CHAPTER 85:
Later on that day, AJ stepped out of the bedroom after finishing her bath. Roman sat on the couch with Alia resting in his arms. "How's it going in there?" he asked. "I'm still sore as hell and babe it's so fucked up in there that I don't think that you'll ever wanna touch me again" said AJ as she took a seat down next to him. "Oh don't say that" said Roman. "It looks beautiful down there…still". "You're just saying that" said AJ as she began to burst into tears.
"Oh baby, please don't cry" said Roman. "I just feel so fat and gross" said AJ. "The insides of my vagina is all inside out, my body is sore all over, and I'm just so damn tired. I feel like a cow! I don't know how I'm gonna be all alone next week when you're in the Midwest." "That's why I told you last night or rather this morning that I took care of this for you" said Roman. "And for the record you and Alia are the prettiest women in my life, besides my mother of course".
AJ smiled as she stopped crying. "You really think so?" "Of course" said Roman as the doorbell rang. "Here" he said as he gently placed Alia into AJ's arms. She was wide awake. Roman went to answer the door and it was his mother. "Leati!" she shouted with joy. "Come here my beautiful son". Patricia gave Roman a hug. "How are you guys doing?" "We're great" said Roman as he closed the door behind her. "Oh my God she is just so precious" said Patricia. "May I hold her?" "Sure if you wash your hands and put germ-x on them" said AJ. "Come on mom I'll show you" said Roman as they walked away and about 2 minutes later they returned.
Patricia took a seat next to AJ. "She has gotten so much bigger since I've seen her in the picture". "Yes she has" said AJ. "She's gained already 3 ounces since coming home a week ago". AJ gently placed Alia into her grandmother's arms. "Oh Leati she has your eyes, but April's face" said Patricia. "Yeah she does" said Roman as took a seat across from them. "So how much did she weigh as she left the hospital?" asked Patricia. "She weighed 5lbs, 6oz at birth but 5lbs, 8oz when she left so now…she's like 5/11" said AJ. "Leati and I could totally tell the difference from the time she was born until now."
"And how are you doing?" asked Patricia. "I'm fine, I'm just really sore and tired that's all and insanely emotional" said AJ. "Did he call you here?" "Yeah I called both of my parents" said Roman. "My dad's coming in on Tuesday after he finishes working on his tell-all." "And do you plan on returning to the company?" asked Patricia. "Yeah, I was supposed to in March, but I might make it April since Alia came early" said AJ. "That way I have at least an extra month to work out." "I see, well you're young and in shape you'll do fine" said Patricia. "Even better than ever." "Thank you Patricia, but I gained like 32lbs" said AJ. "And I only lost like 14 since giving birth".
"You will do just fine" said Patricia. "I can assure you. So do your family knows?" "Yeah I told them a few days afterwards" said AJ. "And they haven't come to see her?" asked Patricia. "Just my siblings" said AJ. "They were here a few days ago and they only stayed overnight but my parents, no they haven't seen her yet". "I'm really sorry" said Patricia. "And they don't know what they're missing because Alia's so precious". "Yes she is" said AJ. "Anyways I'll be hitting the gym again next month but I won't be able to practice with the others in the ring again until late January".
Patricia continued to hold Alia as she began to start crying. "Not again" said AJ. "May I?" asked Patricia. "Sure, be my guest" said AJ. "The only thing that I do that gets her to stop crying is feeding her." Patricia gently rocked Alia until she stopped crying. "That's….that's amazing" said AJ. "Yeah I used to do that a lot with Leati and his brother" said Patricia. "You should stay here forever then" said AJ, causing Roman to give her a certain look. "Relax baby I'm just kidding. So how long are you and Mr. Anoa'i' planning on being here?"
"At least a month" said Patricia. "You're going to need some help around here, especially when you go to start your exercising again." "Well who's going to watch her when Roman and I are both gone?" asked AJ. "Well I suppose Sika and I" said Patricia. "Unless you would like to get a nanny?" "But ma, you live all the way in Pensacola" said Roman. "Yes dear I know, but that means you guys have got to find a more permanent home" said Patricia. AJ and Roman quickly exchanged glances. "I suppose it has to be here in Tampa then" said Roman. "After all my apartment is much too small."
"We also have an apartment up in New Jersey" said AJ. "But uh…we'll use that as a vacation home but I think Pensacola would be better though. After all it is where your parents live at". "Whatever it is to your liking I guess" said Patricia. "Oh my Goodness little girl you are just so precious". "So I guess we can go ahead and find a new house of our own there" said Roman. "So baby, how long do you think it'll take you to officially move in?" asked AJ. "About a week" said Roman. "But my lease isn't up until December 31rst, so I won't be able to fully be done with the place until January." "Oh ok" said AJ. "But I can start moving my stuff in by the first of next month" said Roman. "Just as soon as I'm done with the Midwest tour". "But then you have another tour coming up in southern Europe" said AJ. "No, not until late January" said Roman. "Stephanie changed the dates around."
"Good then" said AJ. "Then I'll get in touch with a realtor." "I'll take care of it baby" said Roman. "You're still healing. I don't want you stressing out." AJ sighed. "Here you go" said Patricia. "I think she misses her mommy". "Thank you" said AJ as carefully took Alia back into her arms. "I think Ima go put her back down in her crib". She got up to go take Alia away, leaving both Roman and his mother alone. "Thank you for coming" said Roman. "We really do appreciate it." "Leati I love you" said Patricia. "You're my son and I'll do anything for you, just like you'll do for AJ and Alia". Roman smiled at that.
Sometime later, Nikki returned from another day of work. "I'm home!" she called out as she kicked off her high heels. She walked into the kitchen and sat her purse down on the countertop and found out that there was a handwritten note left by Bryan. "Babe, don't 4get 2 pickup our prescriptions, to stop by Trader Joe's and get your part of dinner and to call Dr. Feynman, 2:41pm".
"What the-? Who's Dr. Feynman?" Nikki asked as she glanced at her watch. "4:48" she said as she sighed. "Oh well it really isn't any of my business". Nikki began to open up the fridge to resume eating the half eaten cart of fat-free chocolate ice cream. As she began to peel a banana to go along with the ice cream, she heard the door unlock and it was her sister Brie.
"Hey there Nicole, you're home early" she said as she took a seat from across from her. "Is that a banana that you're eating with your ice cream?" "It's fat-free just so you'll know" said Nikki as she sat down. "Nicole, there's no need to get an attitude" said Brie. "I was only asking". "You know that I've been eating much healthier lately" said Nikki. "Especially since the doctor told me last week that I gained an extra 5lbs". "You'll be ok and so will she" said Brie. "Who's Dr. Feynman?" asked Nikki as she slowly pulled the spoon through her mouth. "What?" asked Brie. "You heard me" said Nikki. "Who's Dr. Feynman?" "Nicole, I don't go snooping through your personal stuff" said Brie. "I didn't, Bryan left a note right here on the table" said Nikki as she held it up for Brie. "See?"
Brie sighed. "She's just a doctor that's all". "What kind of doctor?" Nikki asked. "A Gynecologist" said Brie. "Her name is Doctor Mary Feynman…" "Ok but is everything alright?" asked Nikki. "It is now" said Brie. "Brie…is there something going on that you're not telling me about?" asked Nikki. "Nicole, I don't want to stress you out even further" said Brie. "I'm a big girl you know?" said Nikki. "I'm gonna be 31 in 2 days." "I know and so am I" said Brie. "You know that you can tell me everything right?" said Nikki.
"Look, Nicole if I could tell you then I would" said Brie. Nikki gently placed her hands on Brie's. "You can tell me…that is if you want to" she said. Brie sighed again. "Ok Nicole, but just promise me that you won't freak". "Hey I am as sane as a smiley face now that I'm pregnant" said Nikki. "I'm serious Nicole" said Brie. "Ok I promise I won't" said Nikki. "Well my period was late 3 weeks ago which got Bryan and I really excited because we wanna start a family soon so I took a test and it came out to be positive but then when I got to Dr. Feynman the next day, she told me that I wasn't pregnant anymore and that I was starting my period" said Brie. Nikki placed her hand over her mouth. "Oh my God I'm so sorry" she said.
"Thank you" said Brie. "I'm fine now. She said that I was less than 2 weeks into my pregnancy when it happened." "Does our mom know?" asked Nikki. "No one knows except Bryan and now…you" said Brie. "You're welcome" said Nikki as she got up to hug her sister. "You're so soft Nicole" said Brie. "Yeah I know it's this new lotion I've been using lately" said Nikki as their hug ended. "I'll be ok". "I know" said Brie. "I know." The sisters were quiet for a long time.
"So how are you and baby doing?" Brie asked as she broke the silence. "She's moving so much that sometimes it just drives me crazy but I'm thankful because it at least shows me that she's doing ok in there" said Nikki as she continued eating her ice cream. "And work was hell today." "Well what happened today?" asked Brie. "Some client of mine was a real bitch" said Nikki. "She was like "are you sure you can still sell me this house if you're pregnant?" and I'm like yeah bitch and I can also whoop your ass if I wasn't pregnant but of course I couldn't tell her that so I just occasionally swore under my breath in Spanish." "So did she at least like the house?" asked Brie. "Uh-huh she's coming down next week to sign the paperwork for it" said Nikki. "How much it costs?" asked Brie. "6.12 million" said Nikki. "Damn that's way more than this house" said Brie. "This house only cost Brian and I $200,000."
"Yeah but it was only because of the neighborhood" said Nikki. "It was in an in quiet an exclusive area might I add?" Nikki took another bite of her banana, finishing it. "Mm this is so good" she said. "Do we have anymore?" "Uh yeah look behind you" said Brie. Nikki walked over to get another banana and as she did, Brie noticed her sister's stomach and how so much it has grown over the past 6 months. "Do you want one?" Nikki asked. "No thank you" said Brie. Nikki walked back over with two bananas and began to peel them as she sat back down. "I just can't believe she was such an ass to you because you were pregnant" said Brie. "Did you tell your boss?"
"What is Isaac going to do?" asked Nikki as she placed the bananas into the ice cream carton. "Absolutely nothing. I just do my work and that's all." She took her spoon to begin slicing them up. "You have such a weird craving" said Brie. "Yeah well I think my weirdest one this month so far was me putting barbeque sauce and mustard and that cheese on that pickle" said Nikki. "It tasted so good but an hour later…it came back up." "Gross Nicole" Brie said as her facial expression showed her feelings about that comment. "Sorry Brizy" Nikki said as she took another spoonful of ice cream.
"Try not to eat so much ice cream" said Brie. "Remember that you gotta come back to work." Nikki laughed. "It seems to me that you have been reading the comments on my Instagram photos." "Those people are disgusting Nicole" said Brie. "Yeah they are" said Nikki. "I mean they act like women are supposed to stay skinny when they're pregnant yet if you're too skinny they bitch at you. I mean it's so ridiculous that I don't even pay it no mind. I know I'm beautiful no matter what I look like. Same goes to everyone else." Brie smiled. "And if I were in a street fight with any of those hating hoes I'd probably end up winning so there ha!" said Nikki.
The two sisters began to laugh for a while before stopping. "So…are you sure that you and Bryan going to be ok?" Nikki asked. "Of course" said Brie. "The doctor found that there was nothing wrong, it's just that sometimes these things happen you know?" Nikki nodded. "Well I'm really glad to hear that you're alright" she said. "Thank you" said Brie.
"You know the one thing that I am truly missing right now?" asked Nikki. "What?" Brie asked. "Sex" said Nikki as she closed the ice cream container. "So does that mean that…that you miss John?" asked Brie. "Let's just say that's why they have porn and vibrators for" Nikki said as she got up to put the ice cream away. "Yeah…TMI much?" said Brie. "What? I don't do it when you two are in the house" Nikki teased. "Oh gross! Gross! Gross! Gross! Gross Nicole!" said Brie. Nikki began to laugh sinisterly as her sister shook her head in dismay. "Well I'm off to shower and then get up in bed and watch Halloween from 1978." "Wait Bryan and I love that movie! Wait until he gets back" said Brie. "I will" said Nikki as she continued her way towards the back of the house, leaving Brie alone at the table. She picked up the sticky note and crumpled it up in her hand as she sighed. "What a year" she said to herself. "What a year."