third pov
Screaming. Loud shrieking is all that Mattia heard.
The agonizing sound of pain made Mattia jump off of the living room couch, almost tripping over a pillow that had fallen, before sprinting upstairs, calling out for Alejandro to see if he would get any sort of answer. "Alejandro?!" He called, bursting through the bedroom door to see Alejandro, sweating and in tears.
"What happened? What happen-Alejandro, look at me-what happened?" Mattia asked, all flustered as he grabbed onto Ale's face. "What happened?" He asked again, seeing that Ale was gasping, trying to catch his breath.
"M-mom," Alejandro sobbed, grasping onto Mattia's hand and squeezing it tightly as his whole body shook. Mattia was confused. Had he been talking about his mom? Or...
"I-I saw my-my mom...she was crying, she-she got really-really upset-mom..." He whimpered, grabbing onto his chest, his face red.
"Oh, babe...I'm so sorry Ale...it's okay...it's okay," Mattia tried to soothe the younger boy beside him.
Alejandro nodded, his breath finally settling as he wrapped his arms around Mattia's shoulders. "Her-her b-birthday is tod-today," The pregnant boy stuttered.
Mattia's heart stopped hearing that, wanting to slap himself over, and over, and over again. For being the reason Ale felt this way. He was the reason Ale was crying, why he couldn't catch his breath. It was awful, he felt awful.
"Oh god...I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry Ale...I'm so-sorry...I love you, baby, I'm sorry...I would do anything to take it back. I'm so sorry. Y'know I am," Mattia sighed, kissing Ale's forehead over and over again.
Ale nodded, rubbing his stomach in pain as he leaned more into Mattia's touch. "Ye-yeah...It's fine...I'm just nervous to tell Nano...he's-he's gonna be really upset that we-that we can't spend her birthday with her, y'know." Alejandro half shrugged, letting go of his husband and scooting back a bit, with Mattia's hand still on his upper thigh. Mattia just nodded, feeling helpless as he watched Ale try his hardest not to cry.
He felt even worse seeing how sick Ale looked now, like he wanted to throw up. Well, he actually always looks like that now if Mattia was being honest.
"I know baby...I know, but how about we go downstairs and make some breakfast? I'm sure Nano would like that...maybe he won't even remember about your guys' mom. Let's go." Mattia gestured for them both to go downstairs, Ale nodding as he pushed himself off of his bed and stood up, stumbling a bit and grabbing onto Mattia for help.
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Alejandro mostly just squirmed around in his chair, unable to focus on what Mattia was talking about. And forcing himself to eat, "But it ended up just being for adults at the time so I didn't really care much...hey......are you sure you're okay?...can I do anything?" Mattia asked, plating more of the pancakes he had just finished making and leaving them on the table in front of Ale.
Ale wanted to say something but he knew it would make Mattia upset, he just shook his head, pushing away his plate. "Okay...let's just-" Mattia stopped when Nano came downstairs running, jumping up and down as he yelled about his mom's birthday.
Oh no.
"Mama's birthday! Ale! Ale! Ale!" Nano yelled, shaking Alejandro's arm.
"Yes baby, yes, it's Mami's birthday. I know," Ale nodded, glancing over at Mattia as his eyes started to water. "Let's go home to see Mami, c'mon. Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Nano shrieked.
"Baby...I told you Mami's on a vacation...so she's not home right now." Ale reminded his younger brother. Wanting to cry but sucking it up when he saw Nano's face start to make a frown. "Then...then can we call her?" He asked more quietly this time, feeling upset knowing that he couldn't see his mom for her own birthday. He wanted to celebrate.
"Maybe...because Mami is really busy...but this morning, she called to let me know that she misses you...she misses you so much...so-so how about, when I'm at work. You go and make her a card? Okay? Sound cool?" Ale asked, rubbing his little brother's back as he pouted.
"Okay...it sounds cool," He nodded, looking up at Mattia and tapping on Ale's shoulder, and motioning for him to come closer to him, before whispering something in his ear.
"Yes, of course, Mattia will help you. You just have to ask, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to." Ale smiled, glancing over at Mattia who nodded and opened his arms up, letting Nano jump into them and hug him tightly.
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"Are you sure you're gonna go to work? Do you really think that's a good idea? I thought you were gonna ask for leave last week." Mattia said, helping Alejandro get his jacket on. "Yeah, it's fine. I'm good, and I was gonna ask for leave but if I work just one more week. It'll be paid leave. Which is better in my opinion. And it's pajama day today so I'll be comfy, and if anything happens, you'll be the first person I call. I promise." Ale told him with a nod, slipping his white air-forces on.
"Okay, but, I mean it. If anything happens. You need to call me, don't even hesitate, I promise. I'll answer as soon as possible. Swear." Mattia told him.
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Here we ago, another whole class period spent with all of Alejandro's students touching his belly, and asking when they were gonna meet the baby. "Alright babies, c'mon let's actually do some work now. Okay?" Alejandro asked, smiling as he watched his students pat his stomach.
"Touch Mr. Rose's belly for two more minutes, pleaseee?" Dalili, one of his nicest students asked as she leaned her head on his lap. "Awe babycakes. I love you all but we've gotta do some work. How about we read a book, yeah?" He asked, looking at the tons of bookshelves he had of over thousands of books that he knew his students loved.
"The baby bear book!" Henry-this little brown-haired boy with a very toothy grin-shouted, clapping his hands as he referenced to this book Alejandro had recently bought about a mama bear and her baby cubs. "We always read the baby bear book, let's just read a different one for today. Yeah?" Ale suggested. "But we wanna read the baby bear! Please, Mr. Rose!" A little girl named Celeste giggled, jumping up and grabbing the small blue book on top of Ale's desk.
"Alright, alright...fine, but y'all better sit down and pay attention then, yeah?"
His students nodded, letting go of his belly and all of them gathering around in a circle as Ale laughed, aweing over how adorable they all were before he started reading.
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"So he's a prince charming?" Dalili asked, pulling at Alejandro's curly hair as the rest of the class colored on a worksheet. "I guess so sweetheart, yeah." Ale nodded, rubbing his stomach as he looked at the giggly girl. "And you're a princess!" She cheered.
Making Alejandro laugh, "Yes I am babe."
"Your hair is curly just like mine." Dalili noticed as Alejandro began typing on his computer. Sending an email to his other teachers on the same floor as him.
"It sure is, your's is much prettier though. Mine is all tangled," Ale giggled, running his hand through his hair. "That's cause my mommy brushes it every morning or she says it gets all knotty." She shrugged, scratching her soft dark skin and staring up at the ceiling while fumbling around with her pajama shirt.
"That's a good thing, sweetie."
It was now lunch, so all the kids were gone and Alejandro was sitting inside, rubbing his stomach as he went through his old photo albums on his phone.
Smiling as he came across the photos of his mom's last birthday, all of them together in front of her huge birthday cake. Nano was on her lap as he blew out the candles, obviously. Just because Nano gets everything he wants, and he loved being the center of attention.
We all looked so happy. Alejandro thought.
He had finally decided that he had been sitting for too long. Reaching over to grab his lunch to reheat it in the teacher's lounge.
"Hey Linda," Alejandro greeted one of his colleagues, smiling at the short blonde woman. "Hi, sweetheart, how ya doin'?" The southern woman asked, who was much, much older than Alejandro. "I'm good. Just gonna work until my water breaks." Alejandro replied, taking the cover off of his food and sliding it in the microwave.
"Awe sweetheart. Y'know I can just ask for paid maternity leave for you. You've been on your feet all day, how about I take your afternoon classes? And you head on home. Yeah?" Linda asked, taking a long sip of her smoothie. as she sat down at one of the small round tables. Alejandro's heart warmed at her kindness, and the fact that she was wearing these funny minion pajama pants.
"I know Lin, but it's just...I hate being home and I just start to feel lazy, and I don't wanna do that. I just need to work and work until this baby comes out." He replied to her with a smile.
"Okay honey, but if ya' need anything, just let me know. I'd be happy to help." She nodded.
The both of them continued to talk, asking about how each other's lives have been. Linda was ecstatic talking about how her youngest son had just welcomed a new baby, and how she was a grandmother of eight now.
And Alejandro thought all of her children were saints.
"I should get going, my kids are gonna start coming back in from recess soon," Alejandro told her, closing his lunch container and throwing his fork out.
"Alright sweetie, take it easy for the rest of the day," Linda told him, finishing up her smoothie.
Alejandro was just about to leave, before the sharpest pain he's ever felt hit him right in the back, nearly making him collapse.
Linda jumped up from her chair, running over and catching Alejandro as he doubled over.
"O-oh sweetie, is it time?" She asked, holding onto him tightly.
Ale had never given birth before, or even experienced the pain of it. But he knew this couldn't be it, "N-no, it's not...no I'm fine...I just-I just need to sit down..." Alejandro stuttered, reaching for the wall behind him. "It's not it, it's way too early...I'm fine, really, I'm okay." He nodded.
"Okay, y'know what sweetie. You are gonna go home. Get some rest, and you are taking maternity leave. You cannot keep working like this sweetie...I promise, I will not stop until you get a paid leave. Okay? Just get home and see your family, and let me know as soon as you have that beautiful baby." Linda smiled, making Alejandro nod nervously as he thanked Linda quietly.
She had helped him walk to his uber, thankfully because Alejandro knew he wouldn't have been able to do it himself. "Alright sweetheart, get home safe. Call as soon as you're home." She nodded, Alejandro doing the same as he clicked his seatbelt in. "Bye, thank you so much again." He smiled, in awful pain as he waved her off.
Thankfully, Linda was gonna take his afternoon classes so he wouldn't have to worry about anyone he didn't trust watching his kiddos.
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"I'm fine! Linda was just being dramatic. I didn't collapse or anything like that. Please don't make me go in there." Alejandro begged, all three of the boys sitting in the car outside of the ultrasound clinic.
"Ale, no. We're all going in and we're gonna see what the hell is going on. Maybe it's normal, but let's just be sure. And anyway, we already had an ultrasound appointment coming up, why not just make it a few days sooner. C'mon." Mattia told Ale, shutting the car door behind him before going over to Alejandro's side of the car.
"No! Put me down! Put me down, Mattia!" Alejandro kicked and yelled, thrashing around in Mattia's arms as the older boy carried him into the clinic, calling for someone, anyone, preferably a doctor to help him.
"Boys, what's going on?" Dr. O'Neal asked, coming out from her office and staring at Mattia with confusion. "Ale nearly fainted today. And I was wondering if you could see what was wrong, because that can't be normal."
Alejandro rolled his eyes, sighing in relief when Mattia put him down, Nano running after the two tall boys, as fast as his little legs could carry him. "What if something is wrong? Please, I'm sure it'll be quick. She's just gonna do an exam, can't be too long." Mattia practically begged, pulling Alejandro and Nano over to the doctor.
"Okay sweetheart. Let's go, here let me get you a wheelchair, it's a long walk." Dr. O'Neal said, opening up the small closet in the middle of the hallway and pulling out a folded wheelchair. Opening it and letting Alejandro sit down.
"I'm fine, he's overreacting, I didn't faint. And I feel better already, I just needed some sleep." Alejandro shrugged, tapping his foot on the wheelchair footrest. Looking around the hallway as Mattia held onto his hand.
"Alright, go ahead and lay down, and lift your sweater up please." Dr. O'Neal asked, washing her hands and drying them off. "Mattia, can we please just go?" Ale asked, Mattia lifting him out of the wheelchair and laying him down on the small examination table, Nano soon sitting down in the corner of the room, playing on Mattia's phone.
"Not until we figure out what's happening. C'mon, lift your shirt." Mattia motioned for Ale to go ahead.
Of course, he didn't want to, but he had to.
He slowly pulled his sweatshirt up, looking away and just staring at the blank ultrasound machine. He didn't wanna look at his disgusting stomach, it made him feel nauseous.
There was a long pause, what felt like years. Before Dr. O'Neal finally spoke, "Okay, let's go ahead. Heads up, cold." She said, spreading some of the freezing gel on Alejandro's huge stomach.
"Okay. Baby looks great, looks like they're sleeping at the moment. And baby is a perfect size, growing just right." She smiled, turning the screen towards the boys before pressing a button that made the brightness go up and they could all hear the heartbeat.
"That's really fast, what happened?" Nano questioned, staring up at the screen and holding onto Alejandro's hand. "Oh no sweetheart, that's normal. It's supposed to sound really fast but they are still perfectly healthy. And you guys still don't wanna know the gender, correct?" Dr. O'Neal questioned, smiling at Nano as he kept looking at the fully grown baby in amazement.
"Yeah not yet. The element of surprise is better than knowing now." Mattia said excitedly.
Sure, he really, really wanted to know the baby's gender, but he was gonna love them either way, so why figure it out now?
"Alright sweetheart, you're all finished. I'd say to just take it easy for the next few weeks until the baby gets here. The nearly fainting and pain could have been from Braxton Hicks, it's very common this close to labor. I promise, you're gonna be fine. If you're careful, then everything will go smoothly from here on out." Dr. O'Neal smiled, helping Alejandro sit up and wipe off his belly.
"Thank you," He struggled a bit to hop off of the table, but once he did, he made his way over to the height and weight scale. Not to mention that the fricking machine terrified him. Mostly because he knew he had gotten so fat these last few weeks.
He slid his shoes off, staring down at his feet, not wanting to see how much he had gained.
"Alright...great, and you're still the same height. Which is pretty short," She laughed, making Alejandro all embarrassed as he heard Mattia and Nano giggle to themselves. "You guys can go on home, have a great day alright? Call me if you need anything boys." She clapped her hands together softly.
Alejandro thanked her quietly, pulling his hoodie over his head before walking out of the door with Nano, turning around when he realized Mattia wasn't following behind them. "Oh, one second dear. I just need Mattia to sign these papers for the baby-and I would ask you to stay back but with the-well...you understand right?" Dr. O'Neal paused, referring to the fact that Alejandro really wasn't the baby's parent so there wasn't any point being involved with whatever papers Mattia needed to sign for the baby.
"Yeah...I'll wait out there, thank-Nano! Wait up!" Alejandro yelled, walking as fast as he could behind the running little boy who made his way to the children's playroom in the clinic.
Dr. O'Neal shut the door behind him. Taking a deep breath before glaring at Mattia. "Boy, do I've got a fight to pick with you." She rolled her eyes, her hands on her hips as she grabbed the clipboard, taking her pen out of her coat pocket and scribbling something on the paper. "What'd I do?" He asked, confused as he sat down in Alejandro's old place.
"He's lost eight-teen pounds, how the hell is that even possible Mattia?" She asked.
Mattia's eyes widened. Eight-teen? Eight-teen? Really? Eight-teen? It didn't look like it. Well...his stomach area looked a little smaller...and...well you could kinda see the outline of his ribs. But, that could have been normal. Maybe his body type is just different and that's why.
"I-I don't know...he eats a good amount...I don't know what else it could be-"
"Bed rest. And I mean immediately. You keep him off of his feet, he is taking a long amount of time off of work. Because this isn't okay. His normal weight at the moment should be one hundred and eighty-four pounds. And he's below that...You need to make sure he eats good amounts of food. Healthy foods at that. If he needs something, you need to get it for him, if he needs to use the bathroom or get up for an emergency, you are gonna have to help him. Carry him if anything because he is not that heavy right now." Dr. O'Neal stated in a very scary voice, maybe it's because of how serious she sounded.
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"I miss my legs," Alejandro whined, kicking his feet back and forth, not even as if he could see them because of his huge stomach covering them. "Your-what...you still have your feet, weirdo." Mattia laughed, closing his book up and leaving it on his bedside table.
"Yeah but like...seeing them in action...I won't be able to walk around or anything for a while. Probably another month, this fricking sucks." The pregnant boy groaned, leaning his head back on Mattia's chest. "Awe, sorry babe. It'll be okay though, this is for your own safety, okay? Remember that, and while you are incapable of walking, I will be your servant, getting you anything you need." Mattia smiled, rubbing under Ale's chin and kissing his forehead.
"Good, peasant." Alejandro giggled, messing around with the older boy's hair. Making him gasp dramatically, "It's cause I'm Hispanic isn't it?" Mattia asked jokingly, before laying his forehead in Alejandro's neck, making him laugh. "I'm Hispanic too! Dingus." He smiled.
"Well, I may be a dingus, but at least I can do this." Mattia laughed, standing up and starting to walk off to the bathroom. Ale groaned, throwing a pillow at him, "It must suck to be you!" Mattia yelled teasingly before closing the door behind him.
The night ended with both of them cuddling. Alejandro was all pouty and upset for not being able to get up and walk to the bathroom himself, instead, he had to have Mattia carry him. But he really did enjoy how much Mattia was caring for him.
He's gotta be honest, he loved the attention.
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BABY IS COMING BRO OMG