JR SWAT 5: Five, On the move

Chapter 6: Dawg ate my homework

Some time before, Harrelson's place...

Deep breath.

It was difficult to get a good night sleep when you have a wannabe soccer superstar in your belly! So, for the last hour, Nichelle has been searching for the perfect opportunity to finally fall asleep, without any success. There was no way the baby was going to allow her to get much needed rest. After all, the point of taking some days off work was in fact to get some rest. Right.

Deep breath.

She turned to the night table, where she had left her phone. After contemplating life for a couple of silent minutes, staring right at the ceiling, she rolled to her side, turn on the lamp and grabbed the mobile.

After going through boring social media context, she ventured off to other apps on her phone. She checked out her calendar. Boring. She moved on to her bank app. Depressing. Government agencies. Pass. She even tried the built-in gaming app. Boring.

Sigh.

Wait! She froze for second to think. She couldn't believe it! She held her breath and...no pain. She laid on her side for several long minutes, and...nothing. No pain!

Yes, thank God! she thought relived, as she laid sideways, taking another long deep breath.She closed her eyes to relax, taking yet another slow deep breath. Finally!

When she opened her eyes to reach for the lamp to turn it off, she glanced at the foot of the bed and noticed the blanket laying by the edge. The one gifted by her mother during the family get together several weeks ago.

Memories flooded her mind, as she remembered how excited her parents and her sister were; how Winnie jumped in excitement, while Hondo hugged Bryana who kept calling him 'Girl daddy!'; Luca and Deja's bright smiles after she and Hondo presented them as the godparents; and how great the evening was going. That was until the big argument and the sudden departure of her parents from the room. 

A sudden sharp pain poke the top of her head...because even the thought of that moment caused her a great deal of stress. So much so, that she had to be taken to the hospital the day after. Her doctor warned her to take it easy, and rest as much as possible before she went into maternity leave. She informed the expecting couple that because of it being a high-risk pregnancy, they had to take all measures to protect mom and baby's health, meticulously. Ever since then, Hondo has kept a close eye on her and she has had to monitor her blood pressure, sugar levels and even measure oxygenated blood levels. He has insisted on her taking several days off and working mostly from home, making sure to delegate most of the responsibility from the center.

Now, the beautiful pattern captivated her attention, as she imagined herself sitting in the rocking chair with her baby. The blanket was soft and thick enough to provide warmth and comfort to her baby. She could hear her baby scuffling and mumbling softly, the soft and delicate touch of her skin as she grabbed her little finger and caressed her close to her chest; she could see herself getting lost in the depths of two beautiful bright eyes and the paradise that is her companionship.

THUMP

The memory of the strenuous loud hit of her father's fist on the top of the table shook her out of her pleasant oasis. His closed hand had made such a strong sound after he and Hondo began arguing. The older gentlemen approached the officer with a death glare, while Hondo's eyes stared back like a laser beam. Both men came very close, until Nichelle glided next to Hondo and grabbed him by the wrist. Gently, she pulled him back towards the opposite side of the table.

"Daddy, please!" she whispered, glancing at her father and catching a glimpse of the Harrelson's and the godparents who stared surprised in their seats.