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One night, a few weeks after they had returned to Palawan, right before making love, Raquel asked Sergio if he really meant it when he said, that one day, he hoped to be the father of a thief. Because now that they were finally free and safe, she couldn’t get what he said to her in the bank out of her head.
The biggest smile appeared on his face as he nodded. “Of course, my love. Of course, I meant it. You know I love Paula like she’s my own, but a little one that’s half you and half me… I can’t imagine anything that would make me happier.”
Raquel threw herself in his arms and they decided right then and there to stop using birth control and let fate decide if another child was to join their family.
A few months later Raquel made him the happiest guy on earth when she told him that she was pregnant. Shortly after she told him, Sergio noticed a glow about her, she was even more beautiful than usual, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He felt so privileged to get to experience this with her, to feel and see the little life grow inside of her.
Somehow Sergio knew from the start that it was a girl. Whenever they talked about the baby, he kept referring to their baby as “she”. Raquel teased him about it, but she couldn’t deny that she had an inkling as well.
“What makes you so sure it’s a girl?” she asked him one night when they were lying in bed, his head resting carefully on her belly, listening, and feeling for any movement.
“I just do.” He looked up at her and grinned. “I think it’s my fate to be surrounded by beautiful girls.”
Raquel swatted him on the head playfully and laughed at his cheesy remark.
He placed a kiss on her belly and scooted up until he was face to face with her. “What’s so funny?” he asked and kissed the tip of her nose. “My wife is absolutely gorgeous, I have a beautiful daughter already and I just know that there’ll be another beautiful girl in my life very soon.”
Raquel blushed at his words and her heart swelled like it did every time he referred to Paula as his daughter.
She pulled him down to her and kissed him. They lost themselves in each other for several minutes. Raquel eventually pulled back a little to look into Sergio‘s eyes. “I love you so much, cariño. And I know you will be a wonderful father. You already are.”
***
The day came when Raquel went to the doctors to find out the sex of the baby. Sergio agreed to stay at home and take care of Paula because Mariví didn’t feel well that day. Since he couldn’t be there in person Raquel wanted to make the announcement special for him.
After Paula went to bed, Raquel and Sergio said down on the steps of their porch as they did so often. Her head rested on his shoulder; their hands clutched together in her lap.
„I have something for you.“ she said smiling and handed him a gift bag. Sergio pulled a tiny little T-shirt out of the bag. Printed on it in capital letters was the word “Ladrona”.
Sergio’s mouth fell open and the biggest smile appeared on his face. “It’s a girl” he whispered and launched forward to hug Raquel tight. She wanted to make a joke about how he was so surprised when he knew all along, but she was overcome with emotion herself and could only nod when he took her into his arms.
He framed her face with his hands and placed kisses all over her face until she squirmed with laughter. He held the little t-shirt out in front of them. “We’re having a girl. I can’t wait to meet her.” he whispered, and a tear escaped his eye.
Raquel leaned her forehead against his and closed her eyes as pictures of Sergio with their future daughter started to form in her mind. She couldn’t wait to see him with her, playing on the beach, teaching her things, reading bedtimes stories… He would spoil her rotten just like he did with Paula, but she didn’t mind one bit. „I can’t wait to meet her either, my love.“
***
Raquel had been so brave. He felt helpless, not able to do anything except hold her hand, dry the sweat off her forehead and whisper sweet reassurances in her ear. He was in awe of her strength.
When he finally heard his daughter’s first cry his world stopped.
While they checked her and wrapped her up, he kissed Raquel on the forehead, holding her close, stroking her hair. He whispered in her ear how proud he was of her and how amazing she was. The love he felt reflected back at him when she looked at him through teary eyes. Exhausted but happy.
The nurse laid the little bundle on Raquel’s chest and Sergio brushed her tiny cheek with his finger, feeling her incredibly soft skin for the first time.
“Hi beautiful” Raquel whispered, and they both just looked at their daughter in wonder. Raquel teared her gaze away from the baby for a moment to look up at Sergio and reached out a hand to stroke his cheek. “I love you” she said. Sergio leaned in closer, putting his arm around Raquel and their daughter. He placed a kiss on Raquel’s forehead.
“I love you too, mi amor. More than you’ll ever know.”
His gaze drifted down to the baby again stirring lightly in Raquel’s arms. “And I love you too, little one.”
“Do you want to hold her?” Raquel asked softly. He nodded and carefully lifted the tiny baby into his arms. Overwhelmed by the love he felt for the little girl he took in every little detail of her beautiful face. The dark hair that framed her face, the long dark lashes that rested peacefully on her rosy cheeks. She was perfect. Sergio took her little hand into his and gasped when she wrapped her tiny hand around his index finger.
Sergio sat down in the armchair next to Raquel’s bed. Raquel looked at them, smiling at the sight in front of her. Already she couldn’t get enough of watching Sergio with their daughter.
“So, who do you think she looks like?” she asked after a while.
Sergio let out a laugh. “Are you kidding me? She’s gorgeous, she’s all you!”
***
Later that day Raquel woke up after taking a nap and wanted to call out for Sergio when she heard him talking softly to their daughter. She didn’t want to disturb his moment, so she kept her eyes closed and listened carefully:
“I love you so much sweetheart. And I will always protect you. I can’t wait to see you grow up and teach you things and play with you. You and your mom and your sister are the most important things in the world to me and I will always keep you safe, I promise.”
Still oblivious to the fact that Raquel could hear him he sat down in the chair next to her bed again. He looked lovingly at his sleeping wife before turning his attention back to the little girl in his arms.
“You are a very lucky little girl, you know that? Because your mom… your mom is the strongest, kindest, and most incredible woman I know. She saved me you know. In every way possible. And she taught me so much. About life and about love and I know she will be your best friend when you grow up. Just like she’s mine. You might not know it yet, but you have the best mommy in the whole wide world.”
Raquel opened her eyes and reached out a hand to softly touch Sergio’s arm. She was lost for words, so touched by what he had said and smiled at him through teary eyes. She gestured for him to come closer and scooted over a little so Sergio could get into bed with her.
He lifted his arm so Raquel could lay her head in the hollow of his shoulder. She inhaled deeply and snuggled closer, one hand reaching out to lay it carefully around her daughter who was sleeping comfortably in Sergio’s other arm.
Raquel reached up to cup Sergio’s cheek with her hand, stroking his beard. “You know” she said softly “she has the best dad in the world too.” He smiled at her gratefully and bent down to kiss her.
It didn’t take long for Raquel to drift off to sleep again. Sergio looked down at the two beautiful girls in his arms and couldn’t understand how he had gotten so lucky. This moment right here was everything he never knew he dreamed off. He placed a feather light kiss on his daughter’s soft hair and another kiss on Raquel’s forehead. He was tired as well, but he couldn’t bring himself to close his eyes just yet.