Chapter 12

Safaree and Zuri sat at the mall and ate ice cream as Nicki and LJ walked around shopping. Zuri was upset that they were still in LA and school was starting. Why does Daddy's job have to be out here? I wanted to spend my summer at home not LA. She licked her ice cream with a scowl on her face. SB popped the last bit of cone into his mouth as he looked over at his daughter looking weird.

"Something up?"

"No, why?"

She forced as she sucked ice cream off her fingers that had melted down the side of the cone. He sat back and eyed her as she sat up in her chair looking back at him. I know she not going to sit here and lie to me. She forced a smile that turned into a real smile. It soon disappeared because his face didn't change.

"I want to go home."

"That's your problem?"

"Yes."

He dead faced her then stood up. He towered over her and picked her up out of her seat and began walking towards the shoe store. She giggled as she stuffed her ice cream in her mouth.

"We'll be home before school starts."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

They got quiet as he held his finger to his lips and began lightly walking behind Nic. He placed her down on the floor and watched her go around to LJ who sat on the bench looking up at shoes as Nic stood behind him. SB inhaled her scent as he wrapped his arms around her. She smirked leaning into him.

"How was you guys walk?"

"How you know it's me?"

"I can smell your cologne."

"It's that strong?"

He began to sniff his self as watched Zuri jump on to LJ's back. He flipped her over and pulled her up off the floor. She giggled loudly as he tickled her sides. They all stood in the shoe store shopping and laughing at random things.

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"Don't put that in your mouth!"

"I'm hungry Faree!"

"LJ don't let her get any of that fish!"

"Okay."

"Faree I'm hungry!"

"I said I'm taking you out."

"But that's later... I'm hungry now!"

He dead faced her and grabbed some bread from the pantry with the peanut butter. He placed them in front of her then watched her as he went to the fridge and grabbed the jelly. She smirked as she reached for a plate from the dish washer. He quickly turned, grabbed the jelly and walked over to the island.

"You forgot the syrup."

"Nic I'm not feeding your cravings..."

"Then I'm not eating it."

"Nic.... Just..."

She grabbed the syrup from her purse and handed it to him. He snatched it from her and poured some on top of the peanut butter bread then handed it back to her as she smiled happily over the sandwich.

"Mom that's nasty."

"Omaree likes it."

"He's nasty too."

She folded her arms across her chest as she became upset trying to sit in the stool at the island. She pouted as SB stared at her trying to get up there alone. LJ shook his head as she began to try getting up on the stool again. She put her foot on the bar of the stool and pulled up, but her stomach was in the way. SB walked around to help her, but she put her hand up.

"Don't help me now."

"I was making your sandwich."

"You could've stopped for five seconds and helped me on the stool you ass."

He closed his eyes then open them to look into her dark brown eyes. He grabbed her waist and picked her up placing her on the stool then turned to her sandwich and cut the crust off. She clapped happily as he handed her, her sandwich.

~~~~~~

Nicki screamed out in the middle of the restaurant as the liquid flowed down her legs. SB picked her up and rushed out of the place after dropping a hundred on the table. Nicki squeezed his hand as he pulled the door to the car open and placed her in the car. She screamed out again not letting his hand go as she did so. He looked over her distressed face and frowned.

"Nic, baby... Let go."

"No, Faree..."

"I got to get you to the hospital."

She sighed and let his hand go. He slammed the door closed and raced around the car. He got in and searched for her hospital bag and pulled it to the front and placed it in front of her feet. Thank God we packed more than one bag. He stared the car and pulled out without paying attention to other cars in the parking lot. Nicki breathed rapidly as she rubbed her tummy.

"Nicki.. Are..."

"Nigga, DOES IT LOOK LIKE IM OKAY?"

She shouted staring into the side of his face. Fucking idiot. Does it look like I'm okay? His big headed ass son trying to escape my pussy and he's asking if I'm okay? She furrowed her eyebrows still staring at him. He held his hand out for her, she placed her hand in it and breathed slowly as he gave it a squeeze. He pulled into the hospital parking lot and waited for her to let go of his hand.

"You want me to carry you or..."

"Faree do what you want so I can get Omaree out of here!"

He rushed around to her side and snatched the car door open.

"You don't have to be so rough!"

He sighed loudly and grabbed the bag putting the strap over his shoulder then bent down into the car and placed his arm under her legs then one on her back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his neck as the pain intensified between her legs. She placed one hand on her stomach and silently spoke to OJ.

~~~~~~

Nicki laid on the bed after twelve hours of child birth, sleeping. OJ was in the ER after coming out not breathing. SB sat looking over her stressed face. She had cried herself to sleep. Damn, what happen? He was doing fine these last few months. OJ was successfully delivered, but he wasn't breathing. They all waited for his cries, but there was nothing. The doctor hurriedly handed him off to the nurse and she wrapped him up then headed out the door with the five pound baby. Safaree looked towards the door and frowned deeper seeing LJ and Zuri walk in with his mom.

"What's going on? Where's OJ?"

"He's being taken care of."

"Is he okay? It's been six hours since he's been born... TT didn't have to wait to get Haley when she was born."

He just shook his head as Zuri rambled off like always instead of catching the drift to just shut up. He chuckled at that being how he used to be. His mom hushed her and gave her a stern look to shut her mouth. She caught it and sat down next to LJ at the end of the bed. He rubbed his mom's leg as he watched her heart monitor.

"Son what's going on? Any news?"

"Lets step outside, Miss Dramatic is in the room."

She chuckled at Zuri's eyes bucking then she began pouting. He laughed then walked out the room behind his mom. They walked down a few doors from the room, but close enough to watch the door. He sighed and licked his lips before speaking.

"She delivered him successfully, but he wasn't breathing when he came out. Like he was breathing the entire time until they cut the cord. I don't know."

"Did the doctors say anything? That's weird. I mean isn't he healthy?"

"That's what we were told in NY and Dr. Sham recommended Dr. James to us, so I don't think he did anything wrong."

"I hope everything is fine and my baby pulls through."

They both look towards the door as LJ stuck his head out and waved for them to come back in. They walked over in a hurry to see what was going on. Safaree smiled seeing Nicki staring back at him with a smirk on her face. She smiled bigger as his mother walked into the door. She stretched her arms out to her and engulfed her into a tight hug. She didn't let go of her until Nicki let go.

"How is my beautiful daughter?"

"Relieved, but worried."

"Don't worry ya pretty lil head, He will be fine."

"Hope so, after all the pain I just went through."

She side eyed Safaree. He shrugged a little then slummed into the chair. He was kind of upset with her for yelling at him while he was trying to help, but kept telling himself that it was just the pain and anger talking. She stared at him as his eyebrows furrowed deeply while looking out the window.

"What's wrong with your son?"

"I don't know, but you guys may need to talk and I know the kids are hungry so I'll take them to the cafe."

"Okay and Zuri can't have Peanuts."

"I know Onika."

She held the door open for the kids to walk out then shut it. Nicki cleared her throat to get his attention, but it didn't work. She spoke up and watch his head slowly turn to face her.

"Faree, what's wrong with you?"

"Did you mean any..."

She raised her hand up to him and shook her head. Why would he think I meant that? She patted the space on the other side of her and watched him walk around to climb in behind her. She put her back to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. He tightened his grip around her belly.

"I just wanted him out, no I didn't mean even of those things I said. If you had a big head coming out of your dick I wonder what you would say?"

"Did you really think about aborting him?"

"No...."

She said quietly thinking about Dr. Sham's words. "He may not even make it Ms. Maraj and we'll have to prescribe you some medicine and wait for him to die." She shook her head at the thought and grabbed his hand bringing it to her lips. She kissed his hand and sighed loudly.

"To be honest, Dr. Sham told me he wouldn't live and I thought about it the day we got into that argument in the car. I didn't want to bring him into the world with you stressing me out, but it wasn't his fault...."

"I'm sorry I even made you feel like that, to even think that, baby you know if you would of told me then I would of made more of an effort to get myself together."

"I wanted you to do it because you wanted to not cause we're having another baby, Faree."

"Knock, Knock."

They both looked towards the door as Dr. James came walking into the room with a small smile on his face. He pushed the door open wider then stepped into the room. A few seconds later two nurses came into the room with a baby crib, monitors and scrubs. Nicki and Faree sat up watching them set up the crib. OJ laid there sleeping. They both smiled down at him.

"Well, here's your five pound seven ounce baby boy. He's breathing with the help of a oxygen tank for a couple of days because his breathing is slow and weak because of his size and his asthma."

"Asthma?"

"Yes, he might just have it for now, so don't worry. We'll be keeping mom and baby for a couple of days to keep an eye on the both of you. Do you want to breast feed?"

"Yes."

"Okay, when you do make sure to keep the needles in his arm and the tub in his nose. The needle will come out in two days and anyone besides mom holding him need to wear the scrubs and gloves."

Safaree stood and grabbed a scrub. He hurriedly put it on and grabbed some gloves then laid back in the bed with Nic. He adjusted the bed, so that she could lay against the it.

"Dad's already."

Nicki giggled looking at him waiting like a two year old with his hands in his lap and eyes glued to OJ. Dr. James went and picked OJ up and placed him into Nicki's arms. She smiled down at OJ still sleeping. Safaree smile was just as big as her. The doctor and nurses left the room as Sonja, Zuri and LJ came into the room.

"OMG, Maree!!"

"Shhhh, Zay'more."

"Sorry."

"When can I hold my favorite sibling?"

"Hey..."

Zuri pouted looking over at LJ. They all chuckled trying not to wake OJ. Safaree kissed Nicki's temple as he rubbed through the baby's curls. Zuri stood near Safaree and looked over at OJ.

"He looks like LJ with my curly hair."

"He's handsome, Onika and Faree."

"Thanks Mom."

"I want to hold him."

"I'm his big brother, so I'll be holding him next."

"Yes, after I hold my favorite more quiet grandchild."

"Wait!!"

They both whined looking at Sonja as the adults laughed. OJ stirred a little, but settled down again. They all sighed a little and sat the rest of the late evening in the hospital holding, talking and watching OJ as he slept most of it and ate five times that day.