Flying to California to spend a few days with their friends while Ricardo handled his bookings had been interesting. Everyone had doted on the twins and outside of some feedings, Alicia had had her first real break since the day she'd went into labor. AJ, Mike, Taya, Morrison, even Heath and Maryse, all had wanted to hold and coddle the babies, cooing down at the girls and introducing themselves properly.
When not busy with the babies, they'd turned their focus onto Andre, not wanting him to feel left out in his sisters' shadows. Toys and games and all sorts of things had been heaped upon the boy, Alicia unable to say no when she'd seen how pleased her first born was. it had ate at her, how little attention she could grant him during her pregnancy, the bed rest keeping her limited in what she could do with him.
And now they're home, Ricardo back to work at his school, the twins re-adjusting to their cribs once more, and Andre sitting quietly in his bed, waiting for Sofia to come read to him. Instead, it's Alicia who peeks in at him with his favorite book in hand, a small smile on her face. "Hey, baby," she greets him, and his head jerks up as he gapes at her. "Want momma to read to you tonight?"
"Don't- don't Mari and Cla- Clara need you?" he asks, thumb starting to hover nervously in front of his mouth.
"No, not tonight," she says softly. "They're already fast asleep, and Sofia is sitting with them, so I thought I'd spend some time with my favorite guy."
"Even more than daddy?" Andre asks, eyes wide as she settles down next to him.
"It'll be our little secret," she says, giggling when he nods and leans into her, already peering eagerly at the book.
"Momma?"
"Yeah baby?"
"I missed this," he admits, peering up at her.
She swallows hard, blinking back some tears. "I did too, baby. I did too." She kisses the top of his head, before opening the book and beginning to read.