"A little to the left, over, over, a little more, no back over to the right."

 

Justin sighed heavily throwing a look towards me," Nikki, come on this shit is heavy."

 

I stifle a laugh and continued to direct him to move the large picture along the vacant wall," Just an inch more."

 

He complied and I threw my hands up," Perfect!"

 

He sighed placing the picture frame carefully onto the nail before stepping down off the small step latter and walking over behind me to get a look at the placement," Yeah that looks good babe."

 

I smile cheekily at myself crossing my arms across my chest," Told you."

 

Justin smiled looking down at me wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his hands on my protruding belly, placing a gentle kiss on my cheek," That you did Mama."

 

I stared at the picture looking over its feature, the contrasts in color. It was one of my pregnancy picture. It was in black and white of Justin and I walking the beach hand in hand with jeans rolled up around our ankles with me pair a white button down with a few buttoned at the top and the rest open exposing my belly. I loved it, it was so beautiful and perfect.

 

Justin rubbed my stomach before pulling back, looking at the clock on the wall," I got to get going babe before I'm late for this meeting."

 

I nodded turning my attention to him as he gathered his tools and placed them back in his small compact tool boxes," What time you going to lunch with my Mom?"

 

It was my turn to glance at the clock as it was almost two o'clock," I should be getting ready myself."

 

"Alright, let me go hop in the shower before you do because you like to take forever."

 

I rolled my eyes and motioned towards my stomach," At least I have an excuse."

 

Justin chuckled leaning down stealing a kiss from lips and then placed one on my stomach," True."

 

"You go shower, I'll be right behind ya."

 

Justin nodded with toolbox in hand and headed out the room to our bedroom to get ready for his business meeting. I stood in the middle of the unfolding nursery subconsciously rubbing my belly. The different hues of blues that covered the walls with the trim of white, the room was coming together nicely. Large letters spelling "MEMPHIS" hung over the unmade crib. We were having a boy and we decided on the name Memphis Miguel Timberlake.

 

We just loved the ring of Memphis and it being where Justin was from was an added bonus and Miguel was my grandfather's name. He was a big staple in my life growing up and I wanted to honor him.

 

I wanted so badly to finish the room, but we had two months to go and frankly I was exhausted from the little amount we did do. I was having what they called nesting. The excessive need to clean, clean, clean.

 

I truly was, the past two weeks I would find myself waking up at 3am cleaning various rooms in the house. Just the other night, Justin found me head first in the oven with yellow gloves scrubbing it from top to bottom. He fussed at me for an hour, but not before snapping a few pictures. It was a fun and games until I started cramping, sending Justin in a panic and the DR. ordering me on bed rest for a few days.

 

I earned a stern talking to from him and both of our parents. Yeah, he snitched.

 

I promised them all I would take it easy and not to take on so much. Hence, Justin helping me hang pictures in the baby's room.

 

He had been such a great help even with him touring, which he was currently wrapping up the end of the second leg of his worldwide tour. He was there for every doctor’s appointment, every Lamaze class, lactation appointments. Whatever appointment I had, he made it. It didn't matter if he had to fly in right after a show, or early morning before  a show. He made it happen. I of course tried my best to make it easy for him.

 

In the meantime, when he was traveling his Mom visited often and his cousin Rachel made sure to stop by whenever she wasn't busy. My mom as well and she was planning to stay for two weeks after the baby was born, to help us settle in. Then Lynn would come right after for two weeks as well. I was grateful for the help with Justin and I being new parents, we could use the guidance.

 

I smiled to myself and made my way out of the bedroom closing the door behind me and walked the few steps into our bedroom. The shower was running letting me know Justin was already occupying the bathroom.  I walked into our walk-in closet and fingered through the hangers on my side for something to wear.

 

I decided on an emerald green maxi dress and an opted out of wearing wedge sandals, settling with a gold sandal. My feet had begun to swell a bit, and my equilibrium was starting to be effected, so a heel was probably a bad idea.

 

As I emerged from the closet, Justin was coming out of the steamy shower with a towel wrapped another his lower half with a toothbrush dangling between his lips. I did a once over his dripping sculpted wet body and couldn't help, but lick my lips which earned me a quick tap on the butt as he moved passed me into the closet himself.

 

"Stop it woman." He muttered with a mouthful of toothpaste foam.

 

"No you stop it." I whispered to myself. My hormones were also out of wacky, which was much to Justin's liking.

 

And mines.

 

I laid my dress across the bed and began to peel out of my tank top and shorts, only having to sit down to put my pants off to catch my breath. The more I grew the harder it was to breath, even taking off my clothes had me out of breath sometimes.

 

I watched as Justin emerged from the closet with a pair of fitted jeans sitting slightly below the waistband of his boxers and a new clean white V-neck t-shirt tossed across his shoulder. He moved about humming to himself as he fished for his socks out of the dresser draw and hopped towards the bathroom as he slipped them on one by one.

 

"Hey Nik!" He called out to me.

 

"Hey Justin." I replied back with a smile still sitting in my bra and panties. I listened

 

"You know I was thinking our due date is the week after Lance's wedding, you think you going to be up for that. We suppose to RSVP by this weekend."

 

I grinned from ear to ear every time I hear Lance was getting married. He was my Lancey Boo and we had grown quite close over the years, but even closer over the last few months with the biggest moments in our lives being within a week of each other. I helped him make wedding arrangements and he helped with decorating ideas for the nursery him and Michael.

 

We had been spotted and photograph so many times shopping arm in arm, lunch, dinner and partying with each other. We were enjoying this special moments in our life.

 

 

"Yeah I know, I still RSVP'd with him yesterday and he made arrangements, if I went into labor during the wedding we would have a quick exit plan and if we don't make to it. He understands."

 

Justin came out of the bathroom fully clothed with his hair slicked back and smelling clean and crisp. Even the simplest outfit made him look so delicious.

 

He walked over to the dresser, grabbing his wallet, phone and keys," Well alright babe, I will see you later tonight."

 

I nodded standing up and slightly waddling over to him," Okay call me when you are done. I may still be out with your Mom."

 

He nodded wrapping his arm around me resting his hand on the small of my back," Love you. Mama Bear"

 

I tilt my head up kissing chin softly," You more poppa bear."

 

He grinned kissing my lips and rubbing my belly," Feed him well that's a basketball star in there."

 

I chuckled patting his chest lovingly" Always."

 

He winked tapping my butt before letting me go and heading out the room with one last wink before closing the door behind him.

 

I smiled at the closed the door.

 

God, I love that man.

It didn't take me long to get ready, I did a quick wash up before getting ready and headed down stairs just as the door bell rung.  I stopped in the foyer looking in the mirror smoothing my hand over my hair that was pulled up into a neat high bun before opening the door.

 

Lynn stood with her keys dangling in her hand with her sunglasses perched on the edge of her nose," Well don't you look like a ray of sunshine darling."

 

Her sweet southern drawl always made me smile," Hey mama."

 

"Hey my babies."

 

She reached out and pulled me into a tight hug and letting me loose not before bending over to pet kisses on my stomach," Hey nana's little heartbeat. You ready to eat, oh yes I know you are Nana's going to feed you something good."

 

I laughed with a roll of my eyes," Oh God, you sound like Jay."

 

Lynn stood up with a chuckle," That's a basketball player honey you better know it."

 

I smacked my lips with a grin as I set the security alarm and closed the door quickly behind me as it counted down and locking it," Whatever you guys say."

 

The weather was warm and pleasant, I was glad I decided on a dress. I sat in the passenger seat of Mama Lynn's white  Mercedes convertible with the top down and the wind in our hair, driving down Wilshire," What did you have a taste for?"

 

 

"I could eat anything, but a steak sounds good." I looked over at her through my gold framed aviators.

 

"Okay well Ivy's is just a couple of blocks down, they have a really good New York strip."

 

"Sounds good to me."

 

We coasted through traffic and were quickly pulling up to valet parking in front of The Ivy restaurant. It was homey type restaurant mocking an old cottage home with tacky old women table clothes and large patio type furniture.

 

It was one of the celebrity hot spots, but wasn't that much on the radar as some other restaurants we could have went too. My door was quickly opened by valet as young man held out his hand for me," Thank you."

 

I slipped out of the car and was escorted to the sidewalk while Lynn was handing her keys to the other valet man. We linked arms as we made our way towards the arch way of the restaurant. Not to my surprise, I heard a few camera shutters go off a few feet from me. The paparazzi were everywhere all the time it seemed.

 

They called out my name and I just gave a simple wave and a smile dutifully before disappearing inside with Lynn. We were ushered to the backside patio area stuck away in a corner out of sight of the paparazzi, but not isolated.

 

We settled in our seats on a long cushioned booth filled with soft pillows. We ordered our drinks and settled back chatting like old friends.

 

"So, how you feeling? Getting anxious yet?" Lynn smiled squeezing her lemon into her water.

 

I nodded rubbing my belly as I talked," Yeah, we both are. Whenever I get up Justin's up. He is never too far from me when we are at home. I think he is afraid he will miss something. It's really cute. I think I'm in prep mode. I can't stop cleaning."

 

She smiled," Ah yes getting the nest ready for the little one."

 

I nodded with a grin turning my head and watching as the waiter came back sitting down a plate of crab cakes as an appetizer. Lynn and I looked at each other because we didn’t remember ordering yet.

 

The waiter gave us a soft smile,” Compliments of the chef. He saw you ladies walk in.”

 

“Aw.” We both gushed and giggled at each other for our unison.

 

“Well tell him or her thank you so much.”

 

The waiter nodded and pulled out their notepad to take our order. We both ordered and dug into the crab cakes, which were absolutely delicious and fresh. My taste buds and I were dancing in our seats with each bite drawing laughs from Lynn.

 

I loved food more and more each day with this pregnancy. I always loved food, but it almost became an addiction sometimes. All I did was eat and eat. 

 

“I’ve never seen anyone pack away food while their pregnant, but you. Especially the closer and closer you get to your due date.” Lynn noted as she dapped the corners of her mouth with her cloth napkin.

 

I shrug chewing and swallowing before replying,” I know. Justin called in Chef tony to make me little premade stuff because he was tired of me eating junk. He has really been hands on with everything. I mean I knew he would, but he has really been trying to make sure I have everything. Almost borderline paranoid.”

 

Lynn laughed,” He means well. This is something he wanted for a long time. A son or daughter to call his own. You know ever since Trace daughter was born it really just made him want it even more.”

 

“Yeah reading the horror stories and watching too many baby stories on TV. It has him freak out sometimes. I’m just enjoying it. I am just so blessed to have him as a husband. He is so wonderful Lynn. I don’t know how many times I have to tell you, you placed him on the right side of manhood.”

 

I grabbed her hand and squeezed. She gave me tender smile and patted my cheek with her other hand,” He is just a good man with a beautiful heart.”

 

“I love that man.” I gushed hopelessly. The baby kicked hard against my stomach wall as I smile running my hand over the spot.

 

“Ahh he is awake now.” I smiled at Lynn grabbing her hand and placing it on the spot he was kicking.

 

Lynn cooed as she placed her other hand on it as well,” Oh boy, he is a strong one.”

 

I nodded keeping quiet as I felt him roll and move around stretching and kicking. We sat quietly feeling around on my stomach as he moved in amazement every time. The food arrived and we managed pull ourselves away from action and eat.

 

We sat chatting through lunch and dessert talking mostly about what is was going to be like when the baby arrived and how we would handle the media situation.

 

I took a scoop of the fresh cheesecake and shrug my shoulders,” We touched on it briefly. We have gotten a lot of offers in for the first pictures. I’m not sure I want to do it at all, but it is kind of inevitable.”

 

“That is true, but it is up to you both. I would say wait a couple of months to release it. You can have it taken personally and then send out the picture to whomever.” Lynn suggested.

“Justin wants to do it at three months then take the money we get from the picture, but in Memphis trust fund.”

 

“That’s smart.”

 

I sighed,” I just don’t want his picture plastered all over magazines. Look how they talk about Beyoncé’s daughter. People are so rude.”

 

“People are rude anyways somebody will always have something to say about something.”

 

“I don’t think Justin and I will handle it well someone talking negative about our child. Justin would probably bust a vein wide open. He is like that with me imagine his child.” I chuckle.

 

“Justin will do what he needs to do to protect his family, but he knows there are just some things you can’t avoid when it comes to who he is. You have to take the good, the bad, and the ugly. I use to fly off at the handle about anything negative said about Justin when he first started, but you will drive yourself crazy doing that honey.”

 

I nodded she was completely right. I just needed to focus on us and probably not read any online articles or tabloid magazines and I should be okay. We finished up our lunch and slowly made our way back to the car not before stopping and meeting with the chef of the house and taken a few pictures to place on their celebrity wall.

 

As we coasted back down Wilshire, my phone rang with Justin’s face flashing on the screen.

 

I answered,” Hey honey.”

 

“Hey babe, where you at?”

 

“Still with your Mom. Where are you?”

 

“Oh, just getting out of the meeting, hey let me talk to my mom real quick.”

 

“Okay.” I turned my head and held out the phone to Lynn. She raised an eyebrow and grabbed it quickly as shifted her eyes back to the road.

 

“Hello? Hey… yeah, uh huh, oh okay yeah I can do that. Okay sweetie will do. Ok love you too, okay hold.” She passed back the phone to me.

 

“Yeah. Okay baby. I will see you later. We love you more. Okay Bye.” I hung up the phone and slipped it into my purse and lean back into the seat, watching as Lynn drove. She continued to drive then suddenly turned in the opposite direction of my house.

 

“Where you going?”

 

“Oh Justin said he had an appointment for us at the spa to get a manicure and pedicure.”  Lynn wiggled her eyebrows with a smile.

 

I grinned hard. The man knew the true way to my heart and/or he paid close attention because I was due for one. It was the small things that made my heart melt when it came to Justin. He paid attention to detail, he knew the little things that made me happy. He could buy me anything in the world, but he knew the true way to my heart was to do the things I liked doing and a girl loves a good mani and pedi.

 

 

Two hours and a shiny bright blue later, I was walking through the thresh hold of my house calling out for Justin. I dropped my purse and keys on the foyer end table and made my way through the house.

 

“In the kitchen babe.” He called out. I turn a small corner and walked into our open kitchen as Justin stood in the doorway of the fridge surveying our food collection. He met me with a smile as he pulled out a bottle water. I returned the smile as I wiggled my newly painted nails at him.

 

“You sure know how to treat a girl.”

 

He chuckled walking over and grabbing my hands to look at them before kissing my lips,” I have to take care of the woman that’s carrying my legacy.”

 

I chuckle,” You make it sound like I’m serving my country or something. Like the world depends on this baby.”

 

Justin shrug with a smirk as he wrapped his arms around my waist gazing at me,” I mean it kind of does.  The future of basketball depends on this kid right here.”

 

I scoffed,” Why basketball why not music? That would make a bit more sense.”

 

“True, but there is nothing worse than living in the shadow of somebody else’s success. So, if he goes into basketball he can build his own name, but still continuing the legacy in other ways.”

 

“I never thought about it like that. “ He really thought this out. I ran my hands up and down his chest as he held onto me placing soft kisses on my cheeks.

 

“But what he decides he want to be a male cheerleader instead.” I teased.

 

Justin chuckled seemingly amused,” That will never happen. Timberlake men are men.”

 

“Male cheerleaders are men too.” I pointed out.

 

He dropped his hands from my waist and shook his head going back over to the water he neglected,” It’s not happening. He can just be a dancer.”

 

I stifled back a laugh and drew my serious,” But what if he wants to be a male cheerleader.”

 

“That’s just gay Nicole.” He chugged half his water down and twisted the top back on.

 

“What if he was gay?”

 

He stared at me with a bit of a glare and I shrugged my shoulder,” It could happen.”

 

“You know what I mean. I’m not having this conversation again. I know when you are fucking with me Nik.” He placed his bottle down and walked around the kitchen island making his way out and I just stood waiting a moment snickering.

 

We touched on the topic before and he insisted his son wouldn’t be gay. Justin wasn’t homophobic he took a different angle when it came to not wanting his son to be gay. He could accept the fact if our son was, but he didn’t like the idea of the backlash that came from it at times. He had heard the stories of bullying and gay bashing that goes on around the world due to closed minded people and he didn’t want to have to subject our son to that.

 

I frankly told him our son could be subject to any prejudice act due to the fact he was going to be bi-racial and he was a kid to an A-List celebrity. The fact of when we got together, I ran across a couple of tweets in regards to me being an African American woman. The hate was and will always still be out there.

 

I went to the fridge and grabbed my own bottle of water and headed upstairs to our bedroom. As I walked up the stairs, I felt an almost crippling pain shoot through my right side of my stomach down my leg. I quickly  gripped the railing as it almost sent me to my knees.

 

“Ah.” I groaned.

 

As quick as it came it was gone.

 

I let out a breath and shook my head wondering what the hell that was? I slowly continued my ascent to the top and made my way in the bedroom. As I stepped into bedroom the pain shot through me again this time sending me on my knees. I shot my hands out to catch myself from falling forward onto my stomach

 

“Ahh.” The pain lingered a little longer, but not lasting no longer then a couple of seconds. The pain was enough to send me into a cold sweat. I crawled over to the end of the bed to help myself up as I tried to catch my breath only for another a shooting pain to hit making me double over as I gripped the comforter closing my eyes tight.

 

“Oh my god.” I gasped. Something was wrong

 

I heard the toilet flush and the bathroom door open,” Hey babe I got something I want to show you.”

 

“Ye—OH my God! .” I harped in pain bringing tears to my eyes.

 

Justin rushed over as I held onto my stomach. My heart was pounding as fear shout through me. I had Braxton hicks before, but this pain was totally different,” Nicole what’s wrong?”

 

I blinked back my tears as I shook my head looking up into his face as nervous shadowed his.

” Something isn’t right J.”

 

Justin wasted no time calling up the doctor. I laid in the middle of the bed practically shaking from the pain as it shoot through my legs and lower back. The movement of the baby was the only thing that kept me from not crying hysterically.

 

The doctor suggested we went straight to the hospital and that he would meet us in the ER. Justin carried me out the room and out into the car. Once inside the car, he called our parents as he held onto my hand tightly as he weaved through traffic. I didn’t notice he was practically flooring it through the streets of Los Angeles.

 

He repeated kissed my hand, and telling me I was going to be okay as he tried his best to reassure both of us. It seemed like only a few minutes pasted and they were wheeling through the emergency room doors and into a room. Those were some of the perks of being a celebrity and hospital being big on patient privacy.

 

My doctor, Dr. McHale came in through the door as the nurses were hooking me up to monitors and getting my IV port started as quick as possible. I was in so much pain I could barely sit still. I tried my best to stay still, so all I could do was cry. I burst into tears from the agonizing pain.

 

It sent Justin into a nervous wreck. I looked at him through my tears, his face was beet red as he held onto my free hand. He kissed my temple over and over telling me to breath and that he loved me. He watched as the nurses worked dashing in and out of the room for whatever was needed. The others bringing more equipment.

 

All I could think about was my baby, my beautiful baby.

 

“Alright Nicole, the nurses are going to get you some pain medicine to help, but tell me where the pain is.” Dr. McHale asked as he washed his hands in the sink preparing his hands for gloves.

 

“It’s in my leg-s--- and –“I tried to speak through the pain.

 

“And back.”

 

He nodded as he walked over to the sonograph machine they brought it beside my bed. The nurse lifted up my gown that they somehow got me in. I don’t even remember taking anything off.

 

The pain was so intense,” Okay when did it start?”

 

I couldn’t speak as another wave went through me,” It started maybe 30 minutes ago. She came home it really came out of nowhere.” Justin answered for me.

The doctor nodded as he grabbed the gel and squeezed it on my stomach,” Okay I’m going to look at the baby the belt here they placed around your stomach, is here to monitor your contractions if you are having any. Now the nurse is going place a long white tube inside your vagina and up in your cervix onto to the baby’s head so we can monitor heart rate to see if there is any kind of distress.”

 

I simply nodded.