Dominique

"What do you want to watch?" Melo asked me as he scrolled through Netflix. "Put on the Get Down."

"How many times have you watched this?" He whined, putting it on. "Does it matter?" I watched it so many times, that I basically know it word for word.

"Melo will you do me a favor?" He threw his head back, "What is it?"

"Get my phone, and in my notes there's a list of baby names. Under the girls section type in Mylene." Even before I knew I was pregnant, I would keep a list of baby names in my phone.

"Why couldn't you do this?" He grabs my phone, "Because I'm eating chips." I say with my mouth full.

"I hope you know that we're not naming our kid after a character."

"Why can't we name our daughter after a character?"

"Because one, its corny and two, we're having a boy so don't get your hopes up for a girl."

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever, but we'll know next week."

"Actually about that..." Melo looks at me with a guilty expression, "I'm still gonna be away the day of the appointment. So you're gonna have to reschedule it." He tells me.

"What do you mean reschedule the appointment?"

"I mean what I said." He says in all seriousness, "Baby we have to start making sacrifices for our son."

"No you have to start making sacrifices." He was really pissing me off now, "What do you mean I have to start making sacrifices?" He looked at me.

"I mean what I said." I rolled my eyes, and went back to watching the show. He closes my laptop, "Nah we not having that, what did you mean?" He says getting angry.

"You need to calm down right now." I say trying not to go off. "What I meant was that I almost had to stop playing basketball forever, I went on home studies and even rescheduled this appointment twice, so now it's on my birthday and you're not even trying to move things around so you can come."

He takes a deep breath, "I'm sorry that you have to do all of this. I know it's hard, but soon we'll have our baby and we'll be in Lithuania."

Right when I thought this situation was getting better, it begins to get worse. "Who said I was going to Lithuania with you?"

"Why wouldn't you want to come?" I scrunch up my face, "Because my family is here, I'm not flying out the country six months pregnant, and my baby isn't going to be born in Lithuania."

"So what am I supposed to do? Miss my child's birth?"

"Your season is basically gonna be over when I'm due, so why can't you just leave?"

"Baby basketball is important to me and I made a commitment to the team." He rubs his forehead,"So me and our baby aren't important to you? You aren't committing to us?"

"Dominique that's not-"

"No it's alright LaMelo. At least now I know where you priorities are."

••••••

"It's about time you came." I heard Denise says as I walked into the nail salon. Today me, Denise, and Izzy decided to meet and get our nails done since my birthday is tomorrow.

"Oh shut up," I joked, and I sat down between them. "So what's been going on with my two pregnant ladies?"

"The other day, me and Zo went shopping for the baby."

"Did you guys find anything." I ask while looking for a color to pick. "We found a crib, and neutral colored clothes but that's it. Zo really wants a boy, but I want a girl."

"Dom do you want a boy or girl?" Izzy looks over to me, "I honestly don't know, some days I want a boy, but other times I wanna girl."

I couldn't handle a mini melo, but if my daughter came out just like me, I know she would be a lot to handle as well.

"Do you know the gender yet?"

"I find out tomorrow." I sigh thinking of how Melo isn't going to be here. "Wait Lavar and them won't even be back yet." Denise says.

"Yeah it suck, but I can't keep rescheduling my appointments." I tell them. "How does Melo feel about not being there?"

"We actually got into an argument about it. He said we need to make sacrifices, and I told him that I have, and he hasn't. I also may or may not have said that he doesn't consider us a priority."

The girls gasped, "What did he say?" Izzy asked. "He didn't say anything really. He just looked really sad and I felt guilty for making him upset like that."

Seeing Melo emotional like that was rare, but whenever he did express that side of him, I always felt bad for him.

I remember one time over summer Lavar was yelling at him, and I know it was to make him a better player, but I couldn't stand to see him in his feelings like that.

"You shouldn't feel guilty Dom. Melo needs to step up, and I know you're carrying the baby so of course you're gonna go through more change, but that doesn't mean Melo's life should stay the same."

"Izzy is right." Denise agrees, "You're over here jumping through hoops, so the least he could do is make time for the appointment."

"I forgot to mention how he expects me to go with him to Lithuania." I tell them.

"Do you want to?" Izzy asks me. "Yes and no. I want Melo and I to go through this experience together, but I also want to be with my own family."

"Dom the Ball's are your family, if you're worried about having support throughout this pregnancy, then they can give it to you." Denise says, "Plus you said you wanted to keep the baby a secret, so I think hiding out in Lithuania would be perfect."

I just need Melo to come back home, there's so much we need to talk about.

••••••

Right now I was at my appointment, I waiting for the doctor to call my name. It still sucks that Melo can't be here, but he called me this morning and everything is good between us.

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" My mom asked me. I so happy that my mom is helping me through this all. I don't know what I would do without her.

"I don't really have a preference, I just want him or her to come out healthy."

"What does melo want?"

"I want a boy." Melo walks in, surprising me. I get up and hug him tightly, "I thought you weren't going to be here."

"You were right, I have to make sacrifices." He gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry if I haven't been making you a priority lately. Just know I'm committed to both of you."

"Dominique Avery." The doctor peaks her head into the waiting room.

We all follow her into the room, "Is everyone excited to find out the gender?" My doctor asks as she sets up the equipment.

"I have to admit, I'm a little nervous." I lay down and lift up my shirt. "Oh honey don't be nervous. Now are we planning a gender reveal, or do you want to know right away?"

"We're planning a gender reveal." My mom tells her with a big smile on her face. She thought we should announce the gender tonight at my dinner.

"Alright well I'm going let's see what we're having!" She says as she puts on the gel and moves the stick around my belly.

"Do we have any predictions?" The doctor asks us."It's definitely a boy." Melo says looking at the monitor.

"Well here are some pictures of the ultrasound," She hands them over to my mom, "it says the sex on the bottom, so don't let either of them peak."

I'm so excited for tonight, I just want to find out if I'm having a boy or girl.

••••••

Tonight everyone like my friends from school, the ball family, Izzy, Denise, Dmo and of course my family were at my house celebrating my birthday.

The night was coming to an end, and we still haven't found out the gender of the baby yet. Nobody besides Melo and I know about the announcement, so all night they were wondering why we were bugging my mom.

"So before everyone leaves, there's one last gift." My mom says handing me a box. My eyes instantly lit up, "Is this it?" I ask ready to rip it open.

"You'll have to see." She smirks. "Melo come help me." He comes right next to me, "Are you ready?"

"Wait is this what I think it is?" Gelo says trying to put everything together. "Oh my god we're gonna find out the gender!" Denise squeals.

They all start getting excited and begin counting down. "3... 2...1..." Melo and I open up the box and out come blue balloons.

"I knew it!" He screams picking me up. "That's how you do it son!" I hear Lavar over all the cheering. The boys were all jumping around and Melo just didn't know how to act.

When he finally settles down he come back to me, "I told you we were having a boy." He pulls me in for a kiss.

Zo, Gelo, Melo and 47,588 others

Hands down the best birthday ever! All thanks to you💙

cutest couple ever!

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH💙

y'all irritating @dom @melo

what are we then...? @izzy_morris

does anyone see the hats?

baby baller on the way 🤔

🤷🏾‍♀️