My LOVE is Forever (Book 4-1st Alternate Ending)

Part 20

With Angel gone, it hits me, I have a lot of work to do.  First thing first, I send another photo to Tyka to let her know she's going to have a niece.  Then I follow with a text that reads:

Whenever you have a minute, could you call me?

I barely set the the phone down when it rings, "Is everything okay?" are the first words out of her mouth. 

"Yes, so far so good, but I ran into a little snag and I'm hoping you can help when the time comes."  I explain to her what the doctor said about me having to prove paternity for the birth certificate.

"Of course, Prince would want his name on the birth certificate.  As you know, there are already people claiming to be his children or that they have had his child. There's DNA available for testing, but that would be through the court." 

When I fill her in on using her DNA instead, she sounds much happier.  "I can do that, no problem," it's punctuated with her nervous sounding laugh.

"I had heard about some of the claims, and I really don't want to go through the court for fear of bringing attention back to myself. I would prefer to keep this baby as hush-hush as possible."

"Yes, I completely understand, and Prince would want the same.  You just let me know when and how and we'll get this taken care of."  Tyka gets quiet for a minute, "Prince would have been so proud to have a little girl."  she sounds choked up and I hear her sniff. 

"I know he wanted a baby so bad, I don't think it mattered to him the sex."  Now I'm getting choked up, so I change the subject, "I can't wait to go pick out paint colors, that's where I'm headed next."

"Dana, I'm so sorry, I keep forgetting to ask you. Do you still have that credit card with your name on it?"

I had totally forgotten about that card, I had used it only a handful of times since Prince handed it to me.  "Oh, jeez, Tyka, I don't know, hold on."  I scramble for my purse and start rummaging through it.  Tucked into a zippered pocket, I find the card.  "Yes, I have it."

"Good," she sounds relieved.

"Want me to destroy it?" I ask. 

The laugh, "No, I want you to use it.  Starting now, anything you or the baby needs, put it on that card.  I mean everything:  clothes, food, crib, strollers, diapers, paint," she laughs, "I just need to know in advance for really large purchases, like a car."

"I'm not going to charge a car, Tyka!"

"Well, you can, I just need to know first.  Is your car good?"

"It's barely over two years old," I remind her. 

"Okay, then, if you need any repairs or tires for the car, it goes on the card.  Prince wanted you taken care of," I hear a smile in her voice, "or should I say his ladies."

"Thank you, Tyka."

The laugh again, "Honey, I had nothing to do with this, these are my brother's wishes. Now, go shopping!"

"Yes, Ma'am," I laugh.  We say our goodbyes and I grab my car keys, I have a nursery to decorate.  

My first stop is the local Walmart, where I head straight to the paint colors.  I already have it in my mind that I want a rosy shade of lavender for the nursery.  I had found a design online that I had saved, the color that had been chosen was teal. I like the teal, but the lavender seems more fitting. I plan on recreating the design but instead of the quotes they had used, I will choose some of Prince's lyrics instead.  I walk out of Walmart with two gallons of paint, a couple quarts for the accent colors, brushes, tape, and a painters sponge to recreate the marbling effect. 

My next stop a huge furniture store the next town over to look for a crib. I find a beautiful nursery set where the crib converts into a full size bed as the child grows.  The back of the crib becomes the headboard, and the front the footboard, all I'll have to purchase later is the rails and mattresses.  The price tag is hefty, but the furniture is well made and a simple, clean design that will carry her well into her teens.  Teens, I stop inspecting furniture, closing the drawer I was looking into slowly and moving to sit on a nearby chair on display with the pieces. The sales woman is concerned, "Are you alright, Miss?"

The Miss throws me, and I take notice that she is probably barely older than me, "Yes, can I just have a minute.  I think I want this set, though." 

"Sure, I'll be right back," she moves quickly towards the back of the store.  

I sit in there in that chair, eyeing the set again, I have went from married, to divorced, although I feel more widowed, to pregnant, which I have just wrapped my mind around.  Now, I'm trying to think ahead to our child's teen years, that just made the baby a person.  I mean obviously, this is how it works, I tell myself, but I still feel a little floored by the concept of what is actually happening.  With this new insight, I smile and nod at my selection before I motion the sales woman to return to write it up.