Can’t Look Away

“Can’t you drive any quicker?” Lionel asked, glancing up from the cracked screen of his phone to check on where they were. He hated how slowly things seemed to be moving. Since the match had finished, and he had had the chance to check his phone, things felt as though they had been moving in slow motion, and whilst he knew that he had done everything he could to get back to Barcelona as quickly as he could, he knew it wouldn’t matter if he had missed the moment that the baby entered the world.

It had knocked him for six. When he had heard Sasha’s message, he had been so surprised by it, he had let his phone fall out of his hand and shatter on the changing room floor, and he still hadn’t managed to get his head around it. When he had seen her that morning, she hadn’t said anything about feeling like that day was the day, and he couldn’t quite fathom how quickly things had changed.

“Not if I want to obey the speed limit and avoid getting into an accident” Luis replied “I am pretty sure that Sasha would want you to be late if meant that you got there in one piece” he added.

“Luis...”

“I am doing the best I can” Luis interrupted “Why don’t you call her brother again?” he prodded.

Lionel huffed out a sigh, but nodded his head. Unlocking his phone, he quickly located James’s number before he dialled it. Pressing the phone against his ear, he listened to it ring before James’s voice snipped into his ears. “Please, tell me that you’re at least in the right city now” he said.

“I am” Lionel confirmed “We left the airport about fifteen minutes ago” he added.

“That’s great!” James exclaimed.

Lionel’s lips quirked upwards slightly. “How is she doing?” he asked.

“She’s alright” James replied “I mean, she’s anxious about you not being here yet, but Cassie is with her, and she seems to have calmed down since she got here. The contractions are holding steady at about three minutes apart, so you’ve still got some time to get here” he added.

Lionel relaxed slightly into his seat. “Can I speak to her?” he asked.

“Of course” James mused “Give me a second” he added.

Lionel tilted his head, resting it against the car window for a few moments before Sasha’s voice travelled down the line. “Leo?” she croaked softly.

“Hey, you” Lionel replied “How are you doing?” he asked.

Sasha made a noise that was somewhere between a soft laugh and a sob. “You’ve heard my voicemail” she replied “How do you think I am doing? The contractions are getting pretty close together now, and you’re still not here, and whilst I think Cassie is more than prepared to stand in for you, I’d rather have you. Please, tell me you’re nearly here” she added, sniffling softly.

Lionel looked over at Luis, wordlessly relaying the question to him.

“Twenty minutes” Luis replied.

“Did you hear that?” Lionel prodded “I’ll be there so soon, Sasha” he added.

“Promise?” Sasha said.

“Absolutely” Lionel replied without any hesitation.

“OK” Sasha mused through a soft sniffle.

“I love you, OK?” Lionel mused gently “And I can’t wait to get there. I can’t wait to see you, and him” he added.

Sasha let out another laughing sob. “Gosh” she mumbled “He’s actually going to be here. We’re actually going to have a baby” her voice was soft and caught somewhere between happy and awed.

Lionel quirked a soft smile to himself. “Yes, we are” he confirmed.

~#~
For the first time in a while, everything was quiet.

The room that, only an hour earlier, had been full of Sasha’s yells, Lionel’s gentle encouragements and the loud, sudden cries of a newborn, was starkly quiet as Lionel perched on the side of the bed, his eyes fixed on the baby who was cuddled into Sasha’s chest, his soft breathing hypnotizing his parents. It had happened quickly. Almost as soon as Lionel had stumbled through the door, he had been having his hand squeezed as Sasha pushed the baby into the world, but with the flurry of activity over with, and both Sasha and the baby safe and sound, they couldn’t stop staring.

“Do you want to hold him?”

Lionel lifted his head, offering Sasha a nervous smile. “Can I?” he asked gently.

Sasha pressed a tender kiss to his cheek, smiling briefly against the skin, before she lightly nudged his shoulder. “There’s a zip-up jumper for you in the baby bag” she mused “Change into it, leave it open, and get back over here. I’ll make some room” she added.

Lionel followed her instructions without hesitation. Padding across the room, he pulled his t-shirt overhead, replacing it with the jumper she had packed for him before he clambered back onto the bed, settling into the space that Sasha had made for him beside her.

Sasha carefully scooped the baby off of her chest before she lowered him down onto Lionel’s.

Lionel’s hand settled carefully against the baby’s back, helping him to get comfortable before he turned to look at Sasha, a watery smile brightening his features.

Sasha pressed her lips to his, smiling into the tender kiss before she pulled away. “I’m sorry” she whispered.

Lionel’s forehead creased. “What for?” he prodded.

“I’m a midwife” Sasha replied “I really should have caught onto the fact that I was in labour sooner than I did. If I had figured it out this morning, then this whole day would have been a lot calmer. I didn’t mean to panic you” she added.

Lionel marvelled at her, a soft grin on his face.

Sasha ducked her head, adjusting the baby’s hat shyly. “What?” she mumbled.

“You” Lionel replied “Sasha, none of that matters. He’s here, that’s all I care about” he added, tipping his head towards the baby.

Sasha took the excuse to marvel at their son again, admiring the sight of him, settled contentedly on Lionel’s chest, before she leant over kiss the top of his head softly. “I know it has only been an hour” she said softly “But I am already sure that this is my favourite sight ever. I practically melted when I saw you with Ivy when she was tiny, but this? I don’t think I am ever going to love seeing something as much as I love seeing you with him” she added, letting out a slightly snuffly laugh.

Lionel shifted slightly, allowing him to wrap his spare arm around her shoulder.

Sasha didn’t hesitate to cuddle into his side whilst they both fell silent again, admiring the little boy that was settled with them.