by Ivory B.
Kynah suddenly appeared in the bathroom doorway holding her baby doll and rubbing her sleepy eyes. Nice noticed then that the side of Ky’s nightgown had a big blood stain on it. She had been sleeping in bed with them on the opposite side of Ty. She’d snuck in their bedroom and slid in bed beside Ty when they were asleep. “Ky go get some clothes and shoes on baby, we gotta bring Mommy to the hospital she not feeling good.” “But Daddy I don’t know ho…” “Kynah! Go put something on dammit!” Kynah took off to her room to do what her father told her to. He didn’t mean to yell at her but his emotions and adrenaline was rushing.
Nice went to the sink and got a soapy rag. He attempted to clean Ty, wiping between her legs and removing her nightgown to redress her. It seemed no matter how much he wiped her in between her legs she wouldn’t stop bleeding so he gave up putting her on a clean pair of underwear, t-shirt, a pair of his sweat pants and had her slip into a pair of slippers. Kynah reappeared at the bathroom door looking as if she got dressed in the dark. Her clothing was mismatched and her shoes were on the wrong foot. None of that mattered right now; all that mattered to him was getting Ty to the hospital. Nice tore through the streets driving as fast as he could while Ty sat curled up in the passenger seat holding her stomach in pain. No matter how fast he drove and how quickly he got her to the hospital it wouldn’t change the outcome. Ty had lost their baby; the miscarriage was traumatic, sudden and unexpected.
“Luck, Luck, baby wake up,” Los said nudging Lucky gently. “Hmm.” “Ma get up we gotta go to the hospital.” Lucky shot straight up. “Hospital for what? What happened?” Los took a deep breath. “It’s Ty, she lost the baby.” Lucky gasped and her eyes became watery. “She just came out of surgery.” “Surgery?!” “Yeah, I guess what Nice was saying they had to… Los hesitated knowing Lucky would probably lose her mind. “Remove whatever she didn’t pass from the miscarriage.” Lucky’s mouth fell open. “Nice said she lost a lot of blood, she dehydrated and inconsolable. Nothing he doing is calming her down.” Lucky didn’t even hear the last of his comment she was out of bed and getting dressed. “Carlos come on!” Lucky screamed as she was flying down the stairs with Los right on her tail.
With Los driving like a bat out of hell they made it to the hospital in record breaking time from where they lived. There were a few nurses and an on call psychiatrist trying to talk to Ty about her loss but all she kept doing was sobbing. Lucky rushed into Ty’s room and Ty sat up holding out her arms with tears pouring down her face. The two women hugged and cried together. Ty didn’t need to hear or see anyone else right now. “Tyyy it’s gonna be alright.” “It hurt, it hurt so bad. They made me push and there was nothing. I don’t have nothing,” Ty cried. “I know, it’s gonna be alright.” Lucky looked over her shoulder and told the others in the room they would be fine. The psychiatrist and head nurse hesitated before leaving but eventually they left. This was only the beginning of a long healing process for Ty.
Nice took a hard swig of his drink as he sat in Los’ man cave. Los watched Nice as he took a few totes from the blunt they were sharing. “Damn that shit was crazy; it was so much blood. I was thinkin like she might not even make it. This shit got ya boy fucked up Los ya heard?” Nice drawled taking another tote before continuing. “And I just found out three days ago I was having a lil me, nah mean? A little boy now shit is all fucked up. Ty can’t go back to that house right now. I gotta throw out that mattress, bedding… have them deliver the mattress. I can’t have her go home to that.” “C’mon Bruh stop stressin over small shit you know y’all more than welcomed to stay here for as long as you need.” Nice shook his head knowing that much was true he was family. Los didn’t have to roll out a welcome mat it went without saying. He even had his own key to Los’ crib. “Damn a nigga so low,” Nice admitted running his hands from his waves down to his face. Los looked at Nice and could tell he was hurting something awful. “I gotta pull a little out for my lost ones,” Nice said as he stood up and swayed slightly, tipping the nearly empty bottle of Patron and spilling some on the floor. Any other time Los would’ve went in on Nice about spilling a drink on his Brazilian cherry wood floors but he didn’t even flinch. Right now the floors didn’t matter, fuck the floors. “A’ight son I think you had enough, c’mon let me get you upstairs.” Nice was feeling it, that much was apparent. He was going through it and Los knew what he needed, he needed Ty. He had never ever seen Nice this sauced before to the point Nice had to lean on him as they walked up the stairs.
Meanwhile, Lucky laid in bed hugging Ty from behind in one of the guest rooms. The day was an emotional rollercoaster for everyone in the family. Both Cathy and Tina had left the house not too long ago and Keema left only a half hour ago. She had come alone leaving the kids at home with Jah, thinking it would be in bad taste to bring the kids with her especially Jahzera. Everyone had been looking at each other trying to determine who would take on the role in explaining to Kynah that she wouldn’t be a big sister after all. Lucky held Ty tighter as she felt Ty’s body tensing with every silent sob. They lay in the dark together like they used to as kids.
Finally Ty broke the silence, “God is punishing me for having that abortion Lucky, so he took the baby I wanted,” Ty cried. Lucky looked over her shoulder at the half opened door to make sure no one was there. “Tyy no don’t say that god isn’t vengeful you know that’s not true,” Lucky whispered back. “I…I feel like this is my fault,” Ty whispered. “Ty you can’t blame ya’self.” “Lucky I wasn’t taking care of my body like I should’ve been. I was drinkin, smoking, and fighting. I feel I’m at fault for losing this baby…” “Ty you didn’t know you were pregnant at the time and you damn sure ain’t start no fight. This is not your fault do you hear me? Ty it’s not. As tragic as this is it’s something that happened. God felt he couldn’t wait much longer for an angel that’s all.” Ty rolled over to face her cousin breaking out into hard sobs and hugging her close. “Ty I know it hurts baby but you can’t blame yourself, don’t do that,” Lucky said sympathetically but firmly. She wanted to make sure her cousin wouldn’t harbor this guilt. Ty looked at Lucky and whispered the question that had been plaguing her thoughts. “Do you think he blames me?” “Who Nice?” Lucky said incredulously. “Nooo he doesn’t. He’s taking this just as hard as you, trust me he is. Ty I know he’s not blaming you no one is.” Ty shook her head in agreement wiping her eyes but still she couldn’t shake the fact that in the last 24 hours since she’d been released from the hospital Nice seemed distant. “I really wanted that baby,” Ty admitted through a tearful whisper. “I know mama I did too,” Lucky said. They both ended up falling asleep still holding one another.
Lucky felt her body being lifted in mid-air, opening her eyes in slight panic she found Los picking her up out of bed with Ty. “Umm, baby no Ty needs me,” Lucky whined half asleep. “I know ma but he needs her right now,” Los nodded his head towards the door. Lucky turned to see Nice standing in the doorway looking dejected. Lucky knew Los was absolutely right both Nice and Ty definitely needed each other right now. She relaxed in Los’ arms and let him carry her to their bedroom.
Nice stood there watching Ty sleep for a few minutes. She looked so at peace but he knew once she awoke she would have that gloomy look in her eyes that he wasn’t used to seeing. He felt guilty not being by her side till now but it was as if every time he wanted to reach out and hold her she was surrounded and being comforted by someone else. Nice had issues with sharing pain and showing vulnerability. That’s how he’d always been; when his mother died he wouldn’t even let his own brother see him grieve. And when his brother and Carlos Sr. died literally locked himself away from the world for weeks. He wasn’t used to sharing in his grief. He knew that was one thing he was going to have to work on immediately because Ty needed him.
Nice stripped down to his boxers and slid in bed pulling Ty into his arms. She stirred awake opening her eyes to see Nice there and it was as if her emotions were searing. His embrace made her extr
emely emotional all over again. “Baby I’m here its gon be alright, we gon get through this, I promise,” he held her tighter as he spoke. Ty looked into his eyes and saw tears welling in them. “I love you,” he said stroking her hair. Ty was always enamored by his eyes but tonight she was even more in awe with them. Her heart was pounding out of her chest and her emotions were in a whirlwind.
Ty leaned in and kissed him passionately and he kissed her back with even more heat. Before either of them knew what they were doing Ty was tugging at his boxers. Nice stopped her by placing his hands on hers. Their emotions were running high but it had only been one day since she suffered a miscarriage and he knew they shouldn’t be taking it there. Per doctors orders, after the little procedure Ty had she would be out of commission for at least two weeks. Nice broke their kiss. “Please, baby I need you,” Ty said with desperation, need, and tears in her voice. Ty leaned in kissing him again and this time he didn’t pull back instead he eased between her legs as she pulled him on top of her. “Tyy hole up wait, nah ma I don’t wanna hurt you,” Nice whispered with his lips against hers sounding as if he were in utter agony. A silent tear escaped and rolled down his cheek. She had him on rock but he was trying to fight his urges. The need he had to be inside of Ty was causing his body to physically ache and his body to tremble. Ty was grinding up against him with his manz in her hands stroking it up and down. “Pleeease baby make love to me,” Ty begged through soft whimpers. Ty felt his dick literally jump and she knew then whatever reservations he had before was no more. Nice helped Ty come out of her clothing and slid into her gently, both of them let out guttural moans “Awwwe,” Ty shrieked and her body tensed up. Nice thought for sure he had hurt her and went too deep he wanted to stop but truth was he knew he couldn’t. It was as if he needed her as bad as she needed him. “Wait, wait, Pebbles wait,” Nice said sounding as if he were on the brink of tears. Ty was pushing back on him a little too hard he felt in her condition. He grabbed her waist and started making precise, slow and intense circles with his waist stroking Ty at a steady tempo while he stared in her eyes. Ty’s body had totally fell surrender to Nice as she stared back into his eyes. She could feel her own orgasm building. “Uhhh Ka…Kamar, give me a baby, give me a baby,” Ty cried with hot tears falling from her eyes and rolling to her pillow. Nice sped up his strokes grunting hard then letting go deep inside of her. He placed kisses on both of her teary eye lids as she lay in his arms drifting off to sleep. Ty had fallen off to sleep immediately afterwards. Nice waited until she was in a good sleep to get up and clean himself and her up. He slid back in bed and cradled Ty in his arms as she slept. He didn’t know how long this pain lasted but he hoped and prayed both him and Ty could heal from this soon.
Ty walked into the house after Nice feeling kind of uneasy. A whole two weeks had passed since that fateful night. All three of them had been staying over with Los and Lucky since the day Ty was released from the hospital. Ty walked into the master bedroom and looked around in awe. Nice had changed everything in the bedroom and it was luxuriously laid out, Ty didn’t expect anything less with Nice’s taste.
“Pebbz you look tired why don’t you lie down and take a nap?” Nice suggested. Ty ran her hand over the bedding before sitting down on the plush custom Extra King sized bed. Suddenly she had a flash back of that night. “I’m not really tired. I’m gonna go down in the family room to watch some TV.” Nice studied her for a long minute. “A’ight ma whateva you want. Ty I gotta shoot out to my Momz spot real quick she been blowin me up about some type of mail I got over there, then you know I gotta go scoop Ky up from school right after. I have to leave right now to make it to Ky’s school in time. You sure you don’t wanna take this ride with me?” “No baby I don’t, I wanna lie down and relax. I’ll be fine here by myself trust me, go ahead and pick my baby up.” Nice stared at her for a long few seconds. “A’ight I’ll be right back, love you,” Nice said leaning in and placing a gentle peck kiss on her lips.
Ty was so relieved to see Nice leave she didn’t know what to do with herself. She was finally able to be alone. Ty appreciated all the love and emotional support she was getting from her family and the man she loved but she needed her alone time. Since her miscarriage Ty had been surrounded daily by family and sometimes friends around the clock. She never had the time to grieve and say goodbye to her unborn on her own and she felt that’s what she needed to be able to start healing. She felt she needed that one last cry to help her get over the biggest hurdle of getting back to her old self. It wasn’t fun being in this dark place she was in right now. She knew part of the reason she was taking this miscarriage so hard was because she was five months into her pregnancy showing and everything only to lose her baby. That really stung and it stung hard.
Ty flopped down on the couch face first and let it out. Ty cried for her loss; her son, who would never take his first breath, first step, or smile. When she felt she couldn’t cry anymore and she was all out of tears, the tears seemed to come from some place deep within. By the time she was finished sobbing and was simmering down with whimpers she was exhausted and falling off to sleep. Suddenly she jumped snatching her hand back and opening her eyes to find Bully who had just licked her hand looking up at her with the saddest eyes. Ty stared back at Bully; she was unaware that Bully was even in the house or that the dog had crept up on her. Looking at Bully Ty could swear on everything that dog understood her pain. Ty smiled, “What’s goin on bitch you missed me?” Bully’s only response was a moan that sounded like a cry then she rubbed her head against Ty’s hand and laid down right at the foot of the couch. Ty laughed reached down and rubbed Bully’s head. “Yeah, us girls gotta stick together then we can keep our reign over the house.” Bully wagged her tail and remained lying in her spot. Wow ain’t this some shit? Ty thought to herself.
“Ma! Ma!” Nice called out as he walked through the front door letting himself in with his key. Cathy didn’t respond neither was she in her usual spots the living room or kitchen. He finally found her in her office typing away at her computer with her earbuds in jamming to some oldie but goodies most likely. She pulled her earbuds out as soon as she noticed Nice standing in the doorway.
“Hey baby what’s up?” “What’s up? Mom I coulda been somebody running up in here to kill you and you wouldn’t even known cause you couldn’t hear me.” Cathy made a face and waved him off before turning her computer monitor to expose the split screen showing a spread sheet on one side and the security monitors on the other. “Boy I saw you pull up,” she said getting up to embrace him. She held him in her arms for a long while before she let him go. “How are you feeling?” “Straight,” he answered flatly. She knew he wasn’t feeling a hundred percent and that was expected after what he’d been through. “How’s Ty doing?” “She doing a’ight, she maintaining.” “Ty will be just fine you watch and see. She’s a strong woman that’s why I love me some Ty,” Cathy stated as she made her way to the kitchen.
Nice bobbed his head and gave a weak smile. “That’s funny, that’s one thing I love about her she reminds me a lot of you. You know with the whole career oriented, go getter but still take care of home thing,” Nice stated. “That’s right boy they rarely make em like us no more, so you better hurry up and move your feet before you lose ya seat. You know what I mean, make that girl an honest woman. Or what you young people say bag that, grocery that, whateva the hell y’all be talking about but you know what I’m talking about.” Nice laughed at his mother gripping at his stomach she was truly a mess. “I’m on that Mom Dukes, I’m on it,” Nice said through laughter. “Umm hmm,” she replied handing over the mail she’d been dying to open since the day it arrived but knew it wasn’t her place to. Cathy was curious mainly because it was from the state of New Jersey Department of Social Services.
Nice looked at the envelope stumped. He had no idea what this was about that’s why he made it his business to get out here to see what was going on as soon as he got Ty situated. From the time his mot
her called him he’d been wondering what he could be getting from the state of New Jersey. And why any mail would be delivered to his mother’s address? He hadn’t gotten mail here since he moved out and that was years ago. Nice ripped the envelope open where he stood while Cathy stood peeking over his shoulder. Nice looked over his shoulder eyeing her “Damn Mom why didn’t you just open the mail ya’self?” he joked as he unfolded the paper to read it. As his eyes scanned the threatening content of that letter all jokes were aside and the smile was wiped from his face immediately.
The letter stated that Mia had received 21 months and the additional 12 month extension period to receive cash benefits from the state of New Jersey. However, she was still eligible to receive Food Stamps. Her case Listed Kamar Tyrik Richards as the absentee father of records for Kynah Marie Richards, in result he was now in the arrears to pay back the state of New Jersey a whooping 25 racks. His information had been turned over to the child support enforcement division for Jersey. And now the State of Jersey was threatening to suspend his driver’s license if he didn’t come current on his support payments.
Nice was so stunned he was speechless. He had no idea Mia had went and filed for state assistance when he was paying child support. As a matter of fact a substantial amount of child support from the beginning. “Oh no she didn’t, oh no that triflin bitch didn’t! That’s a gotdamn lie, she don’t even wanna take it there. I got every money order receipt from the time you was payin her with money orders. I told yo ass to start doing direct deposits for your own records. I had a feeling she would try it one day. Ohhh help me Jesus I’ma go to jail tonight!” Cathy said throwing her hands to the sky’s as if God would come down immediately. Nice shook his head back and forth with a smile on his face. Nothing even surprised him anymore when it came to Mia she was bugged the fuck out period. “Mom calm down, don’t even get all worked up. Court date is right around the corner. I can’t even deal wit this right now. I’ll pass this on to Horowitz. This not even the half, I didn’t wanna tell you this but ole girl been getting high off that nose candy in front of Ky.” “What?! Oh hell no! Well maybe that would explain why she such a sorry ass excuse for a mother.” Nice shrugged with his forehead crinkled up. He didn’t know what was wrong with Mia nor was he trying to figure it out today that would be impossible. Most importantly he couldn’t let this letter put a blemish on the rest of his day. Nah today was supposed to be special. Nice flipped his wrist and looked down at his Audemars, “Mom I gotta run and grab lil Mama or I’ll be late, you know she get real diva if I’m late.” He hugged and kissed his mother on the cheek. “Momz calm down for real, I don’t wanna hear you got on ya Timberland and black hoodie steez and rolled out to Jersey wit a choppa,” He joked with a smile causing Cathy to laugh involuntarily even though she was beyond pissed. Nice ran out to his car and threw the letter in the glove compartment. He wasn’t planning on sharing this letter with Ty. He’d felt he stressed her out enough with Mia’s bullshit and he didn’t want to add anymore stress.