When We Were

“You didn’t try and start a fight with Isaac, did you?” Emilia quipped with a smirk as she retook her seat in front of her laptop, sipping at the cool glass of lemonade that she had gotten up to get. It had been a while, after Isaac had departed back to Argentina, a couple of months had passed, and with Luca having finished school for the summer, he had made the trip back too, leaving Emilia behind in Barcelona. It was a strange feeling, knowing that Luca would spend a period of weeks away from her, but she knew how much he’d been looking forwards to it. She had heard about all of the plans that the two of them had made, and knew that whilst she’d miss having Luca around, he’d be having the best time with Isaac.

Jordi, whose face filled the laptop screen, rolled his eyes. “Why would I do that?” he asked.

“I was just checking” Emilia quipped “I mean, didn’t he and Luca stop by mama and papa’s yesterday?” she asked.

“They did” Jordi confirmed “But I promise you, it was all very amicable. Our parents were more interested in spending time with Luca than they were in trying to start a fight with Isaac and he was surprisingly pleasant, too. It was actually OK being around him” he added, offering Emilia a crooked grin.

Emilia scoffed playfully. “Be nice” she noted “I know that Luca wants to spend more time with you and our parents whilst he’s back home, and that means seeing Isaac too seeing as I am still here” she added.

“And whose fault is that?” Jordi chirped impishly “I knew you sleeping with Leo would have consequences” he added.

Emilia snorted, shaking her head playfully. “The consequence is your neice” she pointed out.

“And your high blood pressure, meaning that you’ve got to stay in Barcelona and take it easy when you could be here with your favourite brother” Jordi contributed playfully.

“You’re my only brother” Emilia retorted.

“And therefore, your favourite” Jordi grinned.

Emilia merely offered the camera a look, something which made Jordi laugh before he shook his head, smiling warmly at the camera. “How are you, Em?” he asked, his voice a little more serious than before.

Emilia shifted in her seat slightly, her hand rubbing her bump fondly, before she offered him a little shrug. “I’m pretty tired a lot of the time” she mused “Being pregnant takes a lot out of me, but I’m fine really. How about you?” she prodded.

Jordi’s expression grew shier before he lazily shrugged his shoulders, pushing his hair back off of his forehead. “I’m good” he noted “Though, I’m not sure that Sam would say the same thing” he added.

Emilia tilted her head. “Is there something wrong?” she asked.

Jordi’s lips quirked upwards slightly, but he stopped himself from answering, glancing at something over Emilia’s shoulder. “Messi” he announced “I didn’t think I’d be seeing you. Come and say hola” he chirped excitedly.

Emilia turned in her seat, glancing at Lionel who’d stopped in the doorway, a sheepish smile on his face. “Sorry” he mumbled “I didn’t know that you were...I was just looking for some stuff I needed to pack. I can...”

“Tell him to sit down, Em” Jordi’s voice cut in.

Emilia laughed before she gestured to the seat next to her with a nod. “Come on” she mused “He’ll only pout otherwise” she added.

Lionel hesitated for a second before he made his way towards the couch, sitting next to Emilia as he greeted Jordi with a small smile. “It’s been too long, Jordi” he quipped “When are we going to get you over here for a visit, eh?” he prodded playfully.

Jordi smiled, shaking his head. “It’s probably going to be a while” he noted.

“Why?” Emilia prodded “You were just complaining about how much you were missing me” she added, flashing him a teasing smirk.

“I am not going to deny missing you, Millie” Jordi replied, smirking when he saw Emilia’s face at the sound of her least favourite nickname “But, like your bump is keeping you in Barcelona this summer, Sam’s is going to be keeping me here until at least Christmas” he added, shrugging his shoulders almost nonchalantly at the revelation that he and his wife were expecting their first baby.

Emilia’s eyes widened. “Sam’s pregnant?” she breathed.

Jordi just grinned, nodding his head.

“That’s fantastic, Jordi” Lionel mused warmly “You two must be so thrilled” he added.

“Terrified” Jordi corrected “I mean, when she told me, I might have actually passed out for a few seconds, but we’re...we’re getting there. We’ve already had a scan, and our little bean is doing brilliantly, so much so, Sam’s given me the go ahead to tell people. You should have seen mama’s face, Emmy” he added.

Emilia just blinked a couple of times, a dazed smile on her face. “I can picture it” she mused.

“You OK, Em?” Jordi pressed “You look a little...I don’t know, surprised?” he added.

Lionel gently placed a hand on Emilia’s back, rubbing it reassuringly. “Are you alright?” he asked softly.

Emilia blinked again before she nodded, fixing a smile on her face. “Yeah” she mused “Yeah, I’m fine. Just...I can’t quite believe that my brother’s going to be a papa. I’m so happy for you, Jordi, you and Sam. You’ll give her my love, won’t you?” she pressed.

Jordi offered her a look, a slight frown on his face, before he nodded. “Of course I will” he confirmed “And I am sure that she’s going to be calling you loads for pregnancy tips and what to do with the baby once he or she is here. I mean, who better to ask that the mama of my wonderful little nephew, eh?” he prodded brightly.

Emilia couldn’t help but smile, something which made Lionel lean across, touching a light kiss to her temple. “You’re going to love having a newborn, Jordi” she mused “I mean, you’re always the best person to be around when you’re tired” she added.

Jordi scoffed. “And you’re a delight when you enter the final trimester” he retorted “I’m warning you, Leo, she’ll drive you crazy” he added.

Lionel laughed. “I’ve already heard the spider story” he noted.

“Has she told you the nursery story?” Jordi asked “Or the ‘I can’t believe you bought me a yellow baby onesie’ story?” he added.

“Are you trying to scare him off me, Jordi?” Emilia asked, offering her brother a playful glare.

Jordi snorted out a laugh. “Millie, there is nothing I can say to make him second guess you two” he quipped “If there was, I would have said it by now” he added playfully.

Lionel shook his head, laughing with Emilia for a few seconds before Samia’s voice calling for Jordi filled the air, causing him to huff out a playful sigh. “Husband duty calls” he noted “I’ll talk to you guys later. And Sam will definitely be calling. She’s a worrier and I am sure that talking to you will make her feel better. You’ve done it twice, after all” he added.

Emilia’s smile was soft. “I’d love to help” she mused.

Jordi nodded, his own expression softening a little. “You’re due in late September, right?” he asked.

“Early October” Emilia noted “Why?” she asked.

“Just trying to figure out when you can come over” Jordi noted “Mama and papa are going to come over to you when your baby comes, but with Sam being pregnant, I’m not going to want to leave her. I was just trying to figure out when I am going to get cuddles with my new niece is all” he explained.

Emilia nodded, tucking her hair off of her face. “We’ll figure it out” she mused.

“Yeah, we will” Jordi agreed “Leo, take care of them, yeah?” he added.

Lionel nodded his head dutifully. “Always do” he mused.

Jordi flashed him a small smile before he ended the call, allowing Emilia to lean into Lionel slightly, exhaling a soft sigh as he kissed her temple again. “I know” he mumbled.

Emilia just cuddled into him, inhaling the comforting scent of his aftershave.

Lionel sighed softly and peppered kisses over the top of her head, wordlessly assuring her that they’d figure things out.