Nicki felt weak. She made it back upstairs and crawled back in the bed. For two days she laid there ignoring calls, ignoring her ringing doorbell. She just wanted to be left alone. She had thought she could do it but she realized that she couldn't. The only people who knew that she was okay was Drake's mother and her own mother. Sandi was heartbroken but she was holding up for Nicki.
Nicki just sat by the window staring out at the hills. Everything she looked at reminded her of him.
She got up from the window and went over to her closet. Nicki grabbed her stool since she couldn't reach up anymore and got her book from her shelf.
When she was comfortable in her bed again she flipped through the pages she had already written in when she noticed Drake's.
Remember the good times? How can I do that? It's not that simple. I can't move on. I don't care what he says.
Those four months were long and hard for Nicki but today was the day that she wasn't going to see him despite what he said.
The trip was an hour long and her being nine months pregnant didn't help at all but she was determined to see him.
She still looked the same except her stomach was big and round. She couldn't put on makeup or do her hair. Everything irritated her so much but she straightened her hair and got dressed just to see him. Sandi knew that he didn't want to see Nicki so she told him that she was coming alone but really she was bringing Nicki with her. After this visit Sandi would be staying with Nicki until she had her baby.
Sandi knocked on Nicki's room door. Since she was in her last trimester she moved to a guest room because she couldn't walk up the stairs. Nothing in the house had changed. She couldn't bring herself to move out. That was the only home she knew.
"Look at you all pretty. I hope he won't be too mad that I brought you along."
"He probably will but I don't care."
Nicki grabbed her purse but immediately dropped it. Her water broke.
"No. Not today." Nicki was visibly frustrated.
"Calm down. You're going to make your blood-pressure go up. Let's just get you to the hospital." Sandi helped her get some shoes on her feet after helping her change her panties and pants.
It wasn't until they were ten minutes away from the hospital did Nicki start having contractions. They were coming fast.
Hours later Nicki gave birth to a healthy baby boy. "Abel Drake Graham."
Sandi couldn't stop snapping pictures of him. He had black curly hair and eyes the same color as his father's. As soon as Nicki held him she started crying.
"It's going to be okay Nicki. Your mother is on a plane right now. Stop crying."
"I'm sorry. I just miss Aubrey."
"I know. Are you going to take the baby to see him?" Sandi asked. Nicki, Courtne, Lauren, Sandi and Carol were all at Nicki's house.
"I don't think so. He's always done everything I asked so I guess I'll try to move on now. He said that's the only thing he asks of me. Maybe I should just do it. I'm starting to become depressed."
"Just do what you feel is right. Have you thought about getting back into acting? People are blowing up my phone trying to get in touch with you." Courtne asked.
"Yeah, I have. Maybe I will. Once my baby gets a few months old I will."
"You don't have to wait, I'll babysit. I mean we do live in the same city." Courtne said.
"Yeah, but you're the only one. I wouldn't want to burden you."
"Nicki trust me. It'll be fine. As a matter of fact, I'll set you up a meeting for next month."
"Thanks Court." Nicki smiled and then looked down at Abel.
"You look just like your daddy." she ran her thumb across his cheek and then pulled him close to her chest. Her eyes watered and she had to take a deep breath.
~
"So how do you think the shoot went?" one of Nicki's co-stars asked her. Abel was five months now and she was back to acting.
"I think it went good. It feels good to be back in the acting business again after a long break."
"Yeah, I can't imagine being gone that long. Hey, you doing anything later on tonight?"
"I have to get back home to my son. Why?"
"Oh, you're in a relationship, I didn't know that."
"No I'm not. I can tell you're new to California since you don't know about me."
"What do you mean?"
"My...ex fiance is in prison."
"Oh?"
"Yep. Listen, it was nice talking to you Brian but I gotta go."
"Well, can I take you out sometime soon?"
"Sure, just not tonight."