INTERLUDE

I DONT HAVE A LOT OF SHIT TO SAY. BUY "MAKE ME PROUD" ON ITUNES. MAKE SURE YOU READ "ITS STILL IN YOUR EYES" BY @TEAMMINAJPERU HERE----> http://mariaaminajx3.blogspot.com/  <---- IF YOU HAVENT ALREADY. ENJOY.

“You sure you're gonna be ok with him here while we go?” Nicki asked.

“What are we, 5?” Sandi said sarcastically.

“We raised the both of you, didn’t we?” Carol interjected

“I'm just making sure it’s not an inconvenience.” Said Drake

“Please. You guys have him all the time. I love seeing my grandson.” Sandi said smiling as she bounced the boy in her arms.

“We won’t be gone long.” Drake assured her before kissing her cheek.

“Yeah yeah yeah. See ya later.”

After being hastily pushed out the door, they got in the Mercedes & headed north. The ride was fairly quiet & compared to the environment last night at OVO, it was very uneasy. They took a left turn down an alley & stopped behind 40’s apartment building. Drake cut the engine.

“Did you wanna go in or do you wanna talk in the car?” He asked her.

“The car is fine.”

“Ok.” He cleared his throat. “So, what’s this about?”

“It’s about us Aubrey.”

“What about us?”

She took a deep breath.

“I just want you to know that even though I came out here to support you, I still want to take things slow. I don’t want to rush this. I just feel like we need to focus right now. Malaki isn’t gonna be little forever so let’s just cherish this time we have with him right now. I know this is unfair to you & I’m so sorry but I just can’t split my focus right now. But I'm trying. I really am.”

Drake looked out the windshield. He wanted to be upset but he knew that would be selfish of him. He exhaled heavily before he spoke.

“I understand. As long as you don’t give up, neither will I. but you gotta understand baby that just like you, I'm trying. I'm workin on it. But I want you to understand that I know how important our son is. I really do. But my love for him doesn’t cancel out my love for you. I wanna love both of you. Completely. I really wish you could understand that, but I know because of the depression, you're struggling. So I will try my hardest not to pressure you.”

“I just…I don’t know what I would do if something happened to him. That’s something that’s CONSTANTLY on my mind. I don’t know why. But every second I'm away from him doing something else, I just think ‘what could happen to him while I'm here? Will anyone be there to help him?’ it just scares me so much. So that’s why I just kinda have tunnel vision right now.”

“I know. I know. I just………..I just love you Onika. That’s all.”

He placed his hand on top of hers on the center console. They both sat, silent, as a light rain began to fall.

Meanwhile…

When Nicki & Drake left, Carol & Sandi had decided on watching a movie with their grandson as he played. The Prince of Egypt. They seemed it fitting since they were both somewhat religious. It was also a good way spread their beliefs without compromising their personal beliefs. The 1^st half of the movie, Malaki was very intrigued, oohing & ahhing at the very exciting chariot rides & musical numbers. But by the second half, it had started to rain & the steady pattern of raindrops had put them all to sleep. The movie was on its second play, poor souls crying out for deliverance from their master when a deafening strike of lightning struck, waking up the 2 women with a start. A cold sweat formed over their skin & they looked at each other like they each had seen a ghost. Their hearts were racing but it was more than just the weather that had frightened them. They looked down at Malaki’s still sleeping frame, afraid to move. He looked too still. They were both about to place a hand on him, to check his breathing, when he snuggled close to his pillow, a yawn escaping him. He was fine. They both took a sigh of relief. But that did not soothe the worries that swirled around inside them. They looked to the screen to see Moses’ mother, Jochebed’s crying face just as she had finished singing a prayer of safekeeping for her son.

Two weeks had gone by & Nicki Drake Malaki & Carol were finally making their way home from Toronto. After being dropped off at home, Carol called Sandi, her voice weary.

“I don’t know about this Sandi, I have a bad feeling about this.”

“So do I, but we can’t jump to conclusions just yet. It’s been 2 weeks & we haven’t had that dream since. It might have just been because of what we were watching.”

“I know you're right but I just can’t shake that feeling.”

“I know, I know. But what can we do?”

“I don’t know.”

“Should we tell them?”

“No. I don’t want to worry them if there’s no reason to. If we do that, we might drive them even further apart. I don’t want to do that. Especially when I feel like that’s the reason this is all happening in the 1^st place.” Carol sighed. “I think it may be time for me to go back home. To my country. One more time.”

“Oh Carol, don’t talk like that. There will be more times. There has to be.”

“I know. But not like this.”