“In other news, we’re here to celebrate 25th anniversary of one of the most all time best high school athletes, Daniel Simmons.” Charles Barkley said on a sports channel. “He disappeared while preparing to grocery shop for his mother. Him, his girlfriend, and his child also disappeared at the time too. His family continue to search for him until this day.”
“That’s sad. People still wonder where the wearabouts of those three are today.” Another commentator said.
“Damn. Aye y’all ever wonder where he at?”
“Shut your ass up, Danny.” His friend laughed. “You only wonder where that nigga at because you and him got the same name.”
“Right!” His other friend said. “And that nigga was 18 when he disappeared. He probably like 40 something.”
“Whatever, man.” Danny laughed.
Danny had alot of qualities that made his friends joke around and call him the ‘child’ of the missing Daniel Simmons. He was 25 like him, which made them joke around. However, his name was Danny Johnson. And his mothers name was Monet Johnson. She resembled nothing like the missing Jessica Jarrell, either. Still, his friends seemed to make jokes about it anyway. His grandfather was white, and her grandmother was black. His mother was a little under lightskinned, and her hair was curly and short.
Danny Johnson was a superstar on the Steelers Football Team, along with his two teamates Reggie and Tito. Daniel was a running back, Tito was a linebacker, and Reggie was a quarterback. Together, they were the 2nd best team in the league to the Bears. Their big game was on Sunday, and they were going against them in the finals.
This game, would determine who was the best of the best.
“Y’all nigs better be ready for this game on Sunday.” Danny nodded.
“Born ready.”
Finally, it hit Sunday night. It was the superbowl and they had to bring their A - game, or else they would lose. Danny looked up into the crowd, and seen his mother cheering him on along with his cousins, grandfather, and grandmother. He smiled at them, then got back focused onto his game.
3 hours later, their team won 50 - 45. It was a close game, but the Steelers came out on top. Danny led everyone to the victory with the last touchdown of the night. The minute that happened, everyone on their team crowded around each other and went ballistic. Buckets of gatorade was being flared around, and there was nothing but screaming and yelling in victory. Finally after everyone came close to settling down, the interviewer on the field finally got the chance to talk to the teams 2 time all star and superstar.
“How do you feel about this sweet victory over your rival team?” The woman smiled as she handed him the mic.
“First off I want to thank my mom who’s crying in the crowd over there! I love you so much!” Danny said loudly as the camera view went over to her and his family. “I also wanted to say that I love you grandma, grandpa, my stepfather, and my younger sister Cheyanne. I love you guys so much!”
After the superbowl, he drove over to his mothers home to celebrate. All of his family members were already there waiting for him, and they had threw a tremendous party for his win. Danny had bought his mother a mansion the minute he signed a contract with his teammates because she deserved it. She helped raise him all by herself along with his stepfather. And since his stepfather had done more than his real father, he bought him a nice large home also.
When the night ended and everyone left, Danny decided to spend some alone time with his mother at her home. While she was downstairs, he decided to slip her a surprise. He purchased a $500,000 necklace for her, so he was going to slip it inside of her closet.
He walked upstairs and slipped the small basket in between 2 boxes inside of her room, when one of the boxes fell onto the floor. A whole bunch of pictures and old posessions fell out and sprawled inside of her closet.
“Fuck.”
But when he kneeled down onto the ground, he seen alot of pictures that struck him as ‘weird’. He seen a boatoad of pictures that contained Jessica, Daniel, and DJ. He blew it off and began to put everything into the box, when 2 more papers of the pile slipped out of his hand. He bent down and looked at it, and his heart skipped a beat.
It was a birth certificate that said 'Daniel Simmons Jr.' with Daniel's signature on it, but stapled at the bottom was a picture of him and Daniel. He had to be no older than 2, but he was kissing him on the cheek. Now wondering, he took out the box and began to look through pictures. Monet had alot of keepsakes of the two, but he was more concerned about the fact that he was once with one of the most memorable high school athletes. He pulled out a small gold necklace that was inside of the box, and it had a little bit of blood on it. He looked down at the box, and seen a picture of Daniel wearing the same necklace.
But when he picked up a picture of Jessica and Daniel holding him in the hospital bed, he understood what was going on. His mother didn't have all of those keepsakes for nothing. He was really happy that his mother knew someone famous, but he needed to figure out what she had these keepsakes for.
"What is this, mom?" Danny said as he walked downstairs and held the birth cirtificate up with a picture of him stapled to it.
"How'd you get that?!" Monet said as she jumped up, and snatched it from him.
"Why didn't you tell me that you knew the famous Daniel Simmons?" Danny growled at her. "And who is 'Daniel Simmons Jr?' I'm stapled to that birth cirtificate for what?"
"Danny, why were you in my closet?" Monet shouted. "You shouldn't have been snooping through my things!"
"Mom, are Jessica and Daniel my real parents?"
Monet gasped at his statement. She stood there stone faced, looked to the side, and began to shake her head.
"Are they!?" Danny repeated.
"Sit down, Danny."
"No I wan't my question answered mom!"
"Sit down Danny and i'll tell you!" Monet shouted angrily as he stared at her, then sat down in his chair. She took a deep breath as tears streamed down her eyes, then looked at him.
"I'm.......Jessica Jarrell."
"What?" Danny said as he sat up and looked at her.
"I'm Jessica Jarrell. The missing woman." She said louder. "I changed my name to Monet Johnson, and changed your name to Danny Johnson. I did it to protect us."
This news was so sudden, that Danny didn't even believe her. He stared at her with his mouth agape, before finally finding the strength to speak again.
"You're, THE missing Jessica Jarrell?" Danny said with his eyes wide open. "You're my mother?"
"Yes. And yes, I am your mother." She nodded. "So is Daniel Simmons."
"What is my real name?"
"Daniel Simmons Jr." Jessica said in a shaky tone.
"Are you kidding me?" He shouted angrily. "Why the hell did you change our names?"
"I did it to protect us, Daniel!" She said loudly. "I promise you'll thank me in the end."
"Wow. So what happened to Daniel Simmons? My father?"
"I don't know. I don't know what happened to him..."
"Mom don't lie to me!" Danny said as he teared up. "Tell me!"
"I don't know, Danny! I don't know!" Jessica said as she turned her head. "We split up while we were trying to get away from someone, but we never found each other. I'm trying to find him just as much as everyone else is."
"You need to tell his parents that we're still alive. My grandparents." He sighed. "Tell them what happened when we were abducted. Tell them everything."
"I'm not sure when I should do it." Jessica said as she shook her head.
"Do it when the football season is over. I'll come with you when you do."
Five months later, the football season was drafting in their best players. However, DJ was signed to a team for 5 years. He reminded his mother what they had to do, and she was beyond nervous. Still, he knew that it was right. He had to tell his family what was right and that they no longer worry about their grandchild and step daughter.
Jessica drove to the Simmons mansion which was 4 hours away from where they lived, and pulled up in the driveway. She hadn't seen this home in over 25 years, and she got the chills from the memories that surrounded her. Memories of her, Daniel, Justin, Malik, and Lewis playing in the basketball court. Memories of coming home from community service. Memories of Jeffery driving her home everyday, and from place to place. Everything. She was shaking, but Danny escorted her to the door, and she knocked on it.
Suddenly, a woman answered the door and Jessica knew that it was Justine. However, age 40 and age 65 looked totally different. Justine went from a plumped young woman with long backlength hair with medium sized breast, and nice thick hips. Now, he seen a woman with gray hairs at the end of her roots. She seen a woman with alot more wrinkles. She seen a woman who had thinner lips. She seen a woman who's stress of not seeing her son, flared inside of her facial structures alot.
"Excuse me, but who are you?" Justine asked.
"I have information on the disappearance of Jessica, Daniel, and DJ." Jessica said lowly.