Things change, quickly. One month, you're preparing to go to Egypt with your boyfriend, child and close friend, and the next... well. The next, you find yourself sitting in the sunny alcove of the guest home of a too considerate friend, staring absently at your nervous boyfriend, one hand resting on your still (for now) flat sternum, the other gripping his hand. Yeah, life comes at you fast sometimes.
"Ricardo," Alicia says softly, shaking these thoughts off. "Please, talk to me, what's wrong?"
He looks miserable when he glances up at her and she exhales, shudderingly. "I failed," he tells her quietly, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Alicia- this is the worst timing, I - I've tried so hard, but things are-" He sobs, and scrubs at his face with his free hand, still squeezing hers with the other. "I can't-"
He's gasping for air and she shifts to hold him, stroking her fingers through his hair. "Shhh," she breathes, kissing his temple. "Ricardo... I... I knew you were struggling, since Egypt fell through, but I... I didn't know..." She pulls back enough to search his face, frowning. "When did this all begin?"
"A- a few weeks, I guess," he mumbles. "I... I don't know."
She continues to hold him, stroke his hair, rock him gently. It does explain a few things she's noticed, but been too preoccupied to mention or do anything about it. She closes her eyes and wishes she'd been better in helping him like he'd been in helping her when she needed it. "Thank you for telling me," she says softly. "What are you going to do next, Ricardo?"
He tenses up. "Don't infantilize me," he says, voice heavy and dark with sudden anger.
She shakes her head, noting that his hand releases hers a little sharply. The chill that creeps down her isn't just because of the absence of his touch. "I'm not doing that," she informs him. "I would never. But I do need to know what you're doing next."
He stares at her, the anger fading as quickly as it'd come. "I'm sorry," he breathes, seemingly legitimately horrified with himself. "I'm- I'm so sorry."
She waits him out, careful not to move, or break this quiet moment of thinking as he fusses with his fingers. Before she can do or say anything else, he's reaching out with shaky fingers and gripping his cell phone. What number he dials, she isn't sure until she hears familiar 'on hold' muzak. Only one place has ever had repetitive music like that, especially with the message to please stay on hold. She smiles at him shakily, tears suddenly filling her eyes, and he leans over to gently wipe them away, kissing her carefully.
-x
Sofia learns next, standing with a straight form, frowning intensely but hugging Ricardo with all the affection and protectiveness she's got. "We'll get through this, don't you worry, mi hijo," she breathes into his hair, rocking him gently to and fro.
Alicia feels as teary eyed as Ricardo looks at this stage, but she's relieved that it's not just her determined to put Ricardo back on the right path of healing.
-x
"I'm sorry," Alicia tells AJ, needlessly nervous over this meeting especially.
"What do you have to be sorry for?" AJ wonders, rocking George back and forth as he whimpers and bites at his fingers, dozing listlessly in his mother's arms. AJ had been in the process of putting him down for his nap when she'd opened the door to Alicia's pale, teary eyed face.
"We said we were going to be movie out," Alicia reminds her quietly. "We... we can't do that now. I... hope you understand, that that... that's alright. The guest house has become our house, and I think Ricardo needs some sort of stability right now. Unfortunately for you, that's the guest house, I think."
AJ shakes her head. "No, no, it's fine, the place barely gets used as it is. I'm more than pleased for you all to stay there. Don't worry."
"But Mike-" she begins to protest, imagining the things he'll have to say about this sudden reversal in their plans.
"It's Wrestlemania season," AJ says airily. "Mike is too busy with Logan Paul to think seriously about the state of things around here. And even if he wasn't the busiest man in the world, trust me. He'll be overjoyed you guys are staying. He loves having people around, the more the merrier, trust me."
Alicia's drawn to tears for real now and AJ gently settles her son down before pulling Alicia into her, hugging and stroking her hair and all around just being a perfect friend. Alicia buries her face into AJ's shoulder and exhales shakily.
Even when everything else falls apart, Alicia knows. She's got fantastic friends who are always there to support her and pick her up when she falls.
She knows she's one of the luckiest women in the planet.
