Great One

by Nayla Matthew

  “Thank you, Doc,”

  “Now I understand you’re moving soon?” she asks.

  “Yes, a town house in the city,” I say.

  “Well I advise to be careful, don’t lift heavy boxes we don’t want to induce labor too early,” she says.

  “I completely understand,” I say.

  “Are you excited for your little tike to come out?” she asks, I begin rubbing my stomach anxiously.

  “More then you know,”

  “And the Father?”

  “Is aware,” I lie, with a tight smile. “But won’t be a part of the birth,”

  “That’s sad, but that’s the case sometimes, some boys aren’t prepared to be Fathers,” she says. Or they don’t know they’re a Father. “Well I’ll leave you to get dressed, and I’ll see you on the day of delivery,”

  “Sounds like a plan,” I say, she leaves the room allowing me to get dressed. Waiting for me in the lobby is Calum, flipping through a magazine and sucking on his juul pod. He is more excited than ever for me to move out, so he can get his closet space back, and I am excited to have more own space. I always pictured my first home after my parents was going to be Braum, or Laila. I never pictured it doing on my own furnishing, decorating, the whole shebang, and soon I was going to have a little mini-me, or Mini- Braum running around. I tried not to think about how busy my life was going to be after I give birth.

  From press releases and starting up promoting my new album. I probably wasn’t going to be spending a lot of time at my new place regardless. I was excited though, Zahara said they’d have the place ready by the beginning of September, she also said if I finished my 3rd song, I’d get the keys. I didn’t want to admit I had writers block, and even after hours with Ryan at the studio I had no idea how to end my son.

  “Are you ready?” Calum asks, already heading towards the door.

  “Can we stop and get some lunch? I didn’t eat much at breakfast,” I say, as we walk through the parking lot.

  “I noticed, isn’t that bad for the baby?” he asks.

  “I had cereal, I don’t need a grand buffet every meal I’m going to look like a whale after all this is done,” I say, as we climb into the car.

  “You look fabulous, stop,”

  “I have to look like I wasn’t pregnant,” I say, buckling into my seat. “People will know, at least people back home will know,”

  “Adeya are you serious?” Calum says. “You don’t look more than 5 pounds heavier then when I first met you, you’re being ridiculous,”

  “You’re right,” I pull down the visor looking at my face, I never really over analyzed myself before. Braum always made me feel like the prettiest girl on earth, like no other girl could compare. I never really paid attention to what I wore, or how thin I was because none of that mattered, Braum never made it matter, and now. He’s with Demetra, and I’m looking at her thin waist, and long flowing hair and high cheek bones, and I’m wondering is that why he broke up with me?

  “You’re the prettiest girl in Hollywood okay?” Calum says, before starting up the car and pulling from the space.

  “Thanks,” we stop at in-and-out before heading back towards the house so I can finish my song.

  “We’re making a little pit stop,” Calum says, making a different turn.

  “Where?” I say.

  “Just enjoy the ride,” he says, I shrug it off starting the fries from the bag. We arrive to Bright Hollow Communities, where my new town house was located.

  “Names?” the security guard asks.

  “Calum Hoist, and Adeya Waterson,” Calum says.

  “Alright, thank you,” The gates open and Calum pulls in.

  “Is the house already ready?” I ask.

  “It’s supposed to be a surprise,” Calum says, looking over at me with a grin. “So, don’t spoil it!” he says, we pull up in front of the house. Calum and I hop out of his car, walking to the front doors Calum pulling the keys from his pocket, he unlocks the door swinging it open.

  “Surprise!” everyone shouts, nearly sending me into cardiac arrest. I’m stunned to see my parents, and my siblings. Mr. and Mrs. Clifford and Jacob and Tyler, Laila and Geo, who I thought was still grounded from starting the fight with Braum, Zahara, and my band.

  “Jesus Christ guys!” I shout.

  “Did we surprise you?” Laila says.

  “Yes, nearly sent me into early labor,” I say, leaning against the wall.

  “Oh gheesh,” Geo mumbles, I quickly rush into a hug. Hugging everyone.

  “I can’t believe you all are here!” I say.

  “I had to fly them in for your housewarming party!” Zahara says, pulling me into a hug. “And your baby shower!”

  “Guys! you didn’t have to,” I say.

  “Of course, we didn’t, but we wanted to,” Geo says.

  “I’m still mad at you mister!’ I say, poking his chest. “Stop fighting!”

  “I agree, do you know how much convincing it took for me to let his mom come? I was practically on my knees” Laila says.

  “Let’s move this party to the living room everyone,” Zahara says, pushing the crowd from the foyer. My living room is decently furnished, it looked like Zahara ripped a page from a Home Magazine and handed it to the designer.

  “This is beautiful,” I whisper.

  “Your house is completely furnished, one of Calum’s friend is a home designer!” Zahara says.

  “You didn’t have to do this,” I say, Zahara shrugs.

  “But I wanted to,” she says, before allowing everyone to get comfortable.

  “It’s great to see you Adeya,” Jacob says, sitting beside me on the couch. “Don’t worry about Abraham, he wanted to stay back with his girlfriend,” he says.

  “Where does he think you, guys went?”

  “My dad said he won tickets to this old art exhibit, that was pretty much all he needed to hear,” Jacob says. “And don’t worry your secret is safe with us,” he says, referring to my stomach. I felt bad that I still hadn’t told Braum, maybe he would be here, maybe we’d talk, maybe things could be different. Then I think about him and Demetra, and him breaking up with me, and dating a girl not even a month later.

  “First things First, I have a gift from my future favorite baby,” Zahara says, pulling out a bag and regaining my attention. She hands over the bag and I take it out, revealing a onesie set that says “My Mother is a Superstar”

  “That’s adorable!” my mother gushes, grabbing the clothes from my hand.

  “Thanks Z,” I say.

  “No probs,”

  “Us next,” Laila says, handing over a bag filled with baby toys, and teething rings. The Clifford’s get me more clothes.

  “Our turn!” my mom says, pulling me out of my seat. She leads me out of the living room leading me down the hallway and upstairs to the second floor. “That designer might know home décor, but he doesn’t know baby room décor leave that to your mama,” my mom says, pushing open a door and revealing perfect blend of neutral colored room.

  “Oh mom,” I say.

  “I wanted to do way more, but your Father thought that this was enough,” she says.

  “It’s great mom, I love it,” I say, pulling her into a hug. Laila helps me take all the clothes into the room putting them away neatly. Then we return to the party, where Zahara is talking to my siblings about the show-biz life, and my day to day calendar, and my parents are talking to my band members about god knows what. Jacob and Tyler are outside already playing football, and the Clifford Parents are sitting down drinking wine. It looked like the end of an episode to a cheesy family show. “So how long are you guys staying?”

  “Just the weekend,” Laila admits sadly. “My mom says I can’t miss any school, and Geo is technically still grounded”

  “I wish you could stay longer,” I admit.

  “We’ll be back in two months, when my little nephew is coming out,” Laila says, touching my stomach.

  “Or li
ttle niece,” I say, and she rolls her eyes.

  “Don’t listen to her Alexander,” Laila whispers. We spend the rest of the night opening gifts, before Calum takes my parents, and the Clifford’s to their hotel, leaving Laila, Geo, and Zahara at my new house. Ryan and Kailey are the last to leave, and I’m left to supervise the aftermath. After everything settles, it’s just Laila, Geo, and Zahara watching TV.

  “I need to get home,” Zahara says, after another hour of a sitcom. She pushes out of the seat grabbing her keys. “I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow little lady, we have a meeting with Susan an event planner for an upcoming party, and a radio show,”

  “Got it,” I say.

  “Goodnight!” Laila says, as Zahara leaves. Laila locks up and I move to my bedroom, sleeping in my own room for the first time. It felt amazing, I had my own room of course when I lived with my parents, but having my own home felt different. I made my own rules now, it was all me. I thought things were going to be different, of course I thought I’d be sharing the bed

  I don’t know what time it is, but I was in pain. Sharp pain all over my body, and it felt like I was sleeping in a bathtub.

  “Geo! Laila!” I shout, in a flash my bedroom door is open, and the lights are on, Laila is standing in the doorway in nothing but her underwear.

  “What? What is happening!” she shouts.

  “I think my water just broke,”

  “You’re early! You’re way early!” Laila says.

  “Call an ambulance,” I shout.

  Lorelei Rue Waterson was born at 26 weeks. She survived her first night at the hospital and the Doctors were hopeful that she’d make it. I spent every moment I could at the hospital, even though I had to attend to work, and meetings, and band rehearsals. I spent what time I could with her. She had to stay in the hospital for 2 months, and it was the best day of my life being able to take her home.

  “Hi baby Lei,” I whisper, pushing open her bedroom door. “This is your home,”

  Chapter Seven

  My first year with Lorelei was hectic. Between releasing my debut album, My Feelings. Doing press tours, and a mini tour, I never really remembered slowing down. Zahara helped a lot, between keeping Lorelei a secret, and making sure she is taken care of when I was busy, I didn’t know what I’d do without her. After Lorelei’s birth, it was hard for me to see Geo, Laila, or even my family, I was so busy and so were they. We facetimed, and talked on the phone, they wanted to know what was happening with Lorelei practically every day.

  Now she’s three years old, I’m starting to work on my Third Album. She is attempting to talk more, even if it’s just word barf, and she walks around like she owns the place. She reminded me of Braum in every way, his laugh, his eyes, his stubbornness, she was like a replica of him, which Laila said was my curse for not telling him about her before she was born. He still doesn’t know, Laila says it went to NYC with Demetra, that was our dream school. I was going to go to Julliard, and he was going to go to NYC, we were supposed to get an apartment our Sophomore year, everything was planned, now everything is different, and he still doesn’t know about Lorelei. It hurts me every day, keeping her a secret, especially when she’s his carbon copy, but now after all this time I don’t know if he’ll ever forgive me from keeping her from him.

  “Mama! Mama” I hear Lorelei shout from the living room. She suddenly appears, barreling into the room in one of Calum’s old shirt. I scoop her in my arms, sitting her on my lap.

  “Hi baby,” I say, tickling her stomach. She burst into a fit of giggles, and then May Lorelei’s babysitter burst into the room.

  “Sorry Deya,” she gushes.

  “It’s all good, I never mind,” I say, peppering Lorelei’s face with kissing before handing her over to May. “I’m nearly finished for the day; do you want me to call you an uber?”

  “Oh no, my boyfriend is picking me up tonight thank you though,” she says, before leaving with Lorelei. I return to many pages of approved and unapproved songs. I now had to rewrite 3 out of the 9 songs on my album, and I could feel the stress crawling under my skin. My first Debut did wonderful, Zahara said my fanbase wasn’t big enough to do a full world tour, but she had high hopes for my second album, but the loom Sophomore Slump curse is hovering over my head, it was every musician’s worse nightmare. “Calum and Alec are here,” I hear May shout from the hallway, and then they’re walking into the room.

  “There she is, the girl who never answers her phone!” Calum says.

  “I’m sorry, is there something wrong?” I ask.

  “We did have dinner plans, if you forgot,” Alec says, crossing his arms. Alec was a wonderful addition to my life. A close friend of Calum’s from college, he is now a very high paid home decorator who also owns a dive bar on the east side. He helped design my home when I first moved in and helped with every aspect of designing my life.

  “I already told May she was free for the night, I’m sorry guys,” I say, packing everything.

  “She wins 2 Grammy’s and forgets the little guys,” Alec mutters.

  “Stop,” I say crossing my arms. “That is not fair, you know who my boss is!” I say.

  “And even she has nights off,” Calum says

  “It’s fine, we can order pizza I can never turn down a night with my little Lorelei,” Alec says, before turning and leaving the room.

  “Have you thought about it?” Calum asks, crossing his arms. “We all think it’s a good idea, 1-week back home is what every artist needs, when they’re having writers block,”

  “I do not have writers block,” I say, crossing my arms and he just snorts.

  “You miss your family, and I’m sure they miss you, plus they haven’t seen Lorelei in months” he adds.

  “Stop guilt tripping me! I already know,” I say.

  “Come on, Zahara even offered to take a week off and Alec is dying to see where you’re from,” Calum says.

  “That’s a bit unsettling,” I say, earning a laugh. “One week won’t kill me,” I mutter, and it wasn’t like I couldn’t take my work with me. We leave the room, walking into the living room where Alec sits with Lorelei singing along with Frozen 2.

  “We’re going to Massachusetts” Calum shouts happily.

  “Seriously?!” Alec says happily, shooting out of his place. “Great! I have to make calls,” he says, leaving the room.

  “Great,” I say.

  ++

  It wasn’t my first time since moving away going back to my hometown. I returned for a night while on tour and only saw my parents, and I visited for a weekend one time during Fashion week a year ago. It wasn’t like Lorelei was a complete secret to my family, or Braum’s family. But something about walking around with people who knew me in high school felt weird, plus no one in the entire world knew about Lorelei. A few blogs here and there have theorized, a few pictures of her in my arms surfaced, but have all been brushed away as family friend, or sibling.

  “Alright workaholics,” Alec announces, while we’re on the plane. He walks down the aisle. “This is going to be a fun week, it’s not every day we all get work off at the same time, so that means no working,”

  “That’s impossible!” Zahara says.

  “You know we have deadlines Alec,” I say, he rolls his eyes.

  “Well you can work before we go to bed, but during the day you’re mine!” he says. “I’m talking about sightseeing, movie dates, the whole shebang!”

  “I’m all yours,” I say, he falls in his seat stretching back. When we land, it feels like three years ago again for some reason. I’m pregnant, and I’m scared, and I’m going on a private plane for the first time, and Braum isn’t by my side. He still isn’t, but I wasn’t that scared not anymore.

  “There she is!” I hear my mom shout, as we walk through the airport. I set Lorelei on the floor and she dashes towards her grandparents, getting scooped in their arms. My dad scoops me in his arms, squeezing me tightly.

  “I missed you,” he w
hispers.

  “I missed you too,” I say, pulling away, he squeezes my hand.

  “I miss you baby so much!” my mom pulling me in a tight hug with Lorelei. “Are you guys hungry? I cooked a big meal!”

  “Starving!” Alec says.

  “The Clifford’s will be joining us, when they heard Lorelei was coming, they couldn’t help but invite themselves over,” My mom says.

  “That’s cool,” I say.

  “We should probably check into our hotel, but we can meet you back at your parents’ house,” Zahara says.

  “Sounds like a plan,” I say. When we make it back to my house, Lorelei is ripping through it like a newborn puppy. The house has a lot of new pictures of me, at my award shows, or some I’ve taken with Lorelei. My first Grammy for, Your Song, sits in the living room right above the fireplace.