January 21, 2020
Strutting on the walkway, the nude Christian Louboutin So Kate Patent Pointed-Toe Pumps hit against the concrete. Light denim, ripped knee and frayed hem jeans hugged her slender thighs and small waist. Tucked at the jeans waist is a denim, mid-sleeve button down. Sun shined down on her carob brown skin that glowed naturally. A slight breeze blew, moving tresses of her loose curls touching her shoulders. Sunglasses covered her eyes and a nude tote purse hanging from her forearm, she pulled the door open and immediately greeted with the sound of a band streaming their instruments and angelic vocals bouncing off the four walls.
Door closed behind her as her heels came in contact with the weathered concrete flooring of the rehearsal studio. Behind her sunglasses, she looked around five hundred forty square foot space taking in the modern industrial warehouse with exposed brick walls, high beam ceiling, and spacious open layout. Her eyes averted back towards the stage, laying her eyes the short and golden skin of Shantey. A round fan sits in front of the stage blowing her hair and dressed comfortably in a Balenciaga Oversized BB Logo Sweatshirt and Side Striped Biker Shorts. On her small pair of feet are black Balenciaga Stretch-Knit High-Top Sock Trainers flat on the hardwood stage.
Out of her peripheral vision, Shantey noticed a figure and glanced towards the entrance of the rehearsal studio landing her eyes on someone she have not laid eyes on in years. The middle daughter of Tania's; Monae Abraham Miller. Monae became aware of Shantey spotting her and removed her sunglasses. Shantey really didn't understand why her sister was there. Monae never left their hometown. She enjoyed the life of being a housewife and raising her child in a better life she and her sister's ever had. She distanced herself away from the drama and negativity to mentally and emotionally heal herself. A month turned into a year and that one year turned into years. Monae loved the life of staying away from what drained her.
Shantey continued her rehearsal and killing her notes; one thing that made Monae smile. Shantey let her band know to take a five before she stepped off the rehearsal stage and footed towards her sister. "Monae.... You're here in California... And found me, how?"
"Anissa told me."
"Did she, now?" Shantey inquired, peering over her shoulder at Anissa, who was having a conversation her manager and assistant. She averted her attention back to Monae. "Well, I think you coming was kinda pointless. We have nothing—"
"She told me about you passing out almost two weeks ago...." Monae uttered, interrupting Shantey from dismissing the needed conversation, "With pills in your hand."
"And what the fuck does that have to do with you, Monae?" Shantey asked, frowning her face. "You ain't been around in years mami. So you care now? You need to go back to Tulsa with your husband and child I've never met and let Shantey deal with this alone... as I usually do. You don't care Mo. And I don't know why Anissa called you. I have rehearsal to do and I'm not about to be bothered with your bullshit," she added as she start feeling a burning pain in her chest.
"Shantey... I'm just trying to be here for you—"
"Why?" Shantey voice start raising and getting everyone's attention. "I never asked you to be Monae! You wanna come around for inside information to put in the blogs too like your bitch-ass mother and sister? I'm not wasting my mufucking time on this shit with you and I'm tired of everybody thinking they know what the hell I need in my life to heal me or something. And y'all don't! Maybe blood relatives being around me is something I don't need; including your fucking cousin!"
The burning pain in her chest override everything that Monae uttered in response. For the past week, Shantey noticed the heartburn staying longer than usual when she would take antacids to subside the pain. But now, it was worse than before. Her vision blurred, and she slightly stumbled back.
"Are you okay?" Monae asked, grabbing her arm to keep her from falling.
"I'm fine..." She shoved Monae hand from her arm.
"No you're not. Anissa!" Monae called across the rehearsal studio and waved her over when looking in her direction.
"Anissa isn't my fucking mother, Monae."
"Still stubborn as a bull..." Monae commented, shaking her head as Anissa approached.
"What's going on?"
"You should know. You invited her without telling me. You know, this the second time you done some shit behind my back."
"This isn't about us, Anissa. She's stumbling back like she got lightheaded or something."
Anissa looked at Shantey; worried expression. "You're having heartburn again?"
"Let it go."
"No, we're going to the doctor now. Sino grab the car."
"I'm good–"
"Stop being bullheaded for one fucking moment and worry about your son." Anissa insisted passionately, "You've been having heartburn back to back along with stressing and that can be the problem. Chill and relax. We're going to see your obstetrician."
Rubbing her basketball-sized belly, Shantey surrendered. The heartburn has been killing her right now and the past week. Honestly, she was concerned about her baby and herself. Frequent and long lasting heartburn during a pregnancy is never good. Anissa called her California obstetrician ahead of time to inform them coming and about what was happening with her. A bit after, they were heading to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to meet up with her doctor...
. . .
. . .
"Severe pre-eclampsia..." her obstetrician, Dr. Moore, informed and added, "that's why you're having long lasting heartburn and blurred vision. Your blood pressure is incredibly high, too. Right now, I'm suggesting inducing your labor today."
"Today?" Shantey and Anissa questioned in unison.
"I'm only eight months," she added.
"I'm aware," her obstetrician nodded, "but it's to severe. We've tried keeping your blood pressure in check but it's not working the way it should. The only result right now is inducing."
"I've never done had to induce my labor before. Can I still birth vaginally?"
"We have to check if your cervix is ready for delivery."
"Well, I'm feeling pressure on my pelvis so it better be ready."
Dr. Moore checked her cervix and confirmed she would be able to birth vaginally. Shantey took everything off from her outer clothes to her undergarments and put on the hospital gown. Romeo, her aunt Sunni, and her mother figure Heather were in the room with her since Anissa called and informed them about her labor being induced. Dr. Moore had already done the steps of her induction.
Reruns of old Real Housewives of Atlanta played on the Tv hanging in the corner as Shantey lays in the hospital bed hooked to machines that monitors her contractions and the baby's heartbeat. Two hours she's been in labor and her body was responding to everything as her last pregnancies.
"Can I go down to the cafeteria?" Romeo asked, feeling his stomach growl.
"Of course, baby," she smiled at her son as he stood along with Sunni.
"Yup, I'm gone go with you," Sunni informed. "We'll eat down there too. I know how it is being in labor and not being able to eat."
"Thank you very much." Shantey chuckled as her son and aunt left the hospital room.
"You're about to have a contraction coming." Heather says watching the monitor and within seconds, the contractions started and Shantey squeezed the handle of the bed while tightening her eyes shut and breathing steadily to soothe the pain.
Shantey having a high pain tolerance, she was able to deal with the contractions better than some may say. She doesn't scream or cry. She handles the pain the way her body has been able to her past two deliveries.
When the contractions decreased, she released the handle and breathing normally. Heather chuckled softly and said, "you're one strong woman, mija. You was the same way in labor with Romeo and having him. You never make a peep when dealing with your contractions."
"Eh... my pain tolerance just high..." She chuckled looking at Heather.
"I see. Have you spoken to your baby father? He should be here."
"I don't want him here."
"Don't do that. It's his baby too."
"I'm not about to talk about this because I'm gonna get irritated." Shantey spoke dismissively as the room door opened and Anissa walked in.
"I talked to Dave's mother. She's saying they're on some family vacation overseas and going to get here on a quick flight."
"I wasn't aware about no vacation pertaining to my Son."
"Well.... that's where they are. It's going to take some time and he will most likely–"
"Miss the birth of our son?" Shantey finished; laughter erupting from her plump lips. "I really don't care to much about him being here. The only person I want is my son."
"Don't worry about it. Worry about a safe delivery."
"Of course..." She smile with mischief.
. . .
. . .
. .
Awaiting with long hours of contractions and dilating, Shantey had finally given birth to her son the following day during the crack of dawn from her going into labor early in the evening. Due to her only being thirty three weeks, her son was sent up to the neonatal intensive care unit for special care and treatment. Romeo, Sunni, Heather, and Anissa stayed the whole time by her side and the newborn. She was cleaned and stitched; able to change in a new hospital gown.
Shantey was graced to finally eat breakfast from iHop since Heather retrieved it for her and everyone in the room. With the hospital being known with occupying celebrities, the food was up to par, but Shantey feigned for iHop and that's what she wanted.
She walked out of the bathroom to a empty space; Heather and Sunni leaving to retrieve the hospital bag she packed up in preparation for her giving birth and Romeo was gone at school being picked up by his father. Anissa sauntered back in wearing a change of clothes and her cell device in her hand.
"Hey, have you spoken to Amanda?"
"Not since... a while. Have you spoken to Natalie?"
"That's who I just finished talking to. She hasn't spoken to her either. She haven't been showing up for her studio sessions, rehearsals; nothin."
Shantey released an anxious breath. "Let me try and call her later. She's probably just taking time for herself. I don't blame her," she responded as Anissa nodded, "my question for you is why in the hell would you invite Mo here?"
Before Anissa is able to respond, a few rhythmic short knocks hit against the door as it opened and the tall and muscular physique dressed down in a sweatsuit and custom Nike Air Force Ones. She exhaled heavily, rolling her eyes as Dave footed in with his mother behind him. Only thing that made her genuinely smile is seeing sleeping Cruz being carried in his arms dressed in a matching sweatsuit and solid royal blue Air Force Ones.
"What up...." his baritone and gruff tone eased from his vocal box as he licked over his thick lips. Anissa responds with a forced smile; not liking him as a person or human being at all. She wasn't about to be phony. She stepped out of the way when he walked over to Shantey, "Where my Son at?"
"Where else? NICU." Shantey spoke blandly, reaching for Cruz but he moved back to prevent her from doing so. She sucked her teeth and says, "Stop playing with me." She grabbed her son from him making the three year old stir in his sleep and lay against her chest.
"Aight, whatchu name him?"
"You would know if you was here. But you going on family vacations and don't think I don't know who else you had there thanks to your bullshit fan-pages tagging me in shit. But don't worry, I'm not gone do nothing.... right now."
He chuckled deeply, "I don't care bout any of that Ledé. At all."
"Coo'," she eyed him with a smirk glowing in her eyes.
"Ameer Sire... Washington?" Francesca asked with confusion and reading off the name written on the whiteboard along with the baby's birth time, date, and nurse name. She faced her son and Shantey, "What happen to Brewster?"
"Oh that's not his last name, my love." Shantey pettily smirked as Dave looked at her with a blank face and raised eyebrow.
"Man.... fuck outta here Ledé," he snickered and added, "Stop playin' wit me."
"It's notta game. Paperwork done."
"As his Father he should have a say in what his last name would be," Francesca uttered her opinion.
"And as you being a Grandmother, us on the outside should mind our business." Anissa added an opinion of her own.
"I don't care about any of that. His last name is Washington."
"Aight, I ain't finna get mad bout that right now. All I came to do is see my Son."
"I'll walk you up there but don't say anything to me about his last name. It's staying what it is." Shantey stood when he reached and grabbed Cruz from her.
"I won't for right now, but it's damn sho gon' be discussed."
She chuckled shortly, "Yeah, we have a lot to discuss, baby-boy."
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