When We Were

Seventy Nine: You Said Be Serious

Gently moving Maisie out of the sun, Emilia gently bumped her sunglasses back up her nose, a soft smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she glanced a little further down the beach, watching as Lionel and Luca kicked a ball across the sand in between them. They didn’t have the little boy for long, with his school year finished, he was due to head back to Argentina to spend the summer with Isaac, but Emilia had insisted that they have a week with him first, wanting him to enjoy a holiday with her, Lionel and Maisie before she dropped him off with his father. She knew that Luca was looking forwards to seeing Isaac, as happy as he was in Barcelona, she knew that a part of him longed to spend time with his father, and Emilia didn’t want to change it, even if she had put back his arrival date and was dreading seeing Isaac again. She knew how excited Luca was to see his father.

Shaking her head, she watched as Luca dodged Lionel’s playful tackle before he kicked the ball through their makeshift goal, cheering enthusiastically as he did so. Looking away with a smile on her lips, she gently adjusted the sunhat which was perched on top of Maisie’s copper-colored hair before she heard footsteps charging towards her, causing her to glance up again, watching as Luca ran towards them. “Slow down” she warned gently.

Luca’s footsteps slowed a little, but he still reached his mother and sister quickly. “We’re going to go and get drinks and ice creams” he announced, a little out of breath “Leo asked me to come and see if you wanted something” he added.

“I’d like a bottle of water” Emilia mused “But, before you go anywhere, you need to put on more sun cream” she added.

“Mama” Luca complained.

“Your face is already a little pink” Emilia pointed out “Just a little bit, on your forehead and nose” she added.

Luca huffed, something which made Lionel, who’d just about made it over to them, laugh. “Did mama shoot down ice cream?” he quipped as he plopped onto Emilia’s towel, scooping Maisie up with a chorus of her giggles.

“He needs a little more sun cream, that’s all” Emilia mused “Then he can have one ice cream. We’re going to dinner later” she added.

Lionel, who’d been playfully tickling Maisie’s sides, offered Emilia a slightly crooked a grin, but didn’t comment, something which made Emilia roll her eyes before she leant towards Luca, gently smearing sun cream across his forehead and the bridge of his nose. Luca fussed, grumbling in annoyance, before he pulled back. “Can we go now?” he asked.

Lionel chuckled and nodded, gently settling Maisie back down onto the towel. “We’ll be right back” he mused as he ducked down, kissing the top of Emilia’s head gently.

Emilia gently squeezed the hand he’d placed on her shoulder, smiling up at him gently.

“Leo!” Luca called, trotting up the beach “Hurry up” he added.

Emilia shook her head, smiling a little at her son. “He’s never sounded more like Isaac” she quipped.

Lionel kissed her head again. “I don’t know” he mumbled into her hair “That sounded a lot like you” he added impishly before he hastily stepped away, avoiding the playful hit Emilia had aimed at him.

~#~
Taking a piece of her hair between her fingers, Emilia turned over another page in her magazine, gently bopping her head along in time with the music which sounded lowly from her nearby speaker. She was by herself, for almost the first time since they’d landed, she had some time that was just for her, and she was determined to enjoy it. She loved being around Maisie and Luca, she loved seeing Lionel with them too, but she was also looking forwards to a break herself, something she didn’t get much of when they were back in Barcelona and something she definitely wouldn’t get once she was in the same country as their relatives who’d be curious to see if any kind of wedding plan had been made.

Twirling her hair around her finger, she scanned the page for a moment before she heard something next to her, causing her to lift her head slightly, looking at Lionel who’d taken a few steps away from her sun lounger. “Sorry” he noted “I was trying not to disturb you. I just thought you’d be thirsty” he added, gesturing to table next to her.

Emilia glanced at it, smiling gently as she saw the glass of lemonade he’d left there. “You didn’t have to” she mused.

Lionel shrugged, a sheepish smile on his face.

“Where are the kids?” Emilia prodded as she moved her magazine, making a space for him to sit down.

Lionel lifted an eyebrow as he looked at the seat. “I didn’t want to intrude” he noted.

Emilia just shrugged, smiling up at him.

Lionel still hesitate for a second before he sat down next to her feet. “Maisie’s asleep” he noted “And Luca’s just watching the end of his cartoon before he puts on his pajamas. He’s pretty wiped out” he added as he leant over, gently prying the magazine out of her hands.

Emilia let him take it, watching his face as he perused the page she’d left it open on, before she nodded. “He kept yawning during dinner” she mused “I’m not surprised, though. He’s been excited about the beach since we touched down yesterday. He gets himself all worked up and then he wears himself out” she added.

Lionel nodded absent-mindedly, his focus fixed on her magazine.

Emilia felt her cheeks warm a little as she tucked the piece of hair she’d been messing with behind her ear. “What do you think?” she asked quietly.

Lionel turned to look at her, a slight smile kicking up the corner of his mouth. “What do you think?” he prodded.

“I asked you first” Emilia retorted “Which one do you think you can picture me in?” she prodded as she moved to his side, glancing down at the double page spread of wedding dresses she’d been looking over as she gently nibbled on her lip.

Lionel glanced back at her before he turned back to the magazine, surveying the page thoughtfully before he pointed one out. “I think that’s really pretty” he noted “I mean, I can definitely picture taking it off of you on our wedding night” he added, letting out a laugh when Emilia playfully shoved his shoulder.

“Be serious” Emilia chided, trying not to giggle.

Lionel grinned at her boyishly. “I am serious” he quipped.

Emilia rolled her eyes, gently tugging the magazine out his hands. “You’re no help” she teased, making an attempt at putting it down next to the drink he’d bought for her.

Lionel, however, was slightly quicker, taking it back out of her hand before he flicked back to the page they’d been looking at. “I don’t like that one” he announced, pointing to one picture “And I think that that cut wouldn’t suit you as well as others would. Don’t get me wrong, you’d look gorgeous in anything, but I think you could do better” he added, gesturing to a second picture.

Emilia just watched him with a smile.

“That’s too much lace, and that’s not quite enough” Lionel continued, pointing at pictures as he went “I don’t like the creamy colored ones as much. I think you’d look best in a something like this, maybe not this one specifically, but...” he trailed off as he looked up at her, a slightly bashful tint on his cheeks.

“What?” he spluttered “You said be serious” he added.

Emilia laughed. “I didn’t realize you’d given it so much thought” she mused.

Lionel shrugged, smiling bashfully down at the magazine. “You wanted my opinion” he noted.

“I did” Emilia mused “I just...I want to have something to show to our families. Samia’s set us up with the planner that she and Jordi used, and I don’t want to be sat there, looking at her with nothing to offer” she added.

“Em...”

“I want to plan it” Emilia kept talking as though Lionel hadn’t made a noise “I’m so excited to do it. I know you said that we should wait, but...I really want to start” she babbled, looking at her lap shyly.

Lionel leant forwards and kissed her head gently. “Ok, then” he murmured into her hair.

Emilia looked up, eyes wide and bright. “Really?” she squeaked.

Lionel shrugged, smiling at her gently. “The sooner we start planning, the sooner we actually get married, right?” he prodded.

“Yes” Emilia agreed.

“Then, Ok” Lionel mused.

Emilia went to kiss him, but Luca’s sleepy voice stopped her short, causing her to sigh gently before she stood up. “Coming, baby” she called back to the little boy who stood in the doorway, wiping his eyes tiredly. Leaning down, she kissed Lionel softly, slowly for a moment before she pulled away with a small smile, making her way towards Luca who stopped only to offer Lionel a sleepy wave before Emilia ushered him inside.

Lionel waved back, smiling gently before he looked down at Emilia’s magazine again. “The sooner, the better” he mumbled to himself.
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Thanks to FootieJo for the comment :)