I'll Show You Love Pt. 3

Hey everybody! Here is the final part of the story. Now I got a lot of people asking me to continue this story and honestly i still haven't made up my mind if i will continue it. But after you read, leave a review please since i made this veryyyy long ^_^ & let me know if you think i should continue it too.
Hope you like it!

- Maria.






As a young kid, Drake made a lot of plans himself. Watching his dad succeed in his business made Drake wants to follow in his footsteps. Dennis Graham owned a very successful hotel chain, but when Drake was nine his father passed away of heart disease, which left the little family destroyed. Ever since then, Drake wanted to be just like his dad and take on the family business. He was involved in many of the ventures of the company while in university but it would be years until he could be completely in charge like his father.

Once his relationship with Nicki started to get pretty serious, he was making plans to fit her into his dreams. They both imagines that in ten years they would be successful and ready to get married. But now, everything was altered. Drake hadn’t really thought about how this baby would affect everything. He was working so hard for his dream, as was Nicki. What his mother had told him really struck in his mind. “Do you know that this is gonna ruin Nicki’s life?!”. Could they really have this baby? Were they just crazy for thinking that just wanting things to be perfect they would turn out that way?

All of these thoughts taking up his mind were making his heart hurt. But besides that he was worried for Nicki. He wanted to know what had happened and if she was ok. When he went to call her he remember she had left her bag there when Carol took her home.
Drake was about to go lay down when he heard rapid knocking on the front door. Rascal ran towards the door, ahead of Drake awaiting to see what the commotion was.
Drake opened it and immediately he felt someone fly into his arms. He stumbled back a bit before realizing it was Nicki. Her chest moving up and down from her crying. Drake looked down at her confused, then at Jelani who appeared in the door way.

“What’s going on?” He asked the siblings.

Nicki pulled back so Drake could see her tear stricken face, “He kicked me out. I told him everything. My father just disowned me!” He closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Are you kidding me?!” Drake looked towards Jelani for confirmation and he got it with just his look.

“Aubrey what’s going on?” Sandi came down the stairs upon hearing the commotion going on in her house. She saw Nicki’s  appearance and the worry on everyone’s faces.

“Nicki’s dad kicked her out.” Sandi sighed in disbelief as Nicki buried herself in his arms again.

Sandi resumed her way down the stairs inviting everyone to the kitchen. They all made their way to the center of the room and sat around the island. Despite her anger, Sandi was concerned for Nicki. As much as she didn’t like the situation, she would never think of treating her child like that. Once Nicki gathered herself up she told Drake and Sandi everything. What stood out the most to everyone was not the fact that Robert had overreacted, but that Carol didn’t put a stop to it.  Sandi felt bad for Nicki, she saw her like her own and now it wasn’t just her. It was her grandchild too. So before saying what she was about to say there was no hesitation.

“Well you’re staying here. If your parents are heartless enough to kick you out like that fine, but no daughter of mine is gonna be homeless.”

Nicki raised her head and met Sandi’s eyes, “Really? You would do that?”

“She can really stay here mom?” Drake asked.

“Of course!” Sandi made her way around the island to Nicki. “You know I love you like a daughter Nicki. Things are getting tough right now but you can always stay here. Don’t worry about that. We’re gonna take care of you and that baby okay?” Sandi brushed a piece of hair away from Nicki’s face.

“Thank you.” Nicki said sincerely. She turned around hopping off her stool to go hug her brother. “Thank you so much for being there for me Jelani. You’re the best.”

“Of course, you’re my baby sister. But I know you’ll be good here. I should probably get going.”  Jelani said hugging his sister one more time. When he pulled back he said his goodbyes and headed out the door.

“I’ll walk you out man.” Drake offered. The two guys stepped out but before he left, Jelani turned to Drake, his face as serious as ever.

“Listen man, please take good care of her. She’s….she’s my everything.” He said with a solemn look.

Drake knew how close Nicki and Jelani were and it was sad seeing that they had to be split up, but it was what was best for now. He nodded softly, “Mine too”.

When Drake went back inside he heard his mother and Nicki talking about where she was going to stay.

“We have that extra guest room upstairs, I just have to get it ready and you can stay there okay honey?” Sandi said giving Nicki one last hug.

“Okay.” She nodded. “Again, thank you so much for letting me stay here.”

Sandi smiled and made herself upstairs to prepare the room for Nicki. Meanwhile, Drake suggested they head upstairs to his room to talk. He knew Nicki was probably tired from the long, hard they she had so he wanted to get her comfortable.

He led her up to his room and sat on the bed as he watched her stand there scowling.

“What’s wrong baby?”

“I don’t even have any clothes to change into.” Nicki sighed and folded her arms.

Drake stood back up, walking past her and into his closet. “Where you going?” Nicki asked.

He came back out holding a tee and some basketball shorts. “This should get you through the night, tomorrow we’ll figure out a way to get your stuff okay?” Drake kissed her forehead and patted her butt. “Now get changed so I can lay with my girl.”

Nicki gave a tiny smile and changed into Drake’s clothes, while he laid down staring at the ceiling. All the thoughts that were running through his mind earlier came back as he waited. He wanted to talk to her about them, see if she was thinking the same things. In a matter of minutes he felt the bed shift and Nicki’s body curl up next to his.

“You good?” He asked putting his arm around her. His face now directly in front of hers.

Nicki shrugged. “I guess. Was your mom mad when you told her about the baby?”

“Yeah….she sort of yelled at me. She doesn’t think we’re ready for all of this.”

“Which we aren’t” Nicki added.

“And she said that I ruined you’re life.”

“No, this was just my fault as it was yours babe. You didn’t ruin anything.”

“But…do you think she’s right? I mean are we dumb for thinking that we can handle this?”

Nicki shifted and looked at him intently. “What do you mean Drake?”

“I mean, she’s right. You are seventeen, still in school and things are already tough without adding a baby into the mix. You have worked so hard for your future I don’t want anything to ruin it. And we’re engaged. I mean think about that. ENGAGED like we are setting up the rest of our lives.”

“So what…you don’t want to be engaged to me? You don’t want to marry me?” Nicki pressed her lips together awaiting the answer.

“No I do! I told you when I proposed to you that it wasn’t just because of the baby. I really do love you so much Nicki and I want to spend my whole life with you…but maybe us going through all of this while we both have a long road to get through to be ready isn’t a good idea.” Drake hoped she wouldn’t take it the wrong way. He wanted to be with Nicki forever but he didn’t want to do anything she wasn’t ready for.

“I don’t know Drake…”

“Just think about this, are we ready to be parents?”

Nicki looked down at her hands. She acted so strong and brave in front of Drake, like having the baby wasn’t going to be that big of a change. But in reality,  she asked herself that question everyday. Having a baby was a huge thing, life changing. “I’m seventeen years old Drake….I’m nowhere near ready. & you…you have so many plans Drake. How are we gonna do this?”

“Is it really fair for us to bring this baby into the world with parents that don’t know what they’re doing? Parents that can’t take care of him?” Drake asked Nicki, holding on to her hand.

“I don’t know, I don’t know! I don’t want to talk about this right now okay?” Nicki felt horrible for thinking this things. She felt guilty. Everything was just too much for her, the day couldn’t end fast enough.

“Okay I’m sorry.”

Nicki snuggled  up closer to Drake, laying her head in the crook of his neck. Her finger tracing random shapes on his chest.  “Im sorry I ruined your birthday.” She whispered.

Drake picked up her chin, making her look at him, “Hey listen to me. You didn’t ruin anything okay? We’re together. No one is going to split us up.”

They laid together in blissful silence for awhile. Nicki’s eyelids were getting heavy and before she knew it, she was out. Drake however, couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation they had just had. Sleep was just not coming to him. He was absentmindedly caressing Nicki’s stomach when he heard a soft knock on the door. Just then, the door opened and Sandi’s head popped in.

“The room is ready for Nicki.” She stepped in and saw Nicki in a peaceful sleep. “Oh she’s knocked out huh?”

Drake nodded. “Yeah she was pretty tired.”

“I’ll bet. Well, I guess it’s okay for her to sleep in here for tonight. Tomorrow we have a lot to talk about so get some sleep ok?”

Sandi and Drake said their goodnight and she left. Drake pulled the covers from under Nicki and covered her body and his. He wrapped an arm around her waist and waited for sleep to come.


The next morning, both Nicki and Drake woke feeling some sort of shaking. Nicki opened her eyes first, and turned back to find the source. It was Sandi holding a cup of coffee.

“Morning guys, breakfast is on the table so get up.”

“Okay we’ll be right down.” Nicki said stretching her arms.

“I mean it Aubrey, now!” Sandi smacked Drake’s backside with a pillow.

He bolted up like a rocket causing Nicki to giggle, “HUH?! I’m up, I’m up!!”

Sandi walked out of the door and Drake rolled over planting a kiss on Nicki’s lips.
“Good morning.”

Nicki pulled back making a sour face, “Ew how can you kiss me when we haven’t even brushed our teeth yet?”

“I don’t care.” Drake went back in for one more kiss but Nicki turned her cheek.

“Nooo!” She giggled.

Drake stood up making his way towards the bathroom. “It’s okay I get it, there’s no unconditional love here!”

Nicki rolled her eyes and waited for Drake to come back out. When they were both ready, Drake and Nicki walked downstairs together to the welcoming smell of a homemade breakfast. Sandi approached Drake with a cup of coffee, and Nicki a glass of milk. “Baby needs calcium.”

Nicki smiled and sat down at the dining room table. Everybody began to dig in.

“So, we need to have a talk about what’s going to happen from now on.” Nicki and Drake both looked up from their plates, awaiting what Sandi had to say. “Have you two thought about your options? You know keeping the baby, adoption or..uh abortion?”

Nicki’s hands immediately went to her stomach, “I’m definitely gonna have it.” Sandi let out a relief sigh.

“But actually mom, Nicki and I were talking last night…I  just don’t think we can have a baby.” Nicki snapped her head towards Drake, looking at him to shut up. “What?”

“I told you I didn’t want to talk about that.” Nicki mumbled.

“Well we have to Nicki, this baby is coming soon we have to figure out what we’re gonna do.” Drake looked towards his mother for help.

“Nicki what’s wrong?” Sandi reached across the table for her hand.

“Nothing.” Truth was, Nicki was feeling a rush of emotions and wanted nothing more than to talk about them but she felt embarrassed.

“Talk to us honey we can help. What is it? Do you not want to keep this baby?”

“I don’t know!” Nicki said exasperated. “Before yesterday I thought I did. I thought we were gonna have this baby and get married and everything was set. And now you tell me that you don’t think we’re ready and I don’t know what to think. I just…I just want to do the right thing but I don’t know what it is!” She covered her eyes with her hands to prevent the tears from falling.

Drake rubbed her back softly, giving Sandi a concerned look. “I know how you feel Nicki, believe me I don’t know what’s right but we have to think about this. We want what’s best for our baby right?”

“But how do we know if giving him away is what’s best?! I just feel like a horrible person even thinking of just dumping my baby off to someone else!”

“That doesn’t make you a bad person. You’re putting your baby first, that’s parental instinct.” Sandi tried to comfort her.

“There’s just, so many things that are scary about keeping it and about adoption too. I can’t even imagine carrying this baby for nine months then hes born and I come back with nothing. Like it didn’t even happen.”

Sandi knew Nicki and Drake were the ones that had to make the decision. Even though personally she wanted to have her grandchild in her life, it had to be what they wanted. “Well here’s what I think. A baby needs parents to love it and take care of it, they are extremely expensive and take up all of your time. Are you two in a position to give your baby all those things?”

“It’s our baby, no one is gonna love it like us. And I have the money to take care of both of them. That’s not a problem, we‘re just so inexperience about life and stuff…” Drake said.

“But what about stability? Look at my household, im not even welcomed in my own house anymore. I don’t have my family to support me and I don’t want to abuse your help.” Nicki told Sandi. “Besides, we’re not even married. Im not even old enough to get married.” Nicki turned to Drake and took a breath before she spoke. She hoped what she was about to say would not come out the wrong way. “We don’t know what’s gonna happen in the future. What happens if for some reason we split up…what’s gonna happen to him? Being shipped back and forth. I’m not in a position to take care of a baby.”

Drake looked down at his lap, nodding solemnly. “I think you’re right. We want so many things for ourselves. We want you to finish high school and we both finish college, then get on our feet and have a family. Adoption seems like our best option right now.”

“Well you don’t have to make this decision right now. Just know I’m going to support you in whatever you decide. But sometimes what you have to do is be selfless and just let him or her go.” Everybody at the table could agree on that. Either path they took would be hard. There was no easy way out. “On another note, we have to discuss how its going to be with Nicki living here”

Nicki sat up and listened. “You’re gonna go to school everyday, unless it has something to do with the baby. I know that won’t be a problem with you, you’re a good girl. You’re going to be staying in the guest room okay? I think its more appropriate this way. Have you been to a doctor yet?”

Nicki shook her head, “Not yet.”

“Okay well I’ll call a friend of mine and get you an appointment as soon as possible. Aubrey, I know you were in the midst of trying to find a place of your own correct?”

“Yeah, I just think it’s time for me to move out and that way Nicki can stay with me and the baby if we decide to keep it.” Drake stated.

“Okay well here’s my proposal: You hold off on that move for awhile. I think while Nicki is pregnant you two should stay here shes going to need help and I can take care of her. Then if you decided to keep the baby, you can still stay here for a few months after. Trust me a newborn is going to be extremely tough to handle with school and everything. I can help you until you get the hang of it and then move.”

Drake turned to Nicki and nodded, going over the idea in his head. “I think that sounds good.”

“I do too.” Nicki stood up and made her way around the table to hug Sandi. “I don’t know what to say, you’ve been so generous and supportive. So much more than my own mother. Really thank you so much.” Sandi held Nicki tightly, stroking her hair.

“You don’t have to thank me.” Sandi was about to say something else when she heard the doorbell. “I’ll get that.” She walked towards the door and when she opened it, she was surprised at who was standing there. "carol....what are you doing here?"

Upon hearing her mothers name Nicki jumped out of her chair and approached the entrance. "mom?" Nicki saw her mother standing there, avoiding eye connection. She was holding a black duffle back.

"i came to talk to you Nicki, and i have some of your stuff."

Nicki swallowed the lump in her throat and folded her arms. "well i don’t have anything to say to you, and honestly i don’t want to hear anything you've got to say." She turned on her heel and walked out of the room into the kitchen. Sandi followed her in the room. "Nicki..."

"I’m sorry i just cant talk to her. Why is she here pretending to care when she sure didn’t last night?!" Nicki was angry, and it was justified no doubt. But Sandi still wanted to encourage her to have a talk with carol. She was still her mother after all.

"i know you're angry and you have a right to be but just hear what she has to say. Staying angry and avoiding isn't going to make the situation any better." Nicki knew Sandi was right but that's just how she was. Stubborn. But she didn’t want to go against Sandi, especially after everything she was doing for her. So she agreed.

She walked into the living room seeing drake and carol awkwardly sitting around. As soon as Drake saw her, he stood up and kissed her cheek. "we'll leave you two alone."

She pulled his arm back. "No i want you both to stay, please."

Everybody sat down in separate couches. Nicki & Drake in one, Carol in the opposite one and Sandi in the recliner.

Carol put the duffle at her feet and spoke first. "First of all Sandi, I'm really thankful for you letting Nicki stay with you."

"It's no problem, we love having her here. She's like a daughter."

"And she wouldn't kick her child out of their house. Ever." Nicki added spiteful.

“Nicki…”

"How could you do that to me mom?! You just stood there and let your husband treat me like i was nothing to just throw me out on the street!?" Drake held on to her hand reassuringly.

"Nicki im sorry i just....i didnt know what to do! He's my husband and i was just in shock...you dropped a pretty huge bomb on us. How can you expect him not be upset? What did you expect me to do?"

"Fight for me!!!! I'm your daughter you're supposed to be on my side!" Nicki was getting very heated. It was that kind of feeling where you want all of your thoughts to be heard and people to be on your side. But she had been thru this road with her mother before. And they never seemed to agree.

"I try Nicki, I do! But its's complicated. I dont want you to leave home but you know its always been this way with your dad. You two havent gotten along since you were a child."

"That's not my fault! He decided to walk out on us and care more about his drugs than his family. I just wasn't going to let him walk over me like you did. I still have my self respect."

Carol's body stiffened and her eyes narrowed, "I'm still your mother Onika you have to speak to me with respect!"

The room was filled with thick, thick tension. Drake was not about to speak and get in between mother & daughter but he wanted back up Nicki. It took everything in him to stay quiet, instead he just held her.

"I'm sorry." Nicki said lowly.

"Nicki i'm your mother i will always love you and it hurts me to know how your're suffering. I just know you are probably happier here than home. I don't want you to give up on me." Carol stood and went to sit on the other side of Nicki. "I'm sorry for not being there for you but I want to continue to be a part of your life and my grandchild's if you'll let me." Nicki saw into her mom's desperate eyes. She didn't know what to say. Of course she wanted more than anything to have the best relationship with her mom but it wasn't that easy. However, she didnt need that stress in her life. So what was best for that moment was to accept her mother's apology.

"Okay." Carol leaned in and hugged her daughter. She kissed her cheek and pulled back wiping a few stray tears. "I have to go now. But I'll bring some more of your stuff tomorrow. Nicki nodded and walked her mother out.

When she came back she hugged Drake briefly.
"I'm proud of you." He said. "and i love you"

"I love you too."

"Come on let's go finish getting you two fed."

[6 MONTHS LATER]

Nicki was laying on the couch, shifting her position for the millionth time. It was mid-April and her due date was right around the corner. Since she was in the final stages of pregnancy she was on bed rest and not going to school. That’s something she was so glad about. Ever since her stomach could no longer be hid, she could feel everyone in school talking about her. Staring at her stomach in the halls, gossiping about who the father was. She was tired of it. Now all she did was stay home and rest. Sandi stayed with Nicki all day while Drake was either at work or school.

After many months and debates and ideas, Drake and Nicki had finally decided on what option they would pick for their unborn child. They had picked adoption.
It had seemed like it was the best thing to do, but it didn’t mean it was the easiest. Nicki and Drake were heartbroken but they both thought they weren’t ready or strong enough to raise a baby. Getting in contact with an adoption agency had been easy but finding parents was not. Even now the two had still not made up their mind to who the baby was going to go to. All they knew was that after the birth, they would tell the social worker who would be in the hospital their decision and get the paperwork ready then.
It was going to be hard for everybody. They had all gotten attached to the baby, who they still had not found out the sex of.
They thought it’d be better this way. Despite their decision, people close to the couple couldn’t help themselves but to buy things for the baby such as shoes, clothes, bibs and such. It was tempting, really tempting to say screw it and keep the baby. But this it what seemed to be best. After making that decision, neither of them wanted to bring up the subject. Nicki just made sure she was taking all of the necessary precautions to have a good, safe pregnancy. She loved her baby more than anything but getting closer and closer to the due date was making her depressed. There was nothing worse than knowing soon she would be going into the hospital pregnant and leaving with empty hands.

It was a nice, warm spring day. The windows were opened letting the nice breeze in the house. Drake was at work and Sandi was in the kitchen preparing dinner. Nicki stood up from her place on the couch and waddled her way over to Sandi.

“Hey mama, you need help?” Nicki asked one hand on her back.

“Nicki what are you doing, you are on bed rest!” Sandi put the cutting knife down and approached her.

Nicki groaned, “But its so uncomfortable, this baby won’t stop kicking and I think the couch is shrinking because I do not remember it being that small for me last week!”

“It’s normal to be feeling like this, the baby is about to come out. But you need to follow doctor’s orders and get back on that couch come on.” Sandi started to walk Nicki back on the couch when Nicki suddenly doubled over in pain. Her hand going immediately to her belly.

“AHH!!”

“What’s wrong, what happened?! A contraction??” Sandi asked fearfully.

“I don’t kn- AHHH! It hurts!” Sandi saw a puddle near Nicki’s feet and her eyes widened.

“Nicki your water broke! You’re in labor!!” Sandi sat Nicki down on the chair and grabbed her cell phone immediately.

“Oh my god! Oh my god!! But this is early im not due yet!!!!” Nicki began to freak out. It was really time. The baby was about to come and she was nowhere near ready for this day. She was scared. She was petrified. All she wanted was Drake by her side.

“Okay Aubrey isn’t answering his phone so we’ll call him and you mother on the way. Come on we have to go!” The older woman ushered Nicki to the car carefully, she got her hospital bag and they were gone.

About 15 minutes later the two arrived at the hospital, where there was a nurse waiting for them with a wheelchair to take Nicki to labor and delivery. On the way Sandi had managed to contact Carol and Aubrey and both were on their way to meet them.

After getting Nicki hooked up to the monitors and in her bed. Right then the door burst open and in flew Drake, followed by Carol. As soon as he saw Nicki he ran to her bedside and held her hands.

“Are you okay? How’s the baby? Everything’s okay right?” He was talking a mile an hour, out of breath.

Nicki reached her hand to caress his face. “Calm down. Everything’s okay. The doctor said im moving along rather quickly actually. She doesn’t think it’s going to take too long.” Tears were filling her eyes. “I’m so scared Drake.”

He bent down and kissed her. Short and sweet. He wanted to cry just as much as her but he couldn’t he wanted to be strong for her. “Don’t worry. We’re gonna get through this okay? You are strong. So strong Nicki. You can do this.”

She nodded, sniffling and she saw her mother in the back. “Mom.”

Carol approached her daughter and held her hand in hers. “How are you doing honey?”

“As good as can be expected. Did you come alone?” Carol nodded, looking down.

“Your father…He still didn’t want to come. I could tell he was sad about this, he just he can’t face you honey.”

“What about Jelani?”

“Oh he’ll be here later with Macaiah.”


About an hour later Nicki’s contractions were getting closer and closer and she could tell the time was nearing. When the doctor came in and checked her she asked everybody except Drake to leave the room. “It’s time.” She said.

Sandi and Carol held in their tears and hugged Nicki one last time before exiting and making their way to the waiting room.

Nicki settled her head on Drake’s shoulder as he kissed her head. She grunted in pain, her eyes shut and her hand squeezing his as the contraction continued. “Drake!”

“It’s okay”

The doctor looked up at Nicki to stop pushing but Nicki refused. The doctor saw the discomfort and inability Nicki had of stopping and moved her into position.

Drake sat on the side of the bed letting her lean on his body, holding on to her. She was screaming and letting out all types of curses. Neither focused on anything else until they heard the doctor speak.

“Okay the head is almost out Nicki keep going.”

Drake wanted to look. He wanted to look so bad but he couldn’t leave Nicki’s side. He merely stretched himself over staring down at the brown curls he saw coming out while the nurses held Nicki’s both legs.

“You’re doing so good Nicki, it’s almost out!” He watched nervously as she leaned forward pushing with all her might.  As he saw the rest of the head, followed by some tiny shoulders come out he felt tears stinging his eyes. That was his baby coming out.

With a last push the baby was pulled from it’s mother and welcomed into the world. The doctor held up the tiny baby, “It’s a girl!”

A sob escaped Nicki’s mouth as she laid back down on Drake’s body. Exhausted. She stared down at the little, pink, slimy baby and let all her tears fall. The doctor cut the baby’s cord as she cried her lungs out. That was the most beautiful sound both Drake and Nicki had ever heard. and Nicki instinctively reached down to hold the baby girl.

“I want to hold her”

The nurse put a blanket on Nicki’s stomach as the baby was placed on top and wiped down.

“Hi! Hi little baby girl. I love you” Nicki smiled through her tears and stared at her daughter. The unfamiliar feeling in her arms just fit. She loved it. That was her daughter on her chest.
“Oh my god Drake look at her!” Drake stared down at the baby feeling a tinge of pain stab his heart. Now that she was here, finally here it was all different.

Quickly the bundle was taken away from Nicki to be examined. She turned and hugged Drake bawling. “She’s so beautiful, she’s so perfect!”



While the doctor finished with Nicki Drake stepped out the room and took a deep breath before approaching the waiting area. He pushed open the double doors and when he came into sight Sandi, Carol and Jelani stood up running over to him.

“Well?” Sandi asked with hopeful eyes.

“It’s a girl. She’s here.”  Sandi launched herself at her son crying. He broke down in his mother’s arm and cried.  “She’s a beautiful, tiny baby and now we have to give her up. I don’t think I can do this mom. I can’t!”

Sandi pulled back staring at her son’s tear stricken face. “Listen to me. This is going to be the hardest thing you ever do but you have to be strong for Nicki. She is going to fall apart if you don’t support her. Just be strong for her and your daughter.”

Drake nodded and wiped his face giving his mother one last hug.



About half an hour later, everybody was allowed to step into Nicki’s new room in the maternity ward. The family opened the door and saw Nicki sitting up in her bed holding the newborn with Drake at her side. Both staring intently at their daughter, trying to photograph in their minds every little thing about her.

“Oh my God.” Carol spoke nearing the trio. She ran a finger over the baby’s soft face. “She is absolutely beautiful.”

“Hey of course she is, she’s in our family right?” Jelani said and everybody laughed. He picked up Macaiah so he could see the baby as well. “Hey look Caiah, that’s your niece.”

“She’s tiny!”

“Definitely taking after Nicki then.” Sandi said.

“I think she looks like Drake.” Nicki kissed her baby’s tiny nose.

“Are you kidding me? She’s gorgeous, she’s all you.” Drake grinned.

“So what’s going to happen now?” Jelani asked.

Nicki sighed, never taking her eyes off her daughter. “Well the social worker is about to come up and we have to give her our final decision. “You know, this is going to sound so stupid and crazy….but now that I see her, and I have her in my arms… I can’t imagine living without her. I have this sudden burts of power and I feel like I could do this. Like I could take care of her.”

“That doesn’t sound stupid to me Nicki.” Sandi said.

“I just.. I don’t want to be selfish right now. It’s all these emotions that have me thinking we can actually be parents and raise her to have the best life she could possibly have.” Nicki felt tears come to her again but she didn’t care. “I don’t want to be without her. I love her so much. I don’t want to give her away.”

Everybody nodded sympathetically, and Drake looked down at her. “Then don’t.”

She rolled her eyes, “Yeah okay Drake.”

“I’m serious Nicki. Let’s not give her up. Let’s keep her.”

“Drake! We made this decision months ago. We said this is what would be best for her. We can’t go back now.”

“Why not?! I don’t care what we thought before this is what I’m saying now Nicki! Screw the obstacles, screw everything. She’s our daughter she needs us. We can’t give up on her. We have the strength to do this.”

Nicki shook her head. “How is that going to work? What about school and work and everything?”

“We’ll help!” Everybody turned their heads to Carol. “Nicki if this is what you want we will help you raise this baby. I can watch her while you go to school or Sandi can or your brother. We can all help!”

“It’s not going to be a piece of cake but it’s possible Nicki. Whatever you choose we will be there to back you up.” Sandi said.

Nicki looked back down at the sleeping baby. “Can we? I mean are we allowed to change our minds?”

“Of course, you can do whatever you want.”

Suddenly there was a knock at the door and the social worker stepped in the room, she was carrying a load of papers.

“Nicki? It’s about that time. I need to know your decision, who did you pick to be the parents?”

Nicki looked around the room, she saw all the love radiating from everyone. She kissed her baby girl and turned to the lady.

“Us. We are her parents. We are going to keep her. She’s not going to anyone else.”

Drake’s face broke out in the biggest smiled and everyone let out cries of happiness. He kissed Nicki’s cheek and bent down to kiss his daughter. “I love you Arianna".