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"I'm sorry we can't go anywhere fancy for your birthday, babe," Nai pouted. Today was Armani's 25th birthday, and they were seated at a restaurant that he'd been wanting to try for a while. They couldn't travel like they usually did on birthdays, since Nai couldn't fly, nor could they go on a little road trip since she was already overdue.

"Baby, don't apologize," Armani responded. "I'm not disappointed, I get to spend the day with my baby and my babygirl, I'm good," he assured her.

"I wanted it to be extra special this year though, it's your 25th!" she said.

"This is special. Every birthday I get to spend with you is special, mamas," he winked, making her blush.

"You're such a flirt, babe," she giggled. Ever since they first met, he never stopped flirting with her, it was just something he did. He enjoyed making her blush and giving her butterflies in her stomach, just to see the look on her face when he said something slick.

"When you got a wife that's pretty like mine, you can't help yourself," he shrugged, and she just continued blushing.

They continued at dinner, laughing and joking around until it was time to give Armani his present. At first she couldn't think of what to give him that she hadn't already given him for a previous anniversary or birthday, or Christmas. But after some thinking and planning she found one a few days ago that he'd love.

"Okay! So I know you never got to see the Lakers before," she prefaced while he opened the envelope. "So, I got you tickets to see them when they play the Hawks, this Friday," she smiled when his jaw dropped. "And I got you something to wear to the game, of course,"

His eyes went wide and he dug through the bag quickly. He already had a Lakers jersey but he had wanted another one for some time now. So when he pulled out the white and gold 24 jersey, he nearly passed out. Everyone knew Armani loved Kobe, everybody loved Kobe, but especially Mani. His jersey was an old 32 that he got from his dad when he was 15.

"You're lying. This mine for real?" he looked at her and back at the jersey. She nodded with a smile and a huge grin broke out on his face. "Are you serious, baby?! Thank you, man, I love it," he said excitedly.

"I'm glad, you deserve it. You've been the best friend, boyfriend, fiancé, husband, baby daddy I could have ever asked for," she said, making him laugh. "I just wanted to show you I appreciate you," she smiled softly, hands resting on her stomach.

"Thank you, mamas. I love you, you're the greatest, you know that? If you wasn't already pregnant you would be after this," he said bluntly, causing her to die laughing. "So if I'm wearing this, what are you wearing? Friday is in three days,"

"Oh, I'm not going," she chuckled. "I want you to have fun with your friends, babe. Plus, I don't really wanna be in a big crowd of people right now," she spoke, kind of embarrassed that her anxiety had her paranoid. "Sorry, babe,"

"No, no sorries. I understand baby, I'll take Duck," he responded. She was slightly afraid he was disappointed, but she didn't wanna ruin the mood so she tried to lighten it.

"Plus, my mama already had her water break in State Farm arena, I don't think that's a tradition I should keep up," she chuckled and he laughed, remembering when Nadira told him that story a few years ago. "Make sure to take lots of pictures for me okay? I need memories for the family wall," she reminded him.

Nai had dedicated the wall in their living room to important pictures of their family and friends now. She moved the pictures of then two of them to their bedroom above their bed. She had up pictures of her family, his family, pictures of their friends in LA, Mani's graduation from college and hers.

"Yes ma'am," he chuckled. "Your dad brought Noey's bracelet over this morning? I thought I saw his car when I left," he asked.

Noey was Noémie's latest nickname. His sisters had been calling her Noey, and it just started to stick with him.

"Yessir, it's so pretty. He couldn't wait to get the sapphire in it, so he says he's just buying her a sapphire necklace," she shook her head.

"She's spoiled already. You know my mama done got her everything she seen in the store the other day? I went to take her to lunch, she pull up with ten bags. I'm like ma...I think she has enough to last her till she's two at this point," he chuckled.

"You can't even be mad, papa," she laughed. "You come home with shoes and bows every day,"

"Okay, but this is not about me," he chuckled.

Two days later, Nai woke up late in the day. Late for her, at least. She was officially on maternity leave, since she was overdue. Her due date moved up from September to late August, the 25th, but that clearly was not the case, since it was now September 1st.

She was extremely pregnant and excited to meet her baby, but her baby seemed to be very comfortable where she was.

After getting out of bed and stretching, she made her way into the shower to begin her day. She knew she wouldn't be productive if she just sat in bed all day, and she was a firm believer in there always being something to do at home. At the rate her family was going, she'd have baby laundry to do every day until she had Nomi.

"You got mommy tired baby," Nai huffed after getting in a sports bra. She literally only wore sports bras and shorts around the house unless somebody came over. Even then she'd stay in her room if she couldn't be bothered with clothes.

She ventured downstairs, waddling into the kitchen to get some breakfast, and her jaw dropped when she finally got there.

There was a box of roses on the kitchen counter, along with some snacks that she was particularly enjoying right now, and an envelope. She pouted and walked over to it, picking up the envelope, address to 'My angel of a wife'

Once she opened it, she was shocked at how much he actually wrote. She popped open her bag of gummy worms and got comfortable on the island to read what he wrote her.

Dear Nayeli DIXON,

I love calling you that lol.

I just wanted to do something nice for you baby. You doing me the greatest honor by carrying my child, my baby girl, my Noey. You're blessing me in every way mamas and I love you so much. I wanted to talk to you about you for a second, but I know you hate talking about it so I wrote you this instead to tell you how I feel.

I am in love with you. So much so that the thought of being without you pains me. I can't live without you, Nai. So when you talk about yourself like you're a burden to me, or like you're just my obligation it really hurts me. Lemme tell you why, before you start feeling bad bc I know you will.

When I married you, I vowed to you to take care of you, just like you vowed to take care of me. I promised you I was gonna make sure you were never alone and that you always had somebody, and that somebody is me. You and Noémie are my main priority in life. Yeah, I may do the absolute most and need a break sometimes, but I never need a break from you baby. I may need to take some time to myself and chill with the boys on a weekend, but im still gonna come home to you and take care of my girl. You're my wife, I got you forever.

Lastly, your anxiety is not a problem. Yes, it's a mental illness. Yes I'm aware you have days where you suffer with your anxiety worse than other days, some days where you can't even leave home, I know. But none of that is a burden to me, you are not a burden to me. Read that again for me mamas. I want you to stop looking at yourself that way, stop feeling like I'm sick of taking care of you, tired of helping you out, annoyed with something you can't control. I'm not. I'm your husband and I'm here to do all those things for you, just like you'd do for me if I was in that situation. Our marriage is not an obligation. You are not an obligation.

I love you, mi amor. Mi corazón, mi vida, mi reina. You're my everything. You are everything. And you're worth more than anything I could ever have. You're my reason. Thank you for being you.

Sincerely,
Your baby father <3

By the time Nai was done with his letter, she was crying, still eating her gummy worms. She'd been struggling with for a while. She noticed Armani was stressed, and she was thoroughly convinced she was the reason why.

Ever since she was a child she felt like she was the reason people were upset or angry. Her mother taking every frustration out on her really conditioned her brain to make her think she was some type or affliction on people, and for Armani to take the time to reassure her that she wasn't really made her heart warm. And, even more than that, he knew she'd be uncomfortable talking about it in person so he wrote her a letter.

"Armani," she whined, immediately calling him, holding her box of flowers.

"Wassup baby? You okay?" he asked. She knew it wasn't busy at the restaurant around this time.

"I love you so much, you're so sweet and-and considerate and I love you," she sniffed. Armani chuckled on the other end, knowing she got his little surprise.

"I love you too, baby. I'm glad you like it,"

"I love it," she smiled, wiping her face. "You made me cry,"

"Aw, my lil crybaby," he laughed. "You have a good day okay? I'll see you tonight, mamas. Tell Noey I love her, and I love you too,"

"We love you," she replied and they ended the call.

"Wow. I'm horny now, I hate this," she grumbled, opening her raspberry lemonade and trudging to the nursery to nest some more.

"Have fun baby! Have fun Ducky," Nai cheesed, watching them leave in their little matching jerseys. They were both die hard lakers fans, so they couldn't be happier about tonight.

"Thanks sis! See you later," he waved.

"Bye mamí, be good," Mani winked at Nai and she blushed, waving at him again. He really turned her into a mess with the simplest of gestures. After the drove off, Nai went to check on her brownies. She planned to spend the night alone for once.

She constantly had people over when Mani would go out, but tonight she wanted her own company. She'd just watch the game on the couch, and try to see if she could spot them. She was still a basketball girl, and definitely watched games with Armani all the time, this was no different.

As the night went on, she spotted Mani and Duck acting a fool and dancing in the fourth quarter, five minutes in. She recorded them, dying laughing on the couch. By the time there was only a few minutes left in the game, she'd gotten sleepy.

She figured she'd just nap until Mani came home from eating with Duck, and as soon as she closed her eyes, it happened. It finally happened.

Her water broke.

OOP

lol hey guys!

the time has finally arrivedddddd!

but first!

how did we feel about armani's gesture?

y'all liked nai's birthday present 🥺? i miss bean 😔

lol leave me some thoughts!

till next time 🥰

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