Like You Did Before

Lowering Lola down into her bed, Iker cautiously stepped backwards, trying his hardest to avoid making any kind of noise that could disturb her. It had taken a long time to settle her to sleep. The excitement of the party that afternoon, twinned with slightly too many treats afforded to her by her grandparents, had left the little girl more than a little overexcited, and it meant that Iker had spent nearly two hours sat in her bedroom, trying to get her to fall asleep despite the sound of voices that still flittered up the stairs. People were still wanted to share his and Matilda’s excitement. Since they had shared the news that they were expecting a little boy, Iker had lost count of the amount of hugs that he had been pulled into and the amount of people that had rushed up to him just to say congratulations, but he had had loved it. He loved how things finally seemed to be settling into place.

Moving slowly towards the door, he stopped only to flick on Lola’s night light, before he stepped out onto the landing, pulling the door to after himself.

“Asleep?”

Iker jumped a little, caught by surprise by Matilda’s voice, before he slowly turned around, offering her a slightly tired smile. “Asleep” he confirmed “Is everyone else gone now?” he asked.

Matilda nodded. “It took a little persuading to get our parents out of here, but they did finally leave” she confirmed “I think my papa caught me yawning one too many times, so he convinced everyone else it was time to go. I can’t believe how excited they were” she added, shaking her head slightly.

“It’s certainly a pleasant difference from the first time around” Iker quipped, letting out a slightly bashful laugh.

Matilda’s lips quirked upwards into a slightly rueful smile, allowing a beat of silence to pass between the two of them, before she gently took a hold of Iker’s hand, guiding him down the stairs. Iker followed wordlessly, allowing her to lead him into the living room before she tipped her head at the pile of presents that had been left in the middle of it. “Want to open a few of these?” she asked.

Iker’s answering nod was accompanied by a warm smile that made Matilda smile too before she padded towards the pile of presents, retrieving a few of them before she moved back towards the sofa, settling them between herself and Iker. Picking up the first one, she offered it out towards Iker who was quick to shake his head, gently pushing it back towards her. “You do it” he quipped.

“You sure?” Matilda asked.

Iker just nodded.

Matilda offered him a playfully dubious look before she began to pull at the paper, revealing the little onesie that was inside.

Iker watched her quietly, his eyes fixed on her face which lit up when she pulled a little onesie out of the paper, showing it off eagerly to him. He tried to not focus on it. The differences between the way that they had interacted throughout Matilda’s first pregnancy and her second were obvious, and sometimes a little overwhelming, and whilst he often reminded himself of the similarities, sometimes, like in that moment, he couldn’t help but focus on how far he and Matilda had come.

He had been at her first baby shower. Matilda had asked him to be there, and after a lot of hesitation, he had agreed, but it couldn’t have been more different from the one that they had had that afternoon. It had been awkward. Iker had spent most of the afternoon trying to avoid Luis and Adrienne, knowing that they were still angry with him for the way their relationship had ended, and he had left before Matilda had even gotten close to opening the large pile of presents that her friends and family had plied her, and he couldn’t help but marvel at how different that afternoon had been. He had been at the centre of everything, not off to the side, and it meant a lot to him.

“Are you OK?”

Iker blinked, refocusing on Matilda who was looking up at him, a slightly worried look on her face. “Huh?” he asked.

“You seemed to drift off” Matilda mused “Is everything alright?” she asked, a slight smile on her face.

Iker couldn’t stop himself from smiling back at her. “Everything’s better than alright” he replied.

“Oh?” Matilda’s reply was somewhere between surprised and teasing.

Iker nodded his head enthusiastically, but didn’t elaborate. Instead, he reached for another gift, pushing it into Matilda’s hands with a grin. Matilda made a show of rolling her eyes, but still opened the present, showing off the new teddy bear that had been bought for the new baby. “You know” she quipped, taking the next gift that Iker was holding out to her “You didn’t tell me how you felt about knowing that baby is a boy” she added.

“Did I need to?” Iker quipped “I’ve said all along that I didn’t mind. I am just happy, Mattie. Happy that we’re doing this again, happy that baby is doing OK. I know that Lola kind of wanted a sister, though, so she might be a little upset” he added.

“Lola’s not even two yet” Matilda replied “I don’t think she really knows what’s happening” she added.

Iker offered her a playful grin, shrugging slightly. “I am happy, Mattie” he said “I am happy about baby, and Lola, and us. I know it’s not exactly been the easiest road to get here, but I’d go through it all again if it meant ending up here and now. I love us” he added.

Matilda’s teasing expression softened a little. “I love us, too” she murmured.

Iker looked at her for a long moment, a warm smile on his face, before Matilda reached for his hand, eagerly pressing it against her stomach. “Your son’s awake” she cooed.

Iker let the words hand in the air for a moment, slightly awed by the sound of them, before he dipped forwards, kissing Matilda’s bump lovingly. “We can’t wait to meet you, our little boy” he murmured softly “Me, your mama and your sister, plus a whole load of grandparents and other people can’t wait for you to get here. It can’t come soon enough” he added.