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“Love Can Save”

-1Corth.13:4-8a “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

**~Inside Your Heart~**

She groans and rubs her swollen eight month large abdomen softly, “I’m telling ya, I don’t remember the last time I saw my feet J. Do me a favor and held them up so I can see what they look at.” Yasmine mutters tiredly, slumping back on the sofa.

Anya and Nick laugh softly as A.J. sighs and grabs Yasmine’s swollen ankles, lifting it high enough for Yasmine to see.

“Oh they’re pretty, just like I remember them.” Yasmine breathes out, a small smile spreading her golden tan cheeks.

Another small laughter escaped Nick and Anya’s mouth. “Well I see the small things in life can mean so much.” Anya whispers happily, receiving a grin from Yasmine.

“So Nick, what’s up with you and miss scandalicious?” A.J prods, raising his eyebrows and sitting besides Yasmine on the sofa.

“Who?” Howie whispers suddenly, coming out of the bathroom.

Nick rolls his eyes, “J, you were right man. The lady was a freak. I thought I would like that, but damn, she’s just insane, too out of my league even for a freak like me.”

Everyone laughed as Nick smirks. Anya decided to add to the remark, “But Nick, you were so into this girl, I really thought you can handle her, wonder what that says about you if you couldn’t deal with her?” She teases him, feeling a soft punch on her arm coming from him.

“Shut up, it means I’m sane now and I could handle her at first…it’s just what came after that was a different story.” Nick mutters.

Howie settles down on the recliner across from A.J. and Yasmine, grinning he asks: “Only a few more weeks till it happens. I can’t believe you’re gonna have a baby.” He whispers thoughtfully, almost like a proud parent. Brushing back his dark short hair, he smiles, “Hey have you gotten a chance to come up with some names for the baby girl?”

Yasmine laughs as Anya stands up, rolling her eyes at his direction: “Don’t ask! This girl is the most indecisive person I met. I mean I named hundreds of beautiful names for the girl and she just couldn’t pick!” Anya mutters hearing Yasmine giggle softly.

Howie chews on his gums, his eyes lit up with the next question, “So the name will be?...”

“Hmmm.. I don’t know yet, I’m kinda just narrowing the names down.” Yasmine whispers, feeling the weight of the sofa shift as A.J. throws his arm around her shoulders.

“Nice, care to share?” Howie raises his eyebrows, his eyes glittering in the light.

“Not now. I’m too tired.” Yasmine mutters, struggling not to yawn but failed miserably.

Anya smirks and stands up from the arm of the chair where Nick is sitting, “Well I think A.J. can get you to the room, me and Nick will go check the mail downstairs k.”

“Huh? What? Why? I don’t need to go downstairs…” Nick begins to state but Howie intercepts him.

“Ahhh, Nick, yeah we all should go grab that stuff I told ya I wanted at the store.” He plays along knowing that A.J. needed to badly talk to Yasmine now and end his and better yet all their anguish of wanting Yasmine.

“Why do you all need to go? You’re trying to leave us alone?” Yasmine smirks, raising her dark eyebrows at the three suspects.

Anya smiles and bats her grey eyes, “Girl, we just all want to hang out, it means nothing, really.” She stares at her friend on the sofa.

Yasmine snorts and rolls her eyes, “Ok, whatever, but I’m not stupid.”

“And no one said you were.” Howie beams, grabbing Nick off the sofa and trudging the man towards the exit of the apartment.

A.J. laughs and shakes his head, “Guys you really are bad at this whole ‘let’s go and leave them alone’ thing.” Smiling, he directs the three out of the apartment and laughs. “Just go, man you guys suck at this.”

“Hey, if you’re gonna confess your love to Yasmine, make sure you pucker up and bats those eyes, it always wins the ladies!” Nick bellows out from the hallway, his bright eyes glittering with naughtiness. He yells out loud enough for Yasmine to hear and laugh. A.J. flips his middle finger at his friend’s direction as Anya and Howie laugh, running down the hallway with the squealing man and disappearing around the corner. A.J. smirks and slams the door behind him expecting Yasmine to laugh. But instead the silence responded back. He cocks his head, smiling at the sleeping angel on the sofa. “That baby is draining you momma. Let’s get you to bed.” And he walks over to her, lifting her into his arms and carries her over down the hallway towards her bedroom. He smiles and places the woman on her full size bed. “There you go sweetie.” And throws the warm covers over the sleeping woman.

She smiles and opens her eyes at him, “Thanks Alex.” Her head lying on the side, embraced by the pillow around her.

“Ahh, you’re awake?” A.J. smirks, sitting on the edge of the bed, stroking her black curls gently.

“Yeah.” She whispers out. “A.J. thanks.”

He turns serious for moment and stares into her eyes, “Hey you call me A.J. Is something up?”

She smiles and bats her eyes at him. Exhaling, she nods her head. “Yeah. Can we talk?”

“Of course!” And he scoots over to her, placing his hand into her small ones. “What’s up?”

Smiling, she giggles, “You’re always such a good listener. You’ll be a great boyfriend to a lucky girl out there.”

A.J. laughs and rolls his eyes, “Doubt that. I think it’s the other way around. But shorty, you were gonna say something?”

“Yeah, I wanna say thanks for sticking by me through out these months. You didn’t have to. And thanks just for being here and all. You went with me to all the Lamaze classes and even went to all the doctor’s appointment and such. So I have a favor to ask of you.”

A.J. holds her hands and smiles, “Anything, you know me. I’d do anything for you.”

Laughing, Yasmine stares into his eyes and licks her lips nervously. “Well since I’m due a few weeks from delivering, I know the doctors will be asking who the child’s father will be and I need a guy to help me out with all this stuff. So…” She begins slowly, trying to breath out slowly yet her heart raced with the question, “Can you be the child’s father? I know, I know it’s a lot asking for you but…”

A.J. smiles and for moment he loved her even more than he can possibly imagine. Gripping her hands with his, he pulls it up to his lips and pelts those delicate hands with kisses. He thinks over the question and felt amazed that she trusted him so much to ask such a question. He didn’t know why, but he felt compelled to wanting to be in this unknown child’s life, even if he wasn’t the father. He would do and try his best, since after all he himself knows what it was to grow up without a father figure or even a father in his life.

“Don’t explain. Yes. Yes I’ll do it!” A.J. whispers, “That’s what friends are for.”

“Just like that? You’ll agree? Alex, are you sure?” Yasmine whispers: astonished.

“Yeah, just like that.” A.J. smiles, seeing Yasmine beam brightly. “Get dressed pretty. I wanna take ya somewhere.” He states, watching Yasmine from the corners of his eyes.

She struggles to sit up and A.J. helps her off the bed, “There. I’ll be back in fifteen minutes, wear something cute.” And he exits the room.

“Wait, why are you agreeing? I just asked you to be my baby’s daddy? Doesn’t that make you feel weird?” She smirks.

A.J. sticks his head into the threshold of the room and smiles, “I kinda like the sound of that. Besides Yas, I want to help out. Since I can’t find that bastard that did that to you, the little I can do is this. It’s an honor, I get to raise a child with an incredible mother, how amazing is that.”

“So I take it you’ll be with me throughout the entire delivery then.” Yasmine smirks.

“Ahhh, hmmm. Well we’ll discuss that later, k.” A disgusted look crossed his face as images of blood ripped through his mind.

Yasmine giggles and shuffles over to the closet and pulls out a silky green shirt and loose fitting black pants. If she was gonna go out, she needed to look cute, pregnant or not. Smiling, she gets dressed slowly and by the time she fully slipped on the pants, she was gasping out of breath. “Man, since when was getting dressed becoming an Olympic event for me.” She mutters frustrated, fixing her black curls which lied beautifully across her shoulders.

“Yo Yas, you ready yet?” She hears A.J.’s voice coming from the dorm’s living room.

Smirking, Yasmine inhales and reaches over to her Bible on the nightstand. “Almost, give me a few minutes k?”

“Aight.” He responded, settling down on a stool, tapping his feet impatiently on the carpet and cracks his knuckles. He sees his mobile phone lit up. “A message?” He lifts the cell to his ear and hears Nick’s voice:

“Yo listen J. Me, Brian and Howie are almost done with the decorations. Kevin and Anya went to get the cake but the baby shower is almost ready. We got a couple of her close friends here and damn man, they is some fine honies. Let me know when you and Yas are getting here k? Call me back.” And the message ends.

A.J. smirks and shakes his head, “Unbelievable Nick.”

“What did he do now?” Yasmine asks, stepping out of her bedroom with her Bible in her hand.

“Ahhh, nothin’ you know that kid is crazy.”

“Yeah I know. So what’s the occasion Alex? Why you want me to look all pretty?” She bats her precious eyes at him.

Smiling, he takes her hand and examines the glorious angel before him. “God most def is missing you.”

Confused, Yasmine eyes him.

He explains further, “Cause He’s missing his finest angel yet.”

Blushing, she giggles, ‘Thanks, what’s with all the compliments suddenly?”

“Hmmm, nothing just that today is your special day, that’s all.” A.J. whispers as the two gather their stuff to head out.

“A.J. before we head out, I like to sing a song, would that be ok?” Yasmine whispers.

“Okay, ahhhh why though?”

“Cause I want you to hear what I want to say to God, I wanna sing Amazing Grace.” Yasmine states.

A.J. shrugs his shoulders, nodding his head, “Ahhh, ok. You’re not going to like preach or anything ‘cause I see you have the Bible in your hands.” He lowers his eyes to the small purple cover book in Yasmine’s hands.

She smirks and shakes her head, “Na, why? You get thrown off if I get too “spiritual” for you.” She teases him, flipping through the golden trimmed pages of the Bible. “Wait, I got the name for the baby I think. What about Hope?”

A.J. rolls his eyes and grabs the Bible in his hands. He felt guilty holding such a powerful book within his hands and gulps. Flipping through the pages, he scans through it and smiles, pointing to a word in the Bible. “Maybe you should name her this?”

Curious, Yasmine leans over The Book and smirks, “Faith?”

“Yeah, that is what you showed all of us. Since the beginning Yas, you had faith and even through out these trying times, you have incredible faith, faith that can shake a mountain. I say name the girl that.” A.J. states casually, closing the Bible and handing it back to her. He didn’t realize what he said would be a big deal but for Yasmine it made a world of a difference.

“Oh God, that’s beautiful. Faith. I’ll call her that. I didn’t realize I carried that much to begin with. In fact I thought I stopped for a while.” Yasmine whispers almost in a trance, at the words that were spilled out by A.J.

“Well I know you wanted to sing, but we should get going now, you can sing along the way there.” A.J. smirks, guiding the woman out the door.

Yasmine giggles and clasp A.J.’s face with her hands, staring into his deep eyes. “Thanks.” And gives him a peck on the cheek.

A.J. slightly blushes and locks the door behind as they step out of the dorm. “Ah, no prob girl.”

“So seriously, where are we going? I thought Nick and Anya were checking the mail? They would have been back by now, and where did Howie go?” She plunge him with questions.

A.J. clasping his hands into hers, laughs and guides her towards his black Benz. “I’m not saying anything, you’ll see shortly.”

“You’re up to something and its bugging me like crazy.” Yasmine mutters.

“Don’t worry, you’ll find out. You can sing if you want now.” He smirks: opening the passenger side door and helping Yasmine get accommodated in the seat. He closes the door and walks around his car, opening the driver’s side and starts the ignition. “Buckle up chicky, we heading out.”

“Aight.” She whispers and snaps the seat belt in place after much pulling and stretching to fit her growth in size.

“Look at you big momma, almost breaking my stuff.” A.J. teases as Yasmine growls.

“Shut up.”
“Na, you need me to talk. So sing. You said you wanted to.”

“Ok, I will…later then. Cause I know something’s up, you planned something, I can tell. But it better be nice, whatever it is.” Yasmine mutters, leaning back on the leather beige seat.

A.J. smirks and grips the steering wheel, taking off from the university driveway and pulls onto the highway.
~*~

“Nick, you have to stick that decoration over there! Hurry up, they’re on their way!” Brian mutters as Nick mumbles and sticks the colorful balloons along with a bright blue and pink baby shower banner over the inside entrance hallway of A.J.’s hotel suite.

Smirking, Howie and Brian finish up the rest of the colorful baby decorations as Yasmine’s friends whisper and wait in anxiety for the new mommy to enter the room.

A dark haired brunette friend of Yasmine’s, giggles and eyes Nick as he stands on a stool and tapes up the last batch of balloons onto the corners of the ceilings. “Hey are you Yasmine’s new boy toy?” The woman asks, startling Nick which caused him to wobble unsteadily on the stool.

“Huh?” Nick asks, turning to look at the woman. The tall lean woman smirks and points to him, “Are you Yasmine’s boyfriend?”

“Ahhh, no, why? Did she talk to you about me?” Nick grins cheekily until he feels the back of his head getting smacked by a pillow from Brian.

“No he’s not. We’re all her friends. Known her for while, especially A.J.” Brian responds, receiving a daring glare from Nick.

“Oh ok. So you seeing anyone?” The woman asks to Nick. Nick smirks and eyes Brian as Howie coughs nervously.

“Uhhhh, do you know we are by any chance?” Howie asks, raising his dark eyebrows at the woman.

The woman cocks her head and shrugs her shoulders, “Uhhh, am I suppose to? You just said you’re Yasmine’s friends right? So what else am I suppose to know?”

Brian snorts, a smirk edging its way onto his lips. He glances at the small group of women in the living room. “Yeah, well, don’t worry about it. Like you said, we’re all her friends and that’s what matters.”

Nick snorts and jumps off the stool, making his way over to the woman. “Psshhh, no way, I’m a musician! The name’s Nick, you?” His eyes devour the woman’s figure. Brian laughs and yanks on Nick’s arm.

“Hey buddy, she doesn’t seem to care about that. Let it rest man.”

The woman smirks and nods her head in awe, “Lana and you’re a musician? Really? Wow, what do you play?”

“I play the bass, drums are my fave. I was born playing that…”

He gets interrupted as the woman squeals in delight, “Oh man, wow. That’s hot! You have a band?”

Howie smirks and shakes his head, “Yeah, yeah he does.”

Brian withheld his laughter and heads back to a leather sofa where the remaining balloons and decorations are.

“Wow, what’s the name of your group?” Lana asks curiously, as the other women whispers in the background watching the ongoing conversation with Nick and Lana.

“Ahhh, well my band’s name… uh…” Nick whispers as Brian could no longer hold his laughter in.

“What is he laughing at?” Lana asks, confused as Howie licks his lips softly and responds,

“It’s called the Backstreet Boys. Maybe you heard of us?”

Nick’s mouth drops open and glares at Howie who backs away. Lana smirks and shakes her head,

“You’re kidding me right?” She frowns and backs away from Nick, “I think my little sis is into you then.” She walks back to the group of women who giggle and point at him. Utterly embarrassed at his lost; Nick glares at Howie who simply shrugs his shoulders.

“Don’t get mad at me.”

“You messed up my game man. I should kill you!” Nick hissed quietly at Howie.

Brian laughs, “Nick, you ain’t had no game to begin with.”

“Shut up Rok.” Nick mutters glumly, flopping onto the smooth sofa’s arm.

The front door turns open and Kevin and Anya walk in with a white cake box.

“Alright! The cake’s here! What it look like?” Howie rushes over to the cake box, taking it and placing it on the kitchen counter. Anya smiles and moves aside to let a young man in who just arrived for the party as well. Nick didn’t notice the man, but moves aside to allow him to enter through the threshold.

“So what does the cake look like?” Nick questions Kevin.

Kevin closes the front door behind him and smiles, walking pass Nick. “Well what the cake look like?” Nick asks again, practically pleading with the man.

“Chill out boy, its pink with little flowers and a pic of a little baby. Why?” He glances at his friend.

“I don’t know, just curious that’s all.” Nick grins as the hotel phone rings.

Brian reaches the black cordless phone on the table and tells everyone to quiet down. After a short conversation on the phone, he hangs up and beams, “Yo, their downstairs! Everyone hide! NOW!” And everyone dashes to hide: some in the kitchenette and others behind the sofa.

A.J. smiles and pulls out his cardkey, making his way over to the elevator. Behind him, he can hear Yasmine singing softly:

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound/
That saved a wrench like me/
I once was lost but now I found/
Was blind but now I see.”

A.J. throws his arms around his gentle angel as they board the elevator. Suddenly Yasmine’s grip on his hand tighten as they approach the twelfth floor. A.J. sighs and pulls Yasmine close to his chest. “Shhh, its ok. You’ll be fine. I’m here, I’m not gonna let anything happen to you. K, listen if you feel really uncomfortable, maybe it’s not a good idea to head to my suite.”

Yamsine peers her head up at him and shakes her head, “I’ll be fine, I think so. You just have to get something. I mean its not even the same hotel, so it’ll be ok.” She whispers. The sudden mahogany scent wafted pass her nose as the traumatic event played in her head again. Screaming, tears streaming down her face as A.J. watches helplessly to calm the woman down and embraces her tightly in his arms.

“Shhh, Yas, oh God girl, don’t do this to me again. I’m here, I’m right here k?” He whispers into her ear. He feels the woman shaking in his arms as the sobs deepen. The small ting of the elevator lets them know they arrived. The metal doors open and A.J. steps out with Yasmine, leaning her wet face on his shoulders. He wanted right there and then to tell her that he fallen in love with her, but he knew deep down in his heart, she doesn’t belong to him, nor to any guy. She was too unique, a rare creature with a willing soul to help those around her. To him, she was everything and more and he knew he didn’t deserve her. “Yasmine, sweetie. We’re here.” A.J. whispers, swiping the keycard and turning the knob on the door.

Yasmine raises her head off his shoulder and wipes away any stray tears, “I’m sorry, Alex. I made a fool of myself.”

“No, no you didn’t, don’t apologize honey for that. This isn’t your fault, if anything I should be the one apologizing. I’m here, nothing will happen to you. It just reminds you of what happened.” A.J. whispers, stepping into the dark living room with Yasmine on his side. The room lit up suddenly as the hidden group jumps out from behind the sofa and kitchenette.

“Hey J, Yas, lookie, you’re baby shower! You like?” Kevin beams proudly, his emerald eyes shining in the dim lights.

“Oh my! Thank you!” Yasmine squeals out as Anya giggles and pulls a beautifully pink decorated cake. “Oh that’s so cute! I love the cake! Ahhh, you guys had this all planned. No wonder you all were acting weird today!” She laughs and hugs everyone until she reaches Kelvin. “Kel? Hey you made it! Wow!”

Kevin narrows his eyes and notices along with the others for the first time that a guy similar to A.J.’s appearance was standing there with a bouquet of daisies for her.

“That’s Kelvin?” Nick whispers to Anya, who shrugs her shoulders.

“I guess so. I never met him. I thought it was A.J. for a moment though so I was all confused.” She whispers back at him.

“Yeah, he kinda looks like J a bit. So I’m guessing he invited himself then.” Nick states, watching the happy reunion between the lost lovers: Kelvin and Yasmine.

“Guess so, that or one of the girls told him about it. But Yasmine is glad to see him, so I guess its ok. But damn, I never knew he looked so much like your friend.” Anya smirks, “Now it makes sense the tension between her and A.J.”

“Yeah weird. I don’t get why J and her don’t just hook up already.” Nick states, a glitter in his eyes.

Anya shrugs her shoulders, “Well love isn’t easy Nick. It takes time and maybe they both need time to figure out what they’re feeling for each other.”

“Yeah, though I don’t know why? She’s one fine lady and J is a cool guy. They’d make a great couple.” Nick leans over Anya with a twinkle in his sapphire orbs.

“Right.” She giggles and grabs a plastic knife to cut the cake.
The small crowd surrounds the cake and talk quietly among themselves as Yasmine watches Kelvin talking with Brian and Kevin. She feels a small squeeze on her hand and looks to see A.J. cradling her hand.

Laughing, she pulls away and whispers a “be right back” to A.J. and Lana. She heads to A.J’s bedroom real quick to place her jacket on the bed where the rest of the coats and such lied. She hears the wooden planks creak behind her and smiles, seeing Kelvin entering. The music in the living room was turned on loudly as Nick’s voice was heard rocking out to Simple Plan’s new single, “Addicted.” Laughing, she shakes her head, “That’s our boy Nick.”

Kelvin smiles and clears his throat, “Sure is. He’s a cool guy. Oh, I hope you weren’t surprised or anything seeing me here. I heard from one of the girls, Evette that they were throwing a surprise shower and I was welcomed to come. So I thought, hey why not. I’m just glad I get to see a smile on your cute cheeks now. I know you liked the surprise.” He chuckles.

Yasmine smirks, “Thanks. Oh yeah, I knew something was up. I’m glad you made it though. And you had the chance to meet the guys.”

“Yup, they all seem cool. Not bad for a boy band.”

Yasmine sighs, “Na, their not a boy band. Man they’ll kill you if you said that.” She giggles, pushing a black curl behind her ear.

“Yeah, I’ll watch my mouth. Hey that’s a nice shirt, I’ve seen it before.” And stops himself: gulping, hoping his mistake goes unnoticed. “Oh, green always did look good on ya.”

Yasmine smirks and tugs on her blouse, “Really? I never noticed. This shirt is new by the way. I had one like this before but…” She stops, closing her eyes, “Before I went through that incident.” She cries out.

“Shhh, Sorry about that. Man, I didn’t want to make you cry.” And Kelvin inches closer to her, placing his palms on her shoulders for some form of comfort. He hugs her and sighs, knowing she didn’t catch on to his mistake. He was safe for now. Smiling gently, he caresses the woman’s stain cheeks and brushes away the new tears that rolled down her cheeks. “Hey, shhh. Girl. That’s in the past. Don’t think of that. Come on, there’s a party for you and you’re not in there.” And both leave the room, not noting the small ‘click’ from a recorded tape that A.J. had left in his radio that now picked up that conversation.
~**~

**~To Be Continued…~**