34. Again...

☙Naomi☙

"Does this dress make me look fat?"

I rolled my eyes for the fifth time since we got started. LaLa and I are out shopping for our double date tonight. She is currently eight and three quarters along in her pregnancy. My girl is glowing, but I can see the slight ting of sadness in her eyes every time that she looks in a mirror. Something was bothering her more than being bloated with life.

"For the last time, no. You're just extra sexy", I grumbled sending a quick response to my husband.

She sighed letting out a string of curses before walking back into the dressing rooms to change again. I had already found my attire for the night. LaLa, not so much. She seemed to hate nearly anything she tried on making it near impossible for her to find anything to wear. I thought that my girl looked good in everything she wore. However, she felt otherwise leading to this moment going on four hours of shopping. Next time I am sending Nathaniel to shop with her.

I let out a sigh in frustration as I waited for Lelita to step out of the dressing room to show me outfit number six. I was bored and I wanted to get home to my babies before they were shipped off to their grandparents' home for the rest of the day. Meaning I would not be seeing my babies until tomorrow afternoon. My anxiety has gotten better over time. Therefore I am comfortable with them being away from me without me having a panic attack.

"What about this?", my sister's familiar voice called timidly.

I allowed my eyes to rake over her form. She was dressed in a form-hugging orange Maxie dress. She looked beautiful in my opinion, but something told me that she would not believe me if I said so.

"How do you like it?", I said playing it safe.

My girl is pregnant and I could already sense her discomfort and displeasure. I was not trying to have her pop off inside of a clothing store in the mall.

"It's okay, I guess. It just looks so plain", she retorted. "Everything is so plain", she murmured.

I do not think that she intended for me to hear her. I heard her though. Loud and clearly I heard her. This was not the LaLa I knew. Something was definitely bothering her.

"Okay. I'll pick your clothes and pay while you sit right here and rest yourself feet. We do not have much time before the kids leave to their grandparents and I want to see my babies off", I suggested before skittering off without waiting on her reply.

I may have fibbed a bit. Sue me. I was ready to go and she obviously needed someone at the moment. So I killed two birds with one stone.

Making my way through the store I began compiling her an outfit that would compliment her figure and her bump at the same time. It was sexy, chic, and comfortable.

I paid then helped my sister from the wingback chair she had been resting on. I carried all of the bags despite her many protests. I was not about to allow her to strain her body any more than it already was with her being so far along in her pregnancy. The walk to the car was a relatively quiet one. I was not sure what was occupying my girl's mind, but I had already made up mine to find out what exactly that was.

¡

"Okay, bitch. You've been way too quiet and don't think I didn't hear you in the store. Having kids amplifies your senses. So I am going to ask you once and once only what's on your cranium? Don't say nothing because that's a damn lie", I said bringing the silence we rode in to an abrupt end as I pulled onto the main road.

"You sounds like your husband", she huffed out.

"I will be sure to let him know of the compliment", I retorted.

She scoffed. "That's not a compliment, sweetie", she said.

I shrugged my shoulder. I was not the least bit phased. I would take it as a compliment. Nathaniel and I have been married long enough to pick up on one another's personality traits and mannerisms. If you don't pick up on your partners then something is wrong in my book.

"Stop dodging the elephant in the room, in our case, the car", I stated.

"I'm not", she denied.

I raised an eyebrow casting her a glance. "You totally are", I argued.

"Am not", she denied again.

"Lelita?", I called.

"Naomi?", she mocked.

"I will roll my eyes and crash this car", I threatened.

"Maybe Lucky will start giving a fuck about us again then. Go for it", she snarled.

I had to pull the car over for a moment. I had nearly driven right into the back of another car at her declaration.

"What?", I asked incredulously as I put the car into park.

"Nothing. Keep driving", LaLa denied.

It was far too late. I heard her. I'm sure her unborn child heard as well. Hell, I think Lucky felt the animosity from a distance.

"Uh-Uhm. Nope, you're going to tell me. It's not good to bottle it all up. Vent, mama. If you can't tell Luc, then tell me", I encouraged.

And she did. She told me how she was feeling. She told me how she felt towards Lucky and her pregnancy. She told me how she felt like they were drifting apart and that there was nothing she could do about it. She told me of her feelings of loneliness. She was sad and everyone seemed to notice but the one person she needed to notice the most. I was going to kick Lucky's pale ass when I saw him again, on sight.

I spent the next twenty minutes on the side of the road listening to her vent and comforting her. We ordered food and ate as we talked. It was a much-needed session. I had even found myself feeling lighter afterward. I had taken LaLa home with me and we spent time with the kids before Nathaniel's parents to whisk them away. Nathaniel had cast me a curious gaze that I had returned with a stern face that told him that we would talk later.

!

The four of us were out together at dinner having a good time.

The conversation was kept light. Lelita and Lucky had been lovey-dovey throughout the duration of dinner. I frowned slightly at the sight of the two sharing kisses like a happy couple. Sensing the tension between myself and the pair, Nathaniel placed his hand on top of mine giving a comforting squeeze and a soft smile. I kept quiet on the matter, but I was watching that flour demon.

"Baby, you feeling alright? Who's ass I gotta beat?", Neil whispered into my ear.

"No-one, baby. I'll tell you later. Let's just enjoy our dinner", I muttered before placing a chaste kiss to his lips.

Dinner was going well. Nathaniel and I had excused ourselves from the table to go up to the rooftop. We had wanted to take a look at the view. The sun had begun to set casting beautiful pastel colors across the sky. The rooftop view was beautiful. I was awestruck.

"This is so beautiful", I commented gazing at the view, Nathaniel's hand in mine.

His thumb gently brushing over the knuckles of my fingers. I felt so content. I was happy. Nothing could have made the moment better between the two of us. There was a peaceful silence between us and the wind blew gently along our bodies ruffling our hair and clothes.

"Baby, I want to talk to you", he said suddenly.

I hummed in acknowledgment.

"I'm happy. Are you?", he said.

I tore my eyes from the view to meet the eyes of my husband. "Definitely", I responded.

"Do I make you happy?", he asked.

"Of course, babe. Why? Do you feel otherwise?", I retorted curiously.

"Never. You make me happier than thought I would ever be. We have been through some shit and we have had our lows, but I would never wish for anyone else to walk beside me through all of it than you", he said sincerely.

"Even if I get on your nerves?", I asked.

"Especially when you get on my nerves. I love you at all times, Omi. No matter how angry or sad I may get, I love you. Nothing would ever make me love you less except the reversal of time because every day I spend with you I love you infinitely more", he declares.

"Who cut the damn onions?", I murmured feeling tears begin to accumulate in my tear ducts.

"Seriously? I'm trying to be cute here, Omi", he said feigning exasperation.

"I thought cute was for babies, puppies, and kittens though?", I teased, a tear escaping from my eye.

He chuckled. "It is, but for you, baby. I will be anything", he retorts leaning down placing a kiss to my cheek.

"Stahp! You're going to make me ruin my makeup and this face is best you sexy jerk", I grumbled lightly slapping his chest.

I was jerked forward into his arms where he embraced me tightly. "Never", I denied.

"Neil", I groaned embracing him as well.

We fell into another comfortable silence. I could feel his heart beating beneath his suit. Placing my ear to his chest I heard his heart beating rapidly within its cage. He was nervous, but why? My heart for some reason matched his all the same.

"I love you my Omi one", he whispered into my ear.

"I love you more, Neil", I breathed.

He hummed placing a kiss to my forehead, both of the eyes, my cheeks, and lastly my lips. The kiss we shared had been short, but sweet. His eyes were twinkling like gems under the night lights as he released me from his embrace taking a step back.

"Now I have one last question for you, baby", he paused reaching into his suit pocket.

He cast me a brilliant smile as he removed his hand from his suit pocket. "Give me your hand, baby", he said softly.

Without hesitation, I gave my hand. I knew that Nathaniel would never do anything to intentionally hurt me. He placed a necklace into the palm of my hand. I started at the necklace for a moment before raising my head to meet eyes with his. I was curious about the meaning behind the necklace but I asked no questions knowing he would tell me.

"Open it", he said.

I nodded my head curtly. It was a locket after all. I had struggled with the necklace trying to open it before he gently took it from my hands and opened it. He smiled down at the contents to the necklace before placing it back into the palm of my hand once again.

I gasped. Inside the locket sat a beautiful ring.

"Baby?", I muttered.

"Do you like it?", he asked shyly.

I tore my eyes from the beautiful jewelry before me. Nathaniel hardly ever is shy. He must be feeling some type of way. It was utterly cute.

"I love it, but why, Neil?", I responded.

Silently he removed the ring from the locket falling to one knee before me.

"You idiot, we are already married", I hissed with a smile on my face, tears escaping my eyes cascading down my cheeks.

My make up was probably slightly out of place, but I was happy.

"Marry me again, baby. The first time that we got married our family had not been there and this time around, I wanted to do it right. So with everyone we love present, I am asking you to be my wife, baby. Naomi Lopez Vitro, will you continue to make me the happiest man in existence by marrying me once again?", he said.

"Yes", I accepted in a breath before planting my lips on his.

I kissed him deeply. He had proposed again. We have not been married for ten years yet, but this man wanted to reclaim me as his wife once again before our family and friends. I'm a big baby. I cried as he removed my first wedding ring placing it inside of the necklace before replacing it with my new engagement ring. It was beautiful.

"Perfect", he murmured before placing a kiss to my ring finger.

"Yeah, it is", I agreed pulling him into a bearhug.

I just wanted to hug him. So I did. The voices of our family and friends could be heard because they were not very discreet in the slightest. However, we chose to ignore them. Instead, we held one another while watching the sunset and the moon ascend into the darkened night sky.

"Is it done?"

"Mommy looks so pretty like a princess, like me!"

"Dad looks okay. He's not as handsome as me, but he okay."

"Yo', does this mean that we can go eat and hit the bar now?"

"Will you shut up! Damn, this is not about you!"

"They look so good together. I'm so happy for them."

"Look at our babies! They're so cute!"

"I raised my boy right!"

"Am I thick?"

"Shut the fuck up, Christian!"

"You shut your flat-faced, flat assed ass up, Lucky! You're such a hater!"

"The both of you shut the hell up! There are elders here you fucking idiots!"

"Angelo! Language!"

"But ma!"

"Don't make me beat your ass boy! Behave, a bad bitch has spoken!"

"OPHELIA!?"

"Hehe, sorry honey."

"This a damn shame. We can't ever go anywhere without one of y'all acting up."

"That's what keeps our family lit, pops. We're not the average boring as shit family."

"What the fuck is a 'lit'?"

There were snickers.

"Not 'a lit' pops. It's just 'lit'. Nothing more."

"Well somebody better tell me what the fuck 'lit' is before I go back to lit-ing them asses on fire."

Nathaniel groaned in annoyance hugging me tighter. I let out a giggle nuzzling my nose along his jawline.

"I hate them", he groaned before burying his face into the crook of my neck.

"No, you don't", I whispered.

"You're right. I love our kids, but the rest of them are so fucking annoying it's pitiful. Well, except Nonno. He's the goat", he whispered back.

"Who a goat?"

"Let me see the ring!"

"Y'all so ugly. Let me see that rock, hoes."

"I'm thick."

"Why the hell does it matter? Are you perhaps bi?"

"Antonio, please. This is strictly for the cooch. This girl told me that I looked like a thick daddy. That's all bro, keep the rainbows for you and my brother."

"That shit gay."

"Lucky mind ya business. You all over here in my Kool-Aid."

"I would but your big mouth ass keeps talking over me. Stand near each other you dumb shits."

"You so ugly. No wonder you got two baby mamas. Ugly dudes always have more than one baby mama because the first one gets tired of being scared by their ugly ass faces every time she wakes up next to them. You, my friend, are ugly."

"Maybe it's Maybelline, bitch. At least my baby mamas were willing to have my kids. You're so ugly your swimmers drown before they ever reach the outside in fear of your hideous ass face."

"So I'm just a baby's mama now, Lucky? Is that how you really feel?"

"What? No. Don't put words in my mouth, Lelita."

"That's how you have been treating me, Lucky. I don't have to put words in your mouth. Your actions speak louder than your words ever will."

"Babe, I do not."

"So now I'm lying?"

"Guys, this is not the time or place to hash out your relationship problems."

"Yeah, Kel is right. This isn't the time you two."

"No, I think it is. I'm tired of keeping everything bottled inside. I'm tired of having to comfort myself when I supposedly have a whole damn man at my side."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Guys?"

"You're not the man I thought you'd be."

"Guys, stop."

"That's rich. I'm more of a man than your ex was. Tell me, is he still getting rammed out by Tristian's ex?"

"Ah, shit."

"I don't know. Tell me if your ex is still breastfeeding little boys like you with her old ass?"

"Don't talk about Bria like that."

"Seriously, you two, stop."

"Why not? She talks about me all of the time. My bad, how would you know? She never does anything in front of you, and even if she does she's still innocent in your eyes. Every fucking thing she does goes right over your big goofy ass head!"

"Okay, that's ENOUGH! Stop this foolishness this instant! Not another word out of you two!"

"Argh."

"LaLa, are you okay, dear?"

"I'm-Argh!"

"Someone get her a chair and some water."

Much to his dismay, I broke away from Nathaniel's and I love cacoon to be at my best friend's side. She was hunched over caressing her baby bump. Her face was screwed up in pain as she practiced her breathing.

"Hey, love. How badly does it hurt?", I cooed rubbing her back to alleviate some of the pain from her back.

"Like a kick to the pu-"

"Gotcha, mama. Has yo-"

"LaLa's pissing herself!"

"Shut the hell up, Christian! Her water broke, nincompoop. Lucky, stop standing there like an ass and help me get your pregnant girlfriend to the hospital because your kid is about to make their grand entrance", I quipped.

"Mommy said a bad word. That's two dollars in the swear jar", I heard Aryan say to her brother before she began to ramble about what they should buy with their newly accumulated money.

I cut my eyes at her causing her rambling I cease. The gaze of a mother comes in clutch once again.

"La, can you walk?", I asked my friend who was clearly in pain.

She groaned slowly standing to her full height. "Yeah", she grunted.

Lucky who had awakened from his stupor had finally made a move to help his girlfriend. Too bad for him, she wanted nothing to do both him at the moment.

He reached out for her to help her downstairs to the car but she batted his hand away while sending him a nasty glare.

"Don't fucking touch me!", she spat lowering at him.

The rest of us remained silent as Lelita waddled towards the door with a dejected Lucky following close behind.

"This is exactly why I don't do shit with the family. Somebody always trying to steal my shine. Let's go have baby Geodude", grumbled Nathaniel ushering everyone after the couple.

+

A few hours later I was standing at the window down at the nursery watching my God-son and nephew peacefully sleep in his crib. Lucky stood beside me quietly watching his son as well. His was stoic, but a storm was brewing within his eyes. There was a tense silence lingering in the air.

That ceased when the sound of a cellphone ringing resonated through the hall. I watched curiously as Lucky fished his phone from his pocket and stared at the phone screen for a few seconds before swiping his finger across the screen bringing the phone to his ear.

"I'm at the hospital, Bria. I can't take her right now."

There was silence again as he listened to the mother of his daughter on the phone.

"I can't. My girlfriend just gave birth to my child, Bria. I won't leave her and our son just because you have a few errands to run. Take her with you or drop her off to the sitters. I can't right now nor can my family because they are here with us."

Again a bit more of silence.

"Selfish? Bring my daughter and go run your damn errands. Don't call me unless you are outside so I can send someone to collect her. I hope you get whatever shit done you had to so badly fucking do, Bria. Goodbye."

That was the end of the call.

"You alright, Luc?", I quietly called.

He hummed but remained silent. His nostrils were flared and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He was pissed. I do not know the full extent of their brief conversation because I could only hear his side of the conversation. However, I felt as if he needed a bit of advice and enlightenment.

"Forget, Bria. I know that you still have love in your heart for her, but you need to stop letting her walk all over you and your relationship, Lucky. Lelita is my sister and I have half the right mind to strangle your long neck self, but the other wants me to be there for you because I consider you my annoying brother. Lucky, if you keep this up you are going to be alone. La is tired. She is so tired and you don't even see it being too busy with your head up your baby's mama ass. You need to decide who comes first. You need to decide who you cannot see yourself without. You cannot make both women a top priority. Only one can be that, and if that so happens to not be my sister. Then I want you to leave her alone. Stop dragging her along in your bullshit. It's obvious to everyone except you what Bria is doing. Stop hurting La La like this, Lucky. You may not have cheated on her at any point, but you are no better than her ex. At the end of the day, both of you have hurt her. You just chose different means of doing so. Above all things Lucky, you be there for your children. I just have a feeling that you are going to have to fight for them soon. So you be there as much as you can, but don't forget about the one you love too. Find a balance. I'm going back up to sit with LaLa while you think over what I have just told you", I advised before taking my leave.

Hopefully Lucky will get it together. Lelita is my sister. I will stand with her if push comes to shove. I gave him the tools to get the job done. Now he just has to put them to use. LaLa may be strong, but everyone has a breaking point. Hers is only one crack away before she comes crumbling down. He needs to do this for her and all of their sake.