A/N: I'm working my way to an eventual wedding taking place, not sure when or exactly what it will look like but I have some ideas. I also have no idea what kind of time line I have established, if any, so let's all just all make a pact to ignore any of that lol.
"Are you this much of a baby in PT or is it just here at home?" Olivia teases Raf as she sits astride his waist holding his shoulder flat to the bed trying to help with his physical therapy.
Glaring at her Rafael tells her, "you are just like Nora you know."
"Oh?" She quirks an eyebrow his way and lets a smile pull up the corners of her mouth, "does she often do stretches while straddling you?"
A light laugh leaves Rafael and he shakes his head, "no, and she is always wearing pants," Liv chuckles.
She is sitting on Raf's torso in nothing but panties and a T-shirt.
"I simply meant that you are both very mean to me, no sympathy at all," Rafael pouts.
Olivia pushes up so her weight is distributed to her knees now, rather than on Rafael. As she does this however Rafael's hands fly to her hips to hold her in place.
"Whoa, let's not be hasty." Raf says while applying pressure against her hips so she will settle back over him.
Olivia looks down at him but his eyes are roaming her body, "did you want to keep stretching?"
"Sure, if that's what you want to call it," the playful tone of his voice is very clear.
Playing dumb Olivia says, "I have no idea what you mean," and she brings her pointer finger to her mouth and chews her nail slightly with wide eyed confusion playing on her face.
A dark laugh comes from Raf's chest. He slides the hands that he had resting on Olivia's hips up under her shirt to lay on her rib cage. Swiping the pads of his thumbs against the undersides of her breasts, that are free and unencumbered by a bra, "come closer and I'll show you."
Olivia leans down into Rafael to kiss him. As their lips linger against one another the passion deepens and they open their mouths to let tongues entwine.
Raf slips his hands down Liv's body to cradle her backside, tracing the line of her underwear.
They don't get any further than a short makeout session before there's on knock and a tiny voice asking "Papí, está despierto?" (Papí are you awake?)
Rafael pats Olivia's hip so she moves off of him while he sits up.
"Sí mi vida ven aquí." Noah's little head peeks through the doorway before he scuttles into the room and over to his dad. "Que pasa?" (Yes my soul come here…. what's up?)
"Tuve un mal sueño." Noah answers, clearly shaken. (I had a bad dream)
Rafael slides his hands underneath Noah's arms and lifts him onto the bed between himself and Olivia.
"Tell me about your nightmare hijo," Rafael prompts, in English this time, so Liv can follow along.
Noah works his way under Rafael's arm so he is between it and his torso. Turning his head so his face is nearly hidden in Rafael's chest Noah explains what happened, "you got hurt again. Mamí and I were at the hospital waiting for you to wake up but you wouldn't. I wanted you to wake up so I kept shaking you like on weekends when you sleep too long. But you weren't awake."
Noah is in tears by now and he has a fist full of Rafael's shirt. Liv shifts herself to press her body to Raf's so Noah is entirely enveloped between them, she begins to rub her son's back.
Rafael understands Noah's reason for speaking in Spanish at first, it's their thing and he wanted to be sure Rafael was there to comfort him.
"But I did wake up, see? I'm right here." Raf says reassuringly. "I will always do whatever I can to be here for you, do you understand?"
A hiccup and a nod are Noah's answer.
"Good, Mamí and I were about to go to sleep, would you like to stay in here for the night or do you want to try to go back to your bed?" Rafael won't say it but, seeing Noah like this, he wants Noah to stay so he can see that he's okay with his own eyes.
"Will you read me another story if I got back to bed in my room?" Noah asks, already less timid than when he entered the room.
Running a hand through Noah's curl Raf smiles down at the boy, "of course I will."
Moving Noah to lean against Olivia more Rafael slides off the bed and turns to wait for Noah to do the same. When he looks back though he is met with the sight of his son sitting on the edge of the bed with his arms raised. The request is clear, carry me.
Snorting Raf prods, "oh, have your legs stopped working since you walked in here?"
Giggling Noah simply sends a pouty face his way knowing Raf will give in upon seeing it. He does. Lifting Noah to his hip Rafael walks them back to Noah's bedroom.
Dropping down to the mattress Rafael positions Noah under the blankets once more. Before the end of the story Noah is nodding off back to sleep. Anytime Raf shifts his weight to leave the room Noah seems to be shocked awake and calls him back. Once this has happened five times Rafael sits back next to Noah to think.
After a moment, while running his fingers down Noah's back, Rafael decides the best plan of action is to simply bring Noah back to bed with he and Olivia. The second Raf shifts himself to gather Noah back into his arms Noah jolts awake.
"Papí?" Comes the small, sleepy voice of his son.
"Go to sleep Noah, I'm right here. We are going to sleep in my room tonight. The bed is bigger and it has Mamí there." Rafael can feel the smile on Noah's face against the material at his shoulder.
Olivia looks up when the door opens again, ready to ask if there had been any issue putting Noah back down because he had been gone for more than 30 minutes by now. When Liv sees Raf step through the door with Noah in his arms she understands better why he hadn't returned til now.
Rafa reaches his side of the bed and gently lays Noah's sleeping form in the middle of the bed before climbing in behind him. Tucking them both in he looks to Liv and smiles, "he woke up anytime I moved, so this just seemed to make the most sense."
Mindful of their son Olivia reaches a hand out to touch Raf's cheek, "I love you."
Turning his head Raf kisses Liv's palm, "love you too." A great big yawn leaves his mouth at the tail end of his declaration.
Chuckling Liv clicks off the light, sending the room into darkness so that they can all get to sleep.
Eventually they begin planning their wedding. Mostly due to Lucia's prodding.
"Now mija, have you thought of a color scheme you want?" The older woman's excitement is barely contained, Liv isn't sure she is even trying to contain it really.
Liv stares for a moment or two, dumbfounded, "uhhh, no. Maybe Rafael has some ideas?" She glances in the direction of the living room where Raf is currently play 'Go fish' with Noah. "Rafa, what color scheme do we want?" Liv raises her voice so he will be able to hear her.
"I don't know, you pick," Rafael sounds very disinterested, focusing more on the card game he is playing than her.
With a deep frown Olivia shoots back an emphatic, "no!"
Startled Rafael looks over at Liv with shock painting his expression, looking to Noah he says, "un momento por favor."
Standing Raf makes his way to sit beside Olivia, "todo bien?" (Everything okay?)
Sighing Olivia leans into him, "yeah, I just don't want to have this be one of those situations where the woman has total control while the guy sits idly by, not caring what happens." When her eyes lock with his she implores him, "this is our wedding honey, please don't make me pick everything. Besides, if one of us is going to make a decision about color it should be you, you're wardrobe is far more colorful than mine."
Laughing Rafael agrees, "well you're not wrong about that. I've just never had to pick a color scheme for an event before, I'm more small scale." He looks to his mother, "Mamí what do we need a color scheme for?"
Rolling her eyes Lucia looks at the couple in front of her, "honestamente, ustedes no tienen remedio." Setting her hands flat on the table Lucia leans into them, "have either of you ever been to a wedding," Rafael's mouth opens as if to answer, Lucia's hand goes up to stop him, "that was rhetorical Rafi, everybody has a color scheme." (honestly, you are hopeless.)
Liv decides to lean into the table, matching Lucia's posture, "black and white then." Olivia sits back feeling quite smug at having decided so easily.
Looking almost disgusted Lucia shakes her head, "you want to have a black wedding?"
"And white," Rafael supplies helpfully.
Shifting her gaze to Olivia Lucia asks, "you want your bridesmaids to wear black?"
Shrugging Liv says, "why not?"
With a short, "fine," Lucia makes a note of this in her notebook.
After making an exhausting amount of choices, from flowers, to ring bearer and flower girls, cake, and beyond Olivia leans into Rafael's side once more and whispers, "I'm tempted to tell her I just want to get married in Vegas, just to see how she'll react."
With a barely concealed chuckle Rafael bumps his shoulder to Liv's and shakes his head.
"So I suppose the two most important things would be date and venue." Lucia tells them while scanning over the extensive notes she has taken.
Olivia straightens, as if she is a child about to be reprimanded, somewhat frightened Lucia heard her comment. Once she realizes she is a grown woman, perfectly capable of holding her own, she relaxes back into her previous stance.
Rafael on the other hand, has had his fill of wedding planning for the day, "Mamí, isn't this enough for now? Can Liv and I have a chance to think about these for a little while?"
Smiling Lucia nods, effectively dismissing them. They push their chairs away from the table immediately, as does Lucia, and all descend on the living room and Noah.
"Oy compay, a qué jugamos ahora?" Lucia asks indicating the cards. (what are we playing now?)
Lifting his torso from the floor and sitting pretzel style Noah looks much more animated than he had a moment ago, "quieres jugar old maid?" (you want to play old maid?)
Each of the adults seats themselves around the coffee table as Noah carefully deals the deck of cards out, after having removed three of the queens. Each player removes all of the matches they have in hand and the games begin. The final two players come down to Rafael and Olivia, neither of whom intend to lose, or be "the old maid" as it were.
"You're going down Benson, I know your tells." Raf taunts Olivia as she holds her final two cards up towards him.
Squinting at the cards she holds Rafael carefully chooses the card on the right, which causes Olivia to celebrate. Now he holds two cards, one the queen and the other the pair to Olivia's final card.
"So much for knowing my tells, prepare to do some losing mister." Liv gets right back at him.
Lucia and Noah sit watching their antics, laughing at the behavior each of them is displaying.
"Oh no, no way." Rafael moves his cards beneath the table and shuffles them around so Liv is unable to see the placement of either card. Bringing them back up Rafael himself doesn't even look, keeping everyone in suspense as Liv makes her selection.
Not letting herself overthink things Liv quickly plucks a card from Raf's hand yelling in frustration at the sight of the queen back in her hand, while Rafael cheers.
The two go back and forth numerous times, the tension building between them. Noah can't decide who he wants to win, Lucia on the other hand is showing her support for Olivia, in part to annoy her son. Seeing the annoyance Rafael displays Noah gives his support to his father, which causes Olivia to send a rather convincing pout his way.
Noah doesn't give in though, "go Daddy!" He shouts.
"You traitor!" Olivia jokes with him, pulling the queen from Rafael's hand yet again.
Snatching a card from Liv's hand Rafael groans, "argh! This is never going to end."
The second Raf presents her choices to her Liv makes it, "yes!" She drops the match she's made on the table like she's dropping a mic. "You lose Rafa, looks like you're an old maid!" Liv sticks her tongue out at him for added effect.
He merely glares at her. Noah moves over to Rafael to give him a consoling hug, "it's okay Papí, maybe we can play another time and you won't lose."
"Thank you hijo, maybe we can." Rafael takes actual comfort in Noah's attempt at consolation, giving him an extra squeeze before letting him go.
Lucia grabs Noah in her arms now, "should we go to dinner mi amor? Mamí and Papí have to go grocery shopping so we can have some fun while they do that."
The arms Noah had wrapped around his Abuelita fly up in the air, "yeah! Can we go to your house and have tamales?"
"I just so happen to have made some tamales last night," Lucia smiles at the young boy, who calls her Abuelita and is so excited to be spending time with her and sharing in parts of her culture, this is what Lucia had waited so long for. "Go get your coat and shoes please."
"Okay!" And Noah is off and running to do as he is told.
"Thanks Mamí I'm sure he is so excited that he doesn't have to join us, it can be like a hostage negotiation to talk him into coming." Rafael looks to his mother as he pushes himself from the floor. Once standing he reaches down to assist Olivia in standing up herself.
"Rafi all I have ever wanted was that little boy getting his shoes right now, if I didn't think you would mind I wouldn't give him back," Lucia's words hold nothing but honesty.
Liv drops her head back laughing, "you say that now, until you remember how tiring they are when you can't give 'em back." She rolls her shoulders trying to get a knot out but is unsuccessful until Rafael comes to her aid and works it out with his thumb.
"At least Noah won't be adding more tension to our shoulders huh?" Raf jokes softly.
Smiling Olivia just nods. Each pair go their separate ways, Noah and Lucia to the Bronx for dinner, Rafael and Liv to the market for food.
As they push their cart around the store picking out what they need Rafael leans on the handlebar, "have you thought about where you want to get married?"
Continuing to browse the apples to pick the best ones Olivia says over her shoulder, "not really, I figured the most important part was the actual marriage, not the place."
Rafael doesn't answer, he watches her as she makes her selection and drops it in the cart. As they move through the store the topic doesn't come back up again. When they near the check-out Rafa manages to convince Olivia that they should buy some chocolate chip cookies, promising he won't let Noah eat too many. She gives in, mostly because Liv knows Raf has a major sweet tooth, and those cookies are very good.
Not until they are waiting in line to pay for their food does the conversation come back up, "I thought it might be nice to get married in the New York Botanical Garden," Rafael says as he puts their items onto the belt.
"Where did you come up with that?" Olivia asks as they continue the mundane task of buying groceries.
Rafael finally stops for a moment, "my Abuelita actually, we would go there together sometimes, especially after I finished law school, it was kind of our thing then. We would go on long walks through all the gardens, and the conservatory, and she would tell me about Cuba. One time we saw a wedding while we were walking through and she pointed at it and said, 'when will that be you Rafi?' I wish she could have met you, she would have loved you, even forgiven the fact that you're not Latina, or catholic." There is a wistfulness in his voice but he is happy talking about his grandmother.
Having stopped what she was doing too, to give Rafael her full attention Olivia reaches a hand out to him which he readily takes. Liv links their fingers together, "I think that's all I need to know, let's get married there. You have such a nice connection to it already there's no reason to make more work for ourselves just to come up with choices. I love it, I'm sure your mother will too."
Running his thumb over her knuckles quickly Rafael drops Olivia's hand and gets back to loading groceries before anyone in line behind them can get too impatient.
Later, when Lucia brings a very tired Noah home to them, Rafael tells her the decision they made, "Mamí Liv and I want to get married at the botanical garden." He knows there is no need to elaborate any further, his mother is well aware of his connection to the place.
She stops and claps her hands together once, "ay dios mio eso es perfecto Rafi, le habría encantado." (oh my god that's perfect Rafi, she would have loved it.)
Bowing his head Rafael simply says, "lo se," in a small voice. (I know)
Turning to face Olivia she tells her, "Rafi's Abuelita would have loved you, you know. I think she would even overlook the fact that you not Latina or catholic. Just knowing how happy you make her Rafi, that would have been, is, enough."
Liv steps into Lucia, who she sees as more of a mother than she ever had her own, and pulls her into a strong hug. Not letting go quite yet, "that's what Rafa said too, I'm sure I would have loved her. Thank you for everything you're doing to help us with this Lucia, I don't know how much of a wedding we would be able to plan on our own."
Grasping Liv's shoulders Lucia pushes away just enough that she can look at her face, "it is my pleasure mija, you're the baby girl I never got."
Noah, hearing this from his place on the couch, turns, "Momma is definitely not a baby," he states in a matter of fact tone, "she's old." And as quick as that his attention is focused back away from the conversation they are having.
"You're always your parents' baby." Lucia holds eye contact with Olivia, who understands the message she is sending. Lucia views her relationship with Olivia the same way, like a mother and daughter.
Rafael returns to the room after having apparently left, much to no one's notice, "we aren't doing anymore wedding planning tonight are we?" By the look on his face it is abundantly clear that he does not want the answer to be yes.
"No Rafael we are done for today," his mother lets him off the hook, the relief is evident in his expression. Leaving parting kisses on everyone's cheeks Lucia leaves her family to return to her apartment once again.
A/N: More to come, hopefully soon!
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