Ashley POV

"As we walk in this unit you have a small foyer with a half bath to your left" The realtor say showing me a new apartment in Midtown. Im considering bringing in a apartment because i really dont want stairs when i have the baby and i need to find a place like yesterday. I am now 23 weeks and time is ticking. This unit was on the third floor a building that only had the three floors, a elevator, parking garage and door man. After the foyer i checked out the kitchen that was about the side of my last one and was open to the living room. The kitchen was white and grey comparing to my brown kitchen in my town house. There were floor to ceiling windows that were beautiful in my opinion and each side of the living room was doors that lead to the two bedrooms. Both bedrooms had their own full bathrooms. In the master, there was a decent sized walk in closet and a bathroom with a separate shower and tub.

This is honestly the best one my realtor has found out of the things i can get into in such short notice within my budget. Talking it over with my realtor i decide to rent the apartment at least for the time being. I need to start preparing for my little boy, who is growing everyday.

Heading back to my moms house i arrange for a moving company to get my major things from my town house to the new apartment, such as my bed, couch, tvs and such. Other things like my dining set and furniture from the other two rooms i will either have to sell or put in storage which i dont want to pay for.

Going in the house i head to her large bedroom.

"ma" i say to her sitting on the edge of her bed as she looks at her phone.

"да" She says in her native tongue

"i found a place" i began to show her the pictures and tell her that i can move in on Monday which is 5 days away.

"have you spoken to Israel" she catches me off guard. Ive spoken to him regarding the baby but that's pretty much it.

"about the baby yes, i have nothing else to say to him" i respond as she stays quiet. Theres nothing else to say. Im not obligated to speak to him because at the end of the day he is just the father of my unborn child. Yes we were growing a nice friendship but i still feel some type of way about the whole gender reveal situation. Call me petty but i dont care.

Realizing that the conversation was over i go to my room and call Alek to see if he'll go with me to the town house to pack up some stuff. He lets me know that he is can and he'll come get me in about 2 hours. So in the mean time i watch some gossip girl while i wait out the time.

Izzy POV

"babe are you hungry?" Nique asks me as i read a message from my new manager letting me know that he cleared my schedule for january through April so i can be here for my sons birth and some time after.

"naa im good" i reply to her. Honestly im hungry as hell, she just can cook for shit. Seeing my phone ring i answer at the familiar number.

"Wussap" i answer

"haven't heard from you in a minute bro" i hear Alek's slight russian accented slip out. I get up and make my way towards the back door.

"yeah your cousin is still mad at me" i say closing the glass door causing Nique to look at me. I put my finger up signaling her to give me a second.

"i would be too... you do realize that's your child too right." he says "all over some pussy dude. I hope that shit was at least good" he says making me chuckle. Over the course of the past months Alek and I have grown closer.

"so wussap Alek" i say getting to the point , knowing he called for a reason.

"Ashley needs help packing up" he says simply

"She found a place already" i knew she was trying to move but i didn't know it was that quick.

"yeah she move in monday and she asked me to come help her pack up some stuff"

"Alek.. she asked you. Ash does not want to see me" I say to him. Over the last few weeks if it wasn't about the baby she didn't respond.

"she does... she just doesn't know it yet" Alek says making me rub my hand over my face. He wanted me to get cussed out. "just come... yall need to settle this... okay see you in a hour" he says hanging up on me. I make my way back in the house to see Nique still in the kitchen making god knows what. If im being honest i don't know why im still with her. At a point in time i did love her but i think it was more a thing of convenience. Dont get me wrong i still got love for her but i just dont know how much longer i can do this.

"im bout to head out" i let her know. I hear her ask where im going but im already out the door by the time she says it.

I need to get some food. I text Alek and tell him to ask ashley to bring some food from her mama house. I know one of them cooked.

Ashley POV

I bring the bag containing a large of food for Alek and I. I know with the two of us this is more than enough.

"alright im going to start with my closet and you can do the kitchen since that's where everything really is." i tell him before making my way to my old room. I cleaned out the room that was going to be the nursery so all thats in there is a bed and the other bed room is completely empty since i never got around to figuring out what i wanted to do with it.

I begin with the remainder of pants and work my way along. Alek and my mom made sure to bring all of my valuables such as my jewelry and bags since they cost the most. I realize i need more containers so i head down stairs to hear to door closing. I reach down stairs to see Izzy talking to Alek.

"why he here" i say bluntly before crossing my arms. They look at each other before Izzy decides to speak.

"im here to help" he says with a smile.

i slightly cut my eyes before walking towards the empty storage bins . He cuts in front of me and picks them up as i grab the tops. Without saying anything i walk back towards the stair looking at Alek. He looks away and whistles as if he doesn't see me. We get back to the room and i walk back into the closet with izzy following me still. I take one of the containers out of the other and place it on the floor by the pile of clothes i have folded. I sit down on the floor before beginning to pack them up.

" let me help you" he says sitting right next to me and starts to fold clothes. After a while of silence i could tell he was getting aggravated

"ash how long are you going to be mad at me... I know that was selfish of me to be late to the gender reveal party and im sorry" he tells being grabbing my hand from placing another pair of pants in it.

"Come on ash" he says as i keep ignoring him looking everywhere but at him. "okay bet" was the last thing i know before he begins tickling me. I couldnt even catch my breath before he was on top of me as i couldnt stop laughing.

"say you forgive me and ill stop"he says continuing his attack.

"never" i say before he shrugs his shoulders and continues. " okay stop before i pee on myself" i say making him stop and roll off of me. He helps me back into my criss cross position before i wipe off the stray tears.

"ashl-" i cut him off

"wait" i say freezing.

"no formal ash-" i stop him again and grab his hand before placing it on my round belly.

"did he just...kick" he says in shock. i nod my head smiling. This is the first time ive felt him actually kick like this and i was excited.

"wow" he says trying to feel around for another kick. "damn why you stop son" he says as i laugh

"i forgive you." i say causing him to halt in his movements. "I wasn't mad at you for my sake but for this little boys. You coming late and not responding to anyones calls made me think about when he grows up and is expecting you to be somewhere and you are M.I.A." i say causing him to look at me. "think about how thatll make him feel. I know the gender reveal was for us but it still was to celebrate him... i know we definitely didn't plan him, but he's almost here now and you have to show that you'll be there for him always." i say to him "ion know... it might not be that deep but that's how i see it" i say before looking down at my nails.

"hey..." he says picking my chin up with his hand making me look him in his eyes.

"im always gone be here for my son and if that's how you feel then it is that deep. We need to stay on the same page so let me know how you feel instead of holding it in. I would've gathered you blow up on me than ignore me" he says as i look into his eyes. The room got silent as the only thing i could here was my heart beat pounding in my ears due to the tensions between us; the little distance between us not helping. I watch him lick over his lips before looking down at mine. Him still having my face in his hand we lean in slowly.

" I gotta-" Alek says walking into the closet causing us to jump away from one another. Izzy hops up and scratch the back of my neck as Alek looks at us awkwardly.

"umm... i gotta go into the office. ugh Iz could you drop her off" he says making look at him funny due to the nickname he gave izzy.

"Iz?" i mumble lowly to myself. When did these niggas get so cool?

"yeah i got her" he says to Alek before he looks at us weirdly again , then chuckles as he leaves. Hearing the door slam we both try and speak to each other at the same time. .

"I-"

"what-" we both laugh as i tell him to go first.

"umm i think we should forget about what happened. or what didn't happen" he says making my heart hurt a little.

"uhh.. yeah yeah.. of course" i say. For the remainder of the time we pack up the in silence and occasionally he'd ask me where i wanted something. The silenced remained as we drive to my mothers house. We said our goodbye and i walked to my room running a hot bath. I spend the time in the bath upset with myself. I dont know why i allowed myself to begin to feel something towards him. I honestly set myself up for disappointment.

It was never going to happen.

I was just the baby momma..

and he just confirmed it.

(Authors note): what do you think of the book as of this point?

Is Ashley being too hard on herself?

Thoughts on Izzy and Ashley?

Baby name suggestions