"I'm sorry," Ricardo offers quietly and Alicia's frown grows, instead of easing like he'd hoped. "I know this is sudden, but it's a good opportunity, and..."
"Don't say we need the money," she tells him tensely. "We're doing ok, aren't we? I've been able to do designs from home and send them in, it's enough to keep us afloat. I just... why now?"
He walks closer and cradles her face with one hand, stroking her stomach with the other. Trying to sooth her. "I know. I do, I've been very proud of how you've kept your head up and been able to work through all of this, but you know how the wrestling itch gets for me sometimes. I just... This'll be the last one until the baby's here and we've had time with them, ok?"
"What if something happens and you're not here?" she whispers against his fingers, and he swallows as a flash of fear crosses her dark eyes. "Ricardo, please..."
He leans close to her and breathes in slowly, hoping she'd follow his silent direction. "Alicia," he murmurs. "I love you. And I love this baby, ok? Nothing's going to happen, but in the off-chance that it does, I will be with you as soon as possible." He stares deep into her eyes, still touching her gently. "Please... "
Her resolve crumbles under the weight of his stare and she exhales shakily. "You promise it's the last time?"
"I promise," he nods, relieved when she slowly gives in, nodding slowly. "Alicia..."
"I'm not happy about it though," she mumbles as he kisses her, fingers anxiously tugging at his shirt. He hums and holds her as close as possible, trailing up and down her back as she yields to his kisses, muffled whimpers easing from her lips as he explores her mouth. Finally she pulls away and pushes him back a bit, examining him grimly. "You should go pack," is all she says before turning away and venturing back to the bed.
He nods dumbly, licking his lips slowly and enjoying the lingering taste of her there. "Alright," he says quietly, grabbing his things and going to do just that. Even when he tries to keep himself occupied, he keeps glancing over at where she's laying on her side, hands restlessly stroking along where the baby tends to kick the hardest sometimes. Once he finishes and sets the bag aside to take when he leaves within the house, he approaches the bed gingerly and kneels over her. "Are we ok?"
She looks tired when she looks up at him, worn out in a way that he's only rarely seen during this pregnancy, and he starts to secondguess his decision when she grips his hand and drags it down to rest low on her stomach, Ricardo focusing on the feel when... the baby kicks so hard that it jostles up his arm. He exhales shakily and smiles at her, tears filling his eyes. "Wow," he murmurs. "That was pretty strong. You're going to be a handful when we finally get to meet you, huh?" he asks her stomach and Alicia can't help but smile through her frustration.
"Yes, I believe they will be," she sighs, and Ricardo looks up at her. "I do understand, ok? I just wish..." She looks away for a minute and exhales. "I just wish things were different. That the world didn't begin crumbling apart the instant I become the happiest I've ever been..."
He leans closer and cups her face, guiding her up to look at him. "I know. I'm so sorry." He kisses her and smiles. "We'll get through this. One way or another, I promise." When he tries to pull away this time, she keeps ahold of his shirt and he leans back in. "Alicia-"
She arches up for another kiss and he braces her with a steadying hand on her lower back, Ricardo gasping as she tugs lightly at his hair, taking advantage of the angle and his surprise to commit as much of him to memory as possible- his taste, the feel of his mouth, and teeth, and tongue against hers- everything. He groans deeply, this adding to the cascade of sensations washing through her at this moment, and when she slowly eases away, he gapes at her, eyes fluttering as he reclaims control of himself.
"Damn," he whispers, making sure she's comfortable against the pillows before he reluctantly pulls away. "That- that was..."
She smirks up at him. "Amazing? Incredibly hot? Makes you regret leaving me already?"
"All of the above," he breathes out, eyeing her. Shaking his head, he stands up straight and reaches for his bag. "We'll continue this when I'm done quarantining after these shows." She pouts at him and he gives up halfway, returning to her side and kissing her again, feeling how she grips his shirt, fingers digging into the fabric desperately. "I'm sorry," he whispers into her mouth again and her breath hitches as tears fill her eyes.
"I hate this," she mumbles and he nods sadly.
"I know, I do too," he whispers, stroking her lips, resting his forehead against hers. "I'll call you as often as I can, alright?"
She nods listlessly. "Just... have a good time, ok?" She eyes him. "I know how important this is to you."
"Not as important as you two are," he tells her softly, sprawling his fingers over hers as they rest against her stomach, waiting for the baby to kick again.
Alicia sighs shakily. "Right. I do know that," she concedes, looking him in the eye. "And I want you happy, and fulfilled. It's just... it sucks."
"It does," he says with a soft, sad smile. "I'll ask Sofia to come in and keep you company for awhile, ok?"
"Thanks," she says, watching as this time he pulls away for real and grabs his bag up off of the floor. He turns at the door and smiles at her as she blows a kiss at him, before turning and making his way to the kitchen, where she listens to Sofia and Ricardo softly speak. When the door opens and closes, Ricardo's car thrumming to life a few moments later, she buries her face in her pillows and gasps. "What if I go into labor without you?"
As if in response to this question, another steady, short lived bout of Braxton Hicks tenses her stomach, causing her to grit her teeth and roll over onto her other side in an attempt to relieve it.
