SugarCOAT

60. Facing Reality 🧱

At a small deli restaurant, we got some really good sub sandwiches and beverages. Our conversation from there to A.B.'s uncle's house was a lot lighter. I was glad for it, because we both needed it.

When we arrived at a beautiful red brick house, A.B. looked at me. "My aunt knows we're coming, but we're surprising my uncle."

I really couldn't wait to see Mr. Dave. After getting out the car, we walked up the sidewalk together. 

The front door opened before we could reach it. A petite woman smiled at us. "I'm so happy y'all are here!"

"Aunt Lyn!"

"Nephew!"

The two hugged one another.

A.B. introduced me. "Aunt Lyn, this is Jamie. She used to work at Music Bravos. Jamie, this is Marilyn, my uncle's wife."

I held out my hand. "Hi!"

She shook it. "Nice to meet you. Are you Nephew's girlfriend?"

We both said in unison, "No."

"Come on in." Marilyn walked back into the house. "He's in the back watching T.V. I was just about to cook. Are you staying for dinner?"

"No. I have to get Jamie back home."

Marilyn smiled, "Okay. Y'all go see him." 

A.B. led the way down a hall. He knocked before slowly opening a door. We walked inside the room to see Mr. Dave sitting in an upright position on the bed. It broke my heart to know how he used to be compared to seeing him now.

"Who is that?" Dave asked.

"Uncle Dave. It's Jace."

"Nephew! Get over here!" I could hear the excitement in his voice.

A.B. stood on the side of the bed. "I brought somebody to see you."

I stood next to A.B.

Mr. Dave narrowed his eyes before bucking them. "Jamie!"

"Hey, Mr. Dave!" I waved at him.

"It's a blessing to see you. I watched you sing on TV. Did Nephew tell you that?"

I nodded my head, "Yes. He did."

"You sing so beautifully. You got the voice of an angel. I tell ya."

I was overwhelmed with compliments. 

"If I wasn't stuck in this bed, I'd be dancing to your song, right now," he told me.

"Thank you, Mr. Dave. I'm really happy to see you doing better."

Mr. Dave said, "Oh, life is a blessing. I'm in my therapy now. I keep saying I will beat this with God's help, because I know I won't be paralyzed forever. Let me tell you both this. Don't work too hard. Take your breaks and your vacations. You only get one body. Rest is really important. If you don't get rest, your body will shut down and take over, and you don't want that. Make sure you exercise, sleep plenty, and eat right. When you constantly going, you don't think about what you're eating. You just grab what's easy and close to you. Your body needs good fuel. Take me for example. Okay? You hear me?"

A.B. and I replied, "Yes."

We stayed for almost half an hour. Then, we left. Before driving away, A.B. said, "There's a park around here. Do you mind if we go there?"

"Not at all," I answered.

Just like he said, the park was like three blocks away from his uncle's house.