Having gone through her third Braxton Higgs on the 1st Nick and Nerine were awaiting the birth of their first child Blaize. ‘Nerine come look at this.’ ‘Where are you?’ ‘In the nursery.’ ‘Are you done with the walls?’ ‘Yeah pretty much but come have a look first before I put the finishing touches on it.’ ‘Okay I’m coming.’ ‘K’
Nick stood in the middle of the empty room and admired the work he’d done so far. Deciding that outside is too confusing he painted a scene out of ‘Toy Story’ on the walls, with Ham, Slinky, Buzz, Woody and all the rest. ‘Wow baby it looks fabulous.’ ‘I’m not done yet I just wanted to know what you thought.’
‘Well considering how you wouldn’t let me in here until now, lemme say this. I’m surprised, amazingly surprised. I love it it’s gorgeous.’ ‘Really?’ ‘Yeah.’ Nick beamed at her then turned back to the walls to put some finishing touches here and there. ‘Finally it’s done.’ ‘Yep and it looks great thanks babe.’ ‘Only a pleasure not to mention it was fun.’ ‘Yeah what guy doesn’t love to get full of paint for a good cause.’ ‘Your mocking me aren’t you?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Okay fair enough I’ll get you back for that madam.’ ‘Oh sure okay yeah whatever not for a while still Carter.’ ‘I never said anything…’ ‘Oh just shut up.’ ‘Okay.’ Nick kept quite for maybe two seconds… ‘I just need to say something first.’ Nerine rolled her eyes at him. ‘What Nick?’ ‘Um we don’t have a cradle yet or um anything like that.’ ‘Yeah well you wouldn’t tell me what’s on the walls so we couldn’t shop for a damned cradle and everything like that.’ ‘But it’s okay.’ ‘What’s okay?’ ‘I have a surprise for you!’ ‘What another one?’
‘Yeah now stay here…or no go somewhere else and then I’ll get it all ready and then I’ll call you okay but you’re not allowed to follow me or watch what I’m doing or anything like that okay.’ ‘Yeah okay.’ ‘You’ve gotta promise.’ Nerine closed her eyes tightly and puckered her lips. ‘I promise cross my heart and hope to go into labor.’ ‘Haha…okay so go and do something or eat ice-cream I got you cookie dough flavor.’ ‘Cool where?’ ‘In the fridge duh!’ ‘Shut up Carter I’ll go eat ice-cream and then you can just do whatever you wanted to do.’ ‘Yeah okay cool.’ About 2 hours later Nick was done with his little surprise. ‘Nerine babe come look I’m done.’ ‘Are you in the nursery?’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘Aight I’m coming.’
When Nerine walked into the room she couldn’t believe what she saw. Nick had made a matching cradle, rocking chair and a play-den all in the ‘Toy Story’ theme. ‘Did you make these things?’ ‘Yeah I thought it would be more special that having something that’s bought and all that so I took some time out and made these things for you.’
Nerine couldn’t hold back the tears anymore and she walked up to Nick and started crying into his shoulder he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. ‘Thank you Nick. It’s so beautiful…I love you so much.’ ‘I love you too girl and it’s only a pleasure.’ ‘You’re gonna be a great dad did you know that?’ ‘And you’re gonna be a fabulous mom did you know that?’ ‘Yeah I did.’ The two of them started laughing and felt in that moment closer to each other than they had been in a while.