"Why are you so fussy today?" Lay asked as she tried to shush the baby, she had just turned one years old yesterday but today she was completely outta wack. Lay hadn't been feeling good today, and didn't plan on getting out of bed however she was meeting with her doula today.

She didn't know much about her except she came highly recommended by Key, he apparently knew her and grew up with her. Plus she was from back home, which gave her a little peace of mind. Speaking of Key, she hadn't spoken to him since yesterday.

"Marlee!" Chalynn called out over the screaming child, she loved her daughter but now she was questioning if she could handle being a mother of two. Two kids under two.

"Yesss?" She asked walking into the room waiting for her to respond. Instantly Elianna stopped crying when she saw her auntie.

"Can you take her please, I'm not feeling good." She quickly explained rubbing her temples. Coco melon played in the background as Eli sat on the bed playing with a toy she got yesterday. As soon as Lay sat up, she had to run to the bathroom to puke. All of the stress she had endured this passed week was taking a toll on her body.

"Sissy, you okay?" Marlee asked rubbing her sisters back.

"I just need to rest until the doula gets here for the first meeting and I'll be okay." Lay brushed and rinsed her mouth with mouth wash. She grabbed a cool towel and wiped it all over her face before getting back into the bed.

"Come on Eli .. Let's go." Marlee grabbed her niece and shut the bedroom door.

*

A few ours later Lay woke up and felt a little better. There was a small knock on her room door and in walked Marlee with somebody trailing closely behind her.

"Sis, Eli is down for her nap but your doula is here to meet you." Marlee whispered and turned on the light. Lay blinked before responding and looked at the woman behind her little sister. She was tatted up, if Lay was into girls she may have been her type.

"Hi, I'm Golden." She stuck her hand out for Lay to shake it. Marlee stood back and was checking the girl out.

"Im Chalynn, thank you for flying out here and agreeing to be my doula. Markeyvius really has faith in you so welcome. You've already met my crazy little sister and possibly my daughter. I'm not feeling well today, I thought I would feel better after taking a nap but I kinda feel worst." Lay gave Golden the run down.

"I see I came at the right time. Key and I go way back but nothing crazy he actually paid me to be a live in doula. However, I don't see another room here so I can figure that out." She explained looking around the room.

"We can move Eli into my room, she sleeps in here anyways. We'll get it fixed up for you." Lay sat up slowly.

"Are you sure? I can stay with Key or Ms. Keisha." Golden offered but that wouldn't work for Lay because what if she needed help in the middle of the night or something.

"Nope, I'll have somebody come by today and do it. So do you also help with siblings?" Lay asked her trying to work up enough energy to get up.

"I do. I am a full spectrum doula so I do a little bit of everything." Golden smiled at Lay, she thought she was absolutely beautiful but she was off limits. She was having a baby by one of her bestfriends from high school.

They talked a little while longer before Lay finally got enough strength to stand up, she made a few calls and somebody had come over to clear out Eli's room and make room for the live in doula.

"I promise you did not have to do this." Golden assured Lay while they sat at the solid oak dinning room table that sat six. It was about five o'clock now and Chalynn had cooked stuffed chicken, mashed potatoes and corn with a roll. Marlee was gawking over Golden who chuckled at her every time she saw her drool a little.

"No Elianna. Do not flick your corn all over the floor." Chalynn said sternly grabbing the fork out of the little girls hand. Eli began to fuss and throw her body all over her high chair.

"Lil girl. Stop it." Lay handed her the fork back and she stopped flapping around everywhere and began to eat normally.

"Don't be mean to my baby." Marlee said sticking up for Elianna.

"She needs to listen." Lay said playfully rolling her eyes. Golden soaked up everything, she could tell Lay was a good mom but she could also tell she was kind of stressed out.

"You know Ms. Keisha?" Marlee asked referring to her saying she could stay with her if need be.

"Ms. Keisha took me in when I was younger. I used to be bad as hell, especially when I first met Key. She really taught me that there's more to life. She's real cool, I love her." Golden spoke, Lay nodded her head.

"Hmm, I wonder why I never met you. I was around Keisha when I was younger too. Like a mom to me, but she not fuckin wit me right now." Lay giggled taking another bite of her delicious chicken.

"I wonder why." She said inquisitively.

"I smacked the shit outta her son yesterday. He's disrespectful." Lay said nonchalantly, she didn't care how Golden viewed her at this point.

"Damn, his mouth is wreck. As your doula, I'm here to empower you. Now I don't condone violence especially while with child but I see why you did it." Golden laughed shaking her head, there were some times her and Key had tussled.

"I appreciate that, I need some empowering." Chalynn shied away from her gaze and realized how shitty her confidence had gotten because of this whole thing with King. Marlee caught Goldens gaze and raised her eyebrow.

"You like girls?" Marlee asked rather simply.

"Please, ignore her." Lay laughed nervously.

"Nah, I like women." A wide smirk grew across Marlee's face. However Golden wasn't interested in Marlee, she was too young for her.

"Oop .. she told you." Lay giggled, she wasn't used to her sister being rejected.

*

After dinner Lay began to wash the dishes and put away food that was left over. Marlee was bathing the baby so Golden was sitting at the waterfall island. She tried to help Lay but since it was her first night here Lay wouldn't allow it.

"How are you feeling?" Golden asked setting her phone down.

"I'm not sure, I'm cramping a little bit. Yesterday was very eventful." Lay sighed closing the dishwasher and clicking the wash cycle. The silent hum filled the kitchen.

She sprayed the counters with Lysol and wiped them down.

"You don't have to be scared to talk to me. I'm here to help you." Golden spoke sensing there was a quietness that was very loud.

"It's hard cause you're one of his close friends. How do I confide in somebody who is cool with my ex .." Lay leaned against the lemon scented counter.

"You would have to trust me in order for this whole ordeal to work. You have to trust me with you and your child's life. Having a birthing partner is very hands on. We have to act as one and essentially I have to protect you and your wants and needs before any friendship or relationship." Golden explained referring to her close relationship with the Cathey family.

After taking a deep sigh, Lay told Golden everything from the top. From how they met to how they fell out and what caused her to slap him. Even Mar's suicide attempt. Golden was shocked, she didn't seem like the type to sleep with one of Keys friends. However, it seemed like she was provoked.

Knowing Key though, that was an absolute deal breaker and if she wasn't pregnant with his kid he probably would've killed her.

"That is a lot but now I know how to serve you and the baby. When we go over the birthing plan we can discuss who you want in the room. Like I said, I am here for you every step of the way. If something makes you uncomfortable or anything like that I'm here to help you find your voice. We don't have to be rude when saying anything or angry. We can state our opinion gracefully." Golden was very cool, calm and collected.

That is something Lay wanted to be. Lately everything was putting her out of her character and she didn't want it to be like that. Tears over flowed from her eyes thinking about how everything was ruining her pregnancy experience.

"My bad, I didn't mean to upset you. I can just tell you're off your element. When bringing a baby into the world that is the last thing you're going to want." Golden observed the young woman in front of her, even though they were around the same age.

"No, that's exactly what I needed to hear. I haven't been myself lately and my body is really taking a toll. I'm not just cramping a little, I'm in a lot of pain right now." Lay clutched the counter and as if on cue blood trickled down her legs.

Golden came from behind the island and caught Chalynn before she stumbled.

"My phone. My midwives number is in there. Dr. G." Lay waddled to the bathroom to clean herself up. Careful not to get blood all over her carpet. When she made it to the bathroom and pulled her panties down she saw a small blob of cells that were clumped together.

The intuition in her stomach cause her to fall to her knees and scream out in horrible sobs. Both Marlee and Golden sprinted to the room to see what was going on. Even though Golden had an idea she didn't want to write it off just yet.

"Dr. Gonzalez is going to meet us at Emory hospital. Do you want me to call Key to meet us there?" She asked kneeling next to her client.

Lay couldn't even make out words, she had just lost her baby the pain that she was feeling both mentally and psychically were unbearable.

"I'll call him on the way. Let's get her to the hospital." Marlee dipped to put Eli in her car seat with a few toys and a warm milk sippie cup to keep her content.

💜

"Hi Chalynn, I hate to see you under these circumstances. Unfortunately, you did suffer a miscarriage. Your blood pressure is very high, thank God you didn't stroke out. Your high blood pressure did play a huge part in your miscarriage. Have you been stressed?" Dr. G was very empathetic towards the situation and spoke to her like she was her daughter.

"Yes." Lay wiped her tears with the back of her hand. She felt so weak that it didn't make any sense.

"We had a lot going on with Eli's first birthday yesterday. We were running around a lot." Marlee kept the details to a minimum. She tried to rub Lays hair. Marlee was forgetting that her suicide attempt took a toll on Lay as well.

"For her blood pressure to be this high, this has to be an on going thing. I'm such a short time, the last time I saw you, you were doing so well. Where's your boyfriend? I thought I told him no stress." She sighed sadly. As if he knew somebody was talking about him he ran into the hospital room with his mother trailing closely behind.

"Mr. Cathey, I'm glad you could make it. Chalynn suffered a miscarriage. Due to stress and high blood pressure. I heard there was a lot going on at the first birthday party yesterday? That could've been the last straw here. I thought we were going to look out for Lay and keep stress at a minimum." Key didn't know how to react but Ms. Keisha instantly broke into tears.

She fell back into the waiting chair with a large thud and began praying to the Lord.

"Oh my God." She cried out looking at Lays frail body bunched up under the covers.

Golden sat back and examines the entire situation. She felt for Lay, seeing how she was so sad could barely talk and didn't even acknowledge either new bodies in the room. She was out of it.

"Fuck man." The only words Key could mutter out. He sighed before noticing Golden was in the room.

"Wassup G. Glad you made it safe. Thanks for bringing her." Golden nodded towards him before falling him up.

"No problem. Anything for the fam." She returned back to her normal position.

"So what happened?" Key asked Lay, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"She had just made us all dinner and was cleaning up the kitchen when she started bleeding. She went to the bathroom and that's when she saw she miscarried. Her midwife confirmed it. She was also throwing up all day with a very bad headache." Golden reported, Lay was still in shock and couldn't talk.

"Lay Lay, why you didn't call one of us?" Ms. Keisha asked, she didn't want to speak to any one though.

"If I may, from what I was told about yesterday. She may not have been in the mood to speak to either of you." Golden added and Chalynn was very grateful. Marlee kept to herself, she was happy Lay had a spokes person.

"Why you keep speaking for her?" Key asked getting irritated, he wanted Chalynn to talk. He was hurt that she felt like she couldn't talk to him about something he may have caused.

"You hired me to be her advocate, Key. No hard feelings it's just my job."

"Can we speak alone?" Key asked the room.

"Before we do that, I am going to perform an ultrasound so that we can see if there's anything else in there that may need to get cleared out. I do have to do this vaginally which could cause her to be in pain and more blood. If these things gross you out I advise you leave the room." Dr. G spoke sternly.

"I love you sis but I'll be outside .. I've had enough blood." She made her way to the hallway, along with Ms. Keisha and Eli.

"I can stay if you would like, to hold your hand." Golden spoke as Lay laid flatly on her back. When she pulled back the cover there was a small pool of crimson blood.

"Please." Key didn't like how she wasn't speaking to him but whenever Golden said something she would reply or react.

"I know this is going to be hard Lay, deep breath in." Lay squeezed Goldens hand and let out a small scream as the instrument went inside of her.

"Small turn." The doctor informed her before twisting the instrument. Lay felt numb at that point, as if there was nothing else that could hurt her. Tears streamed from her eyes and dropped into her ears.

The familiar sound of a heart beat lit up the sad room. Lay sucked in a breath.

"Oh my. How did I miss this?" Gonzalez asked herself. Lay was pregnant with twins one had hid them self.

"What is it?" Key asked looking between Lay and the doctor. They listened to the strong heartbeat a little while longer before she pulled the tool out.

"You were pregnant with twins. Fraternal, two different sacks. This one is looking healthy but to be safe I want to keep you over night and monitor your bleeding. We need to get your blood pressure down too. If you want to, we can get you in the shower, fresh sheets and get you some rest, how does that sound?" She asked, Lay smiled softly.

💜

After everybody stepped out so that she could do what she needed with the help of her midwife. Gonzales went out in the hallways to inform everybody else of her discovery while Lay and Key spoke.

Both parents were over joyed that one of their twins survived but still sad that they even lost one baby.

"This shit right here, just lets me know that allat other shit not important. We lost a baby because of all this extra mess that's been going on. We're not losing the other one." Lay looked down at her hands. If he still loved her this would be going so different. Maybe that was his way of apologizing?

"Okay." She did a quick nod. Lay had a whole other life growing inside of her and miscarrying one of them woke her up.

"I need you to keep me updated on everything. Ima stay the night tonight. We need each other to make this co parenting work." He said and she just nodded her head.

"This was an eye opener for me. So a lot of shit is going to change." He nodded his head understandingly, her eyes were puffy red. She closed them and slowly drifted to sleep.

Next day

"Alright Lay. I want to see you after thanksgiving to check on baby b. Everything with it is looking good right now but I want to make sure. I sent a prescription to the pharmacy for your high blood pressure. I want to see it down by the time I see you next. A little bit of spotting is expected for the next few days. Your doula seems to know a lot but you can always call me with questions. Do you have any now?" Dr. G asked looking over her brown clip board to make sure she hit all her points.

"No ma'am. Thank you for all of your help." Lay hugged the doctor and signed her discharge papers.

"Of course love." Dr. G said her goodbyes before leaving the hospital room.

"You need me to take Elianna while you recover?" Key asked getting ready to take her.

"It's okay, we got it. Thank you though. I'll make sure she's ready to go with you thanksgiving. Thank you for coming. I'll have Golden send you updates." Lay didn't let Key get another word out before she had Marlee wheel her to the car and out of the hospital.

To say Lay blamed Key for the death of one of their babies was an understatement. She had nothing else to say to him.

Goldens fine ass 🥲💙