"So," Alicia teases him. "What do you want to do for your birthday?"
Ricardo blinks from where he's sitting next to her, trailing soft shapes against her back as she hums contentedly. "My birthday? Shit, that's really crept up on me." He sighs and looks at the calendar. "I honestly have no idea."
She rolls over and rests her face on his shoulder, kissing him. "Well, you have time to figure it out." Tracing her fingers over his lips, she smiles. "And if you don't feel like doing anything, that's fine too. I just want to make sure you have a happy day."
He tilts his face and kisses her. "Gracias." She rubs her nose against his and smiles, comfortable and relaxed. "You'll probably still insist on getting me a cake though."
She laughs. "Of course! What's a birthday without cake?" She smoothes her hand down his back and beams up at him as he sighs. "Come on, birthday boy. Just a little one. Maybe split it with the kids. I know you'll want to see them Saturday."
"Yeaaaaah," he says with a small smile. "Of course I do. I've missed those brats."
She chuckles and rolls her eyes, brushing her fingers over his facial hair. "You know you love them."
"I do," he admits. "And I love you."
"Well, that's a good thing," she informs him. "Because I love you too."
His smile claims his entire face, which is rare, and she basks in it as she strokes his cheek.
Their week is quiet, her taking it easy as she tries not to aggravate her injury further, and he visits people that he hasn't seen in a long time. They make an appearance at Maryse and Heath's baby shower on Thursday, Maryse looking a little sheepish when he notes that WWE is throwing one for Miz and Maryse the next night, mostly for the benefit of Miz and Mrs. and Total Divas. "That's a lot of baby stuff," Ricardo comments, Heath nodding.
"We will be donating some to charity," Maryse says quietly, stroking Heath's back in an attempt to keep him from tensing up. "Anyway, I am glad you both could make it." She smiles at them and Alicia smiles back, rubbing Ricardo's arm before they make their excuses and walk over to the table with hordevors waiting for peckish guests.
She nibbles on finger sandwiches while he helps himself to some vegetables and dip. "I feel bad for Heath," she mumbles. Ricardo nods. "I was part of Total Divas for awhile. I'm pretty sure it caused a lot of the problems with my marriage to Alex." She sighs, then reaches out to him. "Not that I regret this, I love our relationship. It's just hard not to think about the what ifs."
"Trust me, I understand exactly what you mean." He takes her hand and rubs his fingers over her knuckles. "Paige and I were great until she started on that show too. Then things slowly began to fall apart... and she turned to Alberto for what I couldn't give her." He shrugs and lightly presses kisses to Alicia's palm. "I'm just glad we're both away from that toxic situation now though."
She leans into his affections and smiles. "Me too. Me too." She sighs and strokes his jaw, leaning into him, feeling happy and light as he pours her some sparkling juice, alcohol not advised while she's on pain killers for her healing tailbone. "Thank you," she murmurs, sipping it slowly and then leaning in to kiss him. "For everything."
He smiles at her and kisses her back before draining some of his champagne, the taste of it sharp on her tongue when she kisses him next.
-x
His birthday is lowkey, quiet. They watch movies with his niece, her brother fast asleep on the couch behind them. Alicia leans on Ricardo's shoulder and chuckles at the movie, glancing from the captivated little girl and equally focused Ricardo, caught by how alike they look. Same eyes, same dark hair, general facial structure. She considers what Ricardo's children will look like and exhales softly, tracing her fingers along the tattoos spanning his upper arm and he chuckles, always ticklish in that area. "What's up?" he asks, kissing her cheek.
"Nothing, just thinking," she murmurs, smiling as he searches her eyes for a moment before leaning back towards the TV, watching the last bit of the movie. Once it's done, they head into the kitchen to get drinks for the kids and then Alicia grips his hands and leads him towards the door. "We'll be back soon! I just want a few minutes with the birthday boy!" she promises, dragging him out into the setting sun before the kids can protest.
"You alright?" he asks with a soft laugh, easing her closer and wrapping an arm around her midsection, kissing her neck lazily. "I know spending the afternoon watching kids movies aren't exactly what we planned, but-"
"No, it's fine, I love it," she says quietly. "I just wanted a minute so we could..." She leans up on her tippytoes and kisses him, carding her fingers through his hair and humming softly. "I love you, Ricardo. You know that, right?"
"Yeah," he says, a bit of worried doubt creeping into his voice. "Alicia..."
She decides not to stall any longer, taking his hand before he can overthink and jump to the worst case scenario. "We've both been through painful break ups and it led us to each other, to this moment. No matter how bad things get, I know you're always here for me, and I'll always be here for you. And you might not be ready for this, it can be whatever you need it to be right now," She takes a breath, pulls a small box out of her back pocket and grimaces painfully as her back twinges when she eases down on one knee, looking up at him with a faint laugh as he stares down at her, frozen in place. "I find myself thinking more about our future- what our kids will look like, how happy we'll be. Seeing Sara Louisa, and Maryse and Heath's baby shower, and how amazing you are with the kids... I just want this so badly. I want us both to be comfortable in the knowledge that we're secure, that this isn't going anywhere." Her voice softens as she stares up at him. "I want you to know that I am never, ever going anywhere." She smiles as tears fill her eyes. "You're stuck with me, sir. Whether you take this ring or not. But I hope you will. So, Ricardo Rodriguez... will you marry me?"
He closes his eyes, remembering another time, far far away, when he'd been down on one knee in the sand, proposing to Paige by Alberto's pond. When he'd been happy, and secure, and sure that they'd have years together, kids and a place of their own, and... He forces his eyes open, snapping out of the memories. He's in his sister's backyard, and Alicia is ignoring her own injuries to pour her heart out to him, and... He loves her so much that he feels like his heart could burst with everything he's feeling as he eases down to look her in the eye. "Yes, Alicia. I will marry you."
She laughs ecstatically and presses the ring- a simple gold band with silver sweeping throughout- onto his finger, relieved when it fits perfectly. "I love you so much. Happy birthday, fiance."
He chuckles. Hugs her while staring at the ring over her shoulder, still a little dazed at the surprise, at everything. "Gracias. I love you too, fiancee." It hurts, in a way, to say that word, but in all the best ways, new memories slowly overriding the old. He rubs her hand between his before exhaling. "We can have a long engagement, right?"
"Of course," she whispers. "Whatever you want, Ricardo."
He swallows. "Thank you. I don't know what I did to be so lucky to deserve you."
She laughs painfully and cups his face, staring deeply into his eyes. "You were yourself. That's enough. Trust me." He starts to look close to tears at that so she leans in and kisses him, trying to comfort him, pouring all of her love and confidence in them into the intimate action.