Two Negatives

Nicki sat on her bed Indian style with MacKenzie eating a bowl of cereal and listening to music of potential artist and songwriters to sign. She was beginning to grow apprehensive about letting Safaree come back. How would she be able to mask her hate for him? She wouldn't. As soon as she began to call him she saw him making his way down the hall with his bags.

"Hi." He said.

"Hi." Her eyes followed him into the closet but darted to MacKenzie who rolled over. "Oh my God!" She quickly put her bowl on the nightstand and grabbed the child before she could roll again. "Would you stop doing that?!"

"What?" Safaree asked reappearing in the room.

"MacKenzie, she keeps, uh, rolling over." She said, barely making eye contact with him.

"She taking pictures today?"

"Yeah, with Raul."

"Oh, ok." He moved closer and took MacKenzie from Nicki. "Come here mama. I got you something."

He placed her on the bed the positioned himself on his knees in front of it. MacKenzie's hands instantly went to her left sock and she began to pull at it. Safaree just watched her for a minute with a goofy smile on his face. She had the face of Nicki when she was focused in on a difficult task. It was crazy how she looked just like her mother to him. When she finally pulled the sock off she went to put it in her mouth.

"Un uh." Nicki took the sock from her and took the other one off. MacKenzie looked at her confused and Nicki rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that look."

Safaree chuckled, "Here baby girl. Look what Daddy got you for tuning six months." He pulled a small box out and let her hold it.

"What's that?" Nicki asked. He took the box from MacKenzie and opened it to let her see the small, pink diamond earrings. "How much did you spend on these?"

"Why does it matter?"

"Cause she'll probably pull them out her ear and lose them and she's gonna outgrow them. It'll be a waste of money if-"

"Doesn't matter."

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes.

"Here." He pulled another box out his pocket and gestured for her to take it.

"No thanks."  She pushed his hand away.

"Just take it."

"I. Said. NO. THANKS."

He huffed and put the box on the nightstand before putting MacKenzie's new earrings in. When he was done he sat her on the opposite side of Nicki.

"I hope you didn't put them in too tight." She remarked smartly.

"What time we leaving?" He asked.

"We?"

"Yeah, this her first little photo shoot."

"I guess." She huffed. "We have to be there by 2:30, it should be over by four."

"Alright." He hovered over her awkwardly.

She huffed, "Can I help you?"

"How long did you know?"

"Huh?"

"The baby. How long did you know? I mean, you wasn't drinking to-"

"To what?" She squinted her eyes at him. "The day I found out is the day I told you. I would never do anything to hurt any child, especially mine."

"I know." He sighed and began to feel like an ass. It was like he was never saying the right thing anymore.

"Besides I talked to the doctor. Since I'm not a heavy drinker and I don't drink often he said she should be fine."

"She? Isn't it to early to call the sex?" He chuckled.

"I keep having this dreams about a little girl." She said seriously.

"It could be random or, or maybe its MacKenzie."

"No, because Kenzie and Caiah are always together in my dream and then there's the little girl. ." her voice became small.  "asking me to sing for her."

"And then what?"

"Nothing. Nevermind." She said with irritation.

"Come on." He urged. He didn't know why this dream intrigued him but he wanted to know more.
"And then she jumps off a cliff or walks into a burning building or something. It always changes." Her voice started at a high with an attitude then began to get low and sad. "She's never by my side at the end."

"I'm sorry ba-, I mean, Nicki. Its just a dream though."

"My mother had a dream about our house burning down before it actually happened." Tears began to form in her eyes. "I can't take losing another one, Faree. I can't."

He hugged her and let her cry into his stomach. She gripped his shirt tight like she didn't want to let him go. He began to rub her back and she tensed up. She pulled away.

"I'm fine." She wiped at her face. "We should really go."

"Alright."

They made their way into the studio and Nicki looked over the set and the props. MacKenzie's set was on a level that hers was when she did photo shoots. The reason behind doing the photo shoot was to simply get MacKenzie's baby pictures done but she wanted them to be done right.

"Nicki, darling. Darling, Nicki." She heard Raul call out in his French accent as he made his way to her.

"Hi." She smiled.

"Where's mini Nicki?"

"Her Dad is getting her changed." She laughed.

"Ok. So, we discussed the black and white shots, bare bottom, and possible beach."

"And the finger paint one but I'm not sure about it."

"Why?"

"I know she's gonna eat it." She laughed.

"We scratch it then." He waved at the air and shrugged.

"Ok."

"Where do we start?"

"With the black and whites cause those are the most important. Once she starts fussing, its a wrap."

"Ok."

Thirty minutes into the shoot and things were running smoothly. Nicki stood behind Raul and called out to MacKenzie so that she would look straight ahead. Everytime the bright flash went off she would either shut her eyes tight or jump and begin kicking her feet and laughing. Safaree made sure to keep a comfortable distance between himself and Nicki just because.

"Ok, Nicki." Raul turned to her and smiled. "Next outfit."

"Ok." Nicki walked over to where MacKenzie was sat and picked her up.

"I wanna do a few Birdseye shots so when you bring her back just center her on her back."

"Ok." As soon as Nicki went to turn MacKenzie spit up on her. "Ugh, Kenzie." MacKenzie began smiling which made Nicki playfully roll her eyes. "Its not funny rugrat."

"Here, I'll take her while you get cleaned up." Safaree reached out and Nicki passed MacKenzie to him.

"Put her in the pink tutu with the pink stripped leggings."

"Alright."

After getting MacKenzie dressed Safaree positioned her in the spot that Raul wanted. As soon as Safaree stepped away she rolled over onto her stomach. He chuckled and went to turn her around again. Once he stepped away she rolled over again and everyone started laughing. He stood back and decided to watch her. It was apparent that she rolled over for a reason and he wanted to know why. She pushed up on her hands and knees and began to crawl. He smiled wide until he felt Nicki's small fist against his arm.

"Why didn't you come get me?!"

"She just started."

As soon as MacKenzie heard Nicki's voice she sat up on her bottom and began looking for her. She looked around but the lights were too bright. Her lip began to quiver and Nicki started to walk towards her until Safaree grabbed her arm.

"Let me go." Nicki demanded.

"Leave her."

"No."

"She's never going to be independent if you don't let her figure things out."

"She's a baby, Safaree."

"She's spoiled, Nicki." He mimicked her voice.

"If you don't-" She felt a wave of sickness hit her. She took a deep breath to compose herself.

"Sick?" He asked and she nodded. "Go."

He watched her rush off before turning his attention back to Mackenzie who was now playing with the photographers assistant, not missing Nicki at all. He figured out on his night alone with Mackenzie that she wasn't used to calming herself when she got upset because Nicki rarely let her get upset. He didn't like to hear MacKenzie scream but she was always being held. If she couldn't handle being on her own now, it would only get worse when the new baby arrived.

When Nicki reappeared to the set she was greeted by the sight of her six month old child in a diaper with her Father's 'SB' chain around her neck. Everyone was 'ooing' and 'awing' but the sight annoyed her for some reason. Mostly because she thought it might be too heavy for the childs neck but also just because everything Safaree did pissed her off now. Before she could make it to her to snatch it off Safaree did it for her.

"Alright, Mommy, that's enough." He smiled and placed his jewelry around his own neck before picking her up.

"That's a wrap on Mini Nicki!" Raul yelled.

"You guys are done already?" She frowned.

"Yup." He smiled but she felt like she'd missed the entire thing, including MacKenzie starting to crawl. "I'll send all the photo's over to you and you send back the ones you want."

"Ok." She forced a smile.

A few moments later they had gathered all of MacKenzie's belongings and made it to the car. When they were alone they were either arguing or in an awkward silence. This moment was awkwardly silent until Safaree spoke.

"I can't believe she's six months today." He chuckled a little but Nicki said nothing. "Remember when we first found out you were pregnant?"


Nicki came into the master bedroom and closed the door behind her. She had just finished helping with a 'Going Green' project and Micaiah's school  where they went to clean up in the area and planted flowers. She didn't want to go but Micaiah begged her.

"Hey babe." Safaree smiled.

"Hey." She instantly began stripping off the filthy clothes.

"How was it?"

"It actually wasn't bad." She smiled. "I broke a freaking nail but that's all I'll complain about."

"That's good."

"Adam is here. His mom is going to pick him up around seven."

"Ok."

"You want some chocolate?" She smiled.

"Nah."

"We got a freezer full if you want some." She laughed.

"What?"


"We were driving and the boys begged me to stop at this candy store so I did and everything smelled so good, Faree." She disappeared into the closet with the dirty close and reappeared holding her robe. "I know I shouldn't have it but that's all I been wanting lately. I think Mother nature is going to start visiting soon."

"Really?" He looked at her quizzically. He body looked like it was changing, not a lot but enough for him to notice. He also remembered her craving chocolate like crazy when she first got pregnant with Micaiah. He smiled.

"Um, hmm." She turned to walk towards the bathroom.

"Nic." She turned to see him rummaging through the drawer of the nightstand. He pulled out a pregnancy test and stood. "Take this."

"No, Safaree."

"Come on. Let's just see."

"I told you, I'm done trying for now and-"

"Look, just take it. I'll look for you. If its negative. . .we don't even have to talk about it."

She snatched the test from him and went to take it. She left it on the bathroom counter for him to find while she showered. After the specified time passed he went to check it. He double then triple check it with the instructions. He put it down then made his way to the shower. He got in wearing his pajama pants. He wrapped his arms around Nicki.

"I told you we shouldn't have."

"Its positive."

"Wh-what?" She turned to face him.

He smiled, "Its positive!"

"Oh. My. Faree." She began to tear up. "We're gonna have a. ."

"Baby." He smiled before passionately kissing her.


When they reached the house she went to the kitchen and he went to put Mackenzie in her crib. Nicki still wasn't speaking to him. She started dinner.

"You gotta talk to me sometime." His voice made her jump.

"When Micaiah gets back we aren't going to tell him about the baby, not yet. We're going on a roadtrip and you have to work."

"No, I don't."

"No, that's what were telling him. I'm not going to be stuck on the road with you."

"And I'm not letting my pregnant wife drive around the country with a baby and a ten year old."

"You sure do use that wife word proudly."

"Cause you are my wife."

"Oh."

"Look, it was your idea to have me come back knowing the situation. If you don't want him to catch on then you need to pull your shit together. No games. No mindfucks."

"Whatever." She heard him walk away. "Don't think you're sleeping in MY bed."

"I'm not, I'm sleeping in mine! I'm home baby!" He laughed knowing that he was getting under her skin. At first he told himself to enter the situation as a mature adult but he knew Nicki would be the complete opposite so for every negative she threw at him he was going to throw one back.