NOTHING WAS THE SAME: The Return of Derek Baldwin (2023-2027)

[chosenone58]

[chosenone58]

March Madness

“Daddy’s home!” I yell as I walk through the living room. I just got back from cryotherapy, this is who I am now. Soon enough, I hear the pitter patter of little feet running toward me.

“Pizza!” Jordan yelled when he turned the corner and saw me holding a large square box. The twins were crawling right behind him as fast as they could go. And bringing up the rear was the nanny that I hired, Giselle, recommended by my nephew, Deuce. She was babysitting to help pay her way through St. John’s. She’s studying early childhood education. It seemed like a win to me. She passed the background check and her references were pretty good.

“Hey, Derek.”

“Wassup, Giselle? Were these monsters any trouble today?” I hand her the pizza box and pick up the twins who were trying to crawl up each one of my legs.

“No. And Jordan was a big help today.”

“Is that right?”

I looked over at my six year old, who was beaming from ear to ear. I think this may have been his first crush. My boy has taste. I’ll say that. None of my teachers or babysitters looked like her when I was growing up. She was wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a tight, black V-neck t-shirt. Her hair was piled into a messy bun on top of her head.

“Are you going to join us for pizza or do you have to get back to campus?”

She looked at her watch. “I have some time. And I am starving. What kind did you get?”

“Half pepperoni, half cheese. Thought I’d let the babies try a little before their first birthday.”

It had been almost year since I ran from Barclays in the middle of a playoff game to be in the delivery room before my wife gave birth to Santana and Devin. Time was flying.

“Sounds good. I’ll get them settled into their highchairs.”

As she was getting them set up, I washed my hands at the sink. I was grabbing napkins for everyone when my phone rang. It was a FaceTime call from my wife. Either she just got back from set or she was on her way, seeing as it was almost eight o’clock at night in London.

I pushed the green button and my wife’s face filled the screen. She was wearing her favorite bathrobe and was stretched out across her bed. She looked tired. “Hey, babe.”

“Hey, D.” She sighed.

“Long day on set?”

“Yeah. I needed to see my babies. Are they awake? Please tell me they aren’t taking a nap.”

“Nope. We are actually sitting down to lunch.” I flip the camera and pan it across the kitchen so can see the kids sitting at the counter.

“One of those kids looks a little too old to be ours.” She was clearly referring to Giselle, who was currently dabbing the grease from the twins’ pizza. Devin was grabbing at the pendant dangling from the chain on her neck. From this angle it looked like he was grabbing at her breasts. I quickly flipped the camera back to my face.

“That’s Giselle, the nanny that you told me to hire. Remember?”

Upon hearing her name, Giselle looked up and waved. As much as I knew I shouldn’t have, I actually turned the phone around so they could see each other face to face.

“Hi, Mrs. Baldwin! It’s so nice to finally, sort of, meet you. Derek and Jordan talk about you all the time.”

“Mmhmm. Nice to sort of meet you too…. I didn’t quite catch your name. Danielle?” I internally cringed. She was doing this on purpose. She was pissed.

“Giselle.”

“Right. Well, I hope my family has behaved. It seems my little man is smitten with you.”

“They’ve been great. Derek is just so nice, and Jordan is very well behaved. He’s such a good big brother.”

“Glad to hear it. Derek? Can we move the conversation away from little ears, honey?”

Yep. I was in trouble.

I went into our bedroom and grabbed my Beats wireless earbuds from the dresser.

“What’s up, babe?”

“Don’t fucking try it. Why are you letting this child babysit our children? Where did you even find her?”

“She’s not child. She’s twenty-one. She goes to St. John’s with Deuce. She’s studying early childhood education.”

“Why didn’t you find someone more age appropriate to watch the kids? I knew I shouldn’t have left this decision up to you.”

“Age appropriate? She’s twenty-one.”

“She’s hardly an adult. Has she watched them on game days? What about road trips? Has she slept under my roof? In our--”

“Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Don’t even finish that. Don’t ask me that question. We are better than that. Eleven years, babe. Almost eight of them married. Come on now.”

“Don’t try to deflect, Derek.”


I sigh. I’m damned if I do, damned if I don’t. “Yes, she has watched them on game days. She has watched them on road trips if I can’t get Carmen, Devin or Deuce. She has only slept here three times. In the guest room. On the other side of the condo. She has never even seen the inside of our bedroom. At least not while I’m here she hasn’t.”

She was quiet for a few minutes. I saw her looking at the bottom of her phone.

“What’s going on, Naya?”

“I’m texting my mother. I’m sure she can watch them for the next three weeks until I get home. I’ll fly her out this evening. Tell Giselle, thanks, but her services or no longer needed.”

“Naya. This is unnecessary. Don’t put your mom on a plane. You wanna talk to the kids? She’s really good with them. She’s been helping Jordan with his schoolwork and everything.”

I call for my son to come into the room. Maybe he can calm her down.

“Talk to your mom for a minute. Tell her how well school is going.”

“Mom! School is great! Gigi helps me with my homework. I can count by fives! Five, ten, fifteen…”


I watch the phone as she beams at our son with pride as he counts all the way to one hundred by five.

“Oh, my big boy is getting so smart.”

“Yeah, I’m almost smarter than daddy.”

“Alright, alright. Give me that phone. Go finish your pizza.”

“Bye, Mama. Come home soon. Love you.”

“Love you too, baby. I will.”

She turned her attention back to me. “My mother is still coming out there.”

“I’m not going to fight you on this, I think it’s unnecessary. But if having Giselle here makes you that uncomfortable—”

“It does.” She says quickly, interrupting me.

“Then, I will welcome my mother-in-law here with open arms. Because I love you.”

“Thank you. I love you too,” she says around a yawn.

“Get some rest. I’ll talk to you later. Come home soon. We miss you around here.”

She blows a kiss into the phone that I pretend to catch before we disconnect the call. I love my wife. I love my wife. I love my wife. I repeat to myself over and over as I go back to the kitchen to join the kids for dinner.

[chosenone58]

[kibaxx7]

Man, 2027. Still looking great.

[chosenone58]

Man, 2027. Still looking great.

Yeah, Nets are a powerhouse. Trying to wrap this season up. I have another project brewing in this Derek Baldwin Universe

[chosenone58]

[six7]

complete domination

[Agent]

Lmaooo Derek about to pull a Tristan Thompson. Get caught up in the middle of the postseason

[chosenone58]

complete domination

It's too easy sometimes.

Lmaooo Derek about to pull a Tristan Thompson. Get caught up in the middle of the postseason

I would never let my mans go out like that.

[chosenone58]

On to the next one.....