Maybe This Time

Chapter Two: New Arrivals

Vera and Nestor had only a few days together before Nestor had to fly to his job. They had been playing tag for months now, only getting to see each other for a few days at a time before one of them had to leave for work. It was hard on both of them though they put up a front for the other person.
"It just seemed so much easier when we were working on the same show. And I got to see you every day." Vera says sadly as they walk down the sidewalk into town.
"I know. But at least we have these last few days. And with Olivia and Freddie coming to visit tonight, it'll be fun." Nestor reminds her with a smile. He rubs the back of her hand with his thumb, effectively calming her distraught nerves.
"You know, I heard Max might be coming too." Vera says with excitement.
"Really? I only made up two beds." Nestor tells her.
"Well that's alright. We can just put sheets on the other when we get home."
They arrive at the grocery store and begin shopping for their guests. Nestor grabs a pack of coke cans for Freddie but Vera stops him.
"That boy does not need any more soda. I don't want him bouncing off the walls when he is here." she says, putting the coke back.
"We can get some wine. And maybe some juice boxes for him." she says with a smirk. Nestor chuckles and grabs the juice boxes as well as the wine.
"Is that everything?" Nestor asks.
"Yeah. I think so." Vera says, stepping onto the back of the cart. Nestor grabs the cart on either side of her and begins to push while she is on it, both of them smiling like young teenagers in love.
By the time their first guest arrived at their home, the house had been cleaned and the food was prepared. Nestor opens the door, revealing Freddie.
"Freddie!" Vera shouts, running across the room and pushing Nestor out of the way to pull the boy in for a hug.
"Mother." he says jokingly, hugging her back.
"Come in. Nes, take the bags." Vera says, pulling Freddie inside.
"Yes, dear." Nestor says with a smirk, grabbing Freddie's bags and taking them to his room.
By the time Nestor comes back downstairs, there are four more bags for Nestor to take that belong to Olivia and Max.
"Hey, Nestor!" Olivia says, hugging him. Max shakes his hand and pulls him in for a half hug.
"Good to see you all." Nestor says with a smile.
"Nes, hun, the bags please." Vera says with a sweet smile. Nestor didn't even care that she was bossing him around. Just as long as he got to see that smile, he would do anything for her.
"Of course, dear." he says, taking all four bags up at once.
"Thank you." she says, watching him walk back upstairs.
"Do you guys want some wine?" Vera asks, directing everyone into the kitchen.
"Sure." Olivia says.
"Sorry we didn't get any coke, Freddie." Nestor says, walking back into the kitchen.
"Your mother, here, wouldn't let me buy it." Nestor says before going up to Vera from behind and placing a kiss on her cheek.
"That's alright. I brought my own." Freddie says, having already put a twelve pack in the fridge.
"Freddie, you have an addiction." Max says jokingly.
"It's not like its bad for you. At least it isn't drugs." Freddie says, opening a can and taking a sip.
"No but for you, it is like drugs. You get so hyper." Vera says, handing out glasses of wine.
"You want a glass?" Nestor asks Vera, noticing she didn't pour herself a glass.
"Not right now, no." she says, handing him his glass. He looks at her with confusion, knowing that she often has a glass of wine during social gatherings.
"Alright." he says, pulling her to his side and kissing the top of her head.
"You two are so cute." Olivia says, grabbing Max's hand. Vera smiles and looks up at Nestor lovingly.
"Okay. So, uh, dinner will be ready soon. Why don't we just hang out at the table." Vera suggests.
"I'm just gonna run to the restroom." Olivia says.
"It's down the hall, third door on the right." Nestor tells her as they follow Vera into the dining room to sit at the table.
"So, Max, how is filming for your show? It seems like it's doing pretty well." Freddie says, already opening his second can of coke.
"Yeah it's great. I'm filming a lot, going to the gym-" Max says.
"I knew you got bigger." Vera says, reaching over to poke his bicep.
"I noticed big buckle hasn't gotten any bigger." Freddie says teasingly, poking Nestor's bicep.
"Alright, alright." Nestor says with a smile, pushing Freddie's hand away.
"What did I miss?" Olivia asks, sitting beside Max.
"Max is buff and Nestor isn't." Freddie says jokingly.
"I like your toned...skinny arms." Vera says to Nestor, grabbing his arm and hugging it. He laughs and kisses her forehead before turning back to the guests.
"Olivia, how are you? Any jobs lined up?" Nestor asks.
"Yeah, I have a few offers. There's one that I'm really looking into. I have to be in like really good shape for it though." Olivia says with a grimace, looking down at her skinny body.
"Well that shouldn't be a problem. I mean you're already skinny. They're just wanting you to be toned?" Vera asks, keeping her hand in Nestor's.
"Yeah."
"Alright. Well I mean, you have Max who could basically be your personal trainer." Freddie says with a shrug. A timer goes off in the kitchen and Vera stands up.
"I'll go get the food." she says, walking to the kitchen.
"I'm gonna run to the restroom." Nestor says, standing up.
"V, do you need help?" Olivia asks, standing up and walking into the kitchen.
"Yeah. If you could set out the plates and forks? Thank you, Liv." Vera says, taking the pan of pasta out of the oven and setting it on the table.
"This all homemade?" Max asks, staring at the pan with hunger.
"Would it be Vera's food if it wasn't homemade?" Freddie asks with a smile.
"It is all homemade." Vera says with a nod as she sets out napkins.
"Olivia, what're you thinking?" Nestor asks, walking back into the room.
"What?" Olivia asks with confusion as she finishes setting out plates.
"A baby? You should've been more careful. You have that job and-"
"A baby?" Max asks with surprise.
"Nes, what're you talking about?" Olivia asks.
"Don't try to lie, Liv. I found this in the trash." Nestor says, holding up the pregnancy test.
"Nestor-" Vera tries to interject.
"You can't get a job if you're pregnant. Liv, did you even think about the consequences?" Nestor asks.
"Nestor, honey, calm down." Vera says, walking to him.
"She doesn't understand, V. Someone has to tell her." Nestor says, getting worked up.
"You're pregnant?" Max asks Olivia.
"No." Olivia says.
"You can't lie!" Nestor tells her.
"I'm not lying!" she shouts back.
"Nes-" Vera says, placing her hands on his chest to try to calm him.
"You were in the bathroom, you took the test-"
"It's not me!" Olivia shouts again.
"Then who the hell is it?" Nestor asks.
"It's me!" Vera shouts, quieting everyone. Nestor looks at her with confusion.
"What?"
"It's...it's me." she says again, looking around the room at all of the shocked faces.
"I'm pregnant." she says again, looking back at Nestor. She shrugs, feeling the tears form in her eyes.
"Nes...I'm so sorry, I..." she trails off, feeling overwhelmed.
"How did this happen?" Nestor asks, unable to move.
"Well...I mean...that night after we went to that restaurant...we had a few drinks and I think-"
"Vera...I...I mean...I'm leaving in a few days." Nestor says with disbelief.
"Honey, I know. I just...I can quit my job and come with. I don't know. I just-" she stammers, rubbing her forehead.
"Come here." he says, laughing. She walks to him, letting him pull her to his chest.
"Why are you laughing?" she asks.
"I don't know. This is ridiculous." he laughs.
"I know. Are you mad?" she asks with fear.
"I don't know what I am." he laughs out, feeling a hundred different emotions at once. They pull away, Nestor smiling while Vera still feels overwhelmed.
"I mean, I'll raise it." she says.
"Oh, you'll raise it?" he asks with a laugh.
"Wait, so i'm not a father?" Max asks, catching their attention.
"No. I'm sorry Max. And I'm really sorry Olivia-"
"Oh thank God." Max says with relief.
"I mean...I...we just aren't ready." Max says to Olivia. She smiles and laughs.
"I know. We definitively aren't ready." she tells him.
"Well congratulations." Max tells them.
"You're not mad?" Vera asks Nestor again.
"I'm not mad. I'm freaked out. But I'm not mad." he tells her with a smile.
"I'm..Im real, real scared. But I'm happy." Vera tells him.
"Me too." he says, pulling her in for another hug.
"We're gonna have a baby." he says with excitement.
"I'm gonna be a big brother." Freddie says, still shocked.
"You're...you're not-" Nestor begins, pulling away from Vera.
"Yeah, you're gonna be a big brother." Vera says, kissing Freddie's head.
"So...should we eat?" Vera asks once all of the commotion calmed down.
"Yes. Definitely need food after that news." Nestor says, sitting beside Vera. He reaches over and strokes her stomach.
"We need to feed our little baby. So you get double helpings, alright?" Nestor asks, filling her plate.
"Nes, that's good. I can't eat that much." Vera says, scraping some off of her plate and back into the pan.
"I want our kid to be well fed." Nestor says as everyone else begins to fill their plates.
"And he or she will be. But we don't need to over eat because most of that will go right to my butt." Vera says with a smirk.
"All the more reason to eat more." Nestor says, earning a playful push from her.
"Shut up and eat." she tells him. He smiles, looking at her and then looking down at her still flat stomach. All he could picture was the day that their child came into this world and the thought made him smile even wider.
"What?" Vera asks, glancing at him.
"Nothing." he says, grabbing her hand.
"I just...I love you." he tells her. She smiles back widely before glancing around the table and replying to him.
"Okay. I love you too."