𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧

𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞

𝐒𝐡𝐲

"Okay and hold the stomach gently...perfect!" Our photographer said flashing pictures of me since it was the last month of my pregnancy.

"You look so pretty baby." Karter smiled giving me sweet kisses on my neck.

"Okay now show the rings make this whole pregnancy and marriage into a media frenzy." The photographer said so I positioned myself facing Karter and put a hand on the side of his face where both my engagement and wedding ring were visible and Karter held his hand on my waist where his ring was visible as well.

Because me and Karter spent so much time in Dubai we were able to form a deeper bond as friends and newfound parents we decided that we didn't need a big wedding full of people in our business we'd got married in Dubai at a courthouse and celebrated our honeymoon in McDonald's since it was my favorite fast food and we basically ate and goofed off all day.

Sadly since Karter had to return to the season we came back to the states where we made the big decision to simply move to Syracuse New York and build our family close to our jobs. We wanted to stay in the states after seeing some strong disadvantages of moving to Dubai.

"And cut." The photographer said leaving me and Karter to converse amongst ourselves.

"Are you ready for tomorrow you have all your things packed right?" Karter asked rubbing on my belly. He was truly obsessed with our little baby.

"Mhm I'm a bit nervous I know I couldn't wait and stuff but I'm sooo nervous." I said chuckling.

"We could always just wait until she's ready to come out it's no rushing babe." Karter said leading me to my dressing room to get changed.

"I just want you to be around Syn for at least two weeks before you start leaving for playoffs." I said sliding into some sweats and a tank top. Karter helped me put on my Ugg slides and we started going home.

"Shy honestly if you want and need me I will come no amount of money gonna keep me from my wife and kids." Karter said holding my hand as he swerved in and out of traffic to get us home.

"Do you honestly think I'd let you take off your our source of income right now let's just do this early it benefits us both." I assured him as he finally pulled into the driveway and opened the door for me before helping me inside the house.

"Shy im serious let her come when she's ready it's not like I'm going to quit I'm sure I can work some shit out with coach." Karter said handing me my pregnancy pills.

"Are you sure Karter it's your career not mine." I said smiling at my husband.

"Positive but can we take a nap I'm dumb tired." Karter asked leading me upstairs to our room.

"Of course babe."

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞.

"Hey ladies." I smiled at the wives and girlfriends of the the team.

"Hey girl." Kaina said calling me over to her.

"How's you and Zen?" I asked watching her face pout a bit.

"Uh so we lost the baby but we handled things well we tried to keep up the relationship but things just weren't stable so we decided to simply continue a business and friendship." Kaina said sounding neutral.

"Damn I'm so sorry how are you then?" I asked and she shrugged.

"I understand growing apart so I'm not sad or upset it's just my baby I'm a little upset about and then it seems like Zen is thirsty for this cheerleader and I'm trying to help him get here but she's stubborn." Kaina said laughing.

"Wait you've been coaching Zen on how to get girls?" I asked in disbelief.

"I don't harbor ill will towards him we're just a goofy pair of friends at this point so I don't feel a type of way helping him get her." She said

"Wow I'll mind my business cuz if it was Karter he'd be dead in someone's lake floating." I said making her laugh.

"Look that's ole girl." Kaina said pointing at the cheerleader who was cheering strong and proud.

"Ouuu she's pretty." I said watching Kaina nod and smile.

"I think she's from the Islands either Barbados or Honduras but her accent and dialect is beautiful." Kaina gushed.

Out of nowhere I felt a pain on my stomach and then water gushed underneath me.

"Oh my gosh your water just broke." Kaina said standing up immediately running onto the field to get Karter.

I wasn't panicking as much as I thought I would but once Karter made his way to my side my worry's seemed to grow a bit. I wanted everything to be perfect for him and for myself.

"Come on baby you got everything in the car right?" Karter asked I nodded getting into the back as he drove us to the hospital.

"Okay and I called your mom and dad...Kaina is coming I didn't invite my mom I didn't think you wanted that kind of stress Umm a few of your aunties and my uncles should be coming nuts that's after Sun's here like a week after when she gets introduced into the world." Karter rambled and I smiled holding his hand.

"Calm down everything will be fine." I said as I was wheeled into my room and changed into my gown and started the test. I was only 4 centimeters diameter and needed to be six before I could give birth.

After 20 minutes of waiting and extremely gruesome contractions I was dialed enough and ready to give birth.

"I'm so excited." I heard Kaina and maybe Zen from outside of the room before Karter came into the room watching everything intently.

"Push." A doctor told me and I held Karter's hand tight pushing as hard as I could.

"Another one." The doctors demanded.

I clenched Karter's hands with my own and heard a sharp wince as I pushed again.

On the sixth push my baby girl was out and in her Daddy's arms.

"Syn Carsyn Smokes is her name doc." Karter spoke giving her to me so I could have some skin to skin before she was taken to have test done and to get cleaned up.

I heard a knock on the door and assumed it was Karter so I told him to come in but it wasn't my husband it was my mother in law.

"Yvonn." I said looking at her face that showed understanding and knowledge.

"Thank you for inviting me here today...after how I acted and continued to act you definitely didn't need to invite me to this day." Yvonn spoke and I nodded barely having energy.

"Your son is my husband and we just had a baby girl I don't want you to resent me for not having both of them in your life. I don't want my baby girl around you without supervision but I will let you earn my trust and respect. I look forward to us building a bond and I'd be very happy to share some knowledge with you about melanin and the beauty in skin tones I'd also love to educate you on colorism and the negative effects it has along with the history behind it." I said watching her nod.

"All of these things are fine by me may I see my granddaughter?" She asked I nodded shivering in the bed

Yvonn came over and tucked me into the bed taking a blanket from off the couch and adding it on top of me.

"This is a step right?" She asked and I smiled a little before dozing off for a much needed rest.

By the time I woke back up Karter was laying next to me and it was dark outside.

"I saw my mom here did she start sum with you?" Karter asked barely keeping himself awake.

"She's making an effort." I said kissing his forehead before allowing myself to once again go to sleep.

Yayyy one episode left