Wedding planning for Prince and Tori was still in full swing just weeks after a successful wedding celebration for his daughter Carlyn who was now approaching her second trimester and was growing bigger as the weeks progressed. The musician had insisted on Tremaine and Carlyn living at Paisley Park for the first year of their marriage so that Prince could take some time off and spend it with his new grandchild as well has his bride to be. He had began to slowly clear his hectic touring schedule for the following year and was more invested the making sure that his wedding was done to perfection and his daughter was as comfortable as possible. Tremaine felt that as a man he should be providing a home for his growing family but Prince had insisted that it was only for the first year and that he wanted help with buying their first home. Prince had arranged a meeting with his son in law on a warm May afternoon on the basketball courts behind the building to play a friendly round of HORSE followed by lunch. The round soon turned into five followed by a late lunch instead. Prince of course won all but two games and Tremaine didn't seem to mind. Tremaine played basketball in high school and was scouted for college on scholarship. He also had the opportunity to go pro for the Timberwolves but turned it down because he wasn't for the traveling for long periods of time and being so far away from Carlyn. He had pledged the sigma chapter fraternity of he and his young brides college alma mater Virginia State. Carlyn pledged as a Delta in memory of her birth mother and it meant the world to her to have something to share in common with the woman she never met and knew that it would make her mother proud. Tremaine and Prince sat down winded at a picnic table just a few feet away from the courts to go over plans for them and the new baby.

"Now. Let's get down to business. We need to go over some things before Carlyn has my grandchild. I trust that you will have a full time job of some sort yes?" Prince asked as if he was interviewing his son in law for a job.

  "Of course! Both my wife and my child deserve to have the best of everything!  In fact I should be getting the job at the tech firm any day now. I've been told that I was highly considered to be hired as the youngest data security agent in the last forty years and it's a forty five thousand yearly salary! That's enough for us to live comfortably until retirement!"

Prince was rather impressed. He knew his son in law was one to plan ahead of the financial downturn but to prepare for the long haul in his early twenties was mind blowing. There was no further need to pick Tremaine's brain any longer now that his worries were calmed. There was one thing that was on the artists' mind. The wellbeing of his grandchild.

  "Anything change condition wise for the baby?" He asked nervously.

  "Nothing too major. The doctor said we should know the sex in a few weeks. I'm a little worried though."

  "How so?"

  "Well......see......"

Prince could sense Tremaine's hesitation because he knew that it had a great deal to do with his upbringing as a little boy. He comforted his new son and told him that it was alright to talk to him about what it was that was troubling him. Tremaine took a deep breath and walked out on his truth.

  "I've always been afraid to have kids because... I didn't want to turn into my father. From what I understand my real dad was a drunk and very violent man. He was always out in the streets and sleeping around on my mom. I have brothers and sister I don't even know. Then my brother always in and out of jail.....I don't wanna pass those things along to my child and I don't wanna travel the same path my dad did with my mom and do it to Carlyn. I hope you believe me when I say that......I love her and this baby with everything in me."

Prince smiled and placed a hand on Tremaine's shoulder.

  "Don't worry about it son. I believe you. What I also believe is that you took it easy on me out there. Next time we'll play some real ball."

The two men shared in a laugh before going inside to have a meal. While they were eating and having a good time sharing stories Tori was left alone in the living quarters of Paisley. She was fine for a while but was quickly bored with just sitting around and soaking in the scent of vanilla and lavender for most of the afternoon. She got out of bed and began her own personal tour of the living area. Tori went from guest room to guest room and marveled at the artwork and statues that complimented the furnishings. She loved that Prince has such great taste in colors and textures that it got her even more excited that she was getting married to a man that had better taste than anyone she knew. After the guest rooms she saw the door to Joey's bedroom door open. Tori never went inside but she did like how he still had the iconic Purple Rain poster over his bed. What was once dinosaurs and toy trains cascading his shelves of story books and pictures now books of classic literature and novels about great leaders both black and white. Tori could see from afar that he had a Maya Angelou book of poems on his bed. She smiled at the notion and looked across the hall to Carlyn's childhood bedroom that she sometimes saw Carlyn resting in. She went to the door and looked inside at the purple bedding with hints of grey and beyond the bed was her favorite resting spot. The window sill with the purple crushed velvet cushion with a little brown teddy bear sitting in the corner that happened to be a 'something old' wedding gift from Regan. It was Skippy the bear. Prince had given Regan Skippy as a gift when they were younger and she had never parted ways with it until the engagement was announced. Tori noticed that Carlyn had the brightest room in the whole house. She always wondered that but was too nervous to ask. She left the door way and toured on. As she made her way down the end of the hall she noticed one door that she had never seen opened before. Tori went to turn the knob but of course it was locked.

  "What are you hiding in here Mr Man?" She asked herself as she pulled a Bobbi pin from her hair.

After a few failed attempts the finally was able to pick the lock and the door came open. Tori didn't know what she was about to walk into but she didnt seem to mind whatever it is she was going to find. Pushing the door open to a dark room she was about to flip on the lights when a voice rose from behind her.

  "What are you doing?" The soft feminine voice asked with a hint of anger.

Tori didn't move or speak due to the fear that crept up inside of her.

  "I said what are you doing?" The voice asked again.

Tori was certain that if she didn't say anything soon it could mean worse things happening before she could make a get away.