Hoops & Harmonies

68.

(There's a time skip)

As the days turned into weeks, the anticipation in the house grew thicker, mingling with the scent of fresh paint and new furniture as they finalized the nursery. Monica and Angel spent their evenings setting up the baby's room, making it a cozy retreat filled with love and care.

Monica's album was also coming together beautifully, inspired by the emotions of her journey with Angel. She found herself writing songs that spoke of love, family, and the bond they were creating with their child. Every lyric felt like a tribute to their journey, and she was eager to share it with the world.

One afternoon, while Monica was in the studio in Chicago, Angel decided to surprise her by finishing some of the final touches in the nursery. She had enlisted Laiyah's help to create a special piece of art for the baby's room. Together, they painted a colorful mural on one wall—a whimsical design of clouds, stars, and little animals that would welcome their child into the world.

As they painted, Laiyah talked about her excitement to be a big sister. "I can't wait to show the baby all my acting tricks!" she declared, her face lighting up with enthusiasm.

Angel laughed, enjoying the lightheartedness of the moment. "You'll be the best big sister ever. And I know the baby will love you just as much as we do."

Once the mural was complete, Angel stepped back to admire their work. "It's perfect," she said, her heart swelling with pride. "I think our little one will love it here."

After a few hours, Monica returned home from the studio, her spirits high after a productive day. As she stepped into the nursery, her jaw dropped in surprise. "Oh wow! You two did all this?"

Laiyah beamed with pride. "Look, Mom! Isn't it awesome?"

Monica walked closer, her eyes shining as she took in the colorful mural. "It's incredible! You guys are so talented!"

Angel wrapped her arms around Monica from behind, kissing her cheek. "We wanted to make it special for you and the baby."

Monica turned to face Angel, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, babe. This is more than I could have imagined."

That evening, they all sat in the living room, enjoying a movie together. Monica felt a wave of happiness wash over her as she watched Angel and Laiyah interact, laughing and teasing each other. It felt like a beautiful balance had been struck in their home.

"Hey, can we talk about baby names?" Laiyah asked suddenly, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Of course!" Monica replied, eager to involve her in the conversation. "Do you have any ideas?"

Laiyah thought for a moment, her finger tapping her chin. "What about something cool like 'Starr' for a girl or 'Ace' for a boy? Those sound really awesome!"

Angel chuckled. "Those are definitely unique names. We'll keep those in mind."

"What about you, Mom?" Laiyah turned to Monica. "What do you think?"

Monica smiled, her heart swelling with affection. "I think it's important that we all agree on a name, so I love hearing your ideas. But we might need a little more time to think about it."

"I want to help!" Laiyah exclaimed, bouncing in her seat. "This is so exciting!"

As they wrapped up their movie night, Monica felt a sense of completeness wash over her. Their family was growing, and with it came new beginnings and cherished moments.

The next day brought another appointment with Dr. Fields. Angel was now in her final month, and everything was looking great. As they entered the clinic, Angel's hand rested protectively over her belly, and Monica couldn't help but admire how radiant she looked.