2 weeks later
"Mami! I missed you so much, you look too good to be—"
"Watch it, little girl." Warned the grandmother. Nicki had just arrived in Long Island, and she was already loving being back home. She hugged her grandmother tighter just before pulling away, noticing someone missing.
"I'm kidding, mami. Where is poppa?"
"He's uh.. sick right now, so he stayed back home."
Nicki's face grew sad and her grandmother caught it right away. She placed a warm hand on Nicki's shoulder and flashed a bright smile.
"Don't you worry about him, my darling. He just needs to lay off of the cookies."
"That's not nice." Nicki held in I'm a chuckle. She always loved and adored her grandparents relationship. They'd been married for as long as she can remember— since she was born.
She wanted to have that same type of bond with someone, someday.
"Your luggage got to the house yesterday. I had Ryan put it up in your room so you don't have to stress about anything extra. You ready?"
Nicki smiled, "Yeah! I'll make sure to thank Ryan. I'd he back at home?"
Ryan was her cousin whom she grew up with under her grandparents roof. They were sister and brother in each other's eyes and Nicki was itching to see all of her family here.
Especially her best friend.
Both ladies were escorted safely out of the airport before a crowed gathered. You could say mami, as Nicki called her, was a veteran in the film industry. There wasn't a day where her nor poppa could be out without a entourage for protection and privacy.
They made it to a car Nicki remembered oh too well. It was her car and she'd choose to leave it where she knew it's be taken care of. Not that she wouldn't have taken care of her car down in Cali, she just knew it be safe home.
"Mami, you brought my precious!" Nicki squealed, hurrying inside to check how everything looked and if anything was still the same.
It definitely smelled the same. The mixture of the beach right outside her home and vanilla hit her nose, causing a smile to expand.
Not a single piece of decoration had been moved. Dusted, but not moved.
"That's what you call this thing?" Mami chuckled and helped herself I'm on the passenger's side.
Nicki remained still, taking in the familiar scent and scenery of the city she known like the back of her hand. "Hey, Mami. Watch it now. I don't get for you or ya spaceship."
Referring to her SUV.
"I love my spaceship thank you very much. We have a surprise waiting for you at home though, so let's get going, dear."
Nicki nodded, starting up the engine and whipping through the familiar roads till she came upon a highway.
"So how's school been?" Mami looked over her shoulder to her happy granddaughter. She couldn't help but smile herself.
She was even more proud seeing how well she was and how good she looked. Raising litlle Nicki wasn't easy, but her and her husband did a hell of a job, she thought.
"Great! I passed all of my final exams which were extremely mind blowing. Mami, they really was using things I've never even heard before, but I somehow excelled each and every one. I'm proud of myself!"
"I'm proud of you too. Wait "til your poppa hears. What else been going on? Aren't you in some sorority or something like that?"
"No." Nicki laughed, shaking her head. "I'm not into that, mami. Where'd you get that from?"
"Maybe I'm thinking about Tiffany."
Tiffany, Nicki's bestest friend.
"I miss my Tiff so much! I can't wait to see her."
"Well you know that girl is always ready to see you."
They both laughed at the thought of Tiffany saying those two words before doing something out the ordinary.
Nicki respected her grandparents more for accepting Tiffany when she was going through her downs. She knew they could have stopped her from being associated with Tiffany once they found out her living conditions, but instead they cared for her like she was thiers. The same way they cared for Nicki.
Nicki and Tiffany had been together since eight years of age.
"Any boy trouble?" Mami snuck that one in. Nicki scoffed a little and shook her head.
"No ma'am. Well at least not with me.. my friend, Lauren has got herself into some mess."
"Do I even wanna hear this nonsense?"
"Nope! I'ma tell you anyways though."
"Same old aggravating Nene."
Nicki pouted at the childhood nickname. Only her family addressed her by it, but going a year without hearing it from every which way was relieving. "Mami, ughh."
"What? Think you too good for that name now?"
Nicki shrugged, getting off an exit. She was giddy because she knew she was close to home where she could see her poppa.
"Well you're not. How's Karin and Wayne?"
"Their good..."
"Tell me later."
Nicki grinned, already knowing she was about to gossip all night long with her grandmother. "I got you."
___
"Nene's home!" Ryan yelled coming out of the kitchen. Nicki smiled and rolled her eyes before Ryan ran over to her to hug her.
"I missed youuuu!" She kissed his head over and over until he blocked her lips.
"Okay and I'm bigger than you now you." Ryan laugh. "I'm not a baby anymore."
Nicki frowned, "I know, I know! But can you just be one till I get tired if you."
"Which will be in about ten minutes!" Mami said.
She was probably right about that too.
"Is that my baby girl?"
"Poppa!" Nicki ran over to her grandfather's arms and flung onto him tightly.
"I missed you too, but you squeezing me tight as hell. I'm already not feeling too good."
"I told you to stop eating all those damn cookies!"
"Be quiet," He shushed her which caused Nicki to laugh.
"You two are crazy. I missed being homeeee!"
"And here she goes with the singing." Ryan sighed.
"Shut up, lil boy."
"It hasn't even been ten minutes."
___
Nicki went up to her room finding everything the way she left it. An old Lauryn Hill poster still plaster up on the pinkish gray painted walls. She went over to it and smiled before carefully removing her hair tomorrow it's tight ponytail.
It's been a long morning and it was much called for. After that, she took of her shoes and sat on the queen sized bed, laying back and enjoying the comfort.
She groaned, getting back up to fetch her purse and dug out her phone. Her annoyed frown faded as she seen who's texted her.
Her baby.
