Janet
"Janet, you don't know how thankful I am for you" Gil spoke to me.
Denzel was back in action for the next show while Story and Eissa left. They flew back home with our nanny. I didn't want Christopher to hone either. Denzels ankle was fully healed after we got approval from the doctor.
We had our next two shows in D.C. so we got some rest at a five star hotel. I spent the night in Gil's room leaving Christopher to sleep alone. He understood I only wanted to be there for Gil. He needed some real support after losing someone so close. So I brought him breakfast in bed and babied him.
I continued rubbing his back that morning as he sat up in his bed. "I love you Gil"
His mouth curved into a genuine smile. "I love you more, happy birthday" he said causing my eyes to widen.
"Wait, it's May sixteen" I questioned slowly.
Gil nodded his head with a big toothless smile. "Go ahead, and spend the morning with your husband. I know he hates me, I feel like I'm keeping you hostage away from him"
"No not at all, I chose to be here with you"
"I'm not a baby J, I'll be fine" his mouth spoke but his eyes told me he needed me to stay.
"Are you sure?"
"J, please go be with your husband"
I stood up slowly before giving Gil one last glance. He gave me a half smile as I left. On my way to the room I checked my phone to see a missing call and a text from Story. Her text read :
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Story❤️🌎
Eissa ate all my snacks again
Ask Betty to buy some more snacks
and get Eissa his own
Ok mom
I miss you so much, what did you do today?
I rode my bike with Eric
I miss you too
Happy Birthday to the best mom ever! Love you❤️
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After reading her text I instantly texted her back with a smile on my face. I knew I had to call her back later. Once I entered the room I made immediate eye contact with that handsome man of mine.
Our eyes locked as he stood across the room facing me halfway. He stood holding a coffee mug in front of the big window view of the city. The blinds were wide open exposing the view of the tall D.C. buildings.
He wore his white robe halfway open exposing the hair on his chest. Christopher's lips curved into a smile, after all of the years I've been with that man I could never get tired of seeing that smile.
"Happy Birthday beautiful. I swear you're aging backwards" he said making me smile harder.
"Thank you baby" I mumbled as I jogged to him.
I instantly ran into him wrapping my arms around his body. "Get dressed I'm taking you somewhere" he said.
I did as I was told and got dressed. He told me to dress comfortable, I didn't know what to expect. Christopher did the unexpected, he walked me right into bowling alley lit with purple dimmed lights. The room was darkly dim enough for me to not notice the crazy amount of eyes on me.
The crew applauded upon my arrival. He walked me in holding my hand as I wrapped my free arm around his arm trying to hide from the attention on me. I could feel my cheeks rising as I blushed. The kids and crew all yelled happy birthday in their enthusiastic tones.
I turned my body halfway into Christopher trying to hide in his tall body. I could hear him laughing over my head. "Baby, you can't hide" he said pulling me off of him.
"Janet Don't Hide" I could hear Gil's loud mouth.
I turned facing the room as Christopher pulled me off of him. Blushing with my toothless smile I waved at everyone. "Come Janet, are you bowling" Denzel asked me.
"Yes and I'm winning" I said following the kids to the alley. I had a really good time with everyone. Gil finally began to enjoy himself again. He was laughing and dancing like a fool.
Christopher invited one of my very close friends from back in the day. Seeing Johnny Gil was a nice surprise he sing me happy birthday and that was my favorite surprise of the day.
After my birthday party that next day we were back to touring and working. The third show after my fifty seventh birthday I was surprised by a sudden knock on my dressing room door.
I was in the venue of the show. While in my dressing room I sat alone on my phone just scrolling through my emails. The unexpected knock caught me by surprise as I looked up in the mirror in front of me.
Looking behind my back in the mirror I could see Stevanna staring back at me in the open doorway. I turned around facing her smiling face. "What are you doing here" I questioned putting my phone down.
"Hey mom" she said giving me a hug. "I came to see my brother and sister"
"When did you start calling me mom?"
"Remember I told you a long time ago that you'd have to earn that title"
"Yeah, it's just so surreal"
"Anyways how's touring?"
"Good but I'm sorry Stevanna the kids are back home" I said watching her eyes widen along with her gapping jaw.
"No" she sighed pouting her bottom lip.
"Yeah, their home with the nanny till this tour is over. Christopher and I decided touring was too much traveling and moving for the two of them"
"I should've called before I showed up. But it's ok I get to spend some quality time with you"
"Good but I gotta warn you about something if your staying"
She pressed her lips together giving me a concerned look while crossing her arms. "What is it?"
"If you're going to be sticking around, you should know Bryan's been asking about you"
"What" she gasped.
"Yeah and I just that you give him space, he needs to focus on his craft"
She began to smile holding her laugh. "Oh please I'm not worried about him. I moved on, Ive got plenty of boyfriends keeping me company"
"Boyfriends with a s"
"Yes I was loyal to Bryan for years. It's time for me to date and have fun, you understand right?"
I knew exactly what she meant. That was my exact mindset after my two back to back marriages with James and Rene.
"Yeah I understand"
Her smile was contagious, I couldn't help but to smile back. There was a knock coming from behind her followed along with Bryan's voice. He pocked his head in the doorway.
"Hey Janet, Preston's looking for you on stage" his eyes shifted from mine to Stevanna's.
He began to stare at her in a daze. "Knock next time" I said. "Ok I'm coming, Stevanna stay here I'll be back" I said before making my exit.
On the way out I watched Bryan's face. He never blinked as he kept his eyes on Stevanna. There was a sparkle in his eyes as his they never left her.
I left briefly to meet Preston. He wanted to show me something concerning the stage. Once I was done talking to him I made my way back to my dressing room where I left Stevanna.
As I made my way down the long hallway I kept my eyes on the light coming from the room. The closer I got the more I noticed how quiet it was awfully quiet, so I assumed Bryan left and Stevanna was waiting for me inside.
I got to the room standing in the doorway to see Bryan's hands around in Stevanna's back pockets. The two of them were locking lips with their eyes closed. She held his back as the two of them kept going.
I gasped holding the door knob to my room. Bryan looked to me with his mouth twisted and his eyes widened. While Stevanna broke eye contact looking away from me.
I didn't know what to say so I didn't say anything. The two of them didn't say anything either. Bryan looked between the both of us frantically. "I'm sorry, I'll leave" he said before leaving the two of us.
Stevanna couldn't look at me, she stared in the opposite direction of me. "What was that" I asked.
She looked at me with a gaped mouth. "We're adults, I don't know what you want me to say" she shrugged.
"I understand that but I just asked you not to distract him" I said stern.
"Fine, I won't, I'll stay away from him"
"Jesus" I sighed placing my hand on my pounding heart.
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