Maybe This Time

Chapter Three: Images

"Nes, can you bring me some juice?" Vera calls out from her spot on the couch. Her hand absently strokes her enlarged belly as she reads from one of the books Nestor had brought down to her. Max and Olivia had come over for breakfast so Max and Nestor could talk about a project they were working on together. The morning had been hectic and Vera already felt exhausted and a little sick.
"Here you go. Anything else?" Nestor asks after handing her a cup of orange juice.
"Oh, hun, I...Im not supposed to drink freshly squeezed fruit juice." she says, handing the drink back.
"Oh. I'm sorry." he says.
"It's fine. I can get water." Vera says, standing up.
"No. You're fine. Sit down. Read your book." Nestor says, trying to lead her back to the couch. She ignores him and walks to the kitchen.
"Nes. She is only two months pregnant." Olivia tells him from her seat behind the island.
"Yeah. It's not that difficult to move around yet." Vera says to him.
"I know. But that doesn't mean you need to move." Nestor tells her.
She breathes in deeply, closing her eyes to focus on pushing away her feeling of nausea.
"Nes, dude, come check this out." Max says, staring at the computer.
Vera fills her glass of water and takes a sip before setting it on the counter beside her. The kitchen seemed loud and crowded despite there being only four people. The voices seemed to resonate around Vera, making her head pound and her stomach churn. She turns around but knocks her water off of the counter in the process, the glass shattering around her.
"Sorry." she whispers, bending down to clean up the water with a towel.
"Babe, you okay?" Nestor's voice enters her ear, sounding distant and multiplied. She tries to nod but all she can think of is the food in her stomach rising in her throat.
"Nes she looks sick." Olivia tells him. Vera quickly stands up and covers her mouth while she rushes out of the kitchen.
"V!" Nestor shouts, running after her. She stops on the stairs, emptying her stomach onto the wood flooring of the third step.
"Hey, it's okay." Nestor whispers, rubbing her back and holding her hair back. Max and Olivia watch from behind them, neither knowing what to do.
"You okay?" he asks.
"I'm so sorry." she tells him, wiping her mouth.
"Do you want to lie down? Can you make it to the bedroom?" he asks.
"I'm fine. I'm okay." she tells him, pushing him away.
"Let me help you to the room." he says, grabbing her hand.
"Just go clean the glass before someone gets hurt. I'm okay." Vera says through teary eyes. She glances back at Max and Olivia who look worried.
"I'm sorry guys. I'm not feelin well." she says, forcing a smile.
"It's probably just morning sickness." she tells all three of them.
"A-Are you sure?" Nestor asks.
"Mhmm." she says, walking up stairs.
"I'm just gonna nap. I'm sorry." she says.
"Don't be sorry." Nestor says after she had already disappeared into the bedroom. He turns back to Olivia and Max.
"Uh...so I am going to clean the puke and then the glass and then we can talk."

After an hour of talking about directing, Max and Olivia left and Nestor rushed upstairs to check on Vera. He found her passed out on the bed, drool slipping from the side of her mouth. He smiled and walks to the bed, wiping her drool away before kissing her forehead.
He reaches out and pushes her shirt up to place his hands on her slightly distended belly. Vera smiles and rests her hands on top of his.
"You're up." he whispers. Her eyes open slowly and she shrugs to him.
"I'm sorry for...earlier. I didn't mean to-"
"You have nothing to be sorry about." he tells her.
"Just morning sickness." she tells him.
"Are you ready for the first ultrasound appointment today?" Nestor asks with excitement.
"Right. What time is it? Are we late?" she asks.
"We have a bit before we have to leave." he tells her.
She looks down at her small hands on top of his large ones which are still resting on her stomach.
"I'm getting big." she mumbles, looking down at her stomach.
"You're so beautiful." Nestor says, laying next to her to place a kiss on her stomach. He rests his cheek against her stomach while she runs her fingers through his hair.
"How are you feeling?" he asks, sitting up to look at her.
"I'm feeling better. It's just..." she trails off, her cheeks going pink.
"What?" Nestor asks.
"I just...lately I find myself very...how do I put this...erotically charged." she says.
"Is that fancy talk for saying you're turned on?" Nestor asks with a smirk.
"These stupid hormones-" she says, stopping when Nestor's lips crash against hers.
"I think I can help you with that problem." he mumbles against her lips, hovering over her.
"Mm, yes please." she whispers.