✨

"How'd she do?" Lay asked Key as he got back into the car. "She went into Stacey's arms and didn't look back. Eli fake forreal." He chuckled driving off, it was her first day at daycare and Lay heard horror stories about it.

"That's good. I'm glad to hear that." It had been a full week since they had sex and Lay was ready to stand on her word no matter how hard it was going to be.

"Mhm." He said turning up the music in the car. Markeyvius knew that Lay really wasn't fucking with him at the moment because she really couldn't trust him.

It was going to take time for that to happen and until then she was going to be single and do her.

Of course because Key was a celebrity they had requested a private doctors office, Dr. Gonzalez consented.

They walked into the Doctors office and the nurse brought them straight back but not before eyeing Key like he was a piece of meat. Lay rolled her eyes but he didn't pay any attention to the girl.

"Hi Lay, it's so nice to see you again. You must be the father?" Dr. Gonzalez stated while shaking each of their hands. As a doctor she had to be indifferent on her patients personal problems.

"That's me." He dropped her hand respectfully.

"Great. We're going to repeat the process we did almost two weeks ago. You should be measuring about eight weeks now. If we do not find a heart beat today we will start the miscarriage process. If we do find a heartbeat and you still want to carryon with the abortion we can do that as well. Any questions?" She asked looking at both the parents. They both shook their heads no.

"I will step out of the room so you can undress from the lower half and put that gown on so we can begin." Once the doctor was out of the room she made Key turn around and he smacked his lips.

"You doing the most now." He rolled his eyes at her but he turned around.

"I'm finished." She sat on the table and folded her arms over her chest. There was a brief knock on the door when and they doctor entered.

"Okay Chalynn, can you lay back for me?" The doctor asked as she hit the lights, the ultrasound machine allowed light into the room as she put her gloves on and put jelly on the instrument.

"Deep breath." Lay held onto Keys hand as the instrument entered her. A little sac showed up on the screen. Key looked down at Lay who's eyes were pierced on the screen.

"I'm going to try and locate the heartbeat." The doctor was gentle with everything that she was doing. Lay sucked in her breath, it was silent in the room.

Until it wasn't, "I found it." Dr. Gonzalez let out a breath, she had tears in her eyes for the young couple.

Lay cried while she looked at the screen and listened to the heartbeat. Key tried to blink away his tears but they ended up falling anyways. He missed this whole experience with Elianna but he wasn't going to miss it with this baby.

Hearing the heartbeat awakened something in both of them. After a while and when everyone's emotions cleared up the doctor removed the tool and let Lay sit up. Gonzalez wiped her own tears away and turned the lights on throwing her gloves away.

"How are we feeling?" She asked the two of them, "I'm keeping it." Lay said right away wiping her face.

"No, we're keeping the baby. How does this work? What do we need to do?" He asked her.

"I'm going to prescribe some prenatal vitamins, you can either get them in gummies or pills. I'll schedule you for a 12 week check up. I can be your obgyn as well or you can go the midwife route. I am certified as both. Try to keep stress off of you. Sex is fine, but not too rough," Key nodded his head.

"Would midwife or regular obgyn sound better?" Dr. G asked clicking away on her computer.

"I think I'm going with midwife, I want a home natural water birth and a doula as well." Lay spoke confidently.

Key was all over it though, one of his people that he grew up with was a well known doula. Lay would love her.

"Preciate you for all this information." He tried to dap the doctor up but realized she was a doctor.

"Take care, both of you."

✨

"I'm Chalynn. I'm in my final semester of law school. I want to be a fashion designer but I also want to know how to defend myself in case somebody tries to steal my brand." Lay kept it short, she was also there because her children's father enrolled her. She was unsure why, and she was going to leave it at that.

"I'm Benjamin my friends call me Benji. I'm the TA for this class and I'm happy to help." Lay looked up at the teaching assistant who had his eyes on her as well. He was fine as hell.

Chalynn shifted in her seat and tried to pay attention but it was hard. Not only was the TA hot but his voice was to die for. All she could think about was the baby that was growing in her stomach.

When she looked up again, her class was over. She tried to get out of the chair but couldn't figure out how to.

"Here I can help you with that." Benji said letting the desk part of her seat down to the side.

"Thank you. How embarrassing. I don't know how to get out of a chair." She laughed grabbing her book bag as well.

"Chalynn right? It's okay. That's what I'm here for .. to help." Benji couldn't help but to admire her, she was naturally beautiful. Even with sweats and a puffer coat with her hair thrown into a ponytail.

"Yes. Sorry I didn't participate much. I was lost in thought. It's been awhile since I was in a classroom." Lay rambled switching her book bag to the other shoulder.

"No problem. We only did ice breakers. Don't forget to bring any questions to class on Wednesday about the syllabus. My email is on there as well." He smiled widely at her and for a second she forgot she was carrying another man's child.

"I will keep that in mind thank you." She walked towards the door and stopped to turn back around. He blushed when he realized she caught him staring at her. She waved a final bye to him before heading off to her next class; criminal law.

💕

Marlee and Vonny sat on the couch in the dimly lit living room of Chalynn's house. Lay had got them snacks, a pizza and some wine before leaving them to watch Elianna who was asleep in her room.

The two watched reruns of Moesha and were enjoying their time together but Vonny had something on his mind.

"Mar?" He called out watching her intently, she chewed her pizza and looked over at him to give her full attention.

"What's up?" She finished chewing and wiped her hands clean. Marlee turned down the tv a little bit as well.

"So, I know we've been best friends for awhile. But I like you. Not just as a bestie but as more." He looked down at his hands, something he did he was nervous. Marlee smiled but she couldn't ruin their friendship if shit went south with him.

"Vonny, I don't know what to say. I never really thought about us being more than friends." She admitted honestly.

"Hmm .. I told Jasmine this was a bad idea." He started getting upset with him self. Marlee grabbed his hand.

"I would never want to jeopardize our friendship over something like this. You will find a girl that is right for you V, even if it's not me." She stated watching him.

"Man whatever. I'm outta here. You're supposed to be the perfect girl for me Mar." He stood to his feet and Marlee had done the same.

He turned to leave and that's when she gently grabbed out for his hand, Vonny instinctively turned around and pushed her up against the wall. Marlee hit her and reached up to grab it. Realizing what he had done he tried to step towards her but that wasn't enough.

"I think you need to go." Marlee spoke shakily, Vonny nodded his head and scrambled out of the door not knowing what he had just done.

Marlee sat at her desk and opened her journal. She had so many feelings inside of her from almost being taken advantage of by Taurus or her own best friend putting his hands on her.

Immediately her hands started writing so smoothly across the journal pouring her feelings out one by one. She opened her drawer and pulled out a lighter and a blunt. Blinking her tears away she put the blunt to her lips and lit it.

A loud ringing brought her out of her thoughts. It was Marlee's phone with a text from Ronny. 'Hey Mar just checking in on you.'

Marlee smiled to herself but it wasn't enough to cheer up her mood. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she picked up her pen again.

Dear Ronny,

I know this shit gone break your heart and I never intended to do that. I just can't live like this anymore, the demons inside of my brain hate me and I refuse to be sad anymore.

Love,

Mar

✨

Chalynn had just picked up Eli from daycare. Her teacher, Stacey, had given her a good report which Lay loved to hear. Now she was going to the grocery store to grab a few things for dinner.

"What do you want to eat eat?" Lay asked the little baby, who only replied with babbles.

"Spaghetti, garlic bread and salad it is." Elianna clapped her hands together happily. She loved spaghetti. Lay kissed her little forehead as they walked through the store.

Lay handed Eli the spaghetti noodles to hold because she was throwing a fit. Eli took it upon herself to throw them and hit somebody who was crouched down looking at something in the back of the head.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry." The girl turned around clutching the back of her head.

"It's okay Chalynn." A grimacing smile grew over Bria's face once she realized who it was.

"Brianna." Lay tried to push the cart away from her but Bria wasn't having it, at all. She grabbed Lay by the wrist and stopped her.

"Why do you have my niece?" She asked reading her eyebrow.

"Because she's my daughter now. Your sister gave her to me. Now move before I beat yo ass again." Lay smacked her hand off of her and started walking away.

"Drive safe." Bria laughed before Lay turned the corner, once the coast was clear Bryson came and walked over towards Bria.

"Yeen tell me that she whooped yo ass." He laughed looking down at Bria who's arms were wrapped around his neck. Eventually he noticed Lat at the check out and couldn't help but rub his hands together and push ole girl off of him.

He wanted that old thing back and he knew just how to get her.

"What you thinking bout?" Bria asked in a bad mood now that he had pushed her off of him.

"None at all." He watched as Lay smiled at the cashier.

✨

Eli was sleeping by the time they got home and Lay was grateful for that. She had a long day today and she was ready to take a bath and study for class Wednesday.

Chalynn changed her pamper and put her in a sleeping onesie before putting her in her own bed to take a nap.

She closed the door and walked over to Marlee's room. The door was cracked, deciding to just check on Marlee she opened it all the way and saw her sprawled out on the floor with blood coming from her wrists.

Lay let out an ear piercing shriek and cried as she looked at her sisters limp body. Lay tried to move her body but when she did her wrists bled more.

She ran to go get her phone to call the ambulance as well as Key because she was going to need help with the baby while she was at her sisters side.

"Just meet me at the hospital." She told Key unable to speak.

The ambulance arrived within 3 minutes and rushed in to grab Marlee and haul her to the hospital.

"Which hospital are you taking her to?" She asked throwing on her shoes and grabbing Eli.

"Emory University Hospital."

✨

Lays leg bounced up and down as she waited in the waiting room for news about her sister.

"Chalynn Monè?" Loretta called out walking down the hallway. Richard her step father walked down the hallway with her fast on her heels. Loretta didn't look like she cared at all but Richard was tore up.

"What happened?" Richard asked sadly, "I don't know, I came home from school and the grocery store and I found her in her room on the floor. A-a-and she was on the f-f-floor." She broke down, Key rubbed her shoulder.

He was just as heartbroken but he was holding it together for her.

"You should've been keeping a fucking eye on her." Loretta got into Lays face poking her finger at her.

"I do!" Lay cried harder, Ms. Keisha rounded the corner as well. She was hysterical, you would've thought Marlee was her daughter.

"Retty, get out of her face." Keisha crossed her arms at her old friend. Loretta sighed and sat down while Richard greeted Keisha.

"That's my child Keisha. I can speak to her any kind of way."

Keisha waved her off and sat next to her son. She kissed his forehead and grabbed Lays hand.

"Family of Marlee Jones?" The doctor asked, they all stood as she walked over to them.

"We are doing everything that we can to save her however, she lost a lot of blood. She barely nicked her artery which possibly saved her life. Marlee is still unconscious, and we found a blood type to match hers. Marlee has been set up for 14 days of intensive psychiatric treatment if she wakes up. There's a chance her brain went with out oxygen so she could have brain damage." The doctor looked up from her clipboard.

"How could I let this happen?" Lay cried, she knew something was up with her sister but didn't bother to check on her.

"It's not your fault." Key tried to comfort her but she wasn't having it.

"If I wasn't so busy chasing behind you and all the bull shit you putting me through. I could've kept a better eye on my sister." She yelled at him causing everybody to look at them.

"You need to calm down Lay. The doctor just told you earlier today not to stress." He tried to relax her but she was already too far gone. Eli hated seeing her mama upset so she too was crying.

Keisha looked up, nobody told her the tea from today either. Lay stormed off and everybody looked at Key to go calm her down. He walked off after her.

"Since you know so much about my daughter, why was she at the doctor today?" Retty asked Keisha who could only assume they went through with the abortion.

"Not my business to tell." Keisha shrugged her shoulders and sat down waiting for them to return. Shushing her granddaughter while doing so.

✨🥤

Lay stared at the babies in the nursery. Her hand immediately went to her stomach and she smiled. Through the glass she watched as Key walked over to her.

"Chalynn, you need to calm down mama. You gone hurt the baby being this worked up." He told her but she didn't want to hear all of that.

"I need you to leave me alone." She sighed, he rolled his eyes at her.

"One day we're naked in the shower together, the next one you sucking me up and after that you're mean and don't wanna be bothered. Wassup?" He asked her looking into the nursery.

"You slang good dick but I can't focus on you anymore. We've had this conversation so many times but this time I'm forreal. Marlee laid up in the hospital and shit. They don't know if she'll make it or not or if she's brain dead." Chalynn shook the tears away.

"I want to be apart of this pregnancy Lay. How ima do that with us being separated?" He asked, "Lil bit is going to be okay. You're not a bad sister at all. Is that what this is all about?" He put his hand on her shoulder.

"I can't have any distractions right now Key. I just need you to leave us alone for a little." She rubbed her temples, she didn't really want him to leave her alone but she couldn't focus with him around.

"Look, I'll let you come to the doctors appointments and I'll keep you updated on the milestones. I just can't be around you until I stop falling for you." She looked at him sadly and all he wanted to do was hug her but a hug wouldn't fix anything.

"Aight .. don't be fucking other niggas while you got my seed in you." He warned her pointing his finger at her.

"Whatever. I need my key back too." She stuck her hand out for it but she chuckled.

"Nah. I never know when I'll need it but, I'll call before I come over."

"I'm going back over there. Hopefully there's news, but after this is over, this is over." She motioned between the two of them and walked back to the waiting room.

"You okay baby?" Keisha asked, Lay nodded her head as Key came back around too.

He grabbed Eli from his moms arms, made eye contact with Lay one last time before leaving the hospital. If she didn't want anything to do with him, he was gone.

🤔