CHAPTER 90:
The next day, Nikki stood over the countertop as she was finishing up a few phone calls as she took notes. "What's up Nikki?" Bryan asked as he entered. "Well good morning to you too Bryan" said Nikki. "So how you and baby Joy are doing today?" asked Bryan. "Pretty much we're still the same" said Nikki. "I mean she's not moving as much as she used to, but she's still fluttering around in there." "Well any day now" said Bryan. "We're you're going?" asked Nikki.
"I'm going for my mid-morning jog around the block" said Bryan. "And you're not worried that anyone would recognize you?" Nikki asked as she tossed something into the trash. "No, it's like 10 in the morning" said Bryan. "It's 10 and Brie's still asleep?" asked Nikki. "Yeah well…we were up all night" said Bryan. "Eww...that's totally gross Bryan" said Nikki. "Yeah well it's a really good thing that you're a dead sleeper" said Bryan. "Yeah TMI" said Nikki. "You're gonna make me barf and I hadn't even had morning sickness in 4 months".
"I highly doubt that could get you to vomit" said Bryan. "I mean given the really nutty dreams that my niece has been giving you lately and add that into the fact that you like to share this with us…all the time and I mean all the time. That. That right there should make you vomit." "Stop teasing!" Nikki said as she smiled. "Ok but no more sex dream talks…please" said Bryan. "It just messes with my head." Nikki chuckled. "Ok Bryan. I won't talk about those types of dreams anymore…at least with you." "There you go" said Bryan. "But um would you like to join me? Sure you can't really run, but I was thinking that the walk around the neighborhood could help you jumpstart your labor." "No I'm ok" said Nikki as she rubbed her swollen belly. "For some reason I just don't have the energy anymore like I used to."
"Ok suit yourself" said Bryan. "Well I'll be seeing you in an hour". With that, Bryan left Nikki alone in the kitchen. "Now this should do it" she said as she put her pen down. Nikki walked over to the closet to pull out a suitcase. She pulled up the handle and placed on a jacket as she exited the house, leaving a note on the kitchen countertop:
"Brie, Bryan I know that this is going to sound weird-extremely weird, and it probably is but I needed to go on a little trip…to New Jersey to be exact. Don't worry about me, I'll be just fine. I'll be back tomorrow morning, I just needed to get away….I just needed some time to myself for a while. It's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. You know how to reach me if you need to,-Nikki."
With that, Nikki continued making her way to New Jersey-to Jersey City to be exact. The question was why?
Meanwhile, AJ and Roman returned back to her parent's house from their day around the New York City. "How'd she do?" asked AJ. "She did fine" said Mrs. Mendez. "She slept a lot today." "That's good" said AJ. "I'm glad to hear that." "The people are going nuts though in the city" said Roman. "I've never seen that many long lines outside of stores in years, well not since we had that Hurricane last year. "But Sandy wasn't last year" said AJ. "I meant Arthur baby" said Roman as he kissed her cheek.
"People need their supplies" said Mrs. Mendez. "So, I have another question" said AJ. "Yes?" asked Mrs. Mendez. "You think that you could maybe watch her for the night?" asked AJ. "Leati and I haven't been away from her since she was born and since you guys are having a lot of fun with her and everything that you wouldn't…mind?" "April…" said Mrs. Mendez. "Mom?" said AJ. Mrs. Mendez sighed. "Sure, why not?" said Mrs. Mendez "Your father should be home from work in an hour or so, I'm sure he'll be happy to hear that Alia's staying a little while longer." "Thank you mom" said AJ as she gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. "We're gonna go say goodbye to her now".
"She's in our room sleeping" said Mrs. Mendez. "Don't worry, we'll be quiet" said AJ as she and Roman went upstairs. After a few moments, they entered the room to remove Alia from the crib. "I dunno about this Leati" said AJ. "I don't know if I can leave my baby even though it's for the night." "I know it's hard" said Roman. "That's why whenever I'm on the road I carry around a photo of her." "Yeah and we also video chat you" said AJ. "It's your choice" said Roman. "I know" said AJ. "But if I don't do this now, how am I ever gonna be able to leave her when I go back to work in a few weeks?"
"You'll make a way" said Roman. "And you will be able to handle it. I promise." AJ nodded as she handed Alia to Roman to hold. "See how she smiles? She knows that you're her dad" said AJ. "Boy are we going to be having problems when she turns 16" said Roman. "Yeah but we'll have to worry about that in 15 ½ years" said AJ. Roman kissed his daughter goodbye before gently placing her down into the crib. "Come on" he said. "Let's go get snowbound". "Shh my mother has ears all over this house" said AJ as she smiled. The two took each other's hands as they left their daughter to spend the night at her grandparent's house.
Back in San Diego, Brie and Bryan remained frantic over Nikki's sudden absence. "I can't believe this" said Brie. "Why would she do such a thing? Is John over there or something?" "No, he's still in Tampa" said Bryan. "I checked." "Did you tell him that she's missing or something?" asked Brie. "No, no of course not there's no need to worry him" said Bryan. "Yeah well meanwhile we're stuck worrying over here ourselves" said Brie. "God I can't believe this! She's due any day, why would she be putting herself and the baby in danger like that? Do you think she might be having another episode?"
But before Bryan could give an answer, the phone rang and he quickly picked it up. "Yes Hello? Yes. Yes. Yes. No. Are you sure? Ok. Thank you. Ok alright, same to you." "Well who was that?" asked Brie. "That was the airport" said Bryan. "They said that Nikki didn't take a commercial flight, that she's on a private one and that she should be landing in New Jersey within the next 30 minutes or so." Brie glanced at the clock. "It's already 7:30 over there" she said. "Do you think we can catch a flight out ourselves?"
"Brianna I think you should sit down" said Bryan. "No I will not sit down when my 9 month pregnant sister is going across the country for absolutely no reason!" shouted Brie. "You're not gonna like what I have to tell you" said Bryan. "No Bryan, just tell me" said Brie. Bryan sighed. "Look Brie, the airport said that there are no more flights going out there to that part of the country for a while." "What? Why not?" asked Brie. "Because there's a huge blizzard coming over there tonight" said Bryan.
"Oh my God!" Brie cried as she sat down onto the couch. "What are we gonna do?" "We're gonna have to wait until we think she's landed so we can find out what's going on with her" said Bryan. "My God I'm gonna kill her!" Brie sobbed. "Why in the hell would she do something so stupid like this!?" "I dunno but we will find out" said Bryan as he joined Brie on the couch. "We will." "God I just hope she isn't having another episode" said Brie. "She…can't be. She's…pregnant…" said Bryan. "It'll be alright Brie." "But Bryan she is 9 months pregnant and she is overdue! How could she do something this stupid!? How the hell could she be this careless!?" shouted Brie.
"Brie you have got to calm down. Please?" said Bryan. "No! I will not calm down!" said Brie as she got up to race to the phone. "Brie, what are you doing?" asked Bryan. "I'm trying to call the airport to see what time she can land. Maybe we can drive over there or something." "Ok first of all Brie it would take us nearly 2 weeks to drive from here to Jersey and second of all her plane isn't going to land until 8 o'clock-ish. I said this already honey." said Bryan. But Brie didn't listen to him as she continued dialing. "Brie! Brie! Brie!" Bryan called out as he slowly hung up the phone. "Listen to me! There is nothing else we can do but wait for her." "Oh my God!" Brie sobbed. "She'll be ok" said Bryan. "How do you know?" asked Brie. "I mean why…why in the fuck is she going over there in the first place?" "I don't know sweetheart but I really wish I knew" said Bryan. Brie continued to panic until…it hit her.
"I think I know where she's going" she said. "Where Brie? Where is she going?" asked Bryan. "I…I think she's going to see Joe and April" said Brie. "But why would she go and see them for?" asked Bryan. "I…I don't know" said Brie. "I…really don't." The couple were left wondering why Nikki would suddenly up and go somewhere without telling them why. They could only hope that she and their niece would be ok.