It's been a long week. Maryse has the week off of Miz and Mrs taping, and Heath's been kept off of the road for WWE, so they come to Ricardo and Alicia's with Monroe Sky, looking for a distraction, something to keep their minds off of furthering this secret that had finally calmed down before Maryse had realized she was late again, and a pregnancy test confirmed her worries. "I don't know what to do," she admits lowly to Alicia, closing her eyes as Alicia gently massages her shoulders, listening with a sympathetic frown. "I love Heath so much, we were making a nice little life for ourselves, but now... I'm putting him through all of this with Mike again, and... he deserves so much better." She shakes her head. "He deserves a wife he can claim as his own, children that won't be made famous on a reality show as someone else's. I'm such an awful person."
"No you're not," Alicia chides her. "You did what was the best for you at the time, and things changed, but circumstances had you stuck. He loves you, everything will work out." She continues to work Maryse over, feeling her breathing in and out steadily. "Just need to have faith in yourself and him. Everything will be fine."
"I hope so," she grimaces, leaning back and resting her head against Alicia's stomach. "I'm so tired of all of this." She groans and sighs when Alicia's fingers ease up and start rubbing soothing circles against her temples. "This may make me fall asleep."
"I think you need it, so go ahead," Alicia tells her softly. "I've got you."
Maryse chuckles, eyes already fluttering shut. "You're a good friend, Alicia."
Alicia smiles a little. "I try."
In the other room, Heath and Ricardo are sitting quietly, Monroe settled between them on the couch cushions as she stares up at the ceiling, flapping her hands around and making soft, babbling noises every now and again. "I can't believe she's going to be a big sister soon," Heath mumbles. "It feels like we just had her." He rubs his hand over her stomach and smiles as she grips his fingers with her pudgy fingers, squeezing. "I love you, Monroe," he tells her. "Never doubt that, no matter how many kids mommy and I have. Ok?"
Their eyes lock, so similar that it always takes Heath's breath away to realize he's staring at his mirror image in this little girl, and Ricardo smiles, wondering what it would be like to have a child that he could look at and see some of himself within. "I know things are going to be difficult, with a second child coming now, and you having to deal with Miz and Mrs. and everything that comes of that, but you look really happy non-the-less, Heath."
Heath nods. "I am," he says softly. "I have a great wife, and a beautiful little girl, and a second on the way. Who wouldn't be? And I know everything with Mike is a mess, but I knew what I was gettin' myself into when she and I started gettin' serious, and married 'n' everythin'. I don't regret any of it, and if I had the option to redo everythin', I'd make the exact same choices."
Ricardo smiles a little. "Maybe you should tell Maryse that," he suggests. "I imagine this is a difficult, confusing time for her too."
He exhales hard. "You're right, I should." He stares off absently for a minute and shrugs. "Is it weird I'm so calm about all of this? At first, I was just kinda numb, and didn't know where to turn, but now it's just one'a those things. Another obstacle she and I gotta work through, and we're strong and in love so in the end, everythin'll be alright. I dunno if I'm just bein' optimistic or blind to everything that could go wrong in the next few months."
Ricardo mulls it over for a few minutes. "Maybe a little bit of both, but optimism isn't a bad thing, and if you are overlooking things that may be a concern of Maryse's, at least you recognize that and can backtrack right now. All you can really do is support each other and take care of each other through this pregnancy and the first few months after the birth, just like you did with Monroe. Right?"
"Yeah," Heath says softly. "You're right." He smiles and pats Ricardo on the shoulder. "I was iffy about it at first, but I'm real glad we moved out to Texas. It's been great connectin' with you and Alicia, ya both have been a lotta help with all of this the last year."
"Hey, we're glad you guys are here too," Ricardo tells him. "And we're always happy to listen and help. Any time you need us."
Heath's smile is sappy, slow. "Thanks, again, man. Dunno what I'd do without you." He stands, about ready to go see if Maryse wants to go home and talk, but first he pauses and reaches out, grinning when Ricardo obligingly steps forward and they hug. "Talk soon."
"Yep," Ricardo agrees, clapping him on the arm. "Take care of yourself," he mumbles to himself before following him into the kitchen.
