All I Can See Are These Flames Around Me

From my back pocket I could feel my cellphone vibrate. I wonder who the hell is texting me? I haven't gotten a single call or text all day. Reaching behind me, I fished my cellphone out of my pocket. Clicking the center button I frowned when I saw who's contact had popped up on my screen.

Andrew.

I hesitated opening and reading the full text. Biting my lower lip I sighed. Since deciding that Andrew and I needed a break everyone around me has been incredibly supportive. Chris, Ricky, C, Jake, and Jinxx have made daily phone calls and text messages to check up on me. It's always a nice reminder how cared for I am when I get one of their calls or text messages.

Finally opening the text my frown deepened.

Nikki, can we please talk? I miss you so much.

Sure.

Holding my phone tight in my grasp I sank down onto the couch in the middle of Andy's apartment. As you can tell I've yet to move out. Jake had begged and somehow convinced me to stay living in Andy's house until after the baby was born. Which I guess makes sense. Moving when you're thirty-eight weeks pregnant, is kind of impossible because you don't even want to move from one spot to another. So halfheartedly I've stayed in the home where Andy and I had spent countless nights together.

Again my phone was vibrating. Glancing down at my phone I noticed that instead of a text message that Andy was calling me. My stomach just about fell out of my body. Great. I really do not want to talk with him like that right now, but I know that if I bitch button him I'll never be able to live it down.

“Hello?” Placing a hand on my stomach, the baby kicked at the sound of my voice.

“Hey, Nick." He still sounds as broken as the last day that we talked.

“What’s up?” So, what do you even say to the man you left and haven't spoken to in fourteen weeks? God, this is so fucking awkward. Why did I pick up?

“Umm, well not a whole lot really. Right now I'm just looking at the ultrasound pictures of that baby.” Where did he get those pictures?

I wonder if Jake gave them to him? That sounds like something Jake would do.

“Isn’t he beautiful?” I thought I could hear Andy smile.

"Oh, that he is. I hope he has your eyes." Andy whispered softly into the phone.

“I don't care what he looks like, he'll be beautiful no matter what. I think I’m going to name him Oliver Asher or Caleb Andrew.” CC and I had come up with names last week, we must have come up with like fifteen baby names, but I was torn between those to.

“I think you should pick Caleb Andrew.”

“That's the name I've become most fond of.” This feels like old times almost, just Andrew and I talking on the phone, both of us actually enjoying the conversation.

“It’s a beautiful name Nikki.”

“Caleb’s kicking right now.” Andy laughed a little bit.

“Really? I wish I was there to feel it.” My throat became raw with tears. God, I wish Andy was here with me. I miss him so much.

“I wish you were here to feel it Andrew.” This time instead of a laugh, I swear I heard Andy sniffle.

Goddamn it, I've made him cry. That's really not what I wanted out of this conversation. Honestly, I don't know what I wanted out of this conversation. But I know this wasn't it.

“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about...”

“Oh?” Feeling the baby kick I smiled, despite the feeling of dread that filled me at Andy's words.

“Well, we’ll be coming home in a few days and I was wondering if I could come back or if I should stay with Jake or get a hotel room...”

Alrighty, let me just tell you something. If you've ever considered having a baby, don't fucking do it. The last trimester is the worst. My body has gone into false once already, my back constantly aches, my breasts are just so fucking tender, I've always got a headache, I have to use the bathroom just about every five minutes, and everything I eat gives me indigestion. This little boy cannot get out of me fast enough.

Two more weeks and he's out. Thank fucking god.

The idea of Andy coming home sounds nice though. If he’s here with me then I don’t have to worry about what’s going to happen when I go into labor. And he can go on late night craving runs, I think Kate and Brittany are getting tired of doing them for me. If Andy does come back rather than staying with Jake, we could probably start to patch our relationship up.

“Andy, I want you to come back home. I need help with the baby and you’re one of the only men I would want helping me.” Every word I had said was true. Andy really was the only man I would trust with this baby, even if he had hurt me.

“Really?” Unable to stop myself I laughed a little. When did Andy become so self conscious?

“Yes, Andrew. Trying to do everything on my own right now is killing me, I need you." Kate and Britt obviously are a ton of help, and I'm so thankful to have them. But there's only so much that I can ask them to do.

“I'll be home in a few days, do you think you can continue to stay by yourself for that long?”

“A few more days with just Katie and Brittany's help is fine. The fans come first."

“No, you and Caleb come first, Nikki.” With a sigh I let him win that argument, because I know that's one that I could never win.

“Whatever you say, Andrew.”

For another two and a half hours Andy and I remained on the phone, we talked about everything that had gone on in the last fourteen weeks. Seeing as we haven't spoken since the day I told him I wanted a break, we had a lot to catch up on. Just hearing his voice and his laughter made my day so much better. When we had to hang up, I did so with a sad sigh. Talking with him really made me realize how much I've missed him.

Carefully I stood up and walked into the kitchen. A huge smile appeared on my face when I saw the ‘How Many Days Until Caleb Comes’ count down that Katie had created. There was still about two more weeks to go before the he came into this world. But those two weeks couldn’t come to an end fast enough. I love this kid with all my heart, but he’s really become a handful with all the moving around he’s been doing. I ripped off the paper that said fourteen.

Thirteen more days to go.

Notes

The next chapter is going to be a good one guys!
Or at least I think it's a good one.

Thank you so much to all of you guys who are reading this! I appreciate it so much :D
Hope you're all liking it!
Just as a head up, the story is almost finished.
So I'll be posting the sequel on here very soon!