It's Christmas morning and we are all waiting on the children to open their presents. I get the camera and stand by the tree so I can catch their faces when they get down here. Elisa and Danny are in the kitchen making breakfast. Ray is upstairs getting my babies.
"Mama!!" I hear Nala's voice calling me as she hops down the stairs.
"Right here baby." I tell her and she runs to me and kisses my hand because she can't reach my face. The guys have officially banned me from picking her up again. I laugh as she looks behind me at all the gifts.
"These gifts for Ry and me!" Nala exclaims. I nod a d she turns around and grabs his hand pulling him to the tree. "Thank you mama!"
"Thank you Te Le!" Ryder copies. I give Ray the eye and he talks to them sitting down with them making sure they grab the right gifts. I take pictures of them because I am such a scrap booker. We all exchange gifts and Cardo comes down the stairs in his pajama pants with no shirt on. Everyone is still in their pajamas but damn we have company.
"Awwww why you ain't wake me up?" He rubs his eyes and sits right next to me. He kisses my cheek and there is absolutely no warmth in it. I look over at Nala and she is giggling and smiling at me and Cardo. I look at him and his eyes are directly on Nala. I smirk and stand to go in the kitchen.
"Ooooo Mommy mad at you daddy." I hear Nala teases. Little did she know its the exact opposite. I walk in on Elisa setting the table while Danny puts the food on the table. I clear my throat and Elisa turns around to me. She covers her mouth and walks up to me pulling me in a hug.
"Merry Christmas, Baby Mama!" she exclaims rubbing my stomach.
"Merry Christmas, Girlfriend." I laugh while she guides me to the table like a little baby. Danny smirks at me and leans down so I can kiss his cheek. Big baby already knows. After I kiss his cheek Elisa looks like she just saw the cutest baby. "Don't say anything." I warn her and she zips her lips and comes to sit by me. "Danny get everyone in here." He nods and walks out. After a few minutes everyone piles in the kitchen and gathers around the table.
I get Ray to pray over the food and we all dug in and it feels just like a Christmas from the old days. Like when I was younger and we used to have these every time holidays came around. I look around at everyone and I'm so grateful that we are all together right now. Elisa grabs my hands from under the table and I look at her. She throws her head to the side and we stand and excuse ourselves. We stand in my home office because that's where she led.
"What's wrong?" I rub her shoulder because tears fall from her eyes.
"I uh went to the doctor yesterday with the children and Carlos after Santa because I felt a little weird." She sniffles. "I have stage 3 breast cancer Lena, I start chemo next week on Friday." she continues. I breath in what she just told me. Breast Cancer? I would have never guessed it would be her. We just started this whole friendship. I look down and wipe my eyes to prevent any tears.
"I'll pay for all your treatments and even surgery if it comes to that." I tell her grabbing her hand. "Why would you tell me now?"
"If I didn't tell you now then I would have never told you. I don't want to tell anyone else."
"You are apart of this family. What am I supposed to tell Nala when she asks why your hair is gone?" I pout and run my fingers through her big brown curls. By far Elisa has shown so much kindness, I just can't believe she has cancer. "Someone told me that God gives the toughest battles to the strongest people." I hug her to me and we embrace and laugh for what seems like hours. When we walk back in everybody stares at us.
"What's wrong?" Danny asks.
I shake my head and smile. "Not today." and with that we continue breakfast. After everyone ate and the dishes were washed we all went in the living room and watched 'The Santa Clause'. they are having a Christmas special on all day. Nala has the goofiest laugh I have ever heard in my life. Her and Ryder laugh at all the corny parts. I haven't said anything to Cardo and don't plan on it.
••••••••••••
By night time everyone was getting ready to leave. Ray said that he was going to take Ryder with him back to Oakland then come back tomorrow. Danny wanted Elisa and Nala to stay the night with him so they left too. After everyone went there separate ways it was just me and Cardo. I just want a hot bubble bath right now. I go in our bathroom and turn the water on putting the suds in. The bathroom smelled like vanilla instantly.
When I started to strip Cardo walks in the bathroom. I continue anyway and lean over to turn the water off. "Will you help me get in?" I turn around and ask him. I forgot how difficult it might be for me to get in the tub with my large belly. He lifts me off of my feet gently and places me in the tub. He doesn't let me go as I slowly sink in the warm water. I lay back and let the water sooth me as he sits on the toilet. "Thank you." I tell him while closing my eyes.
"I'm sick of fighting with you." he tells me.
"Are you now?" I smile.
"Man stop playing." He laughs.
"I'm not playing you're the one playing ."
"Not only did you put yourself in danger but you put our son and Elisa in danger."
"I know that and I won't do it anymore."
"I already know that because it will be a cold day in hell before you come back to any trap house. I hope you liked your last visit."
"Get out so I can take a bath." I roll my eyes.
He laughs while getting up and walking out. After my bath I rubbed my body down in Cocoa butter. I put in some flannel pajamas. I only buttoned the first 3 because the rest wouldn't budge around my stomach. Climbing in the bed I lay on my side and it feels like a needle just stabbed me. I get off of my side quickly and check the bed for a needle but I don't see one. Cardo is watching me intensely and I try to lay down again but on my back then I still feel the needle in my side. I rub my belly and baby boy gives me excited kicks at first then he slows up and just sort of nudges me.
"What's wrong?" Cardo asks.
"Nothing I'm just tired," I kiss his cheek. "Good night."
"Good night baby. You tell me if you start hurting again because I saw that face you made and it wasn't nothing." He said while grabbing my hand and kissing my stitches that still are across my palm. After we say the 'I Love Yous' we lay there in the dark. I start to stare at the door and Cardo's arms are wrapped around me. Suddenly the door busts open and in walks 2 gun men. Cardo hops up and grabs his gun from under the pillow.
I wanted to scream but I didn't and Cardo leaned in front of me protectively. A black man stepped in front of the other one, he has the same nose as Cardo. "Hello Son." he speaks and I immediately know that this is Drik. This is his father that he hates so much.
