Author's Note: After last nights shenanigans regarding chapter 23, by request of one of my favorite readers TeleiseWilliams , I've decided to switch up the rotation and continue to update this story until the end. Can you believe it's almost over? It's been a fun one. The last few drafts are done, but as you know it does take awhile to edit everything. So if I can finish it all by Sunday night, TDR2 will be back next week. Alright enough of my blabbering, let's get into this chapter. Hope you enjoy! 💜
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Prince's POV
I never cried much in my life.
There were certain events that would trigger waterworks, but not many.
Like the time I was three, I had fallen down and hurt my knee. But my mother held me, and that made everything right in my small world.
Another time I was teased by classmates due to my height and wanting to play ball. But I shut that down quick by scoring points and chicks.
Or the time my father kicked me out of his home. I pleaded and cried with nowhere to go, but the answer still remained no.
Then there were times where I'd perform and get caught up in the emotions of a song, or simply love from the crowd. Those are always good cries, quite powerful I like to think.
And the losses. A close family member or a friend. Those are the cries you can't forget. The cries that will keep you up all night, and the feelings that will follow you throughout your life.
But for Mia? It was different. A cry of desperation. A cry of pain, confusion, and most of all fear. Each emotion combined into one left me weak, a paralyzed being, glued to the sofa, and a glass next to me.
The wine was sweet, which I think made it go down a bit easier.
Placing the bottle on the stand, my tongue meshed with the inside of my bottom lip, teeth sinking into the skin, repeatedly grazing across it.
I called.
One call after another, she still would not answer the phone. But her voice sounded over and over...
Hi it's Mia, I see you've reached my voicemail. Well, most likely I'm off doing something important, or perhaps I'm eating. Whatever the case is, I'll try my best to get back with you. Now here comes the beep!
*Beep*
"Honey I'm losing count. I need you, and I want to talk. Please just call me, you know that I'd never purposely hurt you."
Another message.
"Mia! (glass clinks against the stand) Baby, I'm sorry. Please, how are we going to figure anything out and you ain't talking to me?"
Another...
"Now see, you know you see me. All of that you sitting there doing and I know you see me. You think you slick Mia! I ain't never had blood pressure problems but you sho raising the hell out of it today!"
And another...
"Mama I ain't mean that, I'm sorry I... I'm just frustrated Mia, I don't want to lose you... but yet I'm starting to feel like I already have."
Completely beyond my breaking point, I decided to take my chance and go see her.
But no way was I going by myself, and not in any of my rides....
A ploy was needed.
**
Brooke's POV
🎵 Ohh boy, you looking like you like what you see
Won't you come over and check up on it
I'ma let you work up on it
Ladies let 'em check up on it, watch it while he check up on it
Dip it, pop it, twerk it, stop it, check on me tonight 🎵
Enjoying my lunch break, my hands gripped the steering wheel as I belted out lyrics, and only half of my Subway sandwich chilled out on the passenger side.
"Oohhh you watchin' me shake it, I see it in ya face, Ya can't take it, it's blazin', you watch me in amazement ayeeee!!!"
But suddenly my twerk and eating session came to an end, thanks to a phone call.
"Who the... interrupting me!"
Grabbing my phone off the top of the dashboard, I glanced at the incoming call.
TAFKAMBF
(The Artist Finally Known as Mia's Baby Father)
"Oh boy.. Ah hello?"
"You lied."
"Ummm.. hello?"
"You said she'd come around."
"Yeah its only been a couple days."
"A couple of days is too long."
Silence.
"She called the wedding off, Brooke. What am I going to do now? The woman of my dreams no longer wants me."
Truly, my heart broke for the guy. He sounded miserable, beyond miserable.
"I messed up, I'm always messing good things up. She doesn't want to see me. She doesn't want to come home, what if I never see her again? What if she doesn't let me meet my child?"
"She's going to let you see your child Prince. You and I both know she's better than that."
"You've got to help me."
"What? Wait I mean... how? I'm at work."
"You at work on the phone?"
"No. I mean well yes, I'm on my lunch break and I only have about fifteen minutes to spare. There's not much I can do at this point other than try to talk to—"
"Oh!" He interjected. "But there is."
"What?"
"Come pick me up."
"What?" I cackled. "And do what? You're crazy..."
"Yeah you're right I am."
"Hm?"
"Crazy about your best friend and my unborn child."
"Okay okay..." I sighed. "But I'm not understanding. Why do I have to drive you?"
"You're the ploy Brooke, there ain't no way I can drive my car and get into that house."
"I see. Well now I just have to concoct a lie in order to leave work."
**
Prince's POV
The white Honda Accord arrived to Paisley about forty minutes after our phone call ended.
"You ready to do this?" Brooke asked as I got in and shut the door.
"I am ready to see my babies. What you say to get out of work?"
"Explosive diarrhea."
"That's... nasty."
"Hey." She shrugged. "It worked."
Adjusting the seatbelt, my attention was taken by a booster seat placed in the back.
"It's for my niece. Just think that'll be your life soon."
And for the first time in days, I smiled.
Mashing down on the gas, she asked, "So Prince, what's the plan?"
"Well." My eyes widened at how fast the woman was was driving. "When we arrive, I'm thinking you go in first, you know get them to open the door up and all that. Then that way, make sure it's unlocked, or you can let me inside."
"Well ... I guess that'll work."
**
Mia's POV
"I see that he's finally stopped calling huh?" My mother plopped down on the sofa next to me.
"Yep." I stretched. "How long have I been asleep?"
"Mm... maybe close to two hours? Your papa thought about carrying you up to your old room but he didn't want to wake you."
"Where is he anyway?"
"Outside. He was out there chatting with the neighbors, but he might be watering the plants in the back, it's a warm April day and you know how he gets."
I laughed. "Yeah, he says if you spend time and talk to them, they'll grow."
"Your dad is crazy."
"I know."
"Mmm.." She stared at me.
"What?"
"Mia when are you going to talk to your man?"
"Oh good grief, now you want to acknowledge him?"
"Hey," Her hands went up defensively. "I am just asking. But you really need to. Between all of our phones, he's called a good million times. You really need to talk with him."
"And say what?" I questioned. "Prince has already said what he's had to say."
"Oh cut it out Mia, you're carrying his child for God's sake. And if you really did not want to marry him, that ring wouldn't still be on your finger. Talk to that man, you and I both know you're not done with him."
"But I don't even know what to say. He does not want this baby ... our baby."
"Did he tell you that?"
"I mean well he ..."
"I am asking you, did he straight up say 'Mia I don't want this child', hm?"
".... No."
"Then there you go, you didn't even give him a chance to process anything and speak before you ran off."
I never thought I'd see the day that mother took up for Prince.
"Don't think that I am trying to make you feel bad, but I'm telling you what I know, and what I think is right. When you lose a child, it is something that you will never get over. And as his future wife, you must be sensitive to that, it's almost as if you're dismissing his feelings concerning what happened to him."
"But I'm not, I'm not dismissing any of that, that wouldn't be right. It's just how will he ever know the outcome when he's afraid to give it a chance. If this baby wasn't already created, he probably wouldn't have ever gotten me pregnant."
"Mia I just don't think that's true. He's afraid, and you cannot blame him for that. When we lost your brother, it was the hardest thing that your father and I had to deal with."
"I would have loved to have more children, and give you siblings, but the pain and fear blinded us more than anything, keeping us from trying again. I know you, and I know how bad you've always wanted to be a wife and a mother, so now you will be. And when you have that baby, that man is going to love and cherish every single second he has with you and your child. Want to know how I know?"
"Yes."
"Because if I would've gotten another chance like he's getting, I would've loved mine too. So call him, it'll make the both of you feel a whole lot better. Plus, he can't even step foot in this house again til y'all make amends and he's back on you dad's good side. So get to calling."
**
Prince's POV
Oh Lawd, help me.
"Hey, h-hey hey now!" I grabbed unto the side of the door. "Do you always drive this fast?"
"Hey man you want to make it there or not?"
"I do! But alive and in one piece."
"Ha! Chill out. I've been driving since I was ten. Since we're almost there, you know you gonna have to duck low or something."
"Say what?"
"What if someone's outside? I mean you little but you ain't that little. When I roll up, they could certainly see you chilling in the car."
Did she just try me and give me a tip all in the same breath?
"Oh. That's right. Uh..."
"Undo your seatbelt now and duck down, we're about to hit the neighborhood."
Doing what I was told, I crouched down as low as I could.
"This good?"
Brooke glanced down and snorted. "Yeah."
**
Mia's POV
"No answer. And I've called twice."
Irritated, I tossed the phone next to me.
Maybe he's busy, or maybe he just doesn't want to talk.
Looking up, the sound of the doorbell blared, so I walked to the door wondering who it could be.
"Brooke?"
She smiled resting her hand against the outside screen door.
"Hey girl, I thought I'd stop by."
"Oh? I thought you were at work?"
"I was I just... got off early. Where's your folks?"
"Well mom's in the shower, and dad was outside watering plants in the back or something. I don't know he probably left."
Her eyes widened.
"You good?"
"Y-Yeah I'm good ah, let's take a seat and talk."
"Okay let me shut the door.."
"No! No I mean I got it sis, you go on and sit."
Looks like she's lost all of her marbles.
"Okay... So I called Prince."
"Oh really? What did he say?"
"He didn't answer me..."
Continuing to talk, I noticed Brooke frantically texting.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah girl I was just texting my boss about some paperwork, that's all."
**
Prince's POV
Waiting until I felt safe enough, I swapped the last piece of Brooke's Winter Fresh to calm my nerves. Retrieving my phone, I was alerted by two missed calls from Mia and one unread message.
"Shit!"
It was on silent.
So I read the message..
Honey's Friend
Hey, the door is unlocked and she just said she's tried to call you. But you better move fast and I do mean fast because her pappy somewhere out there lurking around and if he sees you then it's over with.
"Shit!"
Reaching up, I grabbed the handle and pushed the door opened. Peeping up to check my surroundings, I eased out and closed the door as quietly as I could.
The coast was clear, well ... so I thought.
Alright, make a run for it.
And like a track star I took off, that's until a familiar voice from behind yelled my name.
"Prince? Prince Nelson is that you?"
Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!
"I thought my daughter told you she ain't want to see you? You can't follow orders man?"
"Lucas ... listen I am just trying to be as calm as possible and speak to Mia. Can't you understand that? I'm not here to cause y'all any trouble."
"I said it before and I say it again. You on my good side as long as you're on her good side and guess what? You on her bad side right now so that's mines too. So I got something for you."
**
Mia's POV
"Brooke you must don't want the grapes because you're not eating them. And why do you keep looking towards the living room?"
"Nothing.."
"Wait!" I paused. "You hear that?"
"Yeah... who is that screaming?"
"I....."
"It's so.. familiar."
Looking at each other quickly, we dashed out of the kitchen and into the living room.
And all of the action? Perfectly in clear view.
"Ooh shit girl! Your daddy got that turbo water hose spraying the hell out of him!"
Running outside, there was my father chasing Prince down as he hollered, ducking and diving all over the front yard.
"Dad!!"
"Lu-Lucas!!! Can w-we act like civilized men please? Ahh!!"
I could've sworn he jumped mid air.
"Daddy!! Daddy no stop! That's enough! You're going blow him away with that thing!"
"That's the idea pumpkin!"
Yeah he's definitely getting a kick out of this.
"Dad. Shut it off now!"
Thank God finally, he did.
"Mia!!" Prince trotted up to me breathlessly. "He—"
"I know, I know."
"He's ... crazy."
Soaking wet, panting, and helpless, I had to get him inside.
**
He sniffed. "Your daddy tried to drown me."
"Yeah," I eased on my old bed beside him. "Sorry about that. Is your tea good?"
"Mhm."
"Mama put your clothes in the dryer, so hopefully the robe is comfy."
Flashing his pretty eyes at me, his head lowered, not saying anything.
"Hey," Lifting his face with the pads of my fingers, I kissed him.
"I'm really sorry baby. I shouldn't have left you like that, and ignored you. I should've allowed you to explain, I was wrong for everything. I don't want to ever make you feel like your feelings don't matter to me, because they do."
"Remember that day when I opened up to you about him? I had never been so honest to anyone about that but you. You allowed me to talk, you listened, we even cried together. Your embrace meant the world to me, and it still does. Then we stepped outside, you were so beautiful. Do you know that is the very moment that I fell in love with you? Please don't make such a pivotal moment go to waste, don't make that day go down in vain."
"It won't, I promise. I just, you scared me. You said that you didn't want to try because you didn't want to put me through that and I felt awful, because I knew. I felt like you wanted me but not our baby."
"Mia no, I could never be that way. I love you, and I want the both of you. You being away has given me some time to think. This wasn't planned, we were protected and conception still happened. If that's not straight from God then I don't know what is. We are meant to be, the three of us. And I mean that."
Holding his hand, I confessed. "I just don't want you to be afraid."
"I'll probably always be afraid but, it's something that I'm willing to grow through. Besides, you deserve to be a mother. And I deserve to try again."
Like music to my ears.
"This is a journey that we're both going to go through, together. I'm with you every step of the way. I love you."
"I love you too." His hands went to my stomach. "And you. Now come on mama."
"Wait! Where are we off to? And your clothes?"
"I'll get them. And you think I'm going to stick around so your father can do something else to me? I think not! Let's head home, we've got a wedding to plan."