Chapter Text
A Few Years Later:
Rafael was in a hurry, for God’s sake, being late was something that could not happen, especially today of all days. He rushed out of the bedroom, to see Julia and his mother setting up while Rodrigo watched the children.
“But I want to see Auntie Liv get her award too!”
Rodrigo gently grabbed his son’s arm.
“So, you don’t want to help Lucia and your mom prepare the celebratory lunch for Auntie Liv?” Rodrigo asked, looking at Javier. “And it’s not an award but a promotional ceremony.” He watched in amusement seeing his almost three-year-old’s internal struggle on whether he should continue his argument to join the group that would go to the ceremony or stay. Rodrigo knew he had stumped him because Javier would love nothing more than to tell his Auntie Liv that he had helped set up the party just to bask in the limelight of her adulations.
Rafael smiled at father and son, Javier’s little crush on Olivia had been the most endearing development to witness that year and seeing him blush profusely in his wife’s presence always pulled a grin to his face.
“I’ll make sure to tell Liv that you were the brains behind everything,” Rafael offered.
Javier scrunched his face in confusion.
“I’ll tell her the party was your idea,” Rafael clarified.
The little boy’s eyes widened in wonder at the number of hugs his Auntie Liv would give him if they told her that. “I’ll stay!”
Rafael and Rodrigo laughed, until the alarm rang on Rafael’s phone notifying that he needed to leave if he wanted to get there on time.
“Gracias por todo!” He began to tell them, quickly looking back at the three adults and child in gratitude. “I don’t know where to begin-”
Julia rolled her eyes, shooing him away with her hand. “Go, before you’re late!”
The streetlights were on their side, as Rafael pulled the car into a parking spot not too far from the building in which the ceremony would take place; they had arrived earlier than what he had thought.
Rafael carefully got off and opened the back door, mentally checking that everything was in order, and he extended his free hand to Noah, who grabbed it and walked by his side, eager to find their seats and meet the others.
The ceremony went off without a hitch and Rafael was filled with pride as he watched his wife being promoted to captain. He looked over at Noah as he clapped for his mother with enthusiastic cheer. He glanced further to see Amanda, Fin, and Sonny also applauding their friend’s milestone.
After quick congratulations from the others, who promptly left to head to Olivia and Rafael’s apartment for the celebration-that she knew nothing about- Rafael stood before his wife, watching her and Noah with a fond smile on his lips. Olivia met his eyes as she stretched her hand to brush the hair away from their other son’s face, who had been sleeping peacefully in his father’s arms since shortly before the ceremony began.
“And what happened with this one?” Olivia asked.
“Nico, unfortunately dozed off before it even started, but he is also very proud of his mother.”
Olivia let out a small huff of air and smiled. “Very proud. I can see that.”
“Although I give him credit for his foresight to sleep before the presenter began the ceremony.”
Olivia let out a small laugh, she couldn’t disagree with him there; whoever picked that guy must have wanted everybody to silently suffer because his beginning speech droned on for longer than what had been penciled in the schedule.
She took another quick skim over their one-year-old son’s sleeping figure. Some days she still looked at Nicolás in disbelief that he was there, that she had gotten pregnant at all, not that they had been trying to, but he had been a welcomed surprised.
Olivia gave a gentle squeeze to Noah’s hand that was in hers and smiled when he reciprocated looking back up at her.
“So, where to?” Olivia asked.
“I was thinking of home.” Rafael adjusted Nico in his arms and struggled a bit as the strap of the backpack he had on his other shoulder fell off. Olivia quickly reached for it, pulling it off him so that she could carry it. “Thanks.”
“Home.” She repeated, looking at him as he focused his attention on Nico.
“Yeah, mom, home. They’re all waiting to surprise you!” Noah blurted out. It took a second, but his eyes widened in shock as he registered what he had revealed. He covered his mouth with his free hand, looking in Rafael’s direction. “I’m sorry, dad!”
Rafael had pursed his lips against Nico’s head and closed his eyes, expressing a good-natured wince when he heard Noah reveal the surprise but to be honest, he was amazed he had been able to keep the secret for so long. He reached over to ruffle Noah’s hair to put him at ease. “It’s okay, mijo, you did a really good job at keeping it.”
“But I ruined the surprise.” Noah replied, looking utterly dejected, a complete one-eighty from his earlier demeanor.
“Nothing that can’t be fixed.” Rafael glanced at Olivia. “Your mom just has to pull the best surprise face, that’s all.”
“I’m pretty sure I can manage that.” Olivia said, eager for her son’s happy comportment to return.
Rafael leaned over to give Olivia a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’m confident your mother’s got this.”
Noah looked at her, a hesitant smile forming on his face, still looking unsure. “Ok.”
On the drive back home, Rafael glanced over at Olivia while waiting for the light to turn green, surprised that she had her head already turned in his direction, looking at him in affection.
He smiled back at her and turned away before the car behind them honked indicating that their light had turned green.
Rafael parked their car and hurried to get Nico out of his car seat, who had woken up remarkably happy from his nap.
“Morning, Nico,” Rafael greeted him as Olivia helped Noah off the car.
Nico let out a small giggle when Rafael gently tickled his belly before pulling him out of his car seat. And upon seeing his mother, he eagerly stretched his arms towards her.
Rafael easily transferred him into his mother’s arm before grabbing Nico’s bag and putting it on his shoulder. Noah grabbed onto one of his hands and pulled in uncontained excitement as he urged them both to start their walk into the building.
“Hurry, please!” Noah said.
They hurried inside and stepped into the elevator, patiently waiting as it slowly ascended to their floor.
Rafael glanced at Olivia, watching fondly as she rested her forehead against their son’s. Nico was occupied in grabbing his mother’s face and babbling nonsense at her with a recognizable word said here and there. As the elevator reached their floor with a small beep, Olivia raised her head and exited before glancing back at Noah and him. Rafael felt Noah’s hand slip through his as he rushed to their apartment door, stopping in front of it so that his mother could go first. And as she adjusted Nico onto one side, Rafael walked up to reach for her empty hand, slotting their fingers together.
Hopefully, always together. Rafael thought, as the cacophony of several people shouting congratulations at his wife erupted as soon as he opened the door for her.