Old Friends (Janet and Toni Fanfic)

Chapter 26

  "When he comes in that door, I swear to god-" Jermaine started to fume. "How the hell could he do something like that to you?! He has lost his damn mind!"

All the men started to argue about how much of a piece of shit he was and how much they were going to fuck him up, J.D and Jackie talking the most shit. But Randy just had this look in his eye... and I could tell he was going to do the most damage. Hopefully not too much.

Then there was another ring at the door bell, shutting everyone else up. I wasn't expecting anyone else. And Wissam didn't ring the doorbell to come inside. I know for a fact he wouldn't do it today.

I opened the door, and there was a red, puffy-eyed Toni, looking completely drained inside. I was elated to see her, but not like this. I started to jump to conclusions about what could have happened between this morning and now.

  "Jan, all these cars in your driveway, is there a party going on? And luggage in the street?" She peeped around my shoulder at everybody, and they all waved kindly. She looked so lost. "Was this a bad time? Am I interrupting a family gathering?"

  "No, Toni, come in. I'll tell you everything, just as soon as you tell me what happened to you! Why do you look like you've been crying?!" I pulled her into the kitchen and away from the boys, who had resumed their conversations. It was loud and echoing through the house.

Toni ran her fingers through her hair and sat on a bar stool. "During rehearsal today, I got a call... my mother had a stroke and has been unconscious ever since."

A shockwave of heat coursed my body at the words. "You're kidding, right? No! Toni, I'm so sorry," I hugged her tightly. "What are the doctors saying about it?!"

  "They won't know much until she wakes up, but depending on the damage done to her brain she could become paralyzed from the waist down, and I just can't-"

  "Oh, Toni..." I hugged her again, this time harder. "As soon as this is all over, We can have some wine, get you relaxed..."

  "Oh yeah, um, Jan? What exactly is happening?"

  "Oh. That's right, you didn't answer the phone, now I know why. Well...  I tried to break up with Wissam today."

  "You did?!" Her face brightened, but then he caught herself in realizing I might have been a little sensitive about it. I was, but, me too, Toni. Me too. "I mean, you did. And?"

  "He wouldn't leave, he said no, and I said-"

  "That son of a bitch is pulling up now, come on y'all." Randy yelled, and they all barreled out of the door. I had to make sure this didn't get too ugly.

  "Wait, you guys! Don't kill him, please..." I tried to run after them, but it was already too late. They had formed a half-circle around his Ashton Martin, and as he stepped out looking more egotistical than I'd ever seen him, his whole body froze in something like fear. "Oh, no..." I muttered. This might have been a really bad idea.

  "Janet, what the hell-oh... shit..." Toni trailed.

We watched out the window as he was pulled by the shirt away from his car by Jermaine. Everyone else re formed the circle, now in the middle of the driveway. I decided just to step out on the front porch so he could see my face one last time, before he lost his limbs. Toni hid behind me. Randy threw the first punch to his gut. I winced.

"You fucked up, Wissam," Marlon said as he crumbled to the ground, coughing. It was the first time I heard him use language like that in probably 20 years.

  "Yeah, what the fuck was you expecting? Do you know who you dealing with, punk ass nigga?" J.D. kicked him as he tried to get up.

  "I don't know what you guys are talking about," he responded.