“Kyra, just one more push and the baby will be here,” I said, acting as her coach and the proud father-to-be. I took a white washcloth and wiped the sweat off her forehead.

“I’m tired,” Kyra cried. Between cussing me out, and screaming and hollering, it had been eight hours since the doctor induced her labor.

“I can see her head! Just one more push–”

“One more? You said that two hours ago.” Kyra blurted out.

“One more push, and I promise she’ll be out,” Doctor Glenn said.

“Rick.” She looked at me with pleading eyes.

“C’mon, baby. You’ve got this.”

Kyra took a deep breath, grunted, and bore down with all her might. I was helping her push with her shoulders. Finally! Her head, shoulders, then the rest of her body slithered out. I was searching for her toes and fingers.

“She’s here, baby,” I said, kissing her. I whispered into her ear. “You’ve made me a very happy man. I love you Kyra, and I want the world for you.”

Kyra started crying. “She’s beautiful. I love you, too.” I looked down at my newborn daughter, who was wailing at this new cold world she was thrust into. She looked like Rick Jr. more than she looked like me.

“Welcome to the world, Destiny Kyra,” I said, looking into her big brown eyes, which were already open.

Let me call Nina and tell her the news.

ANGEL

“Seth, how was the tour?” I was trying to talk over the static. I knew this type of phone didn’t have the best connection, but I couldn’t stay off it. I had never been this paranoid in my life. To keep from being traced, I’d had Scarface buy me five throw-away cell phones.

“Mrs. Santos, I’ve never seen anything like it!” Seth said jovially. “I know you checked us out on TMZ and all the sites for the music. All the buzz is about Game Over Records. We killed it!”

“Great.” I was faking my smile so hard my cheeks were burning. Although he couldn’t see me through the phone, I was hoping he could feel the grin. I tried to sound enthusiastic. It hurt me to hear this, although I knew it was good for business. Begrudgingly, I must admit, Seth is a keeper. I kind of hoped he would have failed, which is insane because that would have hurt the business. I resented the fact that I was no longer in control. And then he had the nerve to say, “We killed it.” Ooohhhkay. He’s stealing my job and now he’s stealing our slang.