Sunlight streamed through the small gap in the curtains, bathing Rafael Barba's face in warm yellow light. He slowly opened his eyes, wincing slightly as he adjusted to the lightness of the room. After a moment of confusion due to the unfamiliarity of the setting, the feeling of the sleeping woman in his arms reminded him of exactly where he was, and why.
Rafael Barba was laying on his right side, holding the sleeping figure of Olivia Benson close to his chest. His left arm was draped protectively over her waist beneath the covers, and their legs were entwined beneath the bedsheets. She was snuggled into his chest, her head pressed against his heart, her right arm between them. Her hand was pressed to his chest, and she was clutching the fabric of his shirt in his hand. He instinctively placed his hand over hers and she gripped it tighter, inhaling sharper and leaning against him instinctively, her rounded belly pressed against his.
Barba felt his breath catch in his throat at the sensation of her belly against his. He swallowed thickly and stroked her lower back comfortingly. Liv hummed tiredly and snuggled into him, prompting him to hold her closer, as she remained in a deep slumber.
A small smile tugged at the corner of Barba's lips, and he lowered his head to press a tender kiss to her forehead. Although he was now wide awake, and conscious that she might prefer to wake up alone in her own bed, there was no way he could extricate himself without waking her. And it was quite clear she had not had a good night's sleep in a very long time. So he held her close, listening to the sound of her breathing, and memorising the sensation of her body in his arms.
When Liv woke an hour later she exhaled deeply, splaying her hands against Rafa's chest. She recognised his body and his scent before she opened her eyes, and as she tilted her head up and met his gaze she found herself smiling softly in response to his sleepy smile.
"Hey" Rafa said softly, his eyes warm and languid. Liv blinked tiredly.
"Hi" she responded, registering her proximity to him, and feeling an odd combination of embarrassment and excitement. "What time is it?" she asked, not wanting to move an inch, and grateful that Rafa didn't appear to either.
"It's almost ten" Rafa informed her. Liv's eyes widened. She hadn't slept that late in ages. "You were exhausted" he added comfortingly, stroking her back in response to the tension which was present in her body.
"I have to pick Noah up at twelve" Liv said quietly. "He's going go-karting this morning after his sleepover" she added, placing her hand over her mouth as she stifled a yawn. Rafa nodded in response.
"That's okay" Rafa reassured her. "There's plenty of time" he added. Liv nodded in response.
"You stayed" she said softly, looking up and meeting his gaze. Rafa smiled.
"I didn't have a choice, you wouldn't let me leave" he responded lightly. "You wrapped yourself around me like an octopus."
"An octopus?" Liv asked, feigning offence.
"Yeah" Rafa responded resolutely. Liv smiled in response, a warm, genuine smile which reached her eyes. She was beautiful. "I didn't want to wake you" he added quietly.
"I appreciate that" Liv returned. Rafa stroked her hair from her face.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, noting she was still paler than usual. Liv considered the question for a moment. She knew responding "fine" would not work with Rafa.
"Better, now I've slept" she replied. "Though I feel like I could sleep for a week" she added. Rafa nodded in understanding, as he rubbed her back soothingly.
"You're still very pale" Rafa remarked. Liv offered him a tight smile.
"I'll be okay" she assured him, as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Rafa followed suit and did the same.
"I'm sure you will" Rafa said slowly.
"But?" Liv added, turning towards him and meeting his gaze. Rafa hesitated before responding.
"Given what happened yesterday evening, and the fact you still aren't feeling completely well" he began cautiously. "Perhaps I could stay with you and Noah this weekend" he suggested gently. "Not here, obviously" he added quickly, indicating towards Liv's bed. Liv smiled softly as he spoke, warmth and anticipation rising within her at the prospect of spending an entire weekend with Rafa. "I will sleep on the couch, like a gentleman, this time-"
"You are a gentleman" Liv interceded. "Rafa, I don't want you to feel obligated-"
"I don't feel obligated" Rafa assured her. "I feel concerned" he added honestly. "You collapsed barely twelve hours ago" he reminded her. "I just want to make sure you're okay" he assured her. "And I promised Noah we'd watch Harry Potter and I'd tell him about all of the felonies which are committed" he added. Liv stifled a laugh.
Although Liv felt embarrassed, the notion of spending a weekend with Rafa was incredibly appealing. She enjoyed his company very much, and they had never spent such a significant amount of time together. After concealing her pregnancy from him for six weeks, she felt she owed it to him. And logically he was right; she was not completely well, and it would be advisable for him to stay with her. She did not want to risk fainting in front of Noah.
"Are you sure you wouldn't mind?" Liv asked quietly. Rafa shook his head.
"No" Rafa assured her. "If you're happy for me to, I can spend the weekend here, with you and Noah, and then we can go to the doctor's appointment on Monday morning" he suggested gently. Liv lowered her eyes from his and nodded. She felt his hand capture hers and she looked back up towards him. "I know this is difficult" he soothed. "But we don't have to talk about anything you don't want to talk about" he assured her. Liv felt a curious combination of relief and sadness at the notion. She swallowed hard and nodded in response.
"Thank you" Liv said softly, offering him a tired smile. Rafa nodded.
Although she was still feeling tired and a little light-headed, Liv realised she had slept better than she had in weeks. She did not feel the brain-fog or lethargy that she often had to battle in the mornings. Despite not feeling completely well, she did not want Rafa to worry about her, and she hated appearing vulnerable. A feeling which not only caused her to feel weak, but when it came to Rafa, profoundly guilty. Lying to him and then accepting his help made her feel both embarrassed and ashamed.
"We have some time before we have to pick up Noah" Liv advised. "Perhaps we could go and get some coffee and go for a walk through the park?" she suggested. "I think we could both do with some fresh air" she stated. Rafa nodded slowly in response.
"Sure" Rafa agreed. "Are you hungry?" he asked.
"Not even slightly" Liv responded immediately. "I ate enough take out for at least four people" she advised, internally acknowledging how bloated and heavy she felt. "But we can go for breakfast if you want."
"Coffee is my breakfast" Rafa responded, as he pushed the bedsheets aside and rose to his feet. Liv smiled.
"It used to be mine" Liv sighed. Rafa turned towards her with a sympathetic expression.
"Decaf is a criminally poor alternative" Rafa advised. "I'd argue the legality of even describing it as coffee."
"Thank you for rubbing salt into the wounds" Liv responded, wrapping her arms around her knees as she looked up at him. Rafa smiled.
"You can have coffee, right?" Rafa asked, frowning in confusion. Liv sighed.
"Probably" she agreed. "But I'll stick to herbal tea, for now" she advised. Rafa nodded.
"I'll give you some privacy to get dressed" he offered kindly, before walking out of her bedroom and closing the door behind him.
Thirty minutes later, Liv and Rafa had both showered and dressed, and were making their way out of Liv's apartment. The combination of her pregnancy and the heavy dinner she had consumed the night before made her feel heavy and bloated, and she was sure her belly seemed even bigger this morning than it had the day before. Wanting comfort over style, Liv put on the maternity leggings Amanda gave her, which she wore with a loose-fitting white cotton blouse, black ankle boots and a black leather jacket. Her feelings of self-consciousness dissipated the moment she had stepped into her living room, when Rafa had turned away from the couch and looked towards her. She felt his eyes drift from her face to her belly, then quickly back to her face. His pupils dilated and he swallowed thickly, quickly recovering himself and smiling at her as she led him towards the door.
Although she usually took the staircase, Liv opted for the elevator this morning, a choice she quickly began to regret as she descended. The combination of her dizziness and the heavy dinner from the night before made her feel slightly nauseous, and she closed her eyes and held onto the bar behind her. Despite her subtlety, Rafa noticed her unease almost immediately. She heard him say her name and was acutely aware of the feeling of his hand on her upper arm, but she kept her eyes closed and focused on her breathing, as she tried to suppress her rising feeling of nausea. But as the elevator doors opened on the ground floor she realised it was too late.
Liv hurried quickly out of the elevator, across the corridor and out onto the street. She made a sharp right turn into the alleyway next to her building, stopping as she reached an open silver garbage can. She placed her hand on the red brick wall and was violently sick, her body trembling with exertion as it purged her stomach of its entire contents.
Rafa, who had been following Liv close behind, reached her just as she began to throw up. He placed his hand gently on her lower back and instinctively drew her hair back from her face. He remained silent for thirty seconds whilst she vomited, watching her with concern and guilt as she recovered.
Liv sighed deeply and stood up right, feeling a little light-headed and using the wall to steady herself. Rafa handed her a handkerchief and she thanked him, placing it over her mouth as she recovered her breathing.
"Sorry" Liv said quietly, and she held onto the handkerchief tightly. Rafa shook his head and stroked her back.
"You have nothing to apologise for" Rafa assured her, offering her a gentle smile. "Next time we'll take the stairs, okay?" he added lightly. Liv laughed in response and turned on the spot, as she walked with Rafa out of the alleyway. She felt his hand drift from her lower back to her right hip, and she leaned into him instinctively as they walked.
Liv and Rafa walked for ten minutes before they reached the park, with Rafa buying Liv a bottle of water and a cup of peppermint tea, and himself a black coffee, from a nearby stall. Liv sipped the water slowly as they walked together through the park. It was a beautiful autumn morning, with bright skies and warm sun, the sound of children laughing and playing creating a calming atmosphere. The air smelt delightfully of freshly mowed grass and azaleas, and Liv was relieved to find her nausea abating. But after twenty minutes she found herself feeling a little light-headed, and her treacherous body was now demanding she ate, despite having only recently ridding her of her dinner.
"Would you mind if we sat down for a minute?" Liv asked, as she spotted a free bench a few yards away.
"Of course" Rafa responded immediately, as he followed Liv to the bench and sat down beside her. "You okay?"
"I'm fine" Liv responded instinctively, as she took a few more sips of water. Rafa watched her closely, observing her pallor. She was even paler than before. "If you want to head home, I can always pick up Noah" he offered kindly. Liv lowered her water and looked up at him.
"It's just nausea, it's normal" she soothed. "Rafa, I'm fine."
"You're not fine, Liv" he countered, his voice calm and his tone careful. Liv closed her eyes and exhaled deeply, as she stared ahead at the grassy space ahead of her where children were playing. Rafa sat patiently beside her, his concern palpable. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked. Liv was struck by the worry and guilt which was present in his tone, and she saw it in his expression when she turned towards him.
"You already are" Liv said gently, placing her hand on his thigh as she spoke. Rafa held her gaze and watched her as she spoke. "I'm just nauseous and light-headed, it's normal. I'm fine" she stated. "I'm taking the medication for the anaemia, I'm following my doctor's orders, and I will be okay" she continued. "It's not something you need to worry about" she soothed.
"How could I possibly not be worried about you?" Rafa asked quietly, his voice warm and gentle. Liv's shoulders fell and she took his hand in hers.
"Because I promise you, I'm fine" she assured him, smiling softly as she spoke. "I'd tell you if I wasn't" she added.
"Would you?" Rafa asked, sadness present in his voice. Liv felt a pang of guilt and swallowed hard before nodding.
"I promise" she replied. Rafa held her gaze for a moment before nodding, and then squeezing her hand in response.
"Okay" Rafa conceded, as he and Liv sat on the bench together side-by-side, sipping their drinks and observing the calming atmosphere, which they each desperately hoped would rub off on the other.
After their brief excursion in the park Liv did find herself feeling stronger and more invigorated. However, she reluctantly agreed to Rafa driving them to pick up Noah, despite insisting she was perfectly capable of doing so.
Liv and Rafa arrived slightly early, and waited together in the car, before following the other parents towards the go-karts shortly before midday.
After saying goodbye to some of his friends, Noah looked up at his mother and smiled, and his grin widened when he saw who was with her.
"Uncle Rafa!" Noah yelled, as he ran towards him and his mother. Rafa smiled immediately at the young boy's delight.
"Hi, Noah" Rafa smiled, as Noah stopped before him, looking from him to his mother, who he stepped towards and hugged warmly.
"Hi, sweetie" Liv said warmly as she returned the embrace, carrying his backpack and stroking his hair. "Did you have a nice time?"
"Yeah, it was so much fun" he responded. Liv nodded. "Charlie drank so much soda he was sick through his nose" he added, raising his eyebrows as he spoke.
"Lovely" Rafa replied dryly.
"It was so cool" Noah added.
"I'm sure it was" Liv said quietly, as she led Rafa and Noah towards the car. "Are you hungry?" she asked.
"Starving" Noah replied. Liv suppressed a smile.
"Would you like to out for lunch?" she asked.
"Can Uncle Rafa come too?" Noah asked hopefully, reaching up and taking Rafa's hand as he spoke. A small smile tugged at the corner of Rafa's mouth, and he squeezed Noah's hand as they headed towards Liv's car.
"Of course" Liv said gently, turning towards Noah as they reached the car. "Noah, Uncle Rafa is going to stay with us this weekend" she smiled. Noah's eyes widened and he beamed, before looking up at his uncle with delight.
"For the whole weekend? Really?" he asked. Rafa nodded.
"Really" he replied. "Is that okay with you?"
"Yes!" Noah replied immediately, his face lighting up. "Can we watch Harry Potter like you said-"
"Of course we can" Rafa responded, glad that Noah was requesting a home-based activity, which meant Liv could rest.
"After lunch, though, right?" Noah asked.
"After lunch" Rafa confirmed, as Liv opened the back door and Noah got into the car. He watched as Rafa got into the driver's seat.
"Hey mum, why is uncle Rafa driving your car?" Noah asked, confusion present in his voice.
"So I can sit in the back with you and you can tell us all about your sleepover" Liv advised, as she eased herself into the back seat with Noah. "So how much soda did your friend Charlie drink?"
As Rafa drove the fifteen minute back to Noah's chosen restaurant (a pizzeria in lower Manhattan), he found himself focusing on how engaged she was with Noah, and how focused she was upon him. He knew she was feeling unwell, nauseous and light-headed, but she was forcing all of that aside and talking and laughing with him in the back. An hour before she had been vomiting in the back of an alley, her body trembling with exertion, her eyes glassy. And now she was laughing brightly with her son in the backseat. Whilst he admired her for it, he also felt a strong wave of concern and sadness. For the past six weeks she had had to adopt the same facade at work and at home, no wonder she was exhausted. The fact that she let her guard down with him and acknowledged that she was not well was clearly significant, and he was both touched and relieved that she accepted it and confided in him.
After parking down the street from the restaurant, Rafa opened the back door for Liv and Noah, placing his hand on Liv's arm as she stepped out of the vehicle. Noah's glance drifted from Rafa's hand to his mother, and he took her hand, holding it tightly as they walked along the sidewalk.
"Are you okay, mama?" Noah asked, prompting Liv smile to falter. She recovered quickly and looked down at him. He hadn't called her 'mama' in years.
"Of course I am, sweetie" she assured him, as they headed towards the restaurant. "Why do you ask?" she asked curiously. Noah watched her closely for a moment.
"No reason" he shrugged, before resting his head against her arm and remaining close to her as they headed towards the restaurant.
Despite starting the day feeling nauseous, after throwing up earlier in the day Liv found herself feeling dizzy with hunger. Noah ordered a pepperoni pizza and cheesy garlic bread, and she and Rafa shared a large four-cheese stuffed crust pizza. They also ordered sides of olives and a selection of breads, and Rafa watched with amusement as Liv ate the majority of the olives before the main course arrived. They were salty and delicious and she couldn't help herself. Liv was mid-conversation with Noah when Rafa politely called out to a passing waitress and requested more olives. Liv was half-way through the second bowl before she realised they'd been replaced, and she looked up at Rafa with a look between confusion and embarrassment which he found incredibly endearing. He smiled at her and watched as she removed her fingers from the bowl and swallowed the olive in her mouth. He raised an eyebrow in amusement and Liv smiled.
Liv, Rafa and Noah spent the next hour in the restaurant, talking and laughing and enjoying the delicious food. Noah was in his element, excitedly recounting details of his sleepover and go-karting. Rafa was relieved to find Liv visibly brightening, the combination of her son's company and her returning appetite doing her wonders. Although she was still paler than usual, colour was returning to her cheeks, and she had eaten almost half of the pizza and a generous amount of sides. She was sipping ice water throughout their lunch, and laughing with him and Noah. It was the happiest and most relaxed he had seen her in some time.
As Rafa watched Noah put his hand on Liv's forearm to get her intention, his wide eyes gazing up at her as he spoke with a smile, he found himself struck by how much he was enjoying this experience. Not simply having lunch with Liv and Noah, but being part of their world for even the briefest of times. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he missed the change in conversation from Noah's sleepover to an upcoming school trip to the American Museum of Natural History. He listened attentively as Noah spoke with enthusiasm about some of the exhibits, especially those involving animals. He watched as a look of realisation formed on Noah's face, his eyes widening slightly as he looked up at his mother with a hopeful expression.
"Mum, can we please go to the Bronx zoo tomorrow?" Noah asked. "To see the animals?" he added.
Liv looked at Noah for a moment as she considered the question. Noah loved the Bronx Zoo, and they went there every few months.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea" Liv smiled. Noah beamed and looked up at Rafa.
"You're coming too, aren't you, Uncle Rafa?" Noah asked keenly. Rafa smiled softly and nodded.
"Sure" Rafa responded, looking from Noah to Liv, who met his gaze with a reassuring expression.
"We'll have a nice, relaxing day at home today, and then go on an adventure tomorrow" Liv advised, speaking to both Noah and Rafa.
"Yes!" Noah said excitedly, as he continued to eat his pepperoni pizza. Rafa noticed that Liv turned away from the pizza and continued to take small sips of ice water. Thankfully Noah was almost done.
After Rafa paid the bill (against Liv's protests), they walked out of the restaurant and headed back towards the car. Liv was feeling sated and sleepy, and was privately grateful she wasn't driving. Noah was walking between her and Rafa, and she was so distracted by her tiredness that she was taken completely off-guard by a question her son asked Rafa.
"Uncle Rafa, where will you sleep?" Noah asked, confusion present in his tone. Liv and Rafa looked towards him, the change in conversation causing them both to falter. "At our apartment. Where will you sleep?" Noah continued, mistaking the adults' lack of response with confusion. "You can sleep in my room with me if you like. We can make a den" he suggested. Rafa smiled softly.
"That's very kind Noah, thank you, but I'm going to sleep on the couch" he said casually, as he unlocked the car and opened the door for Noah.
"Why?" Noah asked, frowning in confusion as he headed towards his seat.
"So I can hear if you try and sneak into the kitchen to get snacks in the middle of the night" Rafa responded lightly. Noah's shoulders slumped and he looked from Rafa to his mother.
"I only did that one time" he protested, pouting adorably at the insinuation he would repeat his offence.
"And I'm going to make sure you remain a one-time offender" Rafa teased, his tone causing Noah to smile.
"Okay, Uncle Rafa" Noah smiled, before getting into his seat and strapping himself in. Rafa closed the door behind him and looked up at Liv, who was watching him with amusement.
Liv sat in the passenger seat next to Rafa and put on her seatbelt. Noah was talking excitedly in the back seat about all the movies he wanted to watch that afternoon, and Liv and Rafa joined in with equal enthusiasm. During the conversation, Rafa noticed that Liv was starting to fall asleep, but she was fighting it, even opening the window and letting in cool air in an attempt to stay awake. When he pulled up in her apartment building's parking lot she stifled a yawn, before letting herself out of her car and opening Noah's door. He took her hand immediately, and Rafa picked up his bag, carrying it towards the staircase.
"Can't we take the elevator?" Noah protested.
"How about you race me to the apartment?" Rafa suggested. Liv smirked in amusement.
"I can't, I ate too much pizza" Noah protested weakly.
"Well, if you're scared you'll lose..."
"No, I'm not!" Noah countered. Rafa turned towards Noah.
"After three?" he suggested. Noah held his gaze with a confident expression and nodded. "One. Two..."
"Three!" Noah yelled, letting go of Liv's hand and racing up the stairs. Liv laughed as she watched Rafa chase after Noah, who he was declaring a "cheat".
Liv walked up the staircase at a leisurely pace, holding onto the bannister as she did so. She removed her keys from her bag as she reached her floor and calmly headed towards her front door, where she found Noah and Rafa leaning against the walls, both out of breath.
"I won, mum!" Noah declared proudly.
"You cheated" Rafa teased.
"Did not!" Noah countered, before turning to his mother. "I said 'three'" he reasoned.
"He did say three, Rafa" Liv responded, as she unlocked the front door and handed Noah his bag. She watched as he raced inside.
"Yes, your honour" Rafa responded dryly. Liv chuckled as she followed Noah into the apartment.
"Noah, why don't you change into your pjs for our movie day?" Liv called.
"I need to get the snacks first!" Noah explained, his head appearing over the island in the kitchen as he began to ransack the cupboards. Liv sighed lightly.
"I thought you ate too much pizza?" Rafa said sceptically shrugging off his jacket and placing it over the back of the nearest chair.
"I worked up an appetite when I beat you" Noah said lightly, smirking with satisfaction as he headed into his room in a fit of giggles. Rafa rose his eyebrows in amusement and turned towards Liv with a smile. She held up her hands in faux-defeat as she headed into the kitchen, where she began to collect the snacks her son had abandoned and carry them into the living room.
"What can I do?" Rafa asked politely, as Liv began to lay out the snacks on the table.
"There's some soda in the fridge, could you please bring that out here, with some glasses?" Liv asked.
"Sure" Rafa returned, as he removed two bottles of sofa from the fridge and three glasses from the cupboards.
After placing them on the living room table he returned to the living room and opened the fridge once more, removing a lemon slicing it on a chopping board. He then filled a glass jug with cold water and ice from the dispenser, and added the lemon. He was carrying it into the living room when Liv re-entered the kitchen, her eyes drifting from his face to the jug. Her expression softened and she looked up at him.
"Thank you" she said gratefully, as she headed into the kitchen and opened the fridge door. Noah had some chocolate in there that she knew he would want.
As she did so, her cheeky son appeared beside her, wearing a set of dark-blue space-themed pjs.
"You had Chinese take out without me?" Noah asked, sounding genuinely offended.
"We did" Liv responded. "But look at all the leftovers we saved for you" she advised, gesturing to the containers which took up the entire second shelf of the fridge.
"Can we have it for dinner?" Noah asked hopefully.
"Of course, my love" Liv smiled, as she handed her son his chocolate bar and watched him hurry into the living room. He sat down in his favourite spot on the left of the couch, and then tapped the space next to him.
"Can you sit with me, Uncle Rafa?" he asked, looking up at Rafa, who was turning on the TV and setting up the movie. Liv saw the smile which crept on Rafa's face and she smiled in response, before heading towards the closet.
"Sure" Rafa replied warmly, sitting beside Noah and turning back towards the TV. "You wanted to watch the first Harry Potter film, right?"
"Right" Noah confirmed, nodding as he spoke.
As Rafa found the film and clicked on it, he turned to look for Liv, and found her heading towards them with arms laden with blankets. She handed them out and then walked towards her windows, closing the blinds before joining them on the couch.
"I love movie days" Noah confided. "And snacks."
"Me too" Rafa responded. Noah looked up at him with a smile, placing his hand on his arm as he did so.
"I'm glad you're staying over, Uncle Rafa" he smiled. "Do you like Star Wars?" he asked, as Liv sat down next to Rafa, drawing her legs onto the couch and pulling the blanket up over her.
"I do" he responded. "Perhaps we can watch that next, if it's okay with your mum?" he added, turning towards Liv, who was stifling a yawn.
"Fine by me" Liv responded, smiling sleepily at Rafa as he played the Harry Potter film.
Liv leaned back against the couch and tried to focus on the movie, which was a firm favourite of Noah's. However, thirty minutes in, the combination of her large lunch and the darkness in the room caused her tiredness to increase tenfold, and she was fighting to keep her eyes open. She closed her eyes for what she told herself would just be a few moments, until she felt her head falling against Rafa's shoulder, prompting her to startle from her sleep and sit up quickly.
"Sorry" she said quietly, as she sat up once more and blinked herself awake.
"You're fine" Rafa whispered, his voice warm and soothing.
Before Liv could respond, she felt Rafa's hand drift across her lower back, before resting on her right hip and encouraging her towards him. She was so tired she needed no encouragement at all, and she slowly leaned into him, resting the side of her head on his chest as he held her close, his arm hidden beneath her blanket. She closed her eyes and found herself flooded with his scent, the familiarity and comfort of it breaking what was left of her resolve, and causing her to fall asleep almost immediately.
Rafa and Noah continued to watch the film together, and it was ten minutes before Noah realised his mother was asleep. He took a handful of potato chips and ate a couple hesitantly, before looking up at Rafa with his big, brown eyes.
"Uncle Rafa" Noah asked slowly, his tone prompting Rafa to turn towards him immediately. "Is my mum sick?" he asked, worry present in his tone and on his expression. Rafa's eyes narrowed in confusion.
"No, Noah, she's not sick" Rafa responded cautiously. "Why would you think that?" he asked gently. Noah hesitated before responding.
"She's tired all the time" Noah confided. "She always falls asleep on the couch, she never used to before" he added worriedly. "And I heard her throwing up in the bathroom a few days ago" he explained. "Is my mum okay?" he asked worriedly.
"Your mum is fine, Noah." Rafa assured him. "She's just very tired, and she needs to rest" he explained. "But she is not sick. She just needs to rest, and then she'll be okay. I promise" he continued. Noah watched Rafa for a moment before relaxing visibly and nodded.
"Okay, Uncle Rafa" he replied, before turning back towards the screen and continuing to eat his potato chips.
Rafa watched the film for a few minutes more, his attentions drifting between the screen and Noah. He then looked down at Liv, who was sleeping soundly, her breath warm and rhythmic against his chest. As she shifted against him his fingers grazed the side of her rounded belly, and the corner of his mouth turned up into a smile, his fingers splaying across the material which covered her taut skin. As Rafa felt Liv's rounded belly against his palm, the firmness and warmth he felt causing his heart to race with fear and anticipation, as he held her in a protective embrace.