Reciprocity?

The familiar sounds of MacKenzie's cry rang through the baby monitor. Nicki sighed deeply then tossed the covers back and sat on the edge of the bed. It wasn't until she felt a breeze on her skin that she'd realized that she was naked. She quickly darted her head behind her to see Safaree's bare backside. He shifted some before pulling the covers back on him. She felt her heart beat quickening as she began to breath harder. She stood and glared at him until MacKenzie's cries brought her back to reality.

"Ugh!" She grunted loudly and stormed to the closet to get a robe. When she returned she just stared at him. "Get up, Safaree! We gotta go pick up Micaiah."

She stayed around long enough just to see him lift his head off of the pillow. She made her way to the kitchen and quickly made MacKenzie a bottle before hurrying back upstairs to give it to her. When she made it to MacKenzie's side she handed her the bottle to hold for herself. She wiped at MacKenzie's tears then rubbed her head to soothe her some more. After staring at her little girl for a while she went to her drawers and closet and pulled out something for her to wear for the day. After she finished that task she made her way back over to a babbling MacKenzie and took the bottle away. MacKenzie began to fuss.

"Look mamacita." She showed her the empty bottle. "All gone." She smiled and handed MacKenzie her small, stuffed dog. MacKenzie squealed and began kicking which caused Nicki to laugh a little.

"Mommy'll be right back. Ok?" MacKenzie ignored Nicki's statement as she began to chew on the stuffed animal.

She took the bottle to the kitchen and washed it before returning back upstairs. She made her way to her bedroom to get ready for the day. As she walked into the bedroom, Safaree was exiting the bathroom with just his towel wrapped around his waist. She froze and just stared at him, not knowing what to say or do.

"You wanna talk about last night?" He asked.

"No." She huffed and began to walk towards the bathroom but he stood in her way. "Move, Safaree."

"I thought the point of makeup sex was to actually makeup." He chuckled.

"It wasn't makeup sex. It was an angry fuck."

He shrugged, "Still happened."

"Please, let me forget."

"Nicki, eventually you gotta talk to me. Eventually you gotta either let everything thing out or let it go. I'm trying." He searched her eyes but her face was still very stoic.

"You cheated on me, Safaree. I don't owe you shit! I said I don't wanna talk about it, none of it. So let it the fuck go! We made this arrangement for a reason and if you can't handle-"

"This arrangement is stupid. We both know that. You wanna pretend to be happy for now but what do you think comes next? Eventually somebody is going to get hurt."

"I'M ALREADY HURT!"

"Nic, I know but having me here for the kids is a lie. You proved that last night. You don't want anybody else and neither do I."

"Well, why did you fuck her?"

"The same reason you run to Webb everytime we have problems."

"I don't fucking run to We-"

"Nicki, I know about him and you."

"You don't know a got damn thing!"

"Really? I know that when you told me back in the day that you fucked him once that it was a lie." She said nothing. "You letting your pride get in the way of something much bigger and you not gone realize it until its too late."

"Stop trying to make this into the Safaree pity party. You fucked up. You fucked up, Safaree, and now you have to figure out how to fix it. I'm not going to tell you how I fucking feel because right now I don't too much give a shit about being with you. You wanna fix us? Figure that shit out."

She pushed pass him and went into the bathroom and slammed the door. She slipped out of the robe and turned the shower on. She stepped in without checking the temperature. Her skin instantly became red as the hot water hit her skin but she felt nothing. She never thought it to be possible but her heart hurt to the point where physical pain wasn't a factor. Her breathing became hitched as she cried. She hoped that Safaree wouldn't hear her as she slide to the shower floor and wrapped her arms around her knees and pulled them close. Safaree stood on the other side of the door helplessly listening to his wife's pain. In that moment he finally felt exactly what she felt, he just didn't know how to let her know.


They pulled up to the pick up point as soon as the bus arrived. As soon as Safaree parked the car Nicki hopped out and joined the line of parents waiting for their kids to get off. Safaree got out of the car and went to get MacKenzie out. As soon as Micaiah stepped off of the bus he ran to his mother. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.

"Oh, I missed you." She kissed his cheek. "I missed you." She kissed his forehead. "I missed you." She kissed all over his face.

"Stop, Ma." He pushed her hand away laughing.

"Sup, man." Safaree pushed his head.

"Nothing." He opened his arms indicating that he wanted to hold his sister. Safaree handed her over.

"Be careful, Caiah." Nicki said. She wasn't used to him holding her outside.

"I got it, Ma." He said. "I lift weights heavier than her."

"Word?" Nicki laughed.

"Yo, where your bags at?" Safaree asked.

"Over there." He nodded his head to the row of bags that the bus driver had lined up. "Mine got my name on em."

"I know." Safaree said as he made his way towards them.

"When we leave, Ma?"

"Tomorrow or the next day. You need to finish that summer packet thing and we need to wash those dirty camp clothes."

"Ok."

"Come on." She grabbed MacKenzie from him and began walking towards the truck once she saw that Safaree had the bags.

"Did you cook, Ma?"

"That's all you care about. You didn't even tell me you missed me." She shook her head.

"I did." He laughed. "But I missed your cooking even more."

"Word?" She said with raised eyebrows as she opened the door to put MacKenzie in her car seat.

"Not like that, Ma. You know I luh you guh." Nicki began to laugh as she fastened MacKenzie in. "Seriously, did you cook?"

"Go help your dad with the bags clown." She closed the door and went to open the passenger side door.

"Ok." He laughed and did as told. When they reached the back of the truck Micaiah noticed Safaree's stick figure sticker gone. "Where's your stick figure at?"

"I dunno." Safaree lied. He knew Nicki ripped it off out of anger. He opened the trunk and placed the two bags in. "Lets go."

"Ma." Micaiah said as he climbed into the truck.

"Yes?" She looked back.

"What happened to Dad's stick figure thingy?"

"I dunno. Its not up there?"

"Nope." He looked at her funny and she turned around.

The rest of the way back home Micaiah talked their ears off about all the things he had done at camp. Nicki clung to his every word. She had really missed him. The three weeks that they were apart was the longest they'd been separated since before Micaiah and Safaree had moved to California. She was glad that he was getting his first normal summer in a while. The rest were filled with Nicki's work schedule. When they arrived home Safaree and Micaiah grabbed his bags while Nicki got MacKenzie and opened the door. Micaiah dropped his bag by the door and instantly ran to go play video games.

"Un uh. Micaiah! Get back here." She sat MacKenzie in her high chair in the kitchen and waited for Micaiah to reappear.

"Yes?"

"Go take those bags and put them in the laundry room."

"Ok." He started to do what he was told but she stopped him.

"Wait." He huffed. "Don't get popped boy. Now, I want four piles. Football equipment, whites, darks, and then regular coloreds."

"Maaaaa." He whined and she gave him a blank stare. He sighed before walking away mumbling.

"I told you before young sir, if you got something to say then speak up. Other than that, keep it in your head!"

"Yes, ma'am." He called behind him.



They hadn't even been on the road for two hours yet and they had already stopped four times. The first time they had to pull over and search the whole car for Micaiah's iPod, which was in his pocket, the second was to change MacKenzie, the third was to get Nicki something to eat and the forth time was so that Micaiah and Nicki could switch seats so that Nicki could be closer to MacKenzie. Safaree didn't see this trip lasting very long or them going very far but he decided against saying anything.

"Shouldn't we be singing like songs and stuff?" Nicki randomly asked.

"No." Safaree said.

"I'm pretty darn sure we should." She said in a perky but creepy voice.

"Ma-"

She took a deep breath then sang out, "99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beeeeeeeer!"

"Mama, please."

"You take one down. . ."

"Maaaaaaaa!"

"Pass it around. . ." Micaiah just glared at her.

"99 bottles of beer on the wall!" She laughed obnoxiously and Safaree cracked a smile. Micaiah didn't find her show entertaining at all.

"Ma, there's this new thing called the radio, we let it do the singing around here." He said sarcastically.

"The radio is far from being new, sir." She rolled her eyes.

"She would know." Safaree mumbled and Micaiah started laughing.

"Excuse me." She rolled her neck and eyes. "Are you implying that I'm old?! I'm not old. I'm only thirty one."

It was quiet for a moment until Micaiah spoke.

"Old." He said and him and Safaree laughed hysterically.

"Micaiah, all of your friends parents are pushing forty. Lets not."

"They old too." He replied and he and Safaree shared another laugh.

She rolled her eyes, "You know what. . ."
"Daddy ain't getting none?"

"WHAT?!" Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as she began laughing. "Wait. No. This isn't funny, Nicki." She told herself.

"Its really not." Safaree looked at her through the rearview mirror.

She took a deep breath to compose herself.

"Your Dad isn't getting what, Micaiah?" She asked, still smiling.

"I don't know." He shrugged.

"You know, that's why you said it. What he ain't getting?"

"Kisses." He said and blushed a little. Nicki grinned from ear to ear at his innocence.

"That's not-"

"That's exactly what it means, Safaree." She kicked the back of his chair.

"I know." He huffed.

"Well, act like it." She rolled her eyes.

Safaree let out a sigh and then Nicki mimicked him. Micaiah looked back and forth between the two of them.

'Should've known the happy wouldn't last long.' Safaree thought.

They drove for a few more hours until they came across a carnival. Micaiah begged them to stop and so they did. Everyone put on baseball caps and pulled them down to the brow. Safaree put MacKenzie in the baby carrier then put in on the front of his body. They ate then began to walk around.

"Ma, lets get on that!" Micaiah pointed to one of the rides.

"Why don't you take your Dad?" She smiled.

"He's got Kenzie."

"I'll take Kenzie."

"But we always go one one together."

"Not today. Ok?"

"But why?"

"I just don't feel like it, Micaiah. Stop questioning me." Now was not the time to tell him that she was pregnant but he kept pushing the issue and she was growing irritated.

"Here." Safaree pulled the straps off and handed MacKenzie to Nicki.

"Imma go play that game." Nicki said as she pulled the straps over her shoulder.

"No, you're not." Safaree said.

"Safaree."

"Nicki, I ain't got time to fight off a crowd if somebody spot you. Stay your ass by this ride till we get off."

"Fine." She rolled her eyes and followed close behind them. She stood behind the gate and watched the ride until the got off. Once they were done Micaiah dragged them to another ride and then another.

"Can we go play the games now?" Nicki asked as they approached her after riding their third ride.

"Yeah, come on." Safaree said and they began walking.

"I wanna play this one." Nicki stopped in front of the game where you have to knock the bottles down. "Kenzie wants the pink dolphin."

"Ok." Safaree said.

Safaree payed for each of them to get three throws. Nicki went first and missed the bottles all three times. She instantly came up with the conclusion that the game was rigged, even though she hit nothing at all. Safaree went next and knocked down one bottle and moved two, he came up with the same conclusion. Micaiah was up next.

"You want the dolphin, Mookie?" He asked MacKenzie and she babbled. "I got you sis."

"I wanna see this." Safaree said.

"Don't do my baby." Nicki rolled her eyes. "Go ahead Caiah."

Micaiah's first throw missed. Safaree laughed a little and Micaiah glared at him. He picked up the second ball and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath as Nicki narrated his actions.

"It seems as though Micaiah is trying to concentrate." She whispered in a sportscasters voice. "He has to redeem himself from the last throw in which he completely missed. Can he do it? The crowd is on pins and needles." Micaiah spun his arm and threw the ball with all of his might. He knocked all of them down. "And the crowd goes wild! Ahhhhhh!"

"Good job son." Safaree patted his back.

"Here you go." The game attendant handed him the dolphin.

"Thank you." Micaiah said before handing it over to Nicki.

"Aw." Nicki said. "Kenzie give your brother a kiss."

"She can't kiss. Can she?"

"Yeah. Come closer and ask her for one."
 He moved closer to MacKenzie.

"Kiss?" Micaiah asked and MacKenzie leaned as far as she could, with Nicki's assistance, and placed her lips on his cheek. He pulled away and a string of spit followed. He wiped it off. "Ew, Mook."

"Aww." Nicki laughed. "That's the best part. That's love."

"What's next?" Safaree asked.

They spent a few more hours in the carnival until they decided that they were tired. Safaree found a decent hotel for them to stay in. After Nicki looked it over they began to get settled while Safaree went to get something to eat.

"Caiah, have you seen her crawl?" Nicki asked.

"No."

"Take that blanket and spread it out on the floor."

He did as told and Nicki put MacKenzie on her stomach on it. MacKenzie just sat there.

"Come on, Kenzie." Nicki encouraged.

"Come on, Mookie." Micaiah said but she didn't move.

Nicki placed her pacifier and her purple dog a few inches on front of her. MacKenzie began reaching for them but still didn't get on her hands and knees to crawl towards it. She started fussing.

"MacKenzie." Nicki said sternly and MacKenzie turned her head and continued to whine. "You ain't getting nothing if you don't work for it." MacKenzie stopped fussing and laid her head down. "Seriously?"

"Ma, its ok." Micaiah laughed.

"No, how she just gone decide to not crawl?" Nicki asked rhetorically. "MacKenzie Grace." MacKenzie rolled over onto her back and ignored Nicki. "Word? You can stay on the floor than. Stubborn ass."

Nicki sat on the edge of the bed and watched MacKenzie play with her feet while Micaiah went back to watching t.v.

Soon Safaree returned and they all ate. After eating, everyone showered then got comfortable in the king sized bed. Micaiah laid across the bottom while MacKenzie laid in between Safaree and Nicki. Nicki let it be known that he shouldn't cross that line, which was MacKenzie's small body.

"Maaa, can you shut her up?" Micaiah asked agitated. MacKenzie had been doing a high pitched scream for the past fifteen minutes.

"She not crying. Just turn the t.v. up." Safaree said.

"Don't turn it up." Nicki pulled her closer but MacKenzie tried to squirm away. Nicki pulled her closer once more but she put her foot into Nicki's stomach and pushed hard. Nicki's eyes got wide.

"Take her, Safaree."

She got up and went into the bathroom. She knew that MacKenzie hadn't done it on purpose but it freaked her out. She wiped the tears from her face then calmed herself. She returned to the bedroom and climbed into bed. Safaree looked at her funny.

"You straight?"

"Um hmm."

"Nic?"

"She kicked me in the stomach." She mouthed then began speaking. "I don't think they're getting along."

Nicki noticed that lately MacKenzie was pulling away from her more and more. She really believed that the new baby and MacKenzie had already formed a sibling relationship.

"Who's not getting along?" Micaiah turned to them and asked.

"The barbz." She didn't know where that lie came from but he believed it.

"Why they always fighting?" Micaiah asked.

"Unmmm." She shrugged and he turned around.

"They're fine, Nicki." Safaree said as he rubbed MacKenzie's back. She was laying on his bare chest and falling asleep as she listened to his heartbeat.

"Maybe you're right." She sighed and turned over. She stared at the door and thought about nothing until she fell asleep.

Nicki looked across the playground at MacKenzie and Micaiah on the slide before she sat down on the swing. She just stared at them until she heard someone humming. The song sounded familiar but the person kept changing the cadence. She turned her head to see the little girl, kicking her feet and humming. She was staring at Nicki. Nicki stared back for a minute at her black dress, stockings and shoes.

"Can you sing it to me?" She asked.

"Sing what?"

"One of your songs." She smiled."Oh." Nicki raised an eyebrow and smiled. For a minute she thought the girl to be a very young fan but something told her she was more. "What song?"

"Um, this one." The girl began humming and Nicki looked at her quizzically until it dawned on her what she was singing.

"Oh." She smiled. "It all comes down to this. I miss your morning kiss. I won't lie, Im feeling it."

"You don't know when I'm missing it." The little girl joined in. "I'm so dumb, I must admit, its too much to hold it in."

"So, why do you do it?" The little interrupted and girl asked.

"Huh?"

"Hold it all in. Its dumb." She looked across the playground, not making eye contact with Nicki.

"I don't know."

"You love him?"

"Of course."

"Well, that's it."

"Its not that simple."

"Its not that hard. You just say, "I. Love. You.""

"He cheated on me. I'd be a fool to take him back."

"Who says?"

"Its just the rules of life."

"That's dumb too." She stood.

"How would you know? You're a kid." The little girl shrugged and started walking. "Where are you going? Don't you think you should wait for your parents."

"I'm fine." She smiled. "But, you should reconsider. I mean, he forgave you."

"Its different."

She shrugged, "If you say so."

She began walking again and Nicki followed her. Nicki kept glancing back at her children but the further she walked the further she got away from them. When she looked forward again they were in a dark cemetery. She called out for the girl but she kept walking until she reached a ditch.

"Come on." She called out to Nicki but Nicki shook her head. "Come on. When everything falls apart it comes here. This is where dreams come to die. Come look."

"No."

"Fine." The little girl turned and readied herself to jump.

"No! Stop!" But it was too late.

Nicki awoke in a sweat. She sat up and looked around as she tried to steady her breathing. She bit her lip as she scanned the room. Her eyes landed on Safaree's open arm. She laid down and moved over until she found her body against his. Instinctively he pulled her a little closer. She fell asleep in seconds and didn't dream about the little girl at all again that night.










Thank you to you guys who make it a point to comment on every post. You guys give me even more ideas and stuff from your feedback. Oh, and @NickiMMemphis sent me this visual of what she thinks Kenzie looks like and I agree. Here it is: http://m.lockerz.com/s/276156222 . Cute, right?