Starting Early

~8~

Saturday rolled around and the gang would be at the party around noon. Ricky woke up to the light streaming through the crack of the curtains. He rolls over to find the side of the bed where his girlfriend sleeps to find it empty. Thinking she got up to feed the baby he crawls out of bed, only to realize the baby is still sound asleep in her crib. He begins to walk out of the room with confusion plastered on his face. Just as he is about to walk out the door Taylor begins to cry. He turns back around to pick the little girl up from the crib.

"Hello my little angle. Shh Shh Shh." He says lightly bouncing her in his arms. Her crying calms down as she lays in her father's arms. He quickly changes her diaper and goes out to look for Nini. "Neens, honey?"

"In the kitchen." He walks in with the baby in his arms. Nini working frantically to make food for her friends. She looks up from the food to see her shirtless boyfriend and their small bundle of joy resting in his embrace. She smiles lightly and walks to meet him half way. "Hi."

"Hello darling. What are you up to this morning?"

"Trying to be a good host and have food ready before they get here." He chuckles.

"Nini, they're high school, drama students. All they want at a party is a bowl of chips and coke. And some pretzels for Natalie." She laughs as she leans into him looking at her daughter in awe. "She just woke up so she is probably pretty hungry. Why don't you feed her and I will get dressed and run to the store and get some snacks and sodas." She nods and takes the baby from him.

"Thank you." He just smiles in response. He kisses her head and walks back into their room to get dressed. Nini sits down on the couch with Taylor and unhooks her nursing bra. The baby immediately latching onto her breast.

A few minutes later Ricky walks back out wearing a Tony Hawk hoodie and grey sweats. Nini looks up slightly biting her lip. Ricky chuckles and shakes his head. He walks over to her and plants a small kiss to her lips before lightly kissing Taylor's head. 

"I love you. I'll be back in a little while."

"I love you too. Make sure you are back before noon." He nods and heads out of the apartment.

Noon

The couple is sitting quietly together on the couch while Taylor naps in her crib. There is a loud knock on the door and the baby instantly begins screaming from the other room. The parents groan and look at each other.

"You get the baby, I'll get the door." Ricky says and Nini nods. She quickly pecks his lips and gets up to get the baby. Ricky opens the door to reveal E.J. and Gina.

"Way to go Caswell you woke up the baby." Ricky chuckles and E.J. cringes.

"Ooo, my bad dude." Ricky shrugs.

"Eh, it's not a big deal Kourtney would have just gone straight in there and got her up anyway." He pulls E.J. in for a hug and pats his back. "It's good to see you man. Feels like it has been forever."

"Yeah I know right. My schedule has been crazy busy since college started."

"Well we are glad you were able to come and meet Tay. Anyway, come on in." They walk through the door.

"Oh wow. This is amazing!" Gina says with a big smile on her face as she walks deeper into the apartment. "You guys did a great job. This is very Rini style." Ricky laughs just as Nini walks in the room with Taylor in her arms. "EEEEEEE! Give her here!" Gina shrieks as she  makes grabby hands for the baby. Nini chuckles and carefully hands the little girl over to Gina.

"Oh guys she is beautiful." E.J. says in awe. 

"Thank you." Nini responds.

Hours Later

Everyone had now arrived at the apartment all of them drooling over the new baby.

"Okay guys I'm sorry to break up the party, but it's time for baby girl to eat and go to bed." They all groan and protest against it, asking to let her stay up longer.

"No guys, Nini is right. A baby's sleep schedule is very important. If she doesn't go to sleep now she will be cranky tomorrow." They all agree and Carlos hands Taylor over to her mother.

After Nini put the baby to sleep they all stayed a little while longer talking about what the couple had missed the last week. They then  parted there separate ways.

That night Ricky and Nini laid in bed together. Her head on his chest and his arm around her waist, as she played with his fingers.

"Ricky?" He hums in response, which makes her realize that he is tired and will be asleep before too long. "Never mind."  That woke him up. He shifts under her making her look at him.

"Hey, no. If there is something you want to say you know you can always tell me."

"It's more of a question." She says as she moves off of him to her side of the bed. He sits up on his elbow.

"Ask away love." She takes a deep breath.

"Um, do you ever--- r-regret---" She pauses, her breath shaking as she is scared to ask her question. Ricky moves a hand to her cheek and pushes a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Baby what's wrong?" She sniffles and wipes at her eyes.

"Do you ever regret staying? Like, after we found out about the baby. I just know that you had so many plans for your life and us having a baby at 18 kind of ruins it. If you do regret it I won't hold you back, if you want go ahea-" She was cut off by Ricky's lips smashing against her's

"Nini, I love you but shut up." She gives him a confused look. "Babe, listen to me. I don't regret a thing. So what our life didn't go exactly the way we planned? You and Taylor are the best things that have ever happened to me. I love you girls more than anything in the whole world. I am not going anywhere, ever." Her tears of fear quickly turn to those of joy. She closes the small gap  between the two of them and presses their lips together for a passionate kiss.

"I love you so so much Ricky."

"I love you so so much more Neens."