ISABELLA

      I took a deep breathe before opening the door to what used to be my bedroom and made my way down the hall. Just as I got to the end of the hall where it would lead towards the living room I ran into Omari. Instinctively I reached out and placed my hands on his chest to balance myself. Once I was steady I dropped my hands down to my side and looked up at him. He stood there staring at me with a closed off look in his eyes and, for some reason, I felt hurt by it even though I knew I was the reason why he was acting the way he was and understood it.

      "Just...hear me out Omari," I told him. "I won't lie to you and tell you that I'm ecstatic right now because I'm not. I'm scared and it's not just because I'm young and this will change me life, but it's because I don't think I'm going to be what's best for this child. I've never been responsible for anything in my life and to have a child thrust at me is a huge deal. I don't want to mess up."

      His eyes softened and he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer. "Baby, you're not alone in this. I'm scared too but we'll work it out. We'll take parenting classes and you'll do mommy and me. We also have our parents who will be there for us and there's always the option of getting a nanny."

      "I don't know about that whole nanny business," I told him.

      "Why?" he asked curiously.

      "I know too many friends who thought, and still do think, of their nannies like more of a mother than their own mothers. I don't want that," I told him.

      "Well we'll work everything out when the time comes," Omari replied.

      "I have to admit that, that wasn't all I was worried about," I whispered.

      "Say what's on your mind," Omari encouraged.

      I looked up at him and then looked down. "When the contract is over...are you going to stay with me?"

      "So that's what you were worried about," he replied in an odd tone. I didn't answer him. "Look at me baby," he requested by I couldn't. I didn't know how I'd take it if he decided to be blunt and told me he'd be gone as soon as his obligations were fulfilled. When I didn't look up Omari used his right index finger to elevate my head. "I'm not going anywhere Isabella. Yes, our situation is unique but I love you all the same. I'm not going to up and leave you."

      "Now," I replied, "but what happens later when the newness wears off and you want something else? What if you meet some female who’s prettier than me, has a better figure, and doesn't have a child? Will you still be there?"

      "I don't want anyone else...besides, I could ask you the same question Is. You could, very well, decide that you want to try something new. I mean I am your first."

      "And last," I whispered lightly before kissing him lightly.

      The last couple of months flew by and other than Omari and Paula, no one I knew on a personal level knew about my pregnancy. Of course, I'd been trying to fix things with my parents and have gotten to know Omari's parents...well Omari's mom. Omari's father was much like my own and was always working so except for a few words we barely spoke to each other. That was fine, though, because his mother was a sweetheart.

      "Bella!" a voice called out to me and I turned towards the voice to see Katie walking towards me with a NIKE duffel bag over her shoulder.

      "What up?" I asked her and I slung my messenger bag higher up my shoulder.

      "I was going to head to the gym and thought you'd want to come with me," she replied with a smile.

      "Is that your nice way of telling me I'm fat?" I asked her.

      She laughed and said, "No but we've all gained that freshman fifteen."

      "My situation is a little different. Look, I have to go but I'll catch up with you later," I told her as I headed over to my car and made my way home.

      "Omari!" I called as soon as I walked in the house.

      "Omari isn't here dear," Imani's familiar voice called out.

      "Mrs. Deveraux? What are you doing here?" I questioned, shocked that she was here.

      "We're here for you," my mother's voice called out as she joined me and Mrs. Deveraux.

      "For me?" I questioned.

      "My baby's pregnant," my mother replied with a tearful look in her eye.

      "How did you-"

      "Omari told us," Imani replied. "And we're here to help. Are you free?"

      "Yes," I replied slowly. "I mean I was going to ask Omari if he wanted to go out from an early dinner but-"

      "Great!" my mother replied eagerly as she hugged me. "I printed out a list of stores we should stop by to find great things for the nursery."

      "Nursery?" I asked.

      "Of course sweetie," Imani replied as if I was crazy for even asking that question. "You're going to have a baby in a few months. You have to have a nursery ready and waiting."

      "Can't I just hire someone for that?" I questioned.

      "Well you could," Imani replied, "but why pay someone for what you can do yourself? Come on, this will be fun."

OMARI

      "Izzie?" I called out as soon as I walked through the front door.

      "I'm in the bedroom!" she called out.

      I walked in the bedroom to be accosted by huge boxes and bags upon bags lining the wall. "What's this?"

      "This is what you've subjected me to," she replied smartly as she turned her attention away from her computer screen.

      "Me?"

      "Yes you," she replied as she pointed her index finger at me to drive the point home. "You went and told our mothers and they took me captive. I swear we've been all over Florida buying crazy shit. Most of it isn't even here yet."

      "It couldn't have been that bad," I interjected.

      "Omari, our mothers took me shopping for things pertaining to their grandchild."

      I winced at that thought. "They were just excited. They'll most likely be going home at the end of the week."

      She smirked and shook her head. "On the contrary Omari, they're going to be here for the duration of my pregnancy."

      "What?" I snapped knowing I heard her wrong.

      She gave me a huge smile as she relayed the information. "Our mothers decided that, as first time parents, we needed their help. They also didn't want me to be stressed and have basically been treating me like a time bomb ready to go off. Do you know how annoying that is? I'm pregnant not handicapped."

      "So they're trying to be around for the next five or so months?" I asked in disbelief.

      She laughed at my tone and nodded in affirmation. I sucked my teeth and dropped on the bed. Lord knows I loved my mother but five months was too damn long to have her and my mother-in-law under foot.

      "Don't act like that. You put this on yourself," Isabella replied as she pushed her reading glasses closer to her face.

      "Have you thought about how they would have reacted we waited until you went in labor to tell them we had a baby on the way? They'd kill us," I informed her.

      My mother badgered me all the time about grandbabies and if I didn't tell her she would have driven me insane with her guilt trips. She was the queen of that shit; hands down she held the title.

      "So what did you all get?" I changed the subject as I stood back up.

      "I picked up some maternity wear since I'm actually starting to show now. Other than that we got some paint for the nursery along with the furniture that's scheduled to come this weekend. Most of the boxes are carpet squares to go over the wooden floor in the guest bedroom closer to my old room. We also picked up onesies, a breast pump, bottles, and things of that nature."

      "Sounds like you had a busy afternoon."

      "Busy isn't even the word," she replied as she saved whatever she was working on and placed her laptop on her nightstand. "So how was your day?"

      "Man," I groaned as I tossed my jacket in the hamper and began to unbutton my shirt.

      "That bad?" she questioned

      I nodded as I thought over the drama my Las Vegas club was having with a misplaced liquor license and a high profile client being caught indulging in his favorite narcotic. The last thing I needed was cops getting at my or making an example of my club because an ass chose to snort his coke in public instead of doing that shit in the privacy of his own home.

      "Well come lay down and tell me all about it," she replied as she waved me over.

      I climbed on the bed and rest my head on her visibly round stomach and began to tell her about the incompetent idiots that worked for me while she ran her fingers through the part of my braids.

ISABELLA

      I'd barely set foot into the student commons when I heard Katie's voice call out to me. I turned to see her staring at me with a shocked look on her face. It didn't take a genius to realize that she'd finally figured out I was pregnant.

      "Oh my GOD!" she dragged out as she stared at my protruding stomach that was visible due to the tights that did nothing to mask my stomach and the floral Momzee tunic that seemed to mold against it.

      "I know right?" I asked rhetorically as I rest my hand on my stomach.

      "You're pregnant?" she asked even though the answer was obvious. "Why didn't you say anything? You just stood there when I asked you to be my exercise buddy knowing good and well our situations were different?"

      I laughed and said, "I wasn't ready to say anything yet."

      "Are you going to have a baby shower?" she asked excitedly and I could already see her mind in motion.

      "We hadn't planned on it. Actually our mothers are in town and have been dragging me all around to get things for the nursery," I answered honestly as I moved out of the flow of traffic.

      "Do you know what you're having yet?"

      "No. Omari and I decided to wait until the next visit to see if we can get the sex," I answered as my phone went off.

KATIE

      I listened to the one sided conversation and took Isabella in. I'd heard about that pregnant woman glow and thought that it was all overrated. I'd seen my share of pregnant women, a good portion of my high school’s senior class either had a child in the audience or was pregnant when they received their diplomas, but I guess the situation was different. Isabella didn't hold herself in the same manner those girls did. She accepted her pregnancy and seemed happy and content. Her eyes held a certain twinkle that only an eager expectant mother could have and I felt happy for her.

      A few moments later she ended the call and turned her attention towards me. "Are you scheduled to be somewhere right about now?"

      "Not really, why?" I questioned.

      "Omari's coming to take me to lunch and I remember you asking when you could meet him. I figured you can do so now," she replied as she led the way outside, maneuvering in her high heeled sandals as if they were a pair of flats.

      We'd been waiting outside for maybe ten minutes when a diamond white Porsche pulled up to the curb. The driver's side opened and a very well groomed man stepped out of the car and it didn't take a genius to realize that he was Isabella's other half. His eyes all but lit up when he saw her and he made his way towards us, discounting my presence as he wrapped his arms around her. Isabella giggled and kissed him lightly before pulling back, his arms still wrapped securely around her waist, so that she could make the introductions.

      "Katie, this is my husband Omari. Omari this is my friend Katie," she replied. Omari's dark brown eyes looked at me intently and he offered me a genuine smile that instantly revealed his softer side.

      "It's nice to finally have a face to the name," I spoke before congratulating him on Isabella's pregnancy.

      "Likewise," he retorted before smiling proudly at the mention of their new baby to be. "I don't mean to cut this short but we have reservations to make. It was nice meeting you though."

      "You too," I spoke and watched as he lead Isabella to the passenger side and opened the door for her. He waited until she was situated before closing the door and jogging to the other side.

      They were just too cute. It was nice to see young love make it.

ISABELLA

      "Baby why are we here instead of at home?" I questioned Omari as he led me inside of the Delano Hotel.

      "We've been kicked out," he replied easily.

      "What?" I exclaimed causing a few people to stare at us.

      He laughed and said, "Our mothers kicked us out. They're having the nursery painted and didn't want you ingesting the fumes."

      "They have control issues, you do know this right? Where is my father when I need him? As a matter of fact, what does your father have to say about your mother being here for the next few months?"

      "Thank you," he answered with a smirk on his face and I fell out laughing at that. His father was a mess.

IMANI

      "Do you think we're smothering the kids?" I asked Toni as we directed one of the movers to place the sage green chair and ottoman in the corner across from the large dark brown circular crib we'd purchased with Bella.

      "Of course not," Toni replied. "They're grateful that we're here."

      "Are you sure?" I questioned. I mean I wanted to be here and share the moment with the kids but I didn't want to be bothersome.

      "I know my daughter," Toni said. "If she was bothered she'd tell me."

      "Good," I replied with a wide smile before turning my attention towards the mover bringing in the changing station. "Just set that up by the door and help him bring in the chest of drawers."

      "They're going to love this nursery," Toni replied. "It'll be good for a little girl or boy."

      "Can you believe we're going to be grandmothers?" I gushed.

      "Not at all. I'm going to have to think of a term other than grandma though," Toni argued.

      "Why is that?"

      "Honey, I'm too young to be called gran-anything," she replied as she applied the sage green and peach colored sheets onto the round mattress.

      "I hear that," I replied as I began to fill the dresser with the clothing we'd purchased with, and without, Bella.

ISABELLA

      "Are you sure you're okay with this?" Omari asked me as he exited the car and hefted his Goyard duffle higher over his shoulder.

      He had to fly out to Vegas to handle the current drama that surrounded the club and he was worried about me being alone. Hah, that's a joke. Bother of our mothers were hovering around so alone was the last thing I had to worry about. That and the fact that he'd left notice to his friends to look out for me while I was gone. Can we say no privacy? I appreciated the gesture, really I did, but all I wanted was some space to breath. I had exams coming up and I was stressed enough. I didn't need to be annoyed as well.

      "I'm fine baby. Go handle your business," I told him and kissed him quickly before motioning for him to enter the airport.

      "I'll call you as soon as I land," he spoke.

      "I look forward to the conversation," I told him and watched him enter through the automatic door before getting back into the car and driving towards my favorite deli to get something to eat.

      I'd just ordered my sandwich when someone called my name. I ignored it at first because my name wasn't exactly unique but when my name was called again followed by someone touching my shoulder I turned and paused in shock as I stared into William's brown eyes. It took me a minute to get myself together enough to speak.

      "William? What are you doing here?"

      He smiled that cute grin of his and said, "I'm trying to get something to eat."

      "You know what I mean," I snapped and hit his arm playfully.

      "I have a game against the Dolphins," he replied once he stopped laughing.

      "So football's treating you well?" I questioned.

      "Yes and it seems as if married life is treating you the same," he replied as he pointed towards my belly.

      I smiled but before I could respond my number was called. I headed to the pick up station to retrieve my sandwich. William met me on the way back and I bit my lip before telling him that it was nice running into him and that I was going to go.

      "What? I can't get a hug?" he questioned playfully.

      "Sure," I replied, although semi uncomfortable, and gave him a loose hug.

      He gripped me tighter but before he released me he leaned towards my ear and said, "You know that baby should have been mine." With that said he let me go and walked out of the deli.