Nico Meets Ava

Nico Meets Ava
Serena

“Mr Romano, Mrs Romano,” the nurse said softly, her hands clasped in front of her. “I apologize for the wait. Dr Bates had to see an urgent patient. She will be free shortly. Could you please wait for a while longer?”

Her voice carried the careful politeness of someone who feared upsetting us. I could see it in the way she avoided eye contact for a moment, as though she expected impatience or anger. People often did when they spoke to Nico.

“It is not a problem,” I said gently. “Where is the waiting room?”

The nurse let out a breath she had clearly been holding. “This way, ma’am.”

As we followed her, my steps felt unsure. This was the first time I had stepped out of the estate in weeks, and even though we had come straight here in the car with security surrounding us, the fear refused to loosen its grip. It clung to my ribs, tightened around my chest, and made every sound feel louder than it should have been. I kept looking around, half expecting something to go wrong simply because we had dared to leave home.

Then I felt Nico’s hand tighten around mine.

It grounded me more than any reassurance ever could.

The door to the waiting room opened, and we stepped inside. It was quiet, filled with the low hum of machines and the distant footsteps of hospital staff. A young child sat near the corner, small legs dangling from a chair far too big for her. She was deeply focused on coloring, her tongue peeking out in concentration, while a nurse stood nearby pretending not to watch her too closely.

When we sat down, the child looked up.

Our eyes met, and recognition hit me instantly.

“Ava,” I breathed before I could stop myself.

She blinked at me once, then twice, as if making sure her eyes were not playing tricks on her. Then her face lit up.

“Miss Serena,” she exclaimed, hopping off her chair and rushing toward us with startling confidence.

“Hi, Ava,” I said with a wide smile, my nervousness easing just a little.

She waved enthusiastically at Nico, then tilted her head, studying him like a puzzle she had not yet decided how to solve.

“What do I call him?” she asked me seriously.

I glanced at Nico, who looked completely unprepared for this situation. His expression was cautious, as if he feared making a wrong move.

“Try Uncle Nico,” I said casually.

Her face brightened. “Okay.”

She turned to him, grinning so hard her cheeks puffed up. “Hi, Uncle Nico.”

I felt Nico’s hand tremble in mine. Just slightly, but enough for me to notice.

Ava decided immediately that she belonged between us and climbed onto the seat without asking permission. She began talking nonstop, words spilling out of her mouth as though silence offended her deeply. Nico had no choice but to respond, though it was clear he had never dealt with a child like her before.

“Why do we color the sun orange or yellow?” she asked him seriously. “I never saw the sun like that.”

Nico thought for a moment. “It is orange in the morning and evening,” he said carefully. “That is why people draw it that way.”

She frowned, unimpressed. “What about daytime sun? It is whitish gold. Why is there no color like that in the box?”

He looked at the crayons, then back at her. “You are right,” he admitted patiently.

I watched them quietly, something warm and unexpected blooming in my chest. It took the doctor forty five minutes to be free, and in that time, Nico never once checked his phone or looked impatient. He listened to Ava as though she mattered, as though every thought she shared deserved space.

A thought crept into my mind, soft and undeniable. If we had a daughter, Nico would be an incredibly patient father.

“Uncle Nico,” Ava said suddenly.

“Yes?” he replied.

“Did you like me?”

“I did,” Nico answered honestly, still coloring beside her.

“I liked you too,” she said with a nod. “Honestly, you are not as bad as I thought you would be. You are even better than my weird parents.”

I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

“My parents are very weird,” Ava continued solemnly. “They fight over peanut butter. Can you believe that? And today, mommy scolded daddy for putting a baby brother inside her tummy. I mean, I liked being an only child. Now I have to deal with mommy, daddy, and a baby brother. I will get tired, Uncle Nico.”

“Why do they fight?” Nico asked gently.

“They are childish,” Ava said firmly, as though she were the adult in the situation.

I could not hold it in anymore and laughed out loud. Nico and Ava both looked at me.

“Sorry,” I said between laughs. “Please continue.”