Ricardo breathes deeply. Holds Mariana close, rocking gently. Across from him, Alicia is mirroring his position with Clara, not really rocking but bouncing her knee. "It's going to be alright, right?" she asks after a moment, smoothing her hand through Andre's soft dark hair.
He wants to say simply, yes. Reassure her even a little, but he's never been a good liar. Especially to her. So he says something closer to his heart. "I hope so," he says quietly, pressing a kiss to Mariana's forehead when she stirs and fusses at the sound of his voice, his rocking slowing. "Sorry, mi hija," he whispers to her. "You're alright. Give papa a moment." He kisses her again, then resumes rocking, although he's tired. Although he's stayed up late editing things for 3LW.
Alicia watches them with warm, dark eyes. "It will be," she says after a moment. "It has to be."
He smiles wanly. It should be him trying to comfort her, but here she is, sounding more secure and confident than he has in a long, long time. "I trust your instincts," he informs her quietly and she smiles back at him, equally as tired, equally as worried, but clinging to anything she can find to make things survivable.
"I love you," she tells him.
"I love you too," he says. After everything else, it's his core truth. His love for her, for their children. Nothing will ever take that away from him, at least.