SPREAD THIN [ABOOGIE] - CURRENTLY EDITING

[CHAPTER ONE] "Giving yourself time to heal."

His manager booked his a gig last minute and the money was good so he went. Mariah was worried about it so they spent a few hours arguing on the phone as Deandre rode on the plane there. Mariah was at home crying when her water broke early the next morning. Her parents were the first ones she called.

"I told you he would miss the birth." Maxwell whispered to his wife, Vena. She looked back to make sure Mariah was still sleeping before saying, "Stay out their business old man."

Maxwell scoffed quietly, "He never puts-" He stopped talking when he heard knocking on the door. Deandre came in along with a nurse. Maxwell wasn't impressed with the gifts and balloons in his hand. "He should've been here." Deandre walked over to Mariah and kissed her forehead. "Hey mamas" He touched her hair and Mariah smiled "You're here" She sat up and they hugged briefly. Mariah started to tear up.

"Congratulations mamas."

"She's prefect baby."

"Just like her mama.." They kissed briefly. The nurse checked her vitals and shoud the grandparents out the room so they could have privacy with their new baby.

Mariah watched as Deandre held the baby. She could tell he was happy. But she couldn't help but think about him missing the birth. "You never said why you were late.."

"You really want to talk about this now?"

She gave him a look, "You said you were going to be here hours ago.."

"The show ran later than I expected so I had a late morning. And the guys had trouble getting all the equipment together on the plane but I'm sorry mamas. I should've called. I just didn't want you to worry."

"You know my dad has a lot to say when you fuck up.."

"I don't care about none of that Mariah. He can say whatever he wants about me, I take care of my family. I make sure you don't want for nothing, so if you gonna use that don't even start cus I don't want to hear it."

"You missed the birth Andre! You're giving him something to talk about. My mom was holding my hand and it should've been you right there by my side getting me what I needed." They had an agreement that after 36 weeks, Deandre would take a break and come home. But their daughter Zein was born at 38 weeks. So he broke his promise to her.

"I'm here now, can we just not fight and enjoy this moment?" Mariah got quiet. She figured she needed to take the apology he gave and drop the situation. Zein was here now and she was healthy.

"So how was it really?" Her sister Micheala asked sitting down on the edge of the bed. Michaela and Mariah were close to the same age. They were always the best of friends growing up. Michaela was bigger than Mariah so Vena sewed her clothes down a size for Mariah to fit.  Michaela was held back in the second grade and started taking classes with Mariah. Being the oldest, Michaela had to be a fighter. Mariah loved to follow her sister so she had a mouth on her too.

"It felt like the most painful period cramp ever for like three minutes then nothing for a while. Then five minutes later boom boom three more minutes of pain over and over again it sucked! But once I started pushing it wasn't that bad she came right out."

"She's so beautiful..  omg and she's so skinny."

Mariah looked over and smiled, "But they said she's healthy and I'm glad. I didn't want them to take her from me." Mariah was always scared that she didn't do everything right because she didn't know she was pregnant for the first four months.

"You did it sis."

"You should see andre, he's obsessed with her. I bet the nurses are so sick of him asking questions." Now that Mariah was no longer pregnant Deandre made arrangements to have his schedule cleared so he could be a hands on dad. He wanted to give Mariah a break. And He was ready to do his part. They didn't plan to have baby Zein but ever since Mariah told him she was pregnant, the idea of being a father brought him so much joy. He always wanted to have a daughter because he didn't have any sisters. He knew he would be her first protector. Her first love, and he was determined to do everything right. It hurt him deeply when he missed the birth so he promised Zein he wouldn't miss another first.