Nickolas was out cleaning his boat in Apollo Beach while Sunshine stayed inside and made them dinner. She stood at the bar and cut up chicken, as the phone rang. She grabbed a towel and wiped her hand then picked up the phone.
�Hello?�
�1-800-Collect with a collect call from�Drake Jackson.�
�From who?�
�Drake Jackson. Do you accept?�
�Um�yeah.�
�Hold one moment please.�
Sunshine waited a few seconds then heard, �Sunn?�
�Drake?�
�Hey, how�s it going?�
�Alright. And you?�
�I�m good.�
�What are you doing calling me collect?�
�My cell ain�t working right and I have no change. I�m at a payphone.�
�Where are ya?�
�L.A. I�m doing a video.�
�Cool. For who?�
�Aaron Carter.�
�Wow!�
�I told him we knew each other, but he didn�t believe me. It took awhile to convince him, but when I did he gave me your Tampa number. So I decided to call.�
�I�m glad ya did. I�ve been busy or else I would�ve called you.�
�I understand. Aaron said you were in the hospital for a few days.�
�Yeah, but I�m all right though. No need to worry.�
�Alright. I thought you were doing a movie?�
�I got some time off for personal reasons. I�m heading back to Texas on the ninth. I would�ve went back sooner, but Doc told me to wait, like, two weeks. I wish I was there now, because I�m bored.�
�Doesn�t Nick keep you occupied?� Drake chuckled.
�Well, yeah, but the truth is I haven�t really been in the mood.�
�Oh.�
�There�s just a lot of shit going on with me.�
�Do you want to talk about it?�
�Uh�� She sighed. �It�s all so crazy.�
�What is?�
�A lot of things.�
�My ears are open if ya want to talk.�
�I�ll just tell you one thing for now.�
�What?�
�I�m going to have a baby.�
�Congratulations.�
�Thanks. Actually we�re having twins.�
�So you�ve been busy, huh?�
�I guess so.� They laughed.
�How far along are ya?�
�I�ll be four in a couple days.�
�So five more then.�
�Yep.�
�But something�s wrong. What is it?�
�I�m�uh�I�m sick.�
�Oh�um�� Drake sighed. �Like a cold? Or the flu even?�
�No. Uh�I got�when do ya have some free time?�
�Next month I got a few days free.�
�Then why don�t ya meet me in Texas then we can talk.�
�Ok. I can be there.�
�Great. I have to go though. I need to finish supper for when Nicky come back in. I told him it�d be done.�
�Alright. I�ll talk to ya later then.�
�Ok.�
�Bye.�
�Bye.� Sunshine turned off the phone and put it down. She stood there a moment thinking then left the kitchen. She walked through the parlor and over to the patio doors. She looked out and saw Nickolas sitting on the beach. She opened the door and went out. She stood on the porch a moment then started walking. �I have to do this.� She walked off the porch and down to her husband. �Nick.� He looked at her and she sat beside him.
�Hey, Sweets,� Nickolas said giving her a kiss.
�Whatcha thinking about?�
�Us and our future.�
�Oh.�
�It�s all good so don�t worry.� He smiled and kissed her again. �What have you been thinking about?� He took her in his arms.
�Our choice.� He looked at her. �I made my decision.�
�You did.�
�Yeah. Awhile ago actually.�
�What�d you decide?�
�First I want you to decide.�
�Sunnie, it�s your life not mine.�
�But your baby. I want you to be happy so I want you to decide. I don�t know if my decision will make you happy or not. I know how much you want a baby and��
�I want you. I want you to be healthy and happy and in my life.�
�Despite this decision I am happy. I�m happy because you�re in my life and stuck by me the whole time. Not a lot of guys will do what you have done for me in the past six years and I thank you.�
�I did it because I love you. I�d do it all over again if I have to. Nothing�s going to stop me from loving you.�
�But you need to make a choice, Baby�me or the babies.� Nickolas just looked at her. �If I didn�t think your decision mattered any I wouldn�t be asking, but I do think it matters. Please say you�ll think about it and whatever you decide will be fine with me.� He didn�t know what to say. �If you choose me then I�ll know exactly how much you want to be with me and I�ll accept that. If you choose the baby then that�s fine too. At least I got 27 years, a great career, friend, family, a terrific husband, and got the chance to give you something you wanted.� Nickolas looked at her as she looked out to the ocean. �Whatever you decide, Nick, I�ll understand. I�m not trying to make you feel guilty or anything. I just want you to be happy.�
�I know.�
�You�ve done so much for me and I think I owe it to ya to have a choice in the matter.�
�Sweets, I��
�Give it some thought. We have a month yet.� She got up and turned to walk away. �Supper will be done in about 10-15 minutes.� Nickolas grabbed her hand, but she kept walking as her hand slipped out of Nickolas�. He turned and looked at her as she walked up on the patio and went inside.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Hey, Des,� Alexander said joining her in the kids� playroom. She looked at him as he sat on the floor with her.
�What�s up?� Destiny asked.
�Dada,� Paradise muttered sitting on Alexander�s lap.
�I was looking at the baby pictures and wondered if you know what Sunn and Nick decided. Nick doesn�t say anything.�
�Sunn�s undecided. She did decide, but then changed her mind. We told her Nick should get a chance to decide. I don�t know if she�s going to leave him though.�
�Oh. In all honesty though I don�t think the decision they make will be the right one. I mean, Nick wants Sunn, but he wants a baby. He wants a baby, but he wants Sunn.�
�And Sunn wants him to be happy.�
�Yeah; I wouldn�t know how to handle this.�
�Well Sunn and Nick are in their own way and I know it has to be killing them.� Alexander looked at his daughter.
�I�m just glad that I ain�t in this situation.�
�Yeah, but we shouldn�t talk too soon.�
�I know.�
�Alex?�
�Yeah.�
�I missed this month.� He looked at her. �I should�ve gotten it two weeks ago, but I didn�t.� He didn�t say anything. �I�m going to wait and see what happens in July before I go see Dr. Jeffres.�
�Ok. Alright. Stay calm �cause it could be nothing.�
�Exactly.� They smiled. �What if we are?�
�Then that�s great.� He kissed her. �I didn�t have any brothers and sisters so I want my kids to have them. Lots of them.�
�I understand and I�ll be glad to help.�
�I was hoping you would.� They kissed again. �This is totally going to throw us off when we head back to the studio to put the finishing touches on the album.�
�What is?�
�This thing with Sunn and Nick. He�s not going to be concentrating which means we�ll have to push back the album release.�
�Alex, that doesn�t matter. Nick and Sunn�s future matter. If you guys mean so much to the fans like they say you do then they�ll understand about the delay and Nick�s personal matter.�
�But it�ll be the second time.�
�You said it yourself, Alex; �these things take time�.� He looked at her. �You just said that yesterday too.�
�It�s different now.�
�How so?�
�Because it�s��
�It�s no different than yesterday. Nothing has changed in any of our lives. They�re the same from one month ago. I think the only thing that�s changed is you.� She got up and picked little Alexander up. She put him in the playpen and took Paradise from your husband and put her in the playpen also. She kissed her children and left the room with Alexander behind her.
�Baby, I didn�t change any.� Destiny walked in their bedroom.
�Yes you did.� She looked at him. �This past month you have been nothing but unsupportive towards Sunn and Nick. All you�re worried about is getting the album out on time. You could careless about what Sunn and Nick are going through. Everyone cares, but you.�
�That�s not true.�
�Yes it is. Sunn�s the bestest friend I could ever have and I am scared for her. I am scared because of what might happen to her if she has this baby. I�m also scared for Nick because in the next five months he could lose the love of his life. I wouldn�t be able to live without you and I know Nick wouldn�t be able to live without Sunshine. They went through too much for her to just be taken away from him like this.� She wiped away tears. �You have to understand, Alex, that friends and family come before anything. This new album can wait, but Sunn and Nick�s decision can�t. Nick is your best friend and he needs your support.�
�He has my support.�
�Then don�t worry about messing up when you go back to the studio. It can be fixed, but Sunn and nick�s problem can�t.� He walked over to her and hugged her.
�I�m sorry, Baby.� He kissed her forehead and held her in his arms.
�I don�t want them to have this baby, because I don�t want to lose Sunn.�
�You�re not going to.�
CHAPTER 14 CHAPTER 16
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