Friend-Zoned (36 page)

Every Sunday since I came
home from hospital Nik has put on dinner for our friends and
family.
Dad left a few weeks after I woke but we talk almost every day. He
likes Nik and is so grateful I’ve found someone to love. I told my
dad I was pregnant and he actually cried, which meant I cried. It
ended up we were both sobbing and couldn’t talk so we just hung up
on each other and spoke later that day. My dad is excited about
becoming a grandfather again. Being a carpenter he told me not to
bother buying baby furniture apart from a crib because we’ll design
some together and he’ll make it himself by hand.
That’s a great gift which will hopefully become a family
heirloom.
So, it’s Sunday. Everyone is here for dinner and we’re all talking
outside.
Ceecee is attached to my hip as always and I love it. I play with
her hair, hug and kiss her. She’s going to have a little cousin
running around soon enough and I know she’ll be a good role
model.
Nik announces the food is ready and we all sit down at the new
outside dining set I insisted we get.
Nik and I sit next to each other as always, it makes our food
exchange easier.
Everyone is reaching over each other to get food. Nik packs my
plates for me with three times as much food as I eat. He’s a little
crazy protective over my pregnancy.
I start taking things off my plate and put them onto his. I remove
the olives, feta cheese, and bacon out of my salad. He adds
tomatoes to mine. I haven’t noticed Nat watching us. She narrows
her eyes at me and offers me some wine which I kindly refuse.
Nat gasps and stands so fast her chair flies back. She smiles,
points at me and crows, “You’re pregnant!”
Everyone stops eating at looks up at me with shocked and stunned
faces.
My face flushes, my neck itches and I try to deny it with, “What?
You’re crazy! You’re all crazy if you think I’m pregnant, right
Nik?”
Nik nods and looks around the table. He puts on a serious face and
states, “She’s pregnant.”
The table erupts in cheers. They all get up and hug us. Nat laughs
and cries at the same time, she asks, “Did you really think you
could hide something like that from me?”
I say loudly so everyone can hear, “It’s so early, guys. I’m not in
the second trimester yet. I wanted to wait til I was at least
twelve weeks. But yes, we have a little bean growing in my
belly.”
Nik’s mom, Cecilia, smiles big but is crying. I go over and hug
her.
She says, “You saved him. My Niki. You saved him from a lonely
life. I was always worried he would never live and he didn’t until
he met you. I’ll be forever in your debt.”
Tears stream down my face and I tease, “You can pay me back by
babysitting every now and again.”
She laughs, “Of course, even if you didn’t need me to I
would.”
Nik’s sisters hug and kiss me, they’re all delighted.
That makes me happy.
Max, Ghost, and Trick all take turns hugging me. I ask each of them
“So, you all ready to be Uncles again?”
Max smiles and nods vigorously, Ghost smirks but his eyes are wide
and he looks a little frightened and Trick yells out, “Hell,
yeah!”
The girls jump all over me. They catch me in a group hug and I
blurt out, “I own Safira!”
Nat smiles and Mimi and Lola look at each other and burst out
laughing.
They’re actually crying with laughter!
I put a hand on my hip and demand, “What’s so funny?”
Mimi says between fits of laughter “Oh, bless her. She thought we
didn’t know.”
WHAT?!
Lola giggles and tells
me, “Sweetie, we’ve known for almost two years. Our pay checks come
out of a Safira account with you listed as the owner!”
I did not know that!
I blink and whisper, “I did not know that.”
We all burst into laughter, I wipe tears of mirth away from my eyes
and mutter, “I’ve wanted to tell you for a while but I thought you
might treat me differently if you knew I was the big boss
lady.”
Mimi straightens, shakes her head and states, “You’ll always be my
savior, doll. No matter what.”
Lola smiles big, “Yeah, T. You gave us a chance. You’ll always be
our friend.”
Nat squeezes my waist and says, “You’ve always got us, honey. And,
by the way, you can’t lie for shit.” We all giggle.
I excuse myself and head to the kitchen to get a glass of water. I
sip at it and look out the window to the yard we’re all my friends
and Nik’s family chat together, laugh and goof around.
This is all I ever wanted.
I didn’t get it the first time round but I’m a firm believer of
second chances.
I look down at my belly, put my hand to it and smile.
Being granted a second chance is a gift.
I’m going to use it well.

Epilogue
It’s a
baby!

Seven and a half month
later…

“
NIK, YOU STUPID SON OF A
BITCH! I HATE YOU!” Tina yells.
I look over at the doctor in panic and shout, “Give her the drugs!
Give her the drugs!”
Gail smiles and explains to Tina, “Tina, you’re doing so well but
it’s too late for the drugs. Your baby is almost here and wants to
meet its mommy. So when I say so, push.”
Tina squeezes my hand, throws her head back and moans long. She is
flushed, sweating, her hair is a mess but, by god, she looks
beautiful. She’s a soldier.
Gail looks up at Tina and says, “Now, Tina. Push hard,
honey.”
Tina clenches my hand hard and lets out a long strained moan. Gail
whoops and tells us, “And the head is out. One more push and you’ll
have a baby!”
Tina pants and Gail says, “Now, Tina. One last push!”
Tina pushes with all her might and
then…crying.
Oh, god. That is a
beautiful sound.
Gail smiles and
hands me a pair of surgical scissors. She holds the umbilical cord
and I cut through it. It’s tough like thick rubber!
She takes our baby over to the corner, wipes it down and weighs it
before bringing it back to us.
She hands our baby over to Tina, who attaches its small mouth to
her breast, and announces, “Congratulations, you two. You have a
healthy little girl.”
I look down at my wife and baby girl and try hard to hold myself
together.
Tina looks sheepishly up at me and advises, “I can’t be held
responsible for what I say in the middle of childbirth, Nik. We
shall not mention my potty mouth ever again. Amen.”
I chuckle and touch my daughters little face. She makes fussy
little noises and wiggles a little but continues suckling.
She’s so small.
Tiny.
But I helped make her. She’s mine. I’ll do anything for her.
God, she was just born and I’m already wrapped around her
finger.
I ask my beautiful wife, “What are we naming our little
princess?”
Tina looks up at me and whispers, “I like Tatiana.”
I smile big and whisper back, “I love it.”
Tina looks down at our daughter and asks her quietly, “Tatiana, do
you want to meet your family?”
Tatiana whines softly and wriggles. Tina says, “I’ll take that as a
yes.”
I go out into the hall and call our friends in. Nat, Mimi and Lola
are openly crying. Max, Trick, and Ghost are swallowing hard and
looking at our daughter in awe.
Nat croaks, “What’s her name?”
I reply, “Tatiana.”
Mimi whispers, “It’s beautiful.” Everyone smiles and nods in
agreement.
The guys try to leave. Something about breastfeeding women we
aren’t married to makes us uncomfortable. Tina calls out, “Guys?
Can you stay for a minute? I want to ask you all something.”
The guys re-join the group and Tina looks up at me and smiles.
That’s my cue.
I ask them all, “How would you all feel about being Tatiana’s
godparents?”
All six of them stare back at me open mouthed.
Lola whispers, “All of us?”
Tina nods and smiles, “We couldn’t decide on just two of you.
Besides, it wouldn’t be fair. We love all of you, not just two of
you. We’d be honored if you would.”
I straighten and ask the guys, “Any objections?”
They all smile widely and shake their heads. I look to the girls
and ask, “Objections, ladies?”
Mimi clears her throat and whispers, “Are you sure you want me as a
godparent?” She looks down and continues, “I’m not exactly
godparent material.”
I begin to speak but Tina beats me to it. She assures Mimi with,
“That’s just not true. When Tatiana needs help with a bully you’ll
be there.” Tina looks around the room and goes on, “When she needs
someone to make her laugh, Trick will tell her awful jokes. When
she wants to hear love stories, she’ll have Lola who’ll read them
to her by the dozen. When someone looks at her the wrong way,
she’ll have Ghost watching her back. When she’s older and needs
help with fashion and makeup, Nat will help her look chic. When she
has a bad day and needs to vent, she’ll have her uncle Max to give
her a pep talk. And when she feels like the world is coming to an
end over some teenage tragedy, she’ll have Ceecee to remind her bad
things get better. So, you see, Tatiana has the best family anyone
could ask for. We might all be misfits but we fit together
perfectly.”
Mimi smiles a wobbly smile, clears her throat and says quietly,
“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
We all laugh and everyone says goodbye to Tatiana who has stopped
feeding and decided to sleep instead. I take her from Tina and
place her in her little cubby. I sit next to Tina on the bed, put
an arm around her and ask, “How are you feeling, baby?”
She plays with the fingers of my other hand and smiles softly, “I’m
wiped, honey. But so, so happy. Best day ever.” She lifts her face
to mine and I kiss her softly.
I whisper against her lips, “I love you, Tina. You’re my
everything.”
I feel her smile against my lips and she says ,“I love you more.”
Then she asks, “Can you get me some water, honey? I’m
parched.”
I get up to bring her some water. I walk back into the room and
smile.
My two beautiful girls are sleeping soundly. I take a moment to
think about how I’m feeling.
I’m nervous as hell about being a daddy. I’m excited about watching
Tatiana grow up. And I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my
life.
I look to the little slip of a woman asleep in the bed. The strong,
golden-hearted, sweet woman who randomly sent me candy one day. My
wife and the mother of my child. The love of my life.
Warmth swells inside of me.
I realize I’m finally at peace. I smile.
It was worth the wait.

The End
***The Friend-zoned series will
continue with the story of Nat and Asher (Ghost)***

Author Note: If you enjoyed Nik and
Tina’s story you can help me by leaving a review on the website you
purchased this ebook on, Goodreads and recommending it to your
friends.
All my love,
Belle xx