May 1994

| Calabasas, CA |

Shayla

I sat in the living room at the coffee table with Eric Jr, Erica and Erin next to me as they helped me decorate my cap. It was glitter, crafts and crayons everywhere. I cannot believe in two days I will be a graduate of medical school.

It has been a long road but, I made It despite everything I've been through. I thank god cause without him, I wouldn't haven't been able to get this far. My god is an almighty god. Amen.

I held the cap up, making sure the rhinestones didn't fall off.

"How you like this?" I say as I looked at the three amigos.

"It's too girly!" Eric Jr whined.

"...Duh she's a girl stupid" Erica laughed as she rolled her eyes.

"...Its pwetty Shayla", Erin smiled as she clapped her little hands.

Eric Jr rolled his eyes and twisted his lips, "why you have the squiggly line running through it?"

I smiled and kissed his forehead, "Because I'll be a doctor and I can take care of you guys"

"You already a doctor, you watch me when I don't feel good, member Shayla? You kissed my booboo when I fell an and you made it feel better" Erin tilted her head, rubbing her stomach.

I smiled and placed the cap down on the table and stood up, dusting my sweat pants off.

"Whose hungry?"

"MEEE!" the three of them yelled in unison and stood up to race into the kitchen.

"Well Damn", I chuckled as I followed behind them, entering the kitchen.

They have been here since the weekend and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Yeah, Eric got multiple kids but I love them as if they were my own. His baby mothers don't like me except Eric Jr mom, Toya. She's cool and she lets me know that she doesn't want Eric back in any shape or form, since she's married to some lawyer now.

Eric tried to get that bitch Avani to bring Derek over to spend time with his siblings, but of course she has to make life difficult saying that he just threw her to the curb after they fucked. I found out that she was the one he was creeping with the night of his Eazy-Duz-It album party.

"What yall want to eat?" I asked as I leaned on the island of the kitchen, smiling at their faces.

"Pizza!" Erin clapped and then banged the table.

Erica grabbed Erin hands and held them down, "Stop banging Ebbie last time you banged daddy popped you."

Erin poked her bottom lip out, "I want Pizza". She started to sob a little as her little lip quivered.

"You're such a baby, Shayla can she eat pizza and you make us something else she eats so much pizza!" Eric Jr rolled his eyes as he threw his head back.

"You're a baby too!" Erin yelled at the top of her lungs. "Stupid head!".

"Fart breath!" Jr yelled back.

"Stop guys" I chuckled as I watched these two go at it.

I will say for a three-year-old, Erin is so feisty but she is so loving, unlike that witch she has for a mother. Erica is very intelligent and witty, just like her dad. She does things that I can only see Eric doing. They chew the same, make the same natural smirk and it is even worst since they both have dimples.

"Your daddy has fart breath!" Erin yelled and furrowed her eye brows.

Eric Jr stared at her with a serious face, "We have the same daddy bozo you're a bed wetter!"

"Are not!" Erin screamed.

"Eric, you still wet the bed, Derek told me" Erica interjected while laughing and pulling Erin onto her lap.

".... He wets the bed! Not me I don't do that mess man Y'all some marks!" He yelled a crossed his arms over his chest, sounding like his dad.

"Okay Okay Okay" I laughed as I put my hand up. "We just gonna go out to eat something, I'll call Y'all daddy. Yall grab a snack".

"Can we have some yogurt?" Erica sweetly asked while looking up at me.

"Psht. You can eat that glue looking mess, I want some gushers, can I?" Jr waved off Erica then stared at me.

"Y'all get whatever yall want. Go watch Tv and enjoy you snack but don't get nothing on the floor, please" I said to them.

I watched them jump up and run to our junk food pantry excitedly. I stared at them for a minute, getting a little emotional. I want a baby and you would think by all the sex me and Eric have, I would have like ten by now. Maybe I should go to the doctor and have them run tests on me to see if I can conceive.

I walked out the kitchen and picked up the phone that was in the hallway before you reached the living room to dial Eric direct office number.

I knew he was down there with Bone Thugs and working on several different projects. Bone thug's EP, Creepin on a Come Up comes out next month so that is his primary focus right now.

I listened for it ring about three times before someone answered the phone.

"Hello?"

I scrunched my face up at the female voice answering the phone. I pressed the phone closer to my ear as I felt my hands get hot.

".... Who's this and where is Eric?"

".... Is this Shayla?", the female voice asked.

I jerked my head, "Who the fuck is you?"

"Its Tomica...and he is busy at the moment so try back later."

Before I could answer, I was greeted with the dial tone.

"Oh, no this bitch didn't!" I barked as I crashed the phone back on the receiver. What the fuck was she doing down at Ruthless and why the fuck is she answering his direct telephone?

"Here we go with this shit again!" I spat as I spun around and jumped back as I stared at the little at the kids standing side by side drinking caprisuns pouches.

"What... I thought Y'all was in the living room, why Y'all standing right here?", I questioned.

"...We heard you yell, we wanted to make sure you were okay..." Erica said as she stared at me.

Erin nodded, "You said F word and I was like Ooooooh Shayla cussing."

I smiled as I picked Erin up, then kissing her cheek. She smiled at me as she kissed my cheek back and smiled, showing her little smile.

"Go put yall sneakers on, we gonna see daddy at his job" I said as I walked towards the Living room.

"Yaaayy Daddy!", Erin wiggled around in my arms before I put her down.

I watched them run into the living room before I walked up stairs and entering Eric and I bedroom. I prayed to myself, hoping that Lucifer herself had a reason to be down at the label. She better have her child with her or ima beat her ass, I don't have the patience for this shit again.

I slipped out of my sweats and tossed them on the floor as I put on a pair of high waisted Shorts, a white crop top and a thin red and black checker board flannel on my arms. Finally, I slid on my pair of Red and black Jordan's, the 11's and grabbed my black Gucci purse and made my way down the steps.

"Y'all ready? I called out to the kids as I made my way into the living room.

"Yes Shayla", they said in harmony.

"First one to the car gets to ride shot gun", I laughed.

"OH, I'm out" Eric Jr yelled as he took off running out the living room and to the front door.

"You a cheater!" Erica yelled as she jetted behind him.

Before Erin could take off running, I swooped her into my arms and kissed her cheek.

"Shayla...I'm losing I wanna sit in the front" Erin whined and squirmed to get out of my grasp.

"You can't you too little baby girl" I said In between showering her with kisses.

"Stoppppp" she giggled hysterically and used her fingers to grab my lips to stop my storm of kisses.

I chuckled as I walked to the front door and made sure it locked behind me. I decided to drive Eric's Benz down to the label. He probably kill my ass but he gonna be the dead muthafucka once I find out why Tomica was answering his goddamn phone.

"I won I won!" Jr yelled as he did the cabbage patch dance, then moonwalking across the front of the car.

Erica sucked her teeth and folded her arms, "...Man no you didn't with your block head ass...Oops", Erica covered her mouth.

I raised an eyebrow, "Watch that mouth missy".

"Yes ma'am", she lowly said she kicked at the grass with her Nikes.

"You will sit in the back since you like cussing", I say as I strapped Erin into her car seat in the back.

"Ahhhhh you look dumb" Eric Jr teases as he pointed at her, laughing.

"...Oh, you too", I replied with a smile as I pointed to the back seat.

"What!", Eric Jr mouth dropped as Erin and Erica laughed at him. "Come on Shayla, I won though."

I raised an eye brow and shifted my weight on my left leg to my right as I placed a hand on my hip. He groaned and climbed in the back seat next to Erica, who was in the middle.

"Ahhhh you look dumb too!", Erica teased as she stuck her tongue out at her brother.

"Shut up" Eric Jr mumbled, mushing Erica head.

"dummy" Erin giggled as she kicked her little flip flops.

I shook my head and laughed as I hopped in the car and closed the door and turning on the radio, hopefully calming these rugrats down.

School is out and it's a sort of a buzz

But back then I didn't really know what it was

But now I see what happened is

The way that people respond to summer madness

I cruised through the neighborhood and I noticed Dre was standing outside and grabbing Michel'le by her arm as they appeared to be in a heated screaming match against each other . I shook my head and bit down on my bottom lip. I missed Michel'le so much but I knew that it was Dre doing.

I knew he was beating her ass and the fact that I couldn't do anything about it hurts me a lot. After hearing, what he did to Dee Barns at that night club, man I pray that Michel'le gets the fuck away from him. He is a big fat ass bitch if you ask me.

Remember when Dre first was flirting with me? yeah, I could have been Michel'le and he would have been beating my ass like a Everlast punching bag. Everything happens for a reason.

Besides, if Eric found out that I was interacting with them he would kill my ass.

After leaving our neighborhood, I merged onto the interstate and headed towards the record label. He got some fucking explaining to do and I aint trying to hear shit but the truth. He better be so lucky I have these kids with me or it would be some slow singing and flower bringing up in that bitch.

--------------

| Ruthless Records |

Los Anegeles, CA

Eric

"Eric, I need you to be there it is at 11 am" Tomica whined as she held our son in her arms.

Roll with the bone, mo' thugs will follow Chain gang, remains the same

Flamin my dank and drinkin brew Thinkin about hangin, clockin my bank,

and thuggin trues, foo's 

I leaned on the wall and rubbed my chin as I stared at her as I listened to Lazyie verse ending and bumping  through the speakers.

Tomica is really starting to piss me off, ever since I kicked her ass out and had my son, she been on some real crazy baby momma shit. trying to get me to come to her apartment late night, promising me she gonna fuck me good as hell and types of shit.

Although that shit sound good and all, Shayla does an amazing job playing mommy and screaming daddy behind closed doors.

Tomica came up to the label to tell me she need me to come to Dom's doctor's appointment. This shit is gonna put me in a tight spot.

"Tomica, I already told you I don't know I promised Shayla that I am going to be in attendance for her graduation then we catching  a flight later that night."

She shook her head in disappointment as she smiled, "You kidding me?! This is your son and you blowing us off for your girlfriend little graduation?!"

"It aint like that, and why suddenly you need me to come now? What about the past three appointments you went to and I tried to come and you told me its fine?"

Tomica stared at me blankly for a second, "I.- "

"Its cause you jealous and you don't want me going to the graduation, right?", I smirked and leaned in closer to her, eyeing her up and down.

"Its...it's not even like that I don't care that she graduating, I just...I think you need to be here for this appointment is all", she stammered as her eyes looked down at my lips then back up at me.

I stepped back and shook my head, "You jealous as hell I sense it".

Tomica opened her mouth to speak but it was replaced with a frown. I turned my head to see Eric Jr and Erica jetting up the hall to me.

"Dad!", they yelled as they crashed into me and wrapping their arms around me.

I stumbled back and laughed as they both clung on to my waist, "Was' sup yall damn...what yall doing here".

I looked up and seen Shayla coming down the hall carrying Erin who was waving at me. whatever I was just spoke to Tomica about went out the window. The sight of my soon fiancé and daughter approaching me made my heart race.

"Hi daddy, look look its daddy" Erin squealed as Shayla got closer to me.

"Was sup baby girl", I smiled as Erin dived out of Shayla arms and into mine.

I hugged and kissed her forehead as she patted the top of my head like I was her pet.

"You smell good daddy", she said and wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I do? Thank you and you smell good too", I kissed her cheek.

"Dad she smells like a diaper", Eric Jr looked up at me and giggled.

"Man, be nice to your little sister", I laughed, then turning my attention to Shayla.

She looked good as hell in her outfit, making a nigga wanna take her to my office and tear that ass up on top of my desk. Her eyes shifted between me and Tomica as her nose flared up.

"Was sup baby", I smiled as I leaned into kiss her lips but she turned her head and grilled the fuck out Tomica.

"And the next time you think it's okay to answer my man phone and hang up on me ill bust yo. -"

"Do it then", Tomica smirked as she rocked back and forth.

Shayla raised her arm to swing but I grabbed Shayla back by her arm and pulled her closer to me. I watched the kids take a step back as I Held Erin with my other arm.

"What the fuck going on? And you were ready to hit her while my son was in her hand is you fucking stupid?" I questioned while staring Shayla in the face.

"That stupid ass girl gonna hang up the phone on me telling me your busy and to call back later, you better check her ass Eric" Shayla spat as she jumped at Tomica who jumped back and twisted her lips.

"yeah! And she made Shayla say F word daddy I heard it" Erin fussed as she pointed at Tomica.

"Take them inside the studio and I'll talk to her, aight?" I said as I looked down at my two oldest kids, then back at Shayla.

I sighed as I stared at Tomica who tried to act like she aint know what was going on. I passed Erin to Shayla as she motioned for the kids to go inside the studio with Bone Thugs.

"And tell Layzie to keep his muthafuckin hands to his self!" I yelled behind them, causing Shayla to chuckle a little bit. "Witcho fine ass."

I smiled, but turned serious as I glared at Tomica. I pulled her closer to me and furrowed my eyebrows so close together you would have thought I had a unibrow.

"Don't you ever answer my fucking personal office phone you hear me? You aint on payroll and you don't work here so dint let me hear about you touching any fucking thing that don't belong to you"

She sucked her teeth, "what do you see in her Eric? why leave me for that woman she is no good for you".

"How the fuck you gonna sit here and tell me what is good for me, that girl in there has been with me since day 1 and I aint letting her out my life no more, I just can't and I won't"

Tomica quickly batted her eyes as she looked away from me. her bottom lip quivered as her face turned red. She heaved a sigh a couple of times before speaking,

"Eric...I love you and I just want us to be a family again. I love your kids but they don't really care for me, look they aint even say hello when they walked in with...that...that girl" she wept as she used her left hand to wipe her tears.

My face softened up. I think it would be best if I ended this conversation right now. I don't want to entertain this shit. I love Tomica but I love and I am in love with Shayla too. She gonna end up saying she love me and I'll end up lying, saying that I love her too.

"Look Tomica", I sighed as she sniffled and stared at me with watery, red eyes. "I care for you but...but that woman in there is gonna be my fiancé' and I love her. If you need to cry, Ima let you be but I can't stay and listen to you and watch it. Just know that Ima be here for my son aight?".

She vigorously shook her head as she whined, "Eric...no... no baby please I want us to be...- "

"I'll see you Friday at the appointment okay...11 am right?" I said as I turned to walk off as I left Tomica standing in the hallway.

"...Y-yeah Eric" she sobbed as she stared at me from a distance.

"Aight, just-just leave" I say as I turned my back to her.

"Eric!"

Just before I entered the studio, I heard her call out my name. I turned my head around and gazed at Tomica face that was drenched in tears.

"...I love you" she sobbed.

I tighten my lips and closed my eyes. I feel horrible that she is standing here crying for me. I like her and love her, granted she is the mother of my son but maybe in another life time we could be. Just not this one.

"Take care Tomica, I'll see you Friday."

-------------

[A/N : More updates on the way! Tell me how you feel about this one? I tried to be a little different with the kids and what not.  Tomica, who feels bad for her ? ( even if its a little bit) I appreciate your feed back! ]

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