Separate Ways...

Nicki stood at the stove pushing around the ground beef in the skillet. It had been a long day and she was physically drained. The kids had her running around all day to their different activities. When she went to the studio they decided that they weren't going to be the sweet angels they usually were for her and just sit there and read, color, or do homework. No they constantly bother the producer, argue with each other, run out of the studio playing tag. By the time she reached home all she wanted to do was hide in her room and pretend she had no kids or responsibilities. But she had a man that had been out all day working on new business deals and wanted a home cooked meal. Safaree had requested a five course meal but tonight he wold be getting sloppy Joes.

Nicki heard the garage door open and the sound of Safaree's motorcycle pulling in. She gave a sigh of relief. Nicki knew he was good at riding but she worried still that maybe he wouldn't make it home one day. The alarm system announced that the door to the garage had been opened and in walked Safaree. Six small feet swiftly moved across the floor to greet him with shouts and praises. Nicki rolled her eyes annoyed that she had gotten attitudes from them all day and he comes home to get so much love.

"Hey baby." Safaree wrapped his arms around her small frame and inhaled her scent.

"Hi." Nicki said dryly. She opened up the oven to check on the french fries that were baking.

"Sloppy Joes?" Safaree looked at the skillet with disgust until he looked over at Nicki's intense stare borrowing a hole in his head. "I mean a coon can't wait to tear this up. I'ma go take off my jacket and shoes." He kissed her on her cheek and walked out the kitchen. "I'm not going to deal with her attitude tonight." he said out loud only to himself.

During dinner the children acted so sweet for Safaree which sickened Nicki as she nibbled on her fries. Safaree noticed Nicki huffing and puffing all through dinner every time one of the kids would say something.

He caught that they were the core of her problem.

"Babe go on upstairs and take a bath. Me and the kids will clean up and I'll make sure they get bathed and in bed." Safaree smiled feeling like the best boyfriend in the world.

Nicki showed no appreciation just dropped the french fry on the plate and got up to leave. Once out of sight he turned his attention back to the kids.

"What did y'all do to mommy today?"

"Nothin." They all said together looking guilty.

"Mhmm. You know If I go ask her and she tells me otherwise it's not going to be good for any of you right?" Safaree was trying to give them another chance to save themselves.

"Ethan kicked mommy in her leg when she was trying to take away his train for arguing with Daria after she told them to be quiet." Zaria snitched and Ethans eyes got wide.

"Zaria called  mommy a poop head when mommy told her she couldn't get another one of those stupid dolls." Ethan yelled giving Zaria the evil eye.

"Daddy I told mommy I hated her but I didn't mean it. I think I made her sad." Daria confessed and began to cry.

"Aww Toot come here." Safaree scooped her up in his arms. "Why would you say that to her? Stop crying." he rubbed her back to sooth her.
"She-she--she yelled at-me for spilling her water all over her papers. I didn't mean to do it daddy, honest I didn't." Daria finally managed to get out the words then cried even harder.

"Tomorrow you all will apologize to her. You three know how to act. I better not ever hear about or see you acting like brats again or i'ma put something on your behinds, do you understand me?" Safaree gave a stern look to all of them. He meant business and they knew he did.

"Yes daddy." they said.

"Ethan come here." Safaree watched him slide off his chair and stand in front of him.

"If I ever hear about you putting your hands on another girl especially your mother, me, you, and my belt gone have a good time getting to know each other. Do you understand me?"

"Yes sir." Ethan didn't make eye contact.

"Now get upstairs and pick out your night clothes while I clean up down here and I bet not hear a peep outta you." Safaree put Daria down and wiped her face before she left out with her siblings.

Safaree hated leaving Nicki alone with them by herself. Not that she couldn't handle it but because he knew it was a lot to take on by ones self. Three five year olds is enough to drive anybody crazy. He knew he had to go get her out of her bad mood or she wouldn't be pleasant in the morning and tomorrow was their date day.

After finishing up the dishes, cleaning up the kids play room, and getting the kids to bed Safaree made his way to the master bed room. Walking in he seen Nicki sitting on the bed sowing Daria's dance costume.

"Baby I thought I told you to go bathe and relax?" Safaree sat next to her on the bed.

"Well Safaree I have shit that has to get done so I can't relax." she continued to thread the tutu onto the pink leotard.

Safaree got up and went to the bathroom to take his shower. He would handle her when he got out.
Hours later Safaree slid out of the bed leaving a satisfied Nicki to slip into a deep sleep. He looked down at her in her peaceful state. Safaree ran his hand over his neck and jerked it back when he felt a sting. He gently touched his neck again and figured out that Nicki had left scratch marks there. He shook his head and smirked.

"All you needed was some good dick to mellow yo ass out." he said feeling good about himself walking into the bathroom.

Safaree got a towel and ran warm water over it and added soap. Safaree cleaned himself up at the sink then went and cleaned up Nicki.

The next morning Safaree woke up excited about his day with Nicki. Nothing was planned more like a go with the flow type day. Both him and Nicki had been stressing for the last month over work and the kids so today was their day to just give each other their attention. Lauren and Rex were coming over to get the kids for the day. Lauren was taking the girls for Medi's and Pedi's, and also to get their hair done. Rex was taking Ethan go-Kart racing and to a BBQ in his old neighborhood.

Safaree left Nicki sleeping while he went to go get the kids up and ready for their day. He started with Zaria first because she was the hardest to wake up. She slept like the dead so he would begin with her then move on to Daria who woke up when asked, then go back to Zaria who would most likely be balled up under the covers and he would have to snatch them off her. Then go across the hall to tell Ethan it was okay to get out of the bed now, he was like his mother an early riser.

"Zaria get out the bed now. How many times do I have to repeat myself? Get up little girl." Safaree picked her up and stood her on her feet then moved on to a different task. Her eyes still closed she swayed then fell limp. "Oh shit." Safaree said hearing her body hit the floor with a thud. "Zaria you okay?" He picked her up in his arms trying not to laugh at the dazed look on her face.

"What happen daddy?" she rubbed her eyes.

"You umm- you fell out the bed crazy girl. You gotta be more careful." he rubbed her head. "Go brush your teeth." he watched his still half sleep daughter stumble into the bathroom.

Safaree proceeded to make the girls beds then went to go give Ethan his breathing treatment. The doctors were treating him for asthma but something was telling Safaree it was something much more than just that. He had been doing research but was coming to dead ends. He looked at his son with the mask around his face inhaling.

"You ready to apologize to your mother?"

Ethan shook his head yes.

The Girls

Lauren took the girls to Happy Nails Spa for a day of pampering. It was more like she added them to her day of pampering. Nicki called her after she made her appointment and she wasn't about to cancel it. So she just added her nieces to the equation.

Zaria sat in the nail chair getting her manicure. She was getting pink nails except for her index finger she was getting yellow with glitter, her mothers child. Daria only wanted clear polish but her sister and Lauren convinced her to get green nails since it was her favorite color.

"Auntie Lauren do we get to go home after this?" Daria asked.

"No baby doll. We are going to go get food and go meet up with uncle Rex."

"Oh." Daria bit the corner of her lip.

"Is that okay?"

"Yes auntie." She gave a dimple smile.

Lauren sat back and let a lady begin on her avocado and honey facial.

"Auntie can we get a um..um..a faceticle too?" Zaria asked straining her neck to see the lady put it on Lauren's face.

"Do y'all want one?"

She received mixed answers.

"Sissy do it wif me." Zaria pouted.

"It looks nasty Z." Daria turned up her nose at the green mixture.

"But it will make your skin pretty."

"I'll look like you?" Daria said. Lauren sighed. Nicki told her that Daria thinks her sister is much prettier than her. She didn't want her niece having body image issues this young. She was gorgeous.

"Sissy you already look like me."

"Okay. But you have to do basketball camp with me."

"Deal." Zaria had no intentions on going but it got Daria to do it so she agreed.

At the House
Safaree lay with his head towards the foot of the bed icing Nicki's bruised leg. He was happy to have her all to himself for the day. Safaree just wanted to love on her and act like they did before they had kids. He loved his children to death but he wouldn't have minded if they came a little later in life.

They had the windows open and the wind was blowing their curtains. Nicki stared out at the neighborhood enjoying the comfortable silence between her and Safaree. She felt the palm of Safaree's rough hands slide up her leg. She turned her head to look at him causing her hair to fall around her face. Making eye contact they smiled at one another.

"I'm enjoying this." Nicki motioned for him to take the ice off her leg.

"What's that?"

"The quiet. No one screaming my name every two minutes."

"I mean I could do that if you wanted me too?" Safaree smirked at Nicki.

"Down boy." Nicki lay her head on a pillow still able to stare at Safaree. "Oooo you know what I want?"

"No tell me." Safaree was kissing on her leg trying to get something started.

"A strawberry and cream pie from McDonald's." She licked her lips.

"Well come on and lets go get one."

"Safaree you know I'm on a diet." Nicki pouted.

"Since the fuck when Nicki?" He made them both burst with laughter. "You and this nonexistent diet. You look just fine Nicki. I kinda want you to gain a lil weight. Get thick in the thighs again." he gazed over her body like she was a five course meal and he hadn't eaten in days.

"I'm getting older baby. I can't just gain weight and drop it like I used too."

"Well let's go get me a pie from McDonald's."

"K." Nicki hopped up and put on her sneakers.

Safaree shook his head knowing she was going to get at least two pies for herself.

Sitting in the parking lot of McDonald's Safaree watched Nicki put away her two pies and half of his second one. They sat talking about business and where each of them were going in there careers at this point. Safaree didn't want to discuss that, they always talking about business.

"Let's go to the movies." Safaree suggested.

"Do you remember the chaos that went down the last time we tried to go by ourselves? You will not have me running through the parking lot again. And on top of that we in this pink ass car."

"Baby please. I really want to go see that new action movie." Safaree leaned on the arm rest and gave Nicki his best sad face.

"That's what you really want to do?" she rubbed her hand across his head feeling his waves.

"Yeah."

"Okay. We'll go. You buying the popcorn." She started up the car.

"But I bought the pie's."

"You'll buy them tickets as well." Nicki whipped the car in to traffic and headed to the theater.

The Theater

"Ewl Safaree." Nicki hid her face in his chest.

Mark Wahlberg and just blow off his brothers head for betraying him. And the director had left it as graphic as possible. Nicki felt tricked. Safaree said it was a action movie but to her it was more of a horror movie. She wasn't feeling the movie at all. She'd rather be in the new Julia Roberts movie playing in the next theater.

Needless to say the movie had lost her interest. Nicki and Safaree were at the top of the theater sitting off to the side against the wall.. Nicki had raised the arm rest between them to be closer to Safaree. Nicki adjusted in the chair and kissed Safaree on his jaw line as he looked at the screen watching the story unfold. She kissed him on his neck.

"Come on Nicki watch the movie." Safaree whispered. He wasn't lying when he said he really wanted to see this movie.

"It's boring." Nicki kissed the corner of his mouth. Safaree tried his best to ignore her as she tugged on his earlobe with her teeth.

"Nic why won't you let me enjoy my movie? We could have did this at home." he tilted his hat up and leaned back in the seat.

Nicki swung her leg over his lap and kissed his lips. She didn't know what came over, not one for public affection, but she just wanted to be touched by him. Safaree placed his hand on the back off her head gripping her hair and kissed and sucked on the side of her neck.

"Take me home." she kissed his lips again. "Take me home and make love to me." She looked him in his eyes. That's all Safaree needed to hear. They were back to their car within minutes.

Rex and Ethan

Rex strapped Ethan into the kart behind him before going to strap himself in. They had met up at Grand Prix center with his friend Lamar and his two boys Darnell and Frankie. The boys were a year older than Ethan.

Ethan had been having a great day so far. Rex took him to IHOP earlier for breakfast and he got his banana pancakes and sausage. Then they stopped and got Ethan the new train that his mother told him he couldn't have, this was unknown to Rex. Now they were about to race.

"You ready to beat them?" Rex asked making sure Ethan was strapped in tight. He new Nicki would make sure he was 6ft under if anything happened to Ethan while in his care.

"Yeah." Ethan yelled. He loved spending time with his uncle.

Ethan had fun whipping around the corners and driving the kart. They went four rounds with Lamar and his boys before calling it quits. Rex and Ethan had beat them three rounds out of four. They headed over to the cook out at Rex aunts house. Rex and Lamar left the boys at the table while they went to get them food.

"That was fun. Me and my uncle whooped you guys." Ethan said making conversation. "Why'd you keep bumping my kart tho Frankie?"

"I didn't bump you." Frankie said.

"Yes you did. Four times, it hurt my neck." Ethan said in a small voice.

"Shut up you big baby." Darnell pushed Ethan's shoulder.

"Don't be mean to me." Ethan shouted.

Before he knew it Darnell had pushed him off the bench and onto the grass. Ethan looked up at them laughing at him. Ethan got up and walked over to Rex at the food table.

"Hey big E. What's wrong?" he asked looking down at him. Ethan looked back at the boys.

"Nothing. Can you put pickles on my burger uncle Rex?"

"You got it my man."

Later that afternoon all the boys were in the backyard playing football. Ethan sat in the grass enjoying all the smack talking. He wasn't used to all the cussing and rough housing but he liked it. He had made sure to stay clear of Frankie and his brother. That's until Rex told him to get in the game and play. He had only played flag football, never tackle.

"I don't want to uncle Rex."

"You'll be fine. Come on you're supposed to be my right hand man. You can't leave me hanging." Rex held his hand out and helped Ethan up. "Alright now I'm going to yell hike and then Camden is going to hand me the ball. Then I'm going to hand the ball off to you and you are going to run as fast as you can between Lamar and Frankie and make it to the fence. Okay?"

"Yeah."

Rex put Ethan where he needed to be and put the play into motion. Ethan got the ball and tried to run between Lamar and Frankie but they had blocked it off. Ethan ran under Lamar's legs and made his way all the way to the fence.

"I see you Big E." Rex said jumping up and down at Ethan's touchdown. "Slam the ball down." Rex yelled and Ethan spiked the ball and jumped up and down like he saw Rex do.

Out of no where Frankie came and pushed Ethan face first into the wire fence. Ethan felt a sharp pain go across his face. When he felt it he saw blood on his small hand. Ethan turned his head and looked at Frankie. Without warning Ethan stood up and tackled Frankie to the ground. Ethan proceeded to punch Frankie in his face.

"Fight." one of the kids yelled out.

Rex turned around to see who the knuckle heads were.

"Damn." Rex raced over to break up the fight. "Alright Ethan let him go." He pulled Ethan's small body off of the boy. Ethan's breathing became irregular. Rex sat him on the picnic table while everyone watched him pull Ethan's breathing machine out of a small black bag. He put Ethan's breathing mask on. "Come on buddy slow your breathing. Deep breaths." Ethan did as he was told. "There you go Big E. Just like that."

While he finished his treatment Rex took a napkin and wiped the blood from the scratch off his face. Rex's aunt came over pushing everyone away.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. But I think I'm going to take the little guy home. He's had enough excitement for one day."

"I hate that this happen. I have the plates you asked for in the kitchen. I'll go get them for you."

"Thank you aunt Bernie." Rex was trying to figure out how to explain this to Nicki when Lamar came over with Frankie.

"Hey man I'm sorry about all this." Lamar said shaking his head.

"They kids man, they gone have scuffles." Rex picked up Ethan.

"Yeah but that don't make it right. Frankie don't you have something to say?" Lamar pulled him forward by his shirt.

"I'm sorry for pushing you Ethan." he said. Ethan just turned his head away laying it on Rex shoulder.

"We gone head and get out of here. I'll hit you later this week." Rex dapped up Lamar and took the plates from his aunt and headed back to Safaree's house. He texted Safaree when he got in the car.

Rex
I'm bringing Ethan back home. I'll explain when I get there.
Rex
Make sure you come out and get him okay. Not Nicki.

Back @ the House

Nicki and Safaree were in the bed wrapped in the sheets after an afternoon of love making. Safaree was kissing a half sleep Nicki's fingers as she laid against his chest. Both sweaty and in need of a shower. Safaree was convinced this was better than anything the movie was about.

"Hey sleepy head."

"Hm." Nicki wasn't able to give a full response.

"Wake up. You can't sleep on our date day." Safaree slipped her finger in his mouth and pulled it out slowly.

"I'm sleepy. Let's just sleep together." she pulled the cover over her shoulders.

"We just slept together though. You want to go another round?" he asked. Nicki gave a lazy smile.

"Nooo nasty. I mean actually sleep, cuddle with me." she pulled his arm over her.

"No lazy. I don't want to sleep I want to go do something since I didn't get to see my movie." he still wanted to see the movie. "Aye." He nudged her.

"What boy?"

"That thing you did in the car on the way here, you should do that more often." he smiled big.

"Oh you liked that huh?"

"Hell yeah." Safaree reached over to his vibrating phone. He read the text from Rex. "Rex said he's bringing Ethan home early."

"Nooo. It's not even six yet." Nicki buried her head under a pillow. "I just want to sleep." Safaree strained to make out what she said. "He's your child for the next two hours."

"Don't worry, I'll keep him out of your hair."

"Good." she wrapped herself up even more in her cover leaving Safaree ass naked and cold.

"Guess I'll go take a shower then. Get in with me?" he looked to see if she would move. He got nothing.

Hours later Safaree heard movement upstairs then looked over at Ethan's face. He knew Nicki was gone flip when she saw it. Safaree on the other hand was proud of his son. He knows Ethan is a very quiet and loving kid so he was always afraid he would get picked on. After what Rex told him went down he knew he need not worry. Getting Nicki to see his way was going to be the hard part.

"Ethan how does your face feel?"

"It felt better before you put the sting stuff on it." Ethan cut his eyes at Safaree.

"Well it was that or let it get infected then you look like ugly and we have to send you away." Safaree said looking over his face. "You'll be alright. When your mom comes down here tell her it doesn't hurt."

"But it does."

"Man tell her it doesn't and I'll tell her I bought you the train she told you you couldn't have. Instead of telling her the truth about you suckering your uncle into buying." Safaree held his hand out.

"Deal." Ethan slapped him five.

Upstairs Nicki sat admiring her engagement ring when her phone began to ring. She looked at the screen it was Lauren.

"Hello?" she greeted.

"What you doin hoe?" Candi's voice boomed through the phone.

"Lauren why you call with her on the phone. I thought I was going to have civilized conversation." Nicki teased.

"Did ju eba really lub me Steebie?" Nicki cackled at Candi's response.

"What do y'all want?"

"I called to tell you how that Zaria child is the devil's spawn." Lauren said with attitude.

"What did my Angel do?" Nicki snickered.

"Everything was going fine until we went to go eat. I didn't go to the right restaurant I guess and that little heffa threw the mother of all fits. I will never take her anywhere by myself ever again. Daria is my road dog. She was cool through the whole thing. I thought she was gone whoop Z ass when she went to help calm her down and Zaria kicked her in the stomach." Lauren explained the car ride home. Nicki sat cracking up.

Nicki had told Lauren that they were a hand full when she found out she was taking them for the day. Zaria was particular about where she ate, she didn't get this from her parents.

"I'll make her apologize to you tomorrow. Sorry Lauren. Well I've been sleep for awhile let me go help my baby with the terror triplet's. Talk to y'all later." Nicki hung up and put her phone back onto the charger and mad her way downstairs.

Nicki entered the living room and the girls ran to her giving her a hug. Nicki noticed how tall they were getting. They arms looped around her waist. But she was small herself. She looked around to see where Ethan was. She spotted him on Safaree's lap. Nicki put her hands on her hips.

"So my baby boy don't love his mommy no more? Da kid can't get no hug.?" she put on her ratchet voice.

"I'm playing with Fat Daddy mommy." Ethan tried his best not to turn his face towards her like father told him too.

"So that dog is more important than me?" Nicki plopped down on the couch right next to them. "Give me a kiss." Nicki placed her hands on both sides of his cheek causing Ethan to scream out.

"No Nicki." Safaree said moving her right hand from his left cheek.

Nicki looked confused. "What's wrong with him?" she looked from one to the other as they looked at each other. "One of you better get to talking. Ethan Lloyd what's wrong?" She watched him fumble with his hands.

"I uh...mommy I got into a fight." Ethan admitted. "Sorry daddy."

"You got into what? With who?" She turned his head and saw the scratch the started from his ear and stopped in the middle of his cheek. "My babies face." Nicki pulled Ethan into her lap. "Safaree who was he fighting?"

"Man some kids at a Barbecue in Brooklyn Rex took him too." Safaree shook his head at her dramatics.

"BROOKLYN? Why was my baby in Brooklyn?" Nicki kissed the side of Ethan's face.

"Man Rex was at his aunts. Ethan was playing with the boys and they had a small scuffle. Nothing to worry about Nicki. The scratch will go away." Safaree was not trying to hear or see her baby Ethan all night. "He is fine Nicki. Do not sit here and baby him. He hasn't cried about it once since being here. Matter of fact Ethan go ahead and get to the corner and stand on one foot. I haven't forgot about you kicking your mother. Learn to keep your feet on the ground. I'll tell you when you can switch legs."

Ethan slid of his mothers lap and went to finish his punishment. He stood for an hour when he first got home. Zaria also got her punishment for cutting up with Lauren, she had to clean up the whole play room by herself and sit for an hour at her desk quietly.

Nicki sat looking like a sad puppy at Ethan's face. She never wanted to see her babies hurting. She looked over at Safaree and gave him a evil look. She knew he was just being a parent but she didn't want Ethan being punished right then and there, especially after begin in a fight. Nicki sighed and moved over to Safaree.

"He's staying there Nicki so don't even try and plead his case." Safaree clocked her before she opened her mouth.

"See I wasn't even going to say nothing about him." She wrapped her arms around Safaree.

"Then what? You gone blame me for his face?"

"Noooo. I was going to say you're the cutest almost husband ever and that I love you." she puckered her lips.

"Oh. Thanks." He leaned down and kissed her lips. "Let's have a game night with the kids."

"Can we play Candyland?" Daria chimed in.

"How she hear me from all the way over there?" Safaree asked. "Yes we can play toot. Speaking of playing. Is Michelle still going to be able to watch the kids next weekend while we go out to L.A.?"

"I believe so but I will text her tonight to make sure it's still a go. Baby do you ever get a weird vibe from her?" Nicki asked.

"No. What you mean?"

"Like I feel like I know her from somewhere but I can't pinpoint it. She's nice though so it has to be a happy place I know her from." Nicki shrugged it off. "After Ethan's hour is up then we'll play. Tonight I'm not going to make anything special for dinner but tomorrow I'll make your favorite. I've been slacking on my culinary skills."

"It's whatever you want to do. I see you rocking your ring." Safaree tapped the ring. Nicki blushed.

"Yeah. I love it. My favorite piece of jewelry."

"You better tell TM before they find out from somewhere else. They will eat you alive if they find out with everyone else."

"Let's do it now."

"You sure?" he said handing over his phone.

"Yes or I'll forget.." Nicki logged into her account from his phone

@NICKIMINAJ
Oh Verd? Now.

Nicki watched her TL break out in spazzing. She logged into her Oh Verd? page and watched that TL speculate about what she had to tell them.

IBodyyBitches: What if they tell us they getting married? 

Nicki went and fav'd her Status. Her whole TL spazzed out.

IBodyyBitches: Naw she got us last time with that Drake shit. Put a pic up so we know it's real.

Onika T. Maraj: Oh Verd Eb?

Onika T. Maraj: pic.OhVerd.wall.fm/0RuQ3k4Wpl

Nicki put a picture of her left hand holding Safaree's up on her status.

Onika T. Maraj: Love you Barbz. Signing out.  XOXO

"Okay well let me go start dinner." Nicki got up and pulled her underwear out her butt.

"Ya booty just be eating ya panties."

"Shut up Safaree." She yelled walking away.

The kids and Safaree laughed hard at Nicki's expense.

*I didn't know how to end this chapter. I'm trying to get to the meat and potatoes of this story but it takes time to reveal the big moment. Sorry if you wanted more of the kids scene but it's hard trying to think from a 5yr old perspective. lol I hope it was log enough. Um Leave a comment please. Tell me what you're thinking. Until Next time.*