Then we had bad days...

"Zach I really don't want to argue" I sighed.

I shut Amira's door as she finally fell asleep.

"Nah Nichelle, you've been gone for months. I know it's work but you have a family" he argued and I sighed.

"I know and I try my best to come home to be with you guys. I might be gone for a few months but I also take a few weeks break"

"A few weeks break?" He scoffed "you barely stay two weeks"

"I'm sorry, but this is the life I signed up for. The one you helped me to achieve. Remember?"

"Baby all I'm saying is I miss my wife. Amira needs her mother to be around more often" he sighed.

"Zach-"

"Nah nah, Amira ain't got no single dad raising her. She got parents"

"I'm trying Zach" I sighed and rubbed my forehead.

"You don't even need to be doing that job for real. You don't need the money. I pay for all this anyway and I'll continue to do so without a problem"

"Zach, this isn't about money. I love what I do" I argued in return.

"Alright. Do you love it more than me?" He said standing upright, watching me.

"What?"

"Do you love your job more than me? More than your family?" He asked again. I can tell he was frustrated and annoyed.

"Zach, of course I don't" I sighed. I hated arguing with him.

"Alright then. Prove it. Stay longer. I want you here for my birthday" he said seriously. Now i know how that sounds. I actually I had a concert planned that day but it definitely came from management. I wasn't going to miss his birthday for it though wasn't worth it even if i was opening for Beyonce.

"Zach.." I sighed

"Nah it's okay" he shook his head.

"let me work my schedule out" Silence filled the room. He shook his head and held the door open for me so we could leave.

We were going to the basketball game, and I had bought him courtside tickets as a pre- birthday gift since "I won't technically be here for his birthday."

The whole ride there was quiet.

"Zach, I don't want to spend my time here fighting" I looked over at him.

"We ain't fighting, Nichelle, we good" sigh, that mean we ain't good.

We reached the stadium and he was still not talking to me but he was still holding my hand and shielding me from paparazzi and crazy fans.

We finally got seating and didn't want to bring up the conversation again, knowing that it won't go anywhere as of right now.

"Hey! It's Nichelle! Can we snap a picture of the happy couple" Zach nodded "yeah man"

******

Zach POV

I sat in my chair playing with this paper plane I made.
I threw it across the room and watched it fly.

Today was my birthday.

It was my birthday, and everyone had come to my office and decorated it in my absence. It was pretty festive in my office.

I woke up to my 2 year old baby kissing me in the face. When Nichelle ain't here, she the girl i let take her spot.

I just wanted to celebrate my birthday with my woman, that's all. I packed my things and started heading home. I was the last person here. Well except security.

I got in my car and made my way home, at least my princess could keep me company.

I parked my car in the garage and made my way up the stairs to our door. Once I opened the door, I was met with darkness.

What the hell?

There was a cupcake with a candle lit on it, on the floor.

"Dada!" My lil girl ran up to me.

"Hey Stink," I picked her up. What is going on? Where is our nanny/maid?

"Where is Esperanza, huh?" I said to Amira as I turned to flick the light on.

"SUPPRISE"

My eyes landed on the person holding the cake with lit candles on it. Nichelle. My boy Danny picked up the little cupcake and stood next to Nichelle.

She was here, and so were all my boys and friends from work. "Miss your birthday? never" she said. "Make a wish," I smiled, this genuinely made me happy.

"All I have is all I need. I don't need to make no wish" I said, blowing it out and pulling her in for a hug.

"I love you" I pulled her in for a kiss. I loved Nichelle deeply. Like I've never loved someone else before.

"Dang save some love for your brothers man"

"Not like that, tho" Jeffrey added, making us all laugh.

A couple months later..

Nichelle was nominated at the BET Awards for album of the year and new artist of the year.

I told her I was on a business trip and that if I made it, I would be really late. I lied. I just wanted to surprise her the way she surprised me for my birthday.

I would never miss this opportunity. Baby, know I got her, always.

I pulled up at the red carpet after I heard she just got on. The screams just got louder as the people saw me.

She was so focused on posing for the camera she didn't even see me coming up to her.

"Give it up for, Nichelle Anderson everybody!" she was frightened before a smile broke out on her face.

"Baby!" I immediately hugged her.

"I thought you were gonna be late" she said smiling.

"Surprise! Not on your big day baby"

"Come on yall! This is thee Nichelle Anderson!" I yelled to the photographers and making her laugh.

Sure, we had hard times, but this one did a number on our marriage....

2 years later...
"On a scale of one to ten, how happy are you that it's a boy?"

"Ten ain't a big enough number" I responded rubbing and kissing her stomach.

"I was thinking we could name him William" I scrunched my nose up.
"That's sounds so upperclassman"

"I got it! We can call him Zachary Anderson jr" I said like it was surprise "tadaaa" she chuckled.

"You tryna start the line huh?"

"I mean hopefully we could reach Zachary Anderson the third"

"But let's still look at other options, we'll have enough children to name after me" I joked.

"What about Xavier" she suggested. I sat up. "That's a fire name"

"Then we can call him professor X when he gets older" she laughed "really?"

She shook her head. "Xavier Gray Anderson"

"I love it" I told her. Sounded like a powerful man already.

She started yawning and I already what time it was. "Alright cmon" I got up and helped her to stand so I can help her get comfortable.

Once she got comfortable she turned and said "baby can you get me some chi-" I put my hand on her eyes. "Go to sleep"

She chuckled. Every time she bout to go to bed she wanna eat something we don't have. I went around to the other side to get in and get comfortable up under her.

"You coming with me to work tomorrow?"

I was met with silence "nich-" I heard her light snores. I couldn't help but chuckle. She wasn't Nan hungry.

*****

Nichelle POV

Being pregnant again, honestly was a blessing. I'm always reminded of how we struggled and now we're able to conceive.

It's an exciting journey and it still makes me cautious about it because I want to make sure I do everything right.

Zach was in a meeting so I went across the street with one of the staff members. Zach doesn't allow me to go anywhere without some kind of security when I'm pregnant.

If he can't be with me at the moment he'll have somebody with me until he comes back.

I walk into the Lisa's bakery and I drool over all the donut options.

"Mrs. Anderson" I jumped in fright. I turned to see Mr. Avery smiling at me. He was in a suit and had his hands in his pocket.

"it is lovely to see you here" I smiled in return.
"Hi Mr. Avery, it's nice to see you as well"

"Cravings?" I nodded. "I'm a sweets girl" I turned to look back at the options.

"I think you might like the cinnamon flavored donut" he pointed on the glass.

"I actually love cinnamon"

"Then it's yours" he waved at the lady behind the counter. "On the house, give her whatever she wants" she nodded and waited for me to give an answer but I was too in shock.

"Mr. Avery, it's okay I -" he shook his head.

"I'm tryna keep the baby happy by keeping his mom satisfied"

I chuckle "I can pay it you know"

"That's okay, it doesn't hurt my pocket at all. I have more supplies than the demand right now"

"Oh you own this shop?" He nodded.

"Can I get two of everything?" She nodded before preparing it for me.

I turn back to Mr. Avery. "Cool! So wait, if you own it why not name it after your name? Why Lisa? You could've named it Avery, that's got a good ring to it"

He shook his head "I wanted to do something nice for someone. I've been trying to earn someone's forgiveness. I didn't know everything about them but I knew that they loved pastries"

"Ohhh" I said shifting my weight to another foot.

"Does the person know this place exist?" He nodded. "Maybe they felt like you were trying to buy their forgiveness."

"Maybe, but that's not what I was trying to do" he sighed.

"That's a good person right there, not easily swayed by the money" that's me right there. I don't care about the money. It don't move me.
He chuckled at me.

"Well what did you do that was so bad"

"Probably one of the lowest things a human being can do" I see his face turn to that of hurt one. I could tell he was regretful. I frowned. Now I felt bad. I made him remember something that was difficult.

"I'm sorry Mr. Avery I didn't mean to make you upset" he shook his head "don't worry about it I'm fine" clearly he was not.

"I'm sure they'll forgive you some day" I said trying to offer comfort.

" They don't want anything to do with me"

"Well, I guess it's only so much you can do. Until then you should probably forgive yourself for whatever you did. Eventually the person will come around." He looked me in the eye and smiled.

"Thank you Nichelle"

"You're welcome" I smiled

"Here you go Miss" she handed me a bag full of donuts. Zach is gonna kill me.

"Thank you" I grabbed it.

"I'll carry it for you. We can walk back together"

"It's really okay I got it"
"I would be a terrible man to not offer some help" he was so nice.

It didn't feel weird either, it just feels comfortable.

"I forgot to say this.. but Lisa is my mother's name" I smiled at the thought.

He looked at me surprised "really?" I nodded. He looked at me a little weirdly and smiled as we continued walking.

We walked into the building and into the elevator to the floor.

"Thank you Mr. Avery. I'll take it from you now" I took the bag and we both stepped out.

Zach was coming out of an office but he stopped when he saw me and placed both hands on his hips when he saw the bag of donuts in my hands.

I shoved the bag into Mr. Avery's side "It wasn't me" and I raised my hands in defense.
*******
This is when it went bad...

"Zach" nichelle shoved me.

"Zach! Somethings wrong!" I shot up out the bed and looked at her. She was standing there bent over in pain and blood was dripping in between her thighs.

"Oh shit!" I quickly went towards her. I inspected her. "We got to get to a hospital" I grabbed my keys from the light stand.
One we got out the door I held her bridal style and carried her to the car.

Once I got her in, I quickly hopped in the drivers seat and started the car.

"It's gonna be alright baby" I said look back at her as I reversed out the garage.

"Zach, what if-" I shook my head "don't talk like that"

I affirmed and reassured all the way there but it's like the closer we were to the hospital the more pain Nichelle was in.

I finally got to the emergency room and I helped her out the car. I held her bridal style and brought her in.

"Please! Somebody help my wife. She pregnant!" Once they'd seen her and the condition she was in, they rushed over to help.

They brought out the gurney and I placed her on it. "We got to take her immediately"

"How long has she been bleeding"

"For about 15 minutes" he nodded and I was following behind him before this nurse told me I couldn't go in.

"What do you mean I can't go in?!"

"Sir please calm down, we have to see what we're dealing it and the procedure requires only nurses and doctors to be present"

"That's my wife and my son!" I yelled

"I understand sir but that's just our protocol, if you can't understand unfortunately we'll have security escort you out" I sighed.

That's the last thing I need right now.

"Zach!" Nichelle cried out on the gurney. They continued taking her away.

"Everything's going to be alright, baby!"

I wish those words were true because a few hours later... me and Nichelle were looking at a lifeless baby.

"I'm sorry, we did all we could" the doctor said frowning.

Nichelle broke down and my heart was broken. This was our baby boy.

That was our son.

It was like a heavy cloak was placed over my heart.

I held Nichelle, and she broke down and i allowed myself to cry with her.

The doctors were ready to take him away, but Nichelle was stuck on him.

"I feel like a piece of me just died, Zach"
Not knowing how to respond I just rubbed her back in the most comforting way possible.