Unforgettable Nights

Chapter 4

"No, I don't remember," Ahkmenrah said. "And I haven't bothered trying to know all this time." He explained.

"What if I told you I could find it for you? Would you want to know?" Layla asked, earning a gaze from Ahkmenrah.

"You could do that?" Ahkmenrah asked.

"I could, only if you want me to though," Layla said.

"Maybe someday...but I'm not ready to know yet," Ahkmenrah said, before going back to his crochet project.

"Okay, just let me know when you want me to," Layla said.

"Okay, thank you," Ahkmenrah said.

"No problem," Layla said, before finishing up her food. She then cleaned up her trash as well as Ahkmenrah's, before throwing it away. She cleaned up the house a bit, before her phone rang. She jogged back into the living room and picked up her phone, answering it. "Hello?" She answered. "Yes this is Layla. What? Are you serious? Oh my God...yeah I'll be there in about half an hour. Okay, thank you." She hung up the phone and began putting on her coat. "Femi! It's happening!"

"What?! Right now?! Girl go! Call me when you get there!" Femi called.

"What's happening?" Ahkmenrah asked, seeming confused.

"That was the doctor, my sister has gone into labor," Layla said. "I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow night." She said, grabbing her keys as she ran out the door.

"Oh...okay...bye," Ahkmenrah said, still confused, but went back to crocheting.

"Hey, Ahkmenrah," Femi called, walking back into the living room, deciding to keep the pharaoh company.

"Yes?" Ahkmenrah asked, looking over at Femi as he continued to crochet.

"What do you think about Layla?" Femi asked, making Ahkmenrah blush lightly in response.

"What do I think about Layla?" Ahkmenrah said, before giving a small smile, thinking about Layla.

~Meanwhile~

Layla hurried to the hospital as fast as she legally could, taking shortcuts to avoid traffic and lights.

"Oh boy, oh boy, ooooh boy," Layla said, continuing to drive down the road. "This is crazy," she said. She drove down the street of the hospital and drove into the parking lot. She circled around the parking lot twice before finding a parking spot, before parking her car. She turned off her car, climbed out quickly and ran inside after locking up her car. She ran to the elevators and pressed the button on the elevator impatiently. Once the doors opened, Layla hurried inside and pressed a button for the fifth floor. She waited as the elevator traveled upward, tapping her foot nervously. She left the elevator once the doors opened and hurried down the hall, looking for a certain room. Once she found it she hurried inside, finding her sister trying to stay calm through her labor pains. "I'm here! I'm here!" She hurried over to her sister, taking her hand.

"Hey! What took you so long?" Akilah, Layla's older sister said, taking her hand.

"Couldn't find a parking spot. I had to drive around twice to find one," Layla said.

"Where's Femi?" Akilah asked.

"She's at home, suffering from jet lag," Layla said. "Breathe calmly, in and out. In and out," she said, breathing slowly with her sister. Akilah breathed slowly, trying to relax through her labor pains.

~Hours later~

Layla held her newborn nephew in her arms.

"You did it, sis," Layla said softly.

"Yeah..." Akilah said quietly.

"What's wrong?" Layla asked.

"Nothing, I just wanted my first child to be a girl..." Akilah said. "I was expecting a girl."

"Oh..." Layla said, looking down at the baby boy. "He's a beautiful baby."

"You take him then," Akilah said.

"You're joking," Layla said, looking at her sister.

"No, you have a good job and you're happy to meet him. Keep him," Akilah said.

"Akilah..." Layla said, seeming surprised and upset with her sister.

"He'll just go into foster care if you won't take him," Akilah said. Layla stared at her sister for a bit, before looking down at the sleeping baby in her arms. "I can't raise a boy...I just can't."

~The Next Morning~

Layla walked back through the front door of her home quietly.

"Hey you're back how'd it g-" Femi called, walking into the living room, before freezing in the doorway. "What in the hell?"

"Shhh, you'll wake him," Layla said quietly, cradling her sleeping nephew.

"What did you do?!" Femi whisper yelled, thinking that Layla stole the baby.

"Akilah is heartless. She was going to put him in foster care because she wanted a girl not a boy," Layla said. "I can't believe her."

"Layla..." Femi said.

"His name is Eijaz," Layla said. Femi sighed, knowing her best friend was serious about this decision.

"Does he have a crib? Bottles? Any supplies?" Femi asked.

"His diaper bag is here," Layla held up the diaper bag. "I only got this and a car seat from the hospital. They gave me some bottles and diapers."

"Come on. I'll go with you to find him a crib. He's going to need one," Femi said. 'This girl is taking on a big responsibility. She's going to need all the help she can get,' she thought.

"Okay. I need to make him a bottle first," Layla said.

"Okay, do you need help?" Femi asked.

"Could you hold him? I won't be long," Layla said.

"Yeah, let me go wash my hands," Femi said, walking to the kitchen. She washed her hands quickly and thoroughly, before walking back into the living room. Layla gently handed the sleeping baby to Femi, being careful with his neck.

"The nurses made Akilah pump. She didn't even want to give up her breast milk to feed him," Layla said, disgusted with her sister.

"And the father? What does he think about this?" Femi asked.

"He agrees with her, they make me sick," Layla said, beginning to make her nephew a bottle. "I'm never going to speak to them again. How dare you turn away from your own child? People would kill to have their first born be a son." She said.

"And he's a beautiful boy. Something is wrong with your sister. She's changed a lot," Femi said.

"Yeah...ever since I got that internship at Dad's company that she was offered and didn't want, she's been pretty entitled. I didn't think it would get this bad..." Layla said, gently picking Eijaz up. She gently fed Eijaz and cradled him gently.

"Didn't she get mad at you for dating someone in high school?" Femi asked.

"Yeah, because she wanted to date him, and did after we broke up," Layla said.

"I remember that, that is low, even for her," Femi said.

"Yeah..." Layla said, disappointed in her sister, who she now saw as a stranger.