Unconditional Love

Saturday, May 14th, 10:00 am

"Shit!"

I looked down at my watch and realized it was 10:00. I am supposed to be with my wife, Layla, getting ready for our baby shower at 5:00. At this point, I know I won't be attending.

"What's wrong?"

Keisha looked at me with a concerned expression.

"Nothing. How are you feeling?"

She can't get stressed or upset at the moment. We have been at the hospital all day since she went into labor this morning. She is about to give birth to my second daughter. We already have a beautiful baby girl named Nya.

"These contractions are almost unbearable. I don't remember being in this much pain with Nya."

I walked over to her and placed my hand on her stomach and leaned down to talk with my baby girl. As soon as I made contact she began to kick.

"Asia, Daddy is ready to meet you too. Mommy is in a lot of pain. I don't like seeing my girls in pain. Give her a break for me. "

Yes, I am married and I'm expecting another child with my high school sweetheart. My life is very complicated.

I hear my phone vibrating. Damn, it's on the table next to Key. She looks at the screen and rolls her eyes. I know it has to be Layla calling because the monitors start to pick up.

"Why does she have to keep calling? Can't she understand that I'm in labor and we're about to welcome our daughter?"

I grab her chin and give her a few pecks on her lips.

"Don't get upset. You're stressing out my baby. I'm here with you, right? Don't worry about anything else."

A tear falls from her eye and I wipe it away.

"I know that her shower is today but you promised to be with me today and for at least two weeks when we go home. Just because she's calling, you're going to leave me here to go through all of this alone!"

"Key, you know I'm going to be right here. I may have to dip for about an hour or two but I will be right back and you know that."

"Is she going to allow you to come back? I know they have a whole production set up for her shower. Hell the gender reveal isn't even going to be until tonight during the fireworks."

I have no idea how she knows all of this information, I didn't tell her. The thing about Key is she's extremely jealous of Layla. I try to keep everything I have with Layla a secret to avoid this very conversation.

"You went out of your way to make her shower grand. You didn't do all of that for my showers.   Asia's gender reveal was just a barbecue and we lit a canister that had some pink smoke."

She's full of shit. I spent over twenty grand combined on both of her showers. I had to fly out friends I didn't even know she had. And that barbecue was eight grand. Believe me it was all very grand and bougie as fuck.

"I'm not about to do this with you right now. I didn't have to do or buy anything for her shower. It was all done by my sister and her family. That's my wife, if I did pay for everything, why would it matter to you?"

Last year for her birthday, I purchased Keisha a custom Mercedes G63 AMG G-Wagon. Three months ago, I bought Lay, a Cadillac CT5 for a push gift. Key showed her ass. She kept my kids away from me for almost two weeks. Yes, kids. I took the responsibility of raising Keisha's son, Keith as my own. I hate not being able to be around them. I ended up buying her an Audi a7. Lay doesn't know about the car but even if she did, she would never act like Keisha. She would probably just be annoyed, like she is with everything else.

"This is why we're always arguing. This jealousy shit has to stop. You're always so concerned about what Lay has going on. Why does it matter what happens at her shower? She didn't have an issue with either of yours. I'm not going to be there with her so you should be satisfied. Stop worrying about petty bullshit, be concerned about our child."

She starts crying and yelling.

"I can't help it! I feel like I'm losing you. You love her more than you love me! I was there first. I can't lose you!"

The monitor starts going off again and a nurse walks through the door to check up on her.

"Okay Mommy, I need you to just relax. Baby girl doesn't like when you're upset. When we last checked you had dilated to 7 cm, soon you will be able to start pushing. You just have to keep your pressure down in the meantime."

The nurse finished doing a checkup and she walked out. I walk over to Key and embrace her as best I can. I kiss her forehead and rub her back.

"Baby listen, you know that I love you and I will always love you no matter what. I'm never leaving you or my girls. I know things are complicated but I'm trying. I know you are emotional because of these hormones but you have to calm down.

Lay is my wife and I can't just up and leave all of a sudden. You know that I have to get everything in order first. Once I make sure that everyone will be good; then I'm going to leave.

If I leave right now, you are going to have to give up a lot of your expensive privileges. That million dollar home, the two whips you just got in the past year, and all of the shopping sprees and trips will have to be downgraded."

This is complete bullshit. Everything was paid for in cash. Let's just say, I ain't no broke nigga. Key grew up in a household where they struggled most of her life. When we started to date she got to see the finer side of things and fell in love. She's not a gold digger but she loves expensive things.

"I'm the one in the wrong. I'm the one who had two babies outside our marriage. She can walk away with half if not over half of everything I have. And if she wants she can take away everything that you have."

Again straight bullshit but she doesn't need to know that. Lay would never walk away with everything. She is not that type of person, and my wife has her own. That's another reason Key is always envious. Layla does not know how deep my pockets are either and I'll like to keep it that way.

"Lay has been a perfect wife. She let a lot of stuff go without saying anything. She's pregnant with our first child and she has gone through most of it on her own. You had the opportunity to have me by your side. The entire time, she stayed in the shadows and allowed you to have that experience.

So stop focusing on what is going on with her and focus on our child. If my baby girl comes out needing Xanax, I promise I'll beat your ass. You know I have never broken a promise to you. Calm your ass down and relax."

She takes a few deep breaths and starts to calm down. I was trying to lighten the mood towards the end but she knows I don't play about my kids.

"I'm sorry bae, my emotions during this pregnancy are hard to control. I'm constantly feeling like I'm just not good enough for you anymore. I feel like I'm losing you to her. I know she's your wife and you are right. She deserves to have you by her side. You should be there to celebrate your first child with her. Go ahead and go to the shower, maybe you'll make it back before Asia decides to pop out."

I swear she is bipolar and thinks I am stupid. As soon as I walk out that door, her ass would make everyone in this hospital life hell. The words came out her mouth like she actually meant it but the monitors reveal the truth. Even if I believed her, I am not leaving this room until I have held my daughter.

This shit feels like deja vu'. I hate that I'm going to have to miss the shower. I wish I could just cancel it and have everything rescheduled, but not only would Lay be crushed, but my sister would kill my ass.

Lay will be upset, maybe even pissed but I know she will understand, me being here is more important right now. I truly don't deserve her but I love her and I'm too selfish to let her go right now.