“Promise?” Nicki croaked out, her tears spilling out her eyes. He looked down at his wife, it killed him to see her in this much pain and him not being able to help. The desperation in her eyes and the worry in her words made him want to cry himself.
“Promise.” He answered her.Even though Nicki knew Drake didn’t have the type of power to ensure that her son would be safe, it made her feel better because he never lied to her before and she believed him. The doctor came over instructing Drake of what to do as Nicki was to start pushing. After 5 pushes, Nicki flopped down on her pillow exhausted and soon started to panic when she didn’t hear the ear shattering cry that she heard when she gave birth to Ava.
“What’s going on Aubrey!?” Nicki tugged on Drake’s hand as he looked to where she couldn’t see. He didn’t want to tell her about the panicked looks that each of the nurses and doctors held as they tried their hardest to get the baby to breath. Even if he did want to inform her it would be impossible with his chest feeling like it was going to cave in. “Aubrey..?” Nicki breathed out looking at his face knowing something was terribly wrong.
A huge wave of relief came over everyone in the room when the crack of a cry sounded and then that wailing sound bounced off the walls. “Thank you God.” Drake looked up as he closed his eyes. Nicki gave a silent nod to Jesus as she brung Drake’s hand to her lips and kissed it. Drake looked down at her and they both shared a smile.
“Would you like to cut the umbilical cord Daddy?” The nurse asked Drake and he proudly obliged. Nicki’s eyes widened at how small her son was like she could just break something if she were to touch him. Nicki didn’t get to hold the baby , even though she saw. He was placed into a incubator and taken to NICU.
“I’m proud of you.” Drake sat at Nicki’s bedside, pushing her hair out of her face.
“I’m proud of you.” She said in return as he bent down to kiss her. She placed her hand to his cheek as he pulled away to look in his eyes. “I love you.”
“Love you too Baby.” Drake spoke his truest words. He didn’t want to let too much time pass because he knew how Nicki’s mind worked. She would start to stress herself out. “What are we going to name him?” He asked filling the silence.
“Mommy!” Nicki smiled as she heard Ava coming into the room followed by Carol and Sandi.
“Ava.” Carol warned before smiling at Nicki and Drake as Ava ran to her mother lowering her voice. Nicki leaned over and picked up Ava placing her on the side of the bed. Carol hugged Nicki while Sandi hugged Drake then they switched.
“How’d everything go?” Sandi questioned taking a seat on the couch along with Carol.
“We had a little scare but everything is as good as it gets right now.” Nicki answered somberly.
“How do you feel?” Carol questioned.
“A little tired, but functional.” Drake answered and everyone smacked their teeth.
“I’m a little sore but I’m ok.” Nicki answered pushing Drake’s arm.
“Where is Josiah?” Ava questioned looking around. Carol shook her head as both she and Sandi let out a chuckle.
“Who’s Josiah baby?” Drake asked his daughter whose face dropped in disappointment.
“My brother.” She answered lowly. Nicki looked to Drake and him at her. Ava had been out in the waiting room calling the baby Josiah as they waited to be able to see Nicki and Drake. No one knew where she got the name from she just said it out of the blue. Unlike the many names she would butcher and mispronounce this one she said perfectly. Sandi told her not to get her hopes up but she continued to call him Josiah.
“Josiah?” Nicki questioned Drake. “I actually love it oddly enough.” Nicki chuckled.
“Me too.” Drake nodded.
“Where is he?” Ava questioned, bringing them back to her original question. Nicki looked at Drake, she didn’t know what to tell Ava she was hoping Drake did.
“He’s getting better. He’s sick right now and if we want to take him home the doctors have to make him all better.” Drake summed it up so that she could understand. Ava was a little upset that she couldn’t get to see him but she understood.
“How’s it feel to be a big sister, Punkin?” Nicki questioned rubbing a hand through Ava’s wild curls. She simply shrugged and the room laughed. “I bet you’re going to be bossy.”
“She’ll get it from you.” Drake shot back.
“There’s a difference in being a BOSS,” She pointed to herself “ And being bossy.” She pointed to Ava. Carol and Sandi sat back admiring their kids. They turned out to be wonderful adults that they couldn’t be anymore prouder of.
Nicki looked down into the incubator at Josiah. Even with all the tubes running through his mouth and nose there was no denying he was a beautiful baby. His tiny golden curls to his light pink lips. He was asleep, she wondered how he could look so peaceful but in the predicament. She couldn’t help but blame herself for this. If there was a way she could change places with Josiah she’d do it in a heartbeat. “He’s beautiful isn’t he?” Drake wrapped his arms around Nicki’s waist looking over her shoulder to look at their baby boy. Carol and Sandi had taken Ava home earlier in the day.
“Yeah.” She whispered placing her hand on the glass. “I feel like I caused this Aubrey.”
“You didn’t Onika.” She somewhat hated when he called her Onika. It was either a sign that he was angry or very serious. “You did everything you were supposed to, you heard what the doctor said, sometime things like this just happen. We just have to be here for Josiah.”
“I can’t wait until we can take him home.”
“Me either.” Drake kissed Nicki’s neck.
Ava’s face appeared in front of the camera as Drake tried to get the laptop situated on the coffee table. Ava waved into the camera as she watched her face. “Hi!” She greeted. Drake could be seen walking passed the camera going into the kitchen. Ava climbed up the couch and sat down so she was directly in front of the computer. Team Minaj were spazzing at how cute Ava was as she kicked her legs in the air.
“Careful.” Drake said handing Ava a cup of juice that she just had to have before she went to bed. He walked passed the camera to go and get the charger for the camera.
“Is it on?” Nicki’s voice could be heard throughout the house and that’s when the Barbz and Kenbarbz really started to lose their fucking minds. Ava took a sip of her juice and she jumped when she felt it running down her chin. She looked back and was relieved when she didn't see her parents. She jumped off the couch spilling more juice and placed it on the coffee table trying to rub her hands up and down her nightgown to get the juice out. She quickly climbed back on the couch and sat as if nothing happened when Drake came back with the charger.
“You finished your juice?” Drake asked as he plugged in the charger. She nodded her head. Drake came to join her on the couch sitting next to her in the camera’s view. “Wassup Y’all?” He questioned looking at the camera.
“Baby, where’s ‘Siah’s pacifier?” Nicki questioned.
“In here!” He answered while reading over some of the comments. Nicki appeared with Josiah in her arms sitting next to Ava who was looking suspicious as Drake’s foot kept missing over the spilt juice on the floor.
“Is it on?” Nicki questioned as if she didn’t see where it said live.
“No. It says live because it’s aware that we’re breathing.” Drake answered moving his head, knowing she was going to pull his ear. Instead she mushed him but quickly readjusted when Josiah began whining.
“Heeeeeey Barbz!” She smiled at the comments. She purposely positioned the blanket over Josiah so that his face wasn’t visible to the camera. “Talk to da kid.” She said before looking over at Ava when she noticed how quiet she was being. Drake handed her the blue pacifier and she placed it in Josiah’s awaiting mouth. “Say hi Ava.”
“Hi.” Ava waved at the camera again. Drake picked up the remote turning on the TV and Nicki side eyed him. He felt her eyes but continued to look towards the flatscreen on the wall. “I’m Ava.” She introduced herself as if Team Minaj didn’t know her first, middle and last name. “And she’s Mommy,” She pointed to Nicki. “That’s daddy.” Drake waved. “And his is Josiah, I named him that.” She pointed to herself.
“She ain’t lyin y’all.” Nicki said as she squinted to read the comments but lifted her head as Drake began mumbling the theme song to Phineas and Ferb. She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth to stop from laughing at him not knowing a single lyric except ‘Giving a monkey a shower!’ “Baby, give it up.” She told Drake when it ended.
“At Least I can remember my own songs though. Remember you forgetting everybody's name in Champion? I had to swoop in and save you. How do you forget people you around all your life?” He questioned. “Making up names, talkin ‘bout ‘Bianca, Beatrice, Belinda...’ You don’t even know those people.” Drake said and Nicki smacked her teeth. They joked around talking to Team Minaj along with Ava until all of the Barbz began to only focus on ‘Siah who kept sticking his hands out of the creme colored blankets.
“Ok Barbz, it’s about that time.” Nicki said getting ready to conclude the Ustream. “Before we all go to bed,” She removed the blankets from Josiah’s face making this the first time she’d allow the world to see him in the 6 months he’s been home. “I would like you all to meet Josiah Isaac Graham.” She smiled looking down at his angelic face. Ava bent over placing a kiss on his forehead as Drake leaned over to look. The Barbz took this as an opportunity to capture screenshots, this moment was absolutely picture perfect. Drake stood up to unplug the laptop when he felt the juice on the floor.
“Question: who spilt the juice?” He questioned. Ava shrugged her shoulders and so did Nicki, but Team Minaj was quick to snitch on poor little Ava as they saw the whole thing happen earlier. (.-.)
(The End =))
<-- Josiah . 9 Months
