"Mummmmmmmmmmy!" Aaliyah squealed jumping on Megan. Megan picked her up and span her around. "Awe baby. I missed you too snuggles"
"You here alone?"
"No. Ms Miranda is in the guesthouse. Mummy is at work!"
"Okay. What about your sister?"
"At her place. she's too busy with college I hardly see her" Aaliyah responded with a frown.
"I'm sure she misses you like I do every day."
"Maybe!"
"I'm going to a hotel. I will see you later okay?"
"I'm going with you!"
"Liya I can't just take you with me without mommy knowing!"
"Then call her!"
Megan froze. She hasn't seen or talked to Nicki in four years. She can't even remember the last time she texted her back.
"Go tell Mira to tell mommy"
After they left
"I can't remember the last time I experience such Nice life. Mom can't afford it anymore" Aaliyah said playing with water, feet in the hot tub
Megan was lying face down, on a massage table getting her full body massage. She felt the blues just hearing her daughter say that. Her heart ached.
"Mummy is too busy?"
"Not exactly. She doesn't have enough money. She doesn't want me to worry about things but I do worry because she hasn't Paid Ms Miranda in three months. Last month the lights were out for two weeks. Last night I overheard her on the phone saying the hospital is closing in a week or so. She's trying to hold out for me cause I'm the only one there for her with the support of Miranda but she's not okay" Aaliyah started crying.
Megan's eyes watered. "It's okay. It's okay baby. Hey! Don't cry okay? I know your mom is a miracle worker. She saves lives when there is no hope. She will bounce back. She will be okay honey. Don't worry yourself. Just make it easy for her to raise you. If she says yes, you will move to London with me so that mommy can be able to fix everything!"
"I don't wanna go live in London. It is fun to just visit. But this is my home mom. I was born and raised here"
Megan was mute. Her tears dropped from her eyes to the floor.
After massage. She took Aaliyah back home.
Aaliyah opened the door and stepped inside.
Nicki was on a call. Papers, everywhere. She was trying to save her hospital.
"Aaliyah! Why would you lie and say you will be at Lenny's? I just came back from next door. I called the cops they told me to wait. You scared me!" Nicki said hanging up and getting up. Megan walked in. Nicki gasped. Hands shaking The water bottle she was holding fell on her important documents. She gasped again trying to pick them up and jiggle them in the air to dry off. But her hands were shaky, and her heart was pounding. Body shivering. Her hands kept trembling and making the papers shrink.
"Farge! Shoot! Oh God no!" she panicked. "Need help mommy?"
"Go to your room!" she didn't mean to shout.
"Go to your room baby!" she corrected her tone. Aaliyah nodded and walked to her room with plastic bags.
Megan walked closer and restrained Nicki's hands. The shaking and heart pounding didn't stop. Megan could hear her heart pounding.
She held her hands tight to stop from shaking. Nicki closed her eye. "Take a deep breath!" Megan whispered softly.
Nicki breathed then opened her eyes. They looked at each other. "Should have called me or texted!" she said in a whisper. "I asked her to tell Miranda cause I had a call to make. She lied to me and said she did. I will deal with her later"
Nicki nodded. They were holding hands. Their faces learned into each other. They were about to kiss. Nicki closed her eyes again. Megan looked at her and pulled away and pulled her hands. Nicki opened her eyes embarrassed. Megan picked one piece of paper. "You selling the house... Without notifying me?" Megan snapped. Nicki snatched the paper and grabbed all of them and shoved them into her box and shyly looked at Megan. Then stormed away from her.
"Mira!" Megan turned her eyes. Miranda didn't look excited to see her. "Hey. Go easy on her okay? She had a rough year
"This is my house, Miranda. Mine!" Megan snapped. "Half of it!"
"So was she gonna sell the half that doesn't belong to me?" Megan didn't sound happy at all.
Miranda didn't have a defence
"Just go easy on her is all I ask!" Miranda said. Megan looked at her. Miranda looked down,
"Are you sleeping with my wife?"
"What Uh. Noooo!" Mira said walking away. Megan raised an eyebrow and marched upstairs.
Nicki was pacing in the room.
"You and Miranda?"
"One-time thing. I was drinking and horny. The next thing she was rubbing my pussy and we just crossed the line. One time!"
"When?"
"About a year ago, the night you were first spotted with your British famous girlfriend on the Internet. I was upset and I started drinking. She was there for me like always except she was there sexually. I didn't lead her on, but she seduced me and I was weak." Nicki explained
Megan was speechless. She looked around. The room looks the same.
She then turned to leave. "My turn to ask questions"
Nicki marched after her. "You and super hot blue eyes... How serious is it?"
"It's been a year and a half. We just having fun!" Megan said landing on the stairs.
"Okay!" Nicki said. Megan picked up her purse.
"How's the sex?"
Megan turned her head. Raised eyebrows.
"I'm sorry!" Nicki said looking down and folding her arms
"She's 5 feet tall. Blue eyes. Sexy accent. Own a 7 inches black cock strap on. Great ass. Workout and knows how to use her tool. We swipe dominance, I never thought I would sexually submit but I do submit to her. Does that answer your question?"
"Yes!" Nicki said eyes watering. She sniffled making sure her tears doesn't embarrass her, "tell Liya I will see her after work tomorrow!" Megan said
"You leaving?" Aaliyah came from her room. Holding a giant Teddy bear.
"Yes! I have preproduction papers to check."
Aaliyah nodded. Megan walked closer and squatted. "If you like... you can sleep at the hotel tomorrow night. We can have fun, if that's okay with mommy!" Megan said. They both looked at Nicki. Nicki nodded. The water she was trying to block out from coming out, were coming through her nose.
She sniffled, "of course!" she whispered.
Aaliyah didn't look happy at all. Megan saw it. "I will come around 5 pm after work!" She said. Aaliyah nodded. Megan looked at Nicki who looked away. She then walked out.
Aaliyah hugged Nicki right. "I'm sorry I left!"
Those tears came marching. She secretly wiped them off. "I'm not mad baby. I'm just grateful that you are safe." Nicki said and kissed the top of her head. "Good night mama. I love you so much!"
"I love you too snuggles!" Aaliyah went to her room. Nicki turned and found Miranda looking at her. "She's upset? I'm so sorry the last thing I needed was this to get out. I just wanted to make your pain go away for a while and I had no idea what to do. I crossed the line and I might have came between the two of you. I didn't know she would see right through me. Dr Pete, I'm sorry. Sorry I did what I did that night. I took advantage of your vulnerability. I'm ashamed!"
"Hey! We are good okay? It wasn't entirely your fault. I could have stopped it but I didn't. Let's never talk about it again."
Miranda nodded. "It was great though. I enjoyed it. I'm not saying it's in my head or anything. I'm just admitting that I had fun and a great experience. You really are a great lover!"
Nicki chuckled hysterically. "That had never helped me keep a partner has it?"
It was rhetorical. "Different circumstances!"
Nicki shrugged. "Good night I have to go to the bank to get a loan in the morning!"
Miranda nodded. Nicki walked to the guesthouse. So the reason the master bedroom is still the same is that Nicki doesn't sleep there.
*hey sis, I know you are busy with your fabulous, life. I just miss you. Hey... Mummy is visiting*
Aaliyah texted Pearl.
*I miss you too little bestie, I will be home soon. And good for her. When is she going back?*
*idk!*
Following Night.
Nicki got a loan that morning. But she wasn't sure it would be enough. She looked at the balance on her phone. Making calculations.
She rubbed her head and rested her head on the coffee table.
Doorbell.
Aaliyah ran to get to the door. "Hey, you ready?"
Megan asked. "Let me get my backpack". She ran to her room. Megan shut the door. She looked at Nicki's face down on the table. She opened her mouth to say something but she was wordless. She closed her mouth.
Nicki's phone vibrated and snapped her out of it,
She looked at it and groaned.
"Everything okay?" Megan asked.
"Everything is great!"
Nicki looked at her then stood up and walked out of the room.
Megan curled her lips and pulled out her chequebook. She wrote a cheque and signed it and put it on the coffee table. Aaliyah rushed out. Megan took the backpack looked around the house and walked out.
Nicki came out after they left and dived onto the couch to think hard. Miranda handed her red wine. She sat up straight and received the wine. Her eyes landed on the cheque
"What's this?"
She picked it up. Megan's signature is on it. It was a blank check. She looked at it.
"That was sweet of her!" Mira said
"I don't know if I can take this!"
"You can pay her back!"
"I don't know if I can be able to do that anytime soon!"
"Talk to her. She will give you a time frame. You need more money to save your hospital for good right?"
Nicki nodded.
"It's your chance. Accept help. the same person who is offering you help, You once helped with billions of dollars. You gotta accept her help!"
Nicki swallowed hard.
She texted Megan
*can we talk about the cheque?*
*sure. Aaliyah is sleeping. I can meet you at the hotel. I will send you the GPS location*
She sent.
Nicki went upstairs to take a quick shower.
She took a long bath a few hours ago but... She felt like showing again.
She arrived and knocked.
Megan opened wearing a robe. She forgot to take off the ring and immediately did it behind her and put it in her robe pocket. They sat down.
"I'm broke Megan. Like I declared bankruptcy last year. I can't pay you back anytime soon. I need it. Need it so bad but I can't let you give me money that I can not pay back anytime soon because we have a child to think of. If we are both broke like a couple of years ago... Who's gonna take care of her? at least then Chris was around. I can't let you rescue me."
"I won't be broke if you take an average of 10 billion dollars. Pay me back when your hospital catches up. How much do you need exactly, for you to start afresh?"
"About 12 million dollars in total."
"Geez, Nicki I thought you need way more than that!"
"It's not a lot of money when you have it. I'm broke so it's way more!" Nicki explained.
"I will tell you what... take 500 million dollars. And it's not a loan." Megan said
"Are you sure you gonna be okay?"
"Girl, have you googled me lately? I am worth more than that! And I have more than that. Just sitting here, Hollywood owes me money for every hour I spent in the states just for flying me here. I don't charge hours that I spent on set. I charge per hour that I spent until the project is over"
Nicki raised an eyebrow. "W-what?" She asked swallowing hard.
"Yeah, I know. I have two master's degrees (film production and performing arts from here and theatre
performance from London). 25 years experience. 15 Oscars and other awards. I'm worth more, so don't worry about me. Just try to fix the root of your problem and take it from there."
Nicki nodded. "That's impressive. I'm proud of you Megan and I'm a little jealous of you. When we met I had it all. Now, look at me. You grew, I downgraded. It's so sad. But very good on your side. You work smart. I wish I was like that! So I'm jealous!"
"If is any consolation to you... when we first met I was jealous of you too. So I won't sweat it" Megan said standing up and opening the door. Nicki shyly looked down. "Of course, we are done here," she said standing up.
"Mommy?" Aaliyah said wiping her eyes. "Hey... Did I wake you?" Nicki asked. "No. I had a bad dream!"
Nicki took her hand. "Mummy is here. She will sleep with you. Right?" Nicki lifted her eyes to look at Megan.
Megan nodded. "Yes, I will!"
"I want both of you to do it!" Aaliyah said she was crying it broke their hearts.
"Baby I can't. It's late I need to get home and mommy had work tomorrow. Please snuggles. Let mummy take care of you!"
Nicki begged.
Megan shut the door. "Did you drive here?"
"No. I used a cab."
Megan sighed and rubbed her temple. "I guess you can sleep here!" she said after a long digestive moment.
Nicki looked at Megan. She could see it was a struggle to allow this. She was just purely doing it for Liya.
"We can put her down. Then I will be on my way!"
"It's almost 11!"
"Yes, the cab department doesn't close remember. I can get a ride after midnight!" Nicki said.
"Your call," Megan said. That hurts. Nicki could tell Megan is over her. At the back of her head, she could feel tears rushing.
"Come on baby, show me to your room!" she said to Liya. They walked into her room.
Nicki put her to sleep.
"Tell me about your dream!" Nicki said. Aaliyah told her.
"Okay. I'm gonna find a sweet story on my phone and we gonna erase the memory of anything you dreamed of okay?"
"Thanks, mommy!"
Nicki scrolled on her phone and knelled next to her bed and read a funny story.
Aaliyah started giggling.
Megan was standing by the door listening to Nicki read. Aaliyah laughed hard.
"Then what happened?"
"I guess we will find out tomorrow cause now you are sleeping!" Nicki said. "Okay, mommy thank you!" Aaliyah closed her eyes. Nicki stroked her hair humming something sweet until Liya fall asleep.
She kissed her.
Megan moved from the door.
"I love you baby.!" she whispered and walked out.
She checked the time it was 1 am.
She called a cab.
While standing and clicking on her phone. Her phone beeped. "My ride is here. Thanks again for your big help. Good night!" Nicki said and opened the door. She left.
Megan pulled her ring and put it back on.
Her phone beeped.
*I know it is late there. But I miss my baby. Call me in the morning?*
She smiled and texted back
*I'm still awake. Motherhood got me on lock. But yeah I will call you in the morning*
*Awe sweet. Aaliyah must be happy to have you. I'm sure you are happier there, I know your kids are your world which is why I love you*
*I wish I was babe, I'm not happier. I'm not happy here at all. And Aaliyah treats me like I'm motherly visiting her life. Pearl wants nothing to do with me since the incident. I haven't seen her*
Megan remembered the 'incident'
Cardi posted a picture of her and Megan with a caption.
*My future is bright right in her eyes. Dream Wifey, I could throw bars everyday ❤️🫠😛🫶🫢🫣🤸🏼♀️🎉* and tagged @MeganPete.
Pearl commented and said *if anybody knew- I noticed a big rock on her finger too. I guess my congratulations are in order. Hope America is ready, especially the girl named Nicki. Haha oh look, I can rap too... How bout that 🙄🥸🫥*
Cardi replied:
*you are not even close. Who's Nicki?*
That night the post was taken down.
In this book. She's not CARDI B. She's just Cardi.
Full name. Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar. She has blue eyes, she's white and British... (are we clear? Better be) she's an actress and model, not Rapper... (only in this book)
After Megan remembered. She picked up her phone and texted Pearl.
*I'm home. Can we talk, please?*
*sure. I'm free tomorrow I was gonna stop by the house. We can meet at your hotel after.*
*thank you. See you tomorrow*
Next day.
Pearl was at her mother's house. She texted Aaliyah who asked her mother to take her home.
They met at the house at noon.
Nicki wasn't working. But she was busy with paperwork in one of the rooms.
"Pearl!" Aaliyah screamed running to her. Pearl hugged her tight. "I miss you!"
"It's been a minute. I missed you too. I got something for you" Pearl handed her sister the kids' make-up kit. Aaliyah gasped and smiled genuinely. "Thank you!" she hugged her again. "I will teach you how to use it later. But now you can learn on your own with online tutorials while I talk to mummy!" Pearl said. "Of course!" she left
"Mummy huh? Lately, you don't act like I'm your mother!" Megan said. Pearl chuckled hysterically. "I was thinking the same thing. Lately, you don't act like you are my mother. And you know what? I remembered I'm not your blood daughter. I'm just an inconvenience that was in the middle of you and my mom's so-called relationship. You adopted me because you loved my mom and because you didn't have kids of your own, now you do have Aaliyah and you don't give two fucks about my mom... Which brings me back to the question? Are you still my mummy or not? I mean, My adoption papers expired when I turned 19 and the day you realised you didn't love my mother anymore. Megan, I'm nothing to you."
"That's enough!" Nicki shouted behind her. Pearl turned.
"Stop this I'm begging you. My collapsed relationship with Megan doesn't determine your relationship with her. You know Megan loves you. Apologize now!"
Pearl looked at Megan. "I didn't mean no disrespect. I was just stating the truth. Thank you for being my mom all these years. You did a great job with me even career perspective. You did a great job thank you so much. I hope you are finally happy where you are. Because come to think of it, you were never happy with my mom. Yes, you loved her so much but you were not happy. However, She was and she had fears of losing you. But you were never happy. I saw your recent pictures. There's a glow on your face. There's a glow in your smile. You are so happy. So congratulations. You deserve it, I gotta go, mom tell Liya I will take her out this weekend" Pearl said and kissed Nicki on the cheek and patted Megan's shoulder and walked out.
"I apologize for her, she's ungrateful. You don't deserve that. So I'm sorry for everything my Daughter said"
Megan was speechless.
They stood there silent. Nicki was looking at Megan. Megan was looking at everything but her.
"I have to finish some paperwork. You know Liya's room" Nicki said turning to leave.
She stopped at her track
And turn.
"I thought I saw something bling and shiny on your finger last night. When I turned to give it a closer look, you didn't have it anything on your fingers. I think I'm seeing things but I had to get that out of my chest"
Megan opened her mouth to speak. She was wordless
"That's just me and my paranoia. My heart skipped when I thought I saw a ring on your finger. So I guess I'm not ready for you to move on with your life. It's just gonna be a sad-ass journey. Anyways thanks for Bringing Liya home. I hope you girls had fun together" Nicki added faking a smile. Megan still couldn't speak
Nicki swallowed hard and walked away
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