Being woken up abruptly by the sound of loud crying was not how Jelani wanted to wake up. After shaking off the foggy feeling, Jelani realized that she wasn't in her bed, let alone her house. She started to look around when she found a note that had been left by her best friend's neighbor.

Hi, Jelani. I'm Daveed. Aiden's neighbor. You passed out in the parking lot, so I brought you here. Don't worry, you're safe. Aiden is downstairs, unloading the truck. He'll be back soon.Hope you feel better. - Daveed

Jelani felt a surge of relief as he read the note. She didn't remember anything from the last few hours, as she had gotten on the plane to New York. Her head hurts, and all she could recall were three people running down to the car.

Jelani looked at her baby, who was lying on the couch next to her, wrapped in a pink blanket. The baby had dark curly hair and big brown eyes, just like hers. She was crying loudly, her face red and wet with tears. Jelani felt a pang of guilt as she realized she had ignored her for who knows how long. She reached out to pick her up, hoping to calm her down.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, little one. I'm here. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to neglect you. You're so cute and precious. Don't worry, mommies here. Now, what's wrong? Are you hungry...is my baby hungry."

The soft tone in Jelani's voice made the baby stop crying; she looked up at Jelani with tears in her big brown eyes. Jelani looked around and spotted her phone on the coffee table; she picked it up and checked the time. She also spotted a text message from Aiden. "Yep, it's time to feed you...dammit...I didn't fix you a bottle." Jelani said as she got up from the couch and picked up the car seat.

Bubba: Your apartment key should be on the coffee table

Bubba: You also don't have to thank us

Bubba: Also, we won't be back until later tonight.

Jelani then reached over the table and sure enough, she had a key that was right next to her phone. "Come on, little one, let's get you something to eat." Jelani said as she walked out the door and locked it behind her and walked across the hall to her new apartment. She put the car seat down so she could unlock the door. Jelani smiled as she saw just what her best friend had done. "They unpacked everything for me while I was sleeping." She looked down at her baby and kicked off her shoes.

She put the car seat by the couch and put CeCe back in it while she walked over to the kitchen. She washed her hands before walking back into the living room and setting down on her couch, making sure she was sitting comfortably and well supported. Jelani picked up CeCe, holding her baby close to her chest. She positioned the baby on her side with her nose opposite Jelani's nipple.

Jelani supported her breast, having it under hers and touching the baby's lips to her nipple until the baby opened her mouth wide. After she started feeding CeCe, her phone went off, so she picked it up." Hello?" Jelani said as she looked down at her baby." Hi there, little lady! How are you feeling?" Aiden asked from the other side of the phone. " My head hurts a little, but otherwise I'm fine." Jelani said as she looked up at everything.

" Also... you unpacked everything for me." Jelani said as she looked around the apartment." That wasn't my idea... after Diggs came down and told everyone that you had a child. Lin said that she couldn't unpack all of this by herself." Aiden said as Jelani heard a loud noise in the background." What's going on over there?" Jelani asked as Aiden just sighed." We're at this food place, and Ant is taking too long, so Jaz pushed him out of the way." Aiden said as the noise got a little bit louder.

"Put me on speakerphone." Jelani said as Aiden did just that. "HEY!!!" Everyone on the other end of the phone stopped. "CUT THAT SHIT OUT!!!" Aiden took Jelani off speakerphone. "Did that help?" Jelani asked as the noise from the other side stopped. "Yep...you just put the fear of God into those two and that's just funny...oh yea...I called to ask if you wanted something to eat." Aiden asked. "Yea...I'm a little hungry, but after feeding CeCe, I know I'm going to be really hungry." Jelani said just as she looked down at her baby.

"Okay, I'll be back in a few minutes." Aiden said as he hung up the phone. Jelani continued to feed CeCe until she fell asleep. After burping her baby, she walked into what she thought was her bedroom alone to see that it was not her. She walked to the other room to see everything set up with a smile on her face. She placed her baby down in her crib while pulling up her shirt. She walked back into the living room.

Jelani flopped down on the couch and sighed in relief. Just then someone knocked on her door, making her get up and walk to her front door. "Hello!" Jelani said as she opened the door and was met by Aiden. "So...I might have gotten you a job." Aiden said as they sat on the couch and opened their food. "What are you talking about?" Jelani asked as she opened her plate.

" I was talking to Lin and Tommy and they said that they were looking for a new seamstress and stage manager. I was telling them how I know a person who can do both, and that's when your name came up." Aiden said as he waited for Jelani to say or do something." What does all of this have to do with me?" She asked as she looked over at him and graded the remote." I was wondering if you would come to the theater tomorrow...I can get Rue to watch CeCe for a few hours while we're gone... and I can take you to see about getting a car." Aiden said as he smiled at his best friend.

" Bubba... I don't know... what if they don't like me?" Jelani asked as she looked over at him. " They are going to love you... but that's not what you're worried about, is it?" Aiden said as Jelani let out a sigh. " Of course you'd read me like a book... I don't want to leave CeCe alone. What if something happens?" Jelani fired off questions as Aiden just smiled at her. " Whoa there, little lady. I understand your frustration. But Rue is a great babysitter. And if anything goes wrong, she'll call one of us." Aiden turned Jelani to face him.

"I guess you're right... okay, then, at what time or we leaving? So i know when i have to feed her before I go." Jelani asked as Aiden picked up his phone. "7 p.m. is when Tommy gets there... we can leave at 6:30." Aiden said as Jelani just nodded her head. They continued eating while talking about anything and everything. "I have to go now; I need to get some sleep." Aiden said before getting off the couch and walking toward the door. "Oh... the walls are thin, just a reminder, but only the ones on this floor seem to do it for some reason... they won't be able to hear you downstairs, but me and Diggs can hear you." That was the last thing said before Aiden closed the door.

Jelani was tired from the long day she had just had. So she got up from her couch and started her way to the bathroom to take a shower and brush her teeth. She put on her cozy pajamas and climbed into her bed. She picked up a book that she had been meaning to read for a while. It was a romance novel, and she loved to read about love stories.

She opened the book and started to read. The story was about a woman named Maya, who met a handsome man named Leo on a cruise. They fell in love and had many adventures together. Jelani felt her heart flutter and her imagination soar.

She read until her eyes became heavy, and she felt sleepy. She closed the book and put it on the nightstand. She turned off the lamp and snuggled under the covers. She smiled and thought about what tomorrow would bring for her and her baby.