Oh To Wish For Normality
~
August 31st, 2019
Southampton, New York
Thirty-Five Weeks Pregnant

Vera's P.O.V.

12:09 pm.

       I adjusted my purse, making sure I had grabbed what I needed for my doctor's appointment. I walked towards Xavier's bedroom before I heard someone's laughter. As I was about to knock on the door, the door opened. My knuckles were close to meeting Ezio's chest.

I pulled away. "Sorry," I mumbled, feeling embarrassed. He stepped aside as he gave me a small assuring smile. I brushed my hair away from my face as I made my way to the side of Xavier's bed. Noticing Aleksander standing aside his bed, I offered him a side hug as I greeted him

"Hey, Vee." Xavier greeted me as I leaned down to kiss his cheek. "Where are you off to?" Xavier asked as Ezio neared where we were. "Doctor's appointment for this little one," I reply, rubbing my belly.

"Everything all right?" Aleksander asked as he crossed his arms. I noticed he shaved his stubble. I'm glad he is beginning to care for his hygiene again. You could tell he was beginning to tidy himself up.

I nodded lightly. "Yeah, kind of. This little guy is supposed to have his head face downward, but there are some complications with that." I explained, sighing.

"What type of complications?" Ezio asked immediately, startling me because I didn't notice he neared me. I gulp, pursing my lips for a moment.

Before I could reply, Aleksander explained to me. "Towards the end, the babies rotate, so their heads face down. The head is supposed to come out first, so it doesn't cause any suffocation during labor."

My eyes widened before I chuckled. "Why do you know a lot of things like this?" Ezio asked, crossing his muscled arms. I licked my lips, averting my eyes.

Aleksander shrugged. "I spent too much time with Eva." He said, mentioning their older sister. "She forced me to read about it. Kinda scarred now though."

I looked at the time, sighing that I had to leave now. "I have to go now. Just wanted to stop by to say I'm leaving. Call me if you need anything from outside." I say, hugging Xavier.

"I'm assuming you're going to stay for the day?" I asked as I looked up at Aleksander. He nodded before saying, "I'm going to spend another night since it's the weekend. Is that okay?" He asked.

"Oh yeah, definitely. You're always welcomed, Alek." I smiled.

"Do you have anyone to go with you?" Aleksander asked, his eyes flickering between me and Ezio. I froze as my eyes followed his. I slowly shook my head as I clenched my jaw.

"I don't," I muttered as Aleksander's smirk grew. There's the old Aleksander we knew and loved. "Big brother, you should tag along." He suggested which caught Ezio's attention.

His puppy eyes fell on mine, the greenery causing guilt to grow within me. I took a breath in as I tapped my foot against the marble floor.

I knew I was going to regret this, but I agreed as I nodded. "Fine. Let's go." I said, feeling a bit annoyed as I walked out the door.

I heard heavy footsteps behind me before the door closed shut. I glanced behind, seeing Ezio catching up to me. "Are you sure?" He asked a bit too ecstatically.

"Are you sure?" I questioned back, raising an eyebrow. "Of course, I am. Why wouldn't I be?" He asked back.

I scoff, giving him a judgmental look. "Do you really want to ask me that?" I grabbed my car keys from my purse before it was taken from my grasp. "What are you doing?" I exclaimed. "I'm going to be late, Ezio!" I tried to snatch back my keys, but he left out the front door.

I groaned as I followed him. "We're going to take my car." He offered, showing off his Lamborghini.

"We are not taking that," I muttered, finally snatching my keys back. "Why not?" He asked unbelievably. "Listen, I'm sorry, but you have to give me a chance—"

"—It's not about that." I interrupted, walking towards my Tesla with tinted windows. "I like my windows tinted and my car less flashy than a fast noisy convertible. This is a secret, remember?"

I unlocked my car before sitting in the driver's seat. "You have a lot to learn," I muttered underneath my breath.

"I heard that," Ezio replied sassily as he took a seat next to me. I rolled my eyes as I started my car. "You were supposed to."

~
August 31st, 2019
Manhattan, New York
Thirty-Fifth Week Pregnant

Third P.O.V

2:21 pm.

Vera hid within the curtains of her hair as Ezio's confidence was rising through the roof. The pregnant women were ogling at him with no shame, and he was appreciating the attention. Vera had to refrain herself from rolling her eyes. She was glad that the women weren't bold enough to confront the two.

She wasn't in the mood for any confrontation today.

Vera elbowed Ezio painfully before he let out a groan. "What was that for?" He muttered into her ear. This time, she didn't try to control herself. She scoffed then rolled her eyes, looking into his green eyes.

"What happened to being low-key?" Vera hissed with an attitude. "Do you want people to find out that this is your kid now?" She hastily grabbed a magazine, flipping through the pages without comprehending what was on them.

He smirked as his eyes were observing her mood swings. "I wouldn't mind."

She pursed her lips. "I wouldn't mind." She mockingly muttered under her breath. She flipped another page. This one caught her attention as her face was plastered across it. She quickly shut the magazine, anxious if any of the women had an idea of who she was.

"You're cute when you're angry," Ezio commented as he observed her.

"And you're annoying when you're. . ." Vera pauses, attempting to come up with an insult, but she was flustered with his presence. ". . .you!" She hissed. "Don't you have to heal over your last breakup? I don't feel like being your rebound." She muttered before her attention averted to her fiddled fingers over the magazine.

He leaned closer as his breath fanned the side of her face, arising goosebumps across her arms. She was thankful she wore a sweatshirt, not giving him a chance to gloat over the fact of her reaction towards him. "So you're saying there was a slim chance I could've gotten with you—"

She hit his shoulder. "—Just shut up. I don't need stress from you. I need peace and quiet and if you're not going to give me that then go to—"

"—V. Bernacelli?" The nurse called, catching Vera's attention and an abrupt stop to her sentence.

Vera faked a smile as she stood up, waving at the nurse. Ezio followed behind them like a lost child, but she couldn't care less.

It seemed like a routine since Vera was beginning to meet her doctor every week. She went into the ultrasound room, Dr. Archer checks how her son would be doing, then they would discuss over questions and concerns, and finish off by setting goals for the week, expecting new and improved results the next time the two meet.

Vera took a seat on the examination bed as Ezio stood mindlessly next to her. "Are you going to take a seat or. . .?" She questions, confused as to why he was acting out fo the ordinary.

He shook his head as his eyes were glued to a poster of the evolution of a fetus on the wall. "You're at thirty-five weeks, right?"

She nodded softly, following where his eyes landed. It was of an image of a baby that seemed to be close to the size of a full-grown infant. Vera smiled as she cupped her belly subconsciously.

A knock on the door disrupted their thoughts before Vera replied back for the person to walk in. Dr. Archer's smile greeted Vera before it disappeared as her eyes landed on Ezio's.

"And you are. . .?" Dr. Archer asked, offering her hand.

He took her hand, shaking it with a warm smile. The smile including his kindness irritated Vera. "Ezio Valentino. I'm the—."

"He's a friend." Vera automatically replied before he could finish his sentence. Dr. Archer nodded skeptically, her eyes flickering between the two. She threw a small smirk Vera's way which had her blush red.

"Well, you know the routine." Dr. Archer began, keeping her soft smirk. Vera felt comfortable with Dr. Archer as they became less professional and more friendly; it wasn't in an inappropriate way.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, starting up the ultrasound monitor while she checked Vera's heartbeat with a stethoscope.

Vera sighed. "I've been needing to use the bathroom more often and my swollen feet have gotten worse, but for what it's worth, I'm okay." She offered a small smile, but it wiped as she noticed Ezio's observing eyes. She felt her neck heat up from embarrassment she persuaded herself not to feel.

"You can lie down. And as per usual, that is normal. This is common to have swollen feet. Have you had any complications with heartburn in the past week?" She asked. "It's going to be cold." She added, holding up the cool gel.

Vera lied down as she lifted her sweatshirt above her belly. Ezio's eyes were glued to it as if he could see his son through it. She pursed her lips for a moment as she admired the father of her baby observing her, but she averted her eyes once he connected them.

"Nope. I'm sticking with the diet you suggested."

Dr. Archer nodded as she grasped one of the probes in her hand. "You would like a 3-D picture of your son, right?"

Vera nodded immediately. "You haven't taken a huge amount of stress either, right?" Dr. Archer asked, typing away as her eyes were glued to the monitor. Vera nodded, smiling. "I've been trying to keep it as easy this week."

Vera licked her lips as Ezio's eyes were solely concentrated at a pamphlet that had brief information about parenthood. She admired how incredible he would age as a father. He would look remarkable, but too bad she couldn't trust him.

"Okay, so here is—" Dr. Archer began, the monitor showing a clear an almost fully developed baby as she moved the probe across Vera's stomach.

Vera's eyes flickered between her baby's father who stood astounded. His eyes were glued to the screen, not capable to tear them away. "—your baby! Do you see that right there?" She asked, pointing towards the baby's small fist in front of his mouth.

"What is he doing?" Ezio asked, reading Vera's mind.

"He's sucking on his thumb! That's too cute. I'll get pictures for you." Dr. Archer explained which had Vera and Ezio adore their sight.

This was their creation. This is what these two human beings did once together making another. Vera couldn't believe Ezio was standing before her, at their baby's ultrasound together.

Then, a noise that was familiar with Vera, but Ezio filled through their ears. Ezio wondered what the sound was as it began to make him feel uncomfortable. Before he could ask, Dr. Archer beat him to it.

"This is the baby's heartbeat." She explained, glancing back at Ezio. She wasn't a mindless doctor. She figured out this wasn't another one of Vera's frien. She had eyes, and she could tell who he was from them.

"His heartbeat is beating faster than usual. He seems excited right about now."

This made a smile grew upon Ezio's lips. His son was always full of adrenaline when he was around. Vera thought the same as well as she admired Ezio while he was in his thoughts.

As Dr. Archer turned the probe around, showing the side of their son's facial features. Dr. Archer awed at the expression the baby made. "Look! He's smiling right now. Right here." She pointed near his lips which made the parent's grin widen.

"Is he facing downwards?" Vera asked, feeling anxious.

"He is rotating now. I'm sure by the next time we meet, he will be upside down. It will be difficult since there's not a lot of space for him to move, but as long as he has the adrenaline he has now, he'll be perfect." Dr. Archer explained.

Ezio's eyebrows furrowed as his muscles tensed. "What if he doesn't rotate?"

The doctor turned back briefly. "Then it's not safe for the baby to be delivered by natural birth. We would have to schedule a Cesarean Section." She explained.

"Caesar what?" Ezio mumbled to himself. "A C-section." Vera clarified. "Where they surgically remove the baby."

"Like a tumor?" He whispered in her ears. Her eyes widened at his comparison before she sighed. "Yes." She muttered before he nodded in understanding.

A few moments later, Dr. Archer began to wrap the appointment up. She helped Vera remove the cool gel from across her belly. Vera needed assistance to sit up, but Dr. Archer had turned to grab her clipboard. Ezio offered his strong hands before she accepted hesitantly.

Her heart pounded, in rhythm with her son as Ezio was around. He made her feel inevitable, yet she knew she wasn't able to trust him for her to feel somewhat dependent.

Dr. Archer explained that the following week for Vera will be filled with obstacles.

"Since your baby will be settled, pressuring your pelvis, you will continue to urinate quite often." Dr. Archer began, her hand palming where Vera's pelvis was.

"There's going to be a lot of swelling and numbness around your hands and feet, which is common." She looked at Ezio. "I suggest helping her walk every morning and night to get the blood flow working."

Ezio nodded immediately as he showed he was more involved with the conversation.

"And here's a more important thing. Your baby could be ready for labor in the next week and following. For that, you may have false contractions that can seem like you will are ready, but it all depends on your cervix." Dr. Archer explained.

"Next week, I will be checking your cervix regularly to see if you are prepared for the vaginal birth. That is what you're doing right?" She asked.

Vera bit her lip and nodded, tugging the sleeves of her sweatshirt down.

"Also, I know you have your hospital bag ready, but here is a list of general items to take with you. Take it as a checklist if you will." Dr. Archer explained, unclipping her clipboard before snatching out a paper. Ezio's hand shot out, offering to accept the paper before Vera could get the chance to.

She couldn't understand why his mind was wondering about the items to take with her when he showed he didn't want to.

"I'll see you next week, then. Take care, you two!" Dr. Archer says, standing up with a smile, offering to shake her hands.

As they said their goodbyes, Vera and Ezio were left in the examination room.

"Can you give me a hand?" Vera asked hesitantly, raising her hand towards Ezio. He nodded as his hands clasped onto hers. She jumped off the examination bed, but her body was close to Ezio.

He didn't choose to step back, but only to cage her in to admire her big ocean blue eyes. Her eyes automatically shut as his palm grasped her jaw. She enjoyed his touch way more than she should have. Before he could utter a word, Vera's phone went off. She gasped softly as her attention was snatched back to reality.

Grasping her phone as his hand left her jaw, she saw the name displayed on her screen, Leone.

She pushed Ezio away gently as she answered her phone. Leone mentioned he would be leaving a couple of days after Sunday. He just wasn't sure what would be the exact date until now.

"Hey, Vera," Leone answered. He would call her one of his creative nicknames, but this time he didn't.

"Hey. What's up?" She asked, throwing her bag on her shoulder. "They said that I'll be leaving on the third of September." He answered.

Vera pursed her lips as she left the room with Ezio trailing behind her. She had not felt any emotion, therefore there was no reaction. She didn't feel hurt nor relieved.

"Oh." Was what she could reply with. Before he could react to her response, she added, "Can we meet before you leave? I'm sorry I've been acting the way I am." She explains, biting at her nails.

"Yeah, of course. See you soon."

Their conversations always ended up to be short since the night of Xavier's arrival. Neither of them was sure of how to handle their relationship, handle the hardships if there was.

Her eyes remained on her phone screen that showed the reflection of her face, sighing at herself.

"Vera?"

The father of her baby caught her attention, her eyes meeting his. She stepped into the elevator before he joined.

"Why are you ignoring me?" Ezio asked, grabbing for her elbow. She yanked herself away. "What do you want, Ezio?" She exclaimed.

"What do you mean?" His eyebrows furrowed, startled by her immediate actions.

"This! You're giving me mixed signals here. Why are you here now?"

She felt frustration pulse through her veins. She was confused with his games, and she didn't want to go through that type of torture again.

As he was about to open his mouth, before words spilled out, she interrupted once again, stepping into his personal space.

"Where are the papers, Ezio? The papers I dropped off that night." She asked, quietly with an attitude growing.

He clenched his jaw. "Gone." He muttered, his eyes shooting daggers her way.

Her eyebrows connected. "What the hell do you mean by gone?"

The elevator doors opened, and both of them stepped off, heading out of the hospital. She stormed off, needing personal space from Ezio again. She snatched her keys from inside her purse as she approached her car, completely forgetting she had a passenger to drive back home as well.

"I burned them," Ezio said as he caught up to her. He nearly gave her whiplash as she turned her head towards him. "Why would you do that? I gave you everything you wanted and now you change all of a sudden?" She shoved at his chest, her voice growing louder.

"I don't know." He mumbled, looking away shamefully.

She pursed her lips as her eyes filled with tears. She cursed at herself for her hormones causing her to be vulnerable, but she couldn't help it.

"Find your own way back, Ezio." She whispered as her voice cracked.

She unlocked her car, buckling herself up after shutting the door. She started her car, reversing it out from the parking spot, speeding away and leaving Ezio to drown himself in his own thoughts.

• • •

i am SO sorry oh my god

i know i wish supposed to update but i went to the beach with my family and i took the chance to take a break from my phone to focus on my mental health.

anyway, what do you think of this chapter? hope you enjoyed it guys!!

and ezio finally saw his precious baby today!! super cute omggg

remember that the black lives matter movement is still strong as ever, so please continue to sign petitions and spread awareness to get the equal justice we deserve. help the muslims in china and the immigrants being held in ICE camps. please save them.

love you guys and stay safe!

Don't forget to Vote, Comment, and Share!

- alli