For The Longest Time

Chapter Six: Moving Back Home

Lionel grinned as he pulled up outside of his home in the Castelldefels, he had asked his wife not to tell the children that he was coming home to stay; he knew how much it would mean to them.

Lionel glanced at the clock, he had put most of his things into his Audi Q7 before training so that he could come straight home; he knew that Peyton would still be at school until five and it gave him time to get settled and organise a party so that his team-mates could met Rosalie.

Lionel licked his lips as he unlocked the front door and stepped inside, he knew that his wife would be home since she hadn’t returned to work fully since she’d had Thiago, whom they had decided to enrol in pre-school when he turned three and that was a good couple of years away.

Lionel looked around wondering where Rosalie could be, he knew that she was home and he was a little curious about where she was; he licked his lips as he quiet stepped into the living room.

Lionel smiled as he spotted Thiago napping in his playpen, Lionel carefully moved to cover his son up with his small blanket that he had; the footballer watched him for a moment with a soft smile on his face.

“Leo? You’re home early,” Rosalie said stepping back into the living room, she blinked as she stared at him taken back that he was here; Lionel grinned as he turned to look at her, he swallowed as he looked at her, it had been so long since he had last seen her like this.

The couple stared at one another as they took in that they wouldn’t be separated like that again, the footballer walked towards his twelve week pregnant wife and smiled softly as he pulled her into his arms.

***

Rosalie glanced at Peyton in the rear-view mirror of her Audi Q6, she smiled softly knowing that the little girl had no idea what waited for her when they got home; the blonde was surprised that she hadn’t even noticed what was going on.

“I have a surprised for you when we get home,” Rosalie said keeping her attention on the road as she drove home, Peyton grinned at the mention of a surprise; she clapped her hands as she looked at her mother, she was just entering her second year of primary school and it was clear that she took after her mother.

“What is it mama? Is it a gift from papa?” Peyton asked as they slowly started to approach their home in the hills, it was their safe haven from the world that Lionel lived in and Rosalie had a feeling that it would come to an end.

“It is and I can’t tell you what it is, otherwise it wouldn’t be a surprise,” Rosalie said making Peyton pout at her mother words, the blonde smiled softly as they finally pulled into their home; the gates closing behind them as it shut out the world to the private haven.

Rosalie grinned climbing out of the car and moved to help Peyton out of her car seat, Rosalie stepped back as the front door opened and Lionel stepped out and grinned as Peyton stopped as she spotted him.

“Papa,” Peyton said as she hurried towards her father, she didn’t know what had made him come home early but she was happy that he had come home; she had missed him even if she knew why he was away all the time.

Rosalie smiled softly as she slowly walked towards her husband and daughter, she knew that they were going to have to talk to Peyton about the change that was coming in her life; they had already enrolled her in a primary school that was equipped for this and they hoped it would be enough.

“Is there something wrong Papa?” Peyton asked concerned, the last time Lionel had come home early was because he had been injured; she blinked as she looked at him while the argentine shook his head, he held her close as he looked over head at Rosalie.

“We have something to tell you,” Lionel said carrying his little girl into the house, Rosalie followed after them as she closed the front door behind her; she smiled at Thiago as she moved to collect the ten month old from his playpen so that he didn’t feel left out.

Peyton looked between her parents as she tried to figure out what was going on, she knew that it had to be serious if her father had come back from the city centre; she wondered if it was something bad.

“Your madre and I have been talking and we have decided it is time to be a normal family, this means no more secrets,” Lionel said preparing to break the news to his daughter, she looked at him confused as Rosalie cleared her throat.

“It means Peyton… that you won’t be just Peyton Claudia Maradona anymore, you’ll be Peyton Claudia Messi Maradona again,” Rosalie said as she tried to explain what was going on, she knew that this would be difficult for her daughter to understand and she hoped that Peyton would.

Peyton furrowed her brow, she looked at her parents wondering what was going on; she had been taught when she first started school that she had to be a Maradona so that people wouldn’t know about her papa and now they were doing this.

“We don’t want to hide anymore Pey and I know that it will be a big change but we want you to understand that people will want to be your friend only because I am your papa,” Lionel said hating the idea of someone using his daughter to get close to him, he glanced at Rosalie knowing that neither of them liked the idea of that happening.

Peyton stared at her father as she nodded her head, she frowned softly at the idea of people only wanting to be her friend because of her papa; she looked at her mother wondering what would happen.

“Peyton, we want you to come to us if anything happens… it won’t be easy Pey and we have to stick together,” Rosalie said holding Thiago close to her, she was aware of how difficult this would be for their daughter and she hoped that nothing bad would happen.

Lionel swallowed as he moved to hug his little girl, he didn’t want to frighten her but he knew that once news broke that he had a family then the paparazzi would want pictures of his wife and children.

“It’ll be okay,” Lionel reassured her as he looked at her with a small smile, he would do anything for his children and by coming out of hiding it meant that he could be home more with them; he could do things that he had been missing out on since the children had been born.

“If we do this Pey then I get to come home again, it means that I get to spend more time with you, Thiago and your madre,” Lionel said cuddling his daughter close, he knew that this was what he wanted but he had to make sure that it didn’t interrupted his life with his family.

Rosalie smiled softly as she watched her daughter cuddle close to Lionel, the footballer closed his eyes as he held the little blonde girl close; he knew that this was only the beginning and he hoped that they were prepared for what came next.

Lionel opened his brown eyes and looked at his wife and son, he smiled softly knowing that he would do anything for any of them; he loved them all and he knew that the worst was yet to come especially when their families discovered their marriage.