Like You Did Before

Letting his head fall forwards, Iker lifted a hand, trying to cover the yawn that fell out of his mouth as he watched Lola fidget, fighting against falling asleep. She was always slightly harder to settle when Matilda wasn’t around. As much as Matilda like to talk about their daughter preferring him, it was obvious when she wasn’t around that the little girl found her mother’s presence more comforting, and with Matilda still at work, it meant that Iker had been sat at Lola’s bedside for a long time, trying to fight off his own exhaustion.

He hadn’t been able to sleep. After Matilda had taken the pregnancy test, the idea that they were expecting a second baby had played on his mind, and the excitement of it had kept him awake. They hadn’t had a chance to talk. Only a handful of minutes after they’d received the positive result, Matilda had remembered that she had an early meeting, and needed to get some sleep to be ready for it, but Iker hadn’t been able to follow her lead. He hadn’t been able to stop himself from picturing what was to come.

He knew it was going to be different. When Matilda had been pregnant with Lola, things between the two of them had been at their worst, and whilst he had tried his hardest to do everything he could for her, Matilda had always held him at an arm’s length, something he was looking forwards to being different the second time around. He was hoping a lot of things would be easier the second time around.

“You look exhausted”

Iker quirked a lazy smile, his stare moving towards Matilda who was stood in the doorway, slipping her feet out of her shoes. “I wouldn’t be if someone was quieter when they got in” he said.

Matilda scoffed, a teasing smile on her face. Leaving her shoes out on the landing, she padded into the room before she moved towards Lola’s bed, leaning over to place a soft kiss on the top of the little girl’s head. “Have you been trying to settle her for long?” she asked.

“Half an hour or so” Iker replied “She didn’t fuss as much at bath time, but every time she gets close to drifting off, she starts to fight it” he added.

“Did you ask Maria about her nap?” Matilda asked “If she sleeps for too long in the afternoon...” she trailed off as she turned to look at Iker, seeing the slightly amused smile he wore.

Iker watched her cheeks flush a soft shade of pink before he gently took a hold of her hand, tugging her into the space in front of him. Lifting his head, he flashed her a boyish smile before he dipped forwards, pressing a lingering kiss against her stomach.

Almost instinctively, Matilda’s hand settled on his head, keeping him close to her stomach. It was something that had been missing when she was pregnant with Lola. Aside from the odd occasion where she had guided Iker’s hand to her stomach in order to feel the baby kick, he had kept his distance from her bump, and it was something Matilda wanted to enjoy now that things between them were different and they were expecting again. “You remember last night, then?” she said quietly.

“It’s not the sort of thing you can forget easily” Iker replied “It’s not every day that you find out that your girlfriend is pregnant” he added.

Matilda’s laugh was soft with awe, something which made Iker smile as he pressed another kiss to her stomach. “How’ve you been today?” he asked, his voice muffled against the material of her dress.

“Alright” Matilda replied “I mean, now I know that I am...the signs are easier to spot, so I can keep on top of them a little easier. I did feel a little off around lunch time, but eating something and a bottle of water seemed to take the edge off it. I made an appointment with my doctor, too. I’ve got it written down somewhere. Do you want to come with me?” she asked, gently guiding his head back so that she could see his face.

Iker grinned. “Do you want me there?” he asked.

Matilda bit down on her lip to stop her own wide grin. “You said you wanted to be there for everything last night” she said.

Iker nodded, squeezing her waist gently. “I did say that” he quipped “I meant it, too. You do know that, don’t you?” he asked, his voice softening slightly.

Matilda searched his face for a moment before she nodded, her thumb gently tracing the line of his jaw. “I do” she confirmed.

Iker turned his head, pressing a gentle kiss against her palm, before he looked back up at her. “It’s going to be different this time” he murmured.

“I hope so” Matilda replied, a half-hearted laugh falling out of her mouth “I don’t know how many silent car rides or awkward moments with my parents I can withstand” she added.

There was no getting away from it. Despite Iker’s insistence at helping her all the way through her pregnancy, and after Lola had arrived, their breakup had always weighed heavily between them, and it had made even the best moment awkward. She could still remember the first time Lola had kicked. She had reached for Iker’s hand without hesitation, and his entire face had lit up when he’d felt it, but after a few seconds, the brief moment of shared awe had given way to the painful tension that they hadn’t been able to shake until after Lola had arrived.

Iker offered her a slightly rueful smile. “I can’t promise I won’t still be awkward around your parents” he joked.

“Just don’t be awkward with me” Matilda replied “Fuss over my bump like I am sure you wanted to before, but never did” she added.

Iker’s hand moved from her waist to her stomach, smoothing out the material of her dress before he dipped forwards, kissing it again. “I love you” he murmured softly.

“Me?” Matilda’s voice was soft despite the joke she was making.

Iker looked up at her impishly. “You, too” he quipped.

Matilda rolled her eyes despite her tender smile. “I love you” she said.

Iker placed another kiss against her stomach before Matilda moved to step away, mumbling something about needing to get changed. Iker watched her out of the room before he turned to check on Lola, letting out a relieved noise when he found her sound asleep. Quietly standing, he picked up the monitor from the shelf it sat on and ducked out of the room, pulling the door closed after him. Tucking the monitor into his pocket, he lingered in the hall for a moment before he heard the doorbell, something which caused him to sigh gently before he padded down the stairs. Reaching the front door, he pulled it open, his eyes widening at the sight of the man who stood on the other side.

Arthur quirked an awkward smile. “Iker” he greeted.