follow her towards the front door. “Should I be worried?” he played along.

Emilia, who was a couple of steps ahead of him, turned around, a small smile curving at the corner of her lips. “You don’t get to complain” she replied “You, sir, are as much responsible for this as I am. I get the bump, the irrational cravings, the hormones, and you get to deal with me waking you up at 2 in the morning in floods of tears because I killed a spider in the bathroom” she added impishly.

Lionel leant his forehead on hers, smiling down at her goofily. “That’s very specific” he mused “That actually happened, didn’t it?” he asked.

“Eight months pregnant” Emilia replied “My parents had gone out for the night so Jordi had agreed to stay over. He found me bawling at the end of the bed” she added.

Lionel closed his eyes, laughing gently for a second before he leant forwards, allowing his lips to brush hers.

Emilia leant into him, drawing out the kiss for a few moments, before she pulled back, smiling at him gently.

Lionel smiled back at her, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear. “I’m going to love it” he mused “All of it” he added.

“I’ll remind you that you said that when we’re fighting over nothing” Emilia replied playfully.

Lionel opened his mouth to retort, but was stopped as the front door swung open, allowing Luca to barrel out of it, stopping excitedly ahead of his mother. “Did you find out?” he pressed “Am I getting my brother?” he added.

Emilia blinked a couple of times, surprised by Luca’s sudden appearance, before she gently shook her head. “Baby’s a little girl” she revealed gently.

Luca huffed out a sigh. “Really?” he asked.

Emilia nodded her head. “Really” she confirmed “We’ve got a picture, if you want to see it” she added.

Luca just frowned at her, something which made Emilia sigh. “Luca...”

“You’re going to love her, Luca” Lionel’s voice was soft as he spoke over Emilia “I know you wanted a brother, but you will love your little sister the same. And who knows, maybe somewhere down the line, you’ll get the little brother you want, but right now, me and you, we need to make sure that we take care of your mama and sister. They’re going to need us a lot over the next few months. Your mama’s going to need help in making a room for baby, buying her new clothes and toys, picking out a name, and I am not going to be able to do it all by myself, so we’re going to need you too. You think you can handle that?” he asked, leveling his stare with Luca’s.

The little boy held his gaze before he looked up at Emilia. “I can help?” he asked.

Emilia nodded, grinning tenderly. “Of course you can” she mused “I mean, you’re her big brother. Your opinion is very important” she added.

Luca preened a little, a small smile starting at the corner of his lips. Taking step forwards, he hesitated for a split second before he wrapped his arms around Emilia’s waist, hugging her for a long moment before he ducked his head, kissing the top of her bump softly.

Lionel, who’d been watching him, grinned over his head, marveling at the look which had lit up Emilia’s face, one of pure love for the little boy who held onto her and for the new arrival he wanted to help with. Shaking his head, he watched them for a few seconds before he heard movement over his shoulder, causing him to glance at Isaac who was stood in the doorway, a slightly pained expression on his features.

Isaac caught Lionel’s glance, his expression hardening, before he made his way back inside, leaving Lionel shaking his head behind him.