Authors: Crystal B. Bright
A news story flashed across the screen about Gideon being put on the injured list. He didn’t want his mother seeing that. He didn’t want her to worry.
He took a seat again and braced his elbows on his knees. “It’s funny that you’re saying this. You’re about to have surgery, one you didn’t want.”
“But one I need. You need this surgery. You need to not feel pain. And you need to be happy. Making sure everyone else is happy is not fulfilling you. I know it isn’t.” Her voice sounded strong.
“Janelle and I had a fight about this same thing.” He didn’t want to open up to anyone about this, about her, but he needed to confide in someone. “She said I must be lonely on my island. Then she said that although I want her, I didn’t need her. All of that is bullsh—uh, not true.”
“Do you understand why she would say that?” Elizabeth stroked Gideon’s head.
He thought about his mother’s words and what Janelle had said. “I have always been the one to make good decisions.”
“You still will. Think about all this and make a good choice. It sounds like you’ve finally found a woman who likes what you like and will not put up with your mess. You need that. You need someone to keep you grounded.” She patted his shoulder.
“Rooted.” He chuckled at his lame attempt at a florist joke.
“Hey, we can do rehab together. Won’t that be nice?”
He laughed. “Yeah, perfect. We’ll be on side-by-side treadmills.” He held her hand.
She hadn’t lost her warmth. She still felt like she could fight dragons and demons for him and look great at it.
“I’ve told this to Gunnar. I wanted to tell you in person. If something happens to me—”
Gideon let go of Elizabeth’s hand and started pacing again. “Come on. Nothing’s going to happen to you.”
“Listen.”
He stopped moving.
“If something happens to me, I told Gunnar to make sure to keep the family together. He’s the oldest. He’s matured now. Now that Eboni is back in his life, they’ll make a great team. Listen to them.” She smiled like she wanted to convince him of this plan.
“So if he’s keeping the family together, what am I supposed to do?” For as long as he could remember, Gideon had kept the family solid. Without that function, he didn’t see where he fit.
“Son, be happy. If you’re happy, the rest will fall into place.”
He took a deep breath. A huge weight felt like it had flown off his shoulders. Had he really put that much pressure on himself to ensure everyone’s happiness? Christ, he had fucked it up during the Super Bowl.
He needed to talk to Dennis, but his friend’s betrayal still made him feel raw. He had to be calm to approach him. With his mother’s surgery, and the prospect of him having to go under the knife, he couldn’t have a conversation with Dennis with his current mindset. That didn’t mean he had to cut ties with everyone. He had to talk to Janelle. The idea of it had his heart pounding harder than ever.
“So, you never answered my question.” Elizabeth’s voice sounded strong yet playful.
It interrupted Gideon’s thoughts. “What’s that?”
“Did you and Janelle—”
“Mom!”
Elizabeth laughed. “You and Gunnar are so similar. Your lives would be so much easier if you admitted that I’m right.”
He patted his mother’s foot. “Fine. You’re right. But if you think I’m going to discuss my sex life with you at my age and in this place, you’re crazy.”
She sighed. “Won’t throw your own mother a bone. Will you at least tell me one thing?”
“What is that?”
“Are you happy with her?”
He thought about her. “She’s smart. She’s ambitious. We have great conversations. And she’s funny. Oh, did you know that she was my first kiss?”
Elizabeth blinked. “The little girl you sexually assaulted at the community center dance?”
“Come on. Don’t say it like that.”
“I can’t help it. When you kiss a woman without asking her first, that’s assault. Remember I punished you for that.” She wagged her finger at him.
“I remember. I couldn’t play football for a month, and I had to do my chores and Gunnar and Thane’s. So unfair.” He hitched up a smile. “But I would do it again, especially now that I know who she is.”
“Okay. You remember that when you two get married and have daughters of your own. You’ll get knucklehead boys like you trying to approach them. Then what will you do?” She tilted her head in that motherly way.
“Easy. My daughters won’t date until they’re fifty.” He nodded. “Besides, I think you’re putting the cart before the horse. Right now, Janelle doesn’t want to talk to me.”
“Are you sure she said she doesn’t want to talk to you, or did she ask you to do something?” She tapped her ear. “You have to listen. It’s not enough to hear that a woman is talking. You have to listen to what she says, understand?”
Before he could answer, Gunnar and Eboni returned to the room along with the doctor.
“Time for you to go. Say your good-byes to your family.” The surgeon turned to Gideon and Gunnar. “We’ll take good care of her.” He pointed to a nurse, who’d walked in after him. “Ella will call the reception desk for you all to give you an update. The surgery should last about three hours, if all goes well, which I’m sure it will.”
Eboni gave Elizabeth a hug first. She stood back and allowed Gunnar the next embrace. By the time Gideon held his mother, he couldn’t talk. What would happen if she didn’t make it? Where would they be as a family?
As though hearing his thoughts and picking up on his anxiety, Queen Elizabeth said, “I’ll be fine.”
He nodded as he pulled back from her. “We’ll be waiting in the family area for you, okay?”
Elizabeth nodded.
The orderlies walked into the room. “Oh, shit. Guns and Gideon Wells here in the hospital?”
“Hey, watch your language in front of the ladies.” Gideon kept his glare on the star-struck orderly. “That’s our mother. Treat her with respect.”
He nodded. “Got it.” He turned to Elizabeth. “Sorry, ma’am.”
Queen reclined on the bed as they wheeled her out of the room. Gideon walked out with her and to the elevator. Once she got inside, he waited outside the doors, staring at her until they closed.
“She’ll be okay. She’s strong.” Gunnar put his arm around Gideon’s shoulders.
“She better be. You would suck at making Thanksgiving dinner.” Gideon chuckled to lighten the mood.
Until his mother came out of surgery, Gideon would be on pins and needles. Gunnar at least had Eboni to keep him company. He took his phone out of his pocket and stared at Janelle’s phone number on the large screen. Later. He would call her once he found out something on his mother’s progress during the surgery. Afterward, maybe he could convince her to have dinner with him to discuss everything.
Janelle took a chance and decided to go up to the hospital where Queen Elizabeth would be for her surgery. After ditching her responsibilities at her store, she’d driven around for an hour, trying to decide if talking to Gideon today would be wise. She hated the way they’d ended their romantic evening.
She headed to the information desk as soon as she walked through the hospital main doors.
“Excuse me,” she began to the woman behind the desk. “I’m looking for—” She stopped as soon as her cell phone rang.
Janelle checked to see if the call came from Penny, letting her know of problems at the store. The name that appeared on her screen stopped her heart for a moment. She moved away from the desk to a quieter area of the waiting room.
“Gideon?” She covered her free ear and concentrated on the caller.
“Janelle. Thanks for taking my call.” He sounded defeated. “I know we didn’t part under the best circumstances this morning.”
“No, we didn’t.” Janelle wanted to talk about that, especially after hearing on the news what troubles Gideon faced right now.
“Do you have any time to break free from work right now? I don’t want to have this conversation over the phone.”
“Where are you?” She scanned her location to find the elevators.
“At the hospital.”
“I know. Where are you in the hospital?”
Silence.
“Are you here?”
Janelle chewed on her lower lip, afraid of what he would say when she answered. “Yes. I’m downstairs.”
“Come up to their third floor. I’m in the family waiting area.”
She beamed at his invitation. “On my way.”
The elevator took too long to arrive. She should have taken the stairs. As soon as the doors opened, she gasped when she saw Gideon standing outside the doors. He smiled as soon as he saw her.
“Thanks for coming.”
Only hours ago, she had allowed this man to caress her in a way she hadn’t been touched before. Now she didn’t know how to greet him. Should she hug him? Shake his hand? Kiss him?
Before she could continue thinking about the possibilities, Gideon took the responsibility away from her and planted a sweet kiss on her lips. Janelle felt all warm inside, a smoldering heat that started at her toes and rose up through her body like a creeping ivy to the top of her head. Then he held her hand.
“I was going to go to the cafeteria. Care to join me?” He didn’t move until she responded.
“Yes. I would like that.” She turned to the elevator but felt resistance from Gideon’s firm grip. She turned back to him.
“Before we go, I’d like to introduce you to some people.” He carried a slight smile as
he led her to the family waiting area.
Janelle followed him while nervous energy fluttered through her chest. He gripped her hand tighter as he walked.
Gideon stopped in front of a couple seated in the center of the room. The man looked like Gideon except he had a crew cut. He had the same sparkling blue eyes, same determined jaw, and same muscular build. Despite the similarities, Janelle didn’t feel the same way seeing him like she did with Gideon. Gideon had something special.
The African-American woman who sat next to the man had short, black hair styled with minicurls. She held the man’s hand like his life depended on it. If Janelle had been a betting type of woman, she would guess that Gideon had brought Janelle over to meet his brother. Since Janelle knew Elizabeth didn’t have any daughters, she assumed the woman had to be his brother’s girlfriend, or rather, his fiancée judging by the huge rock on her left hand ring finger.
“Gunnar,” Gideon began.
The big man stood. He looked to be a couple of inches taller than Gideon.
“This is Janelle Gold. She owns Flowers Galore near Mom’s place.” Gideon turned to Janelle. He stared at her for a moment before he finished her introductions. “She’s a good friend of mine who keeps me in line.”
Janelle chuckled a little at that description. She guessed Gideon didn’t mind a woman who spoke her mind.
Gideon continued. “Janelle, this is my older brother, Gunnar.”
Gunnar extended his hand. “Nice to meet you.” He offered a polite smile.
Janelle knew that had to be difficult for him to do considering the circumstance. “Very nice to meet you. I saw the story on the news about the shooting. Glad you’re okay.”
Gunnar nodded. “Thanks. I’m blessed to be here.”
To lighten the mood, Janelle mentioned the men’s mother. “Queen Elizabeth is very special. From the first day I opened, she supported me.”
“Nice to hear. You’ll have to come see her when she can have visitors.” Gunnar’s deep voice didn’t match Gideon’s.
Janelle didn’t feel the same pulse-pounding feeling when Gunnar spoke like she did when Gideon said anything. She squeezed his hand tighter.
“Janelle, this is my fiancée, Eboni Danielson.” Gunnar helped Eboni to her feet. “Eboni, Janelle Gold.” He leaned over and whispered something in her ear.
Whatever he said, Eboni giggled and gave him a teasing slap on his arm.
“Very nice to meet you. I work for Queen at her hair salon.” Eboni peered up at Janelle. “Pretty hair. How long have you been natural?”
“Since college. About seven years.” On instinct, Janelle touched her hair that she had styled in a topknot bun.
“If you ever want it styled, come on to Press ’N Curl.” Eboni wrapped her arm around Gunnar’s waist. “He can do wonders with natural hair.”
Gunnar kissed her forehead. It shouldn’t have surprised Janelle to hear that this big man, the MMA fighter she had heard about, knew how to style hair. Gideon had a great knowledge of all types of foliage.
“Are you guys sure you don’t want to come down to the cafeteria?” Gideon asked.
Gunnar shook his head. “I want to be here in case there’s another update.” He put his
hand to his stomach. “Besides, I don’t have much of an appetite right now.” He glanced down at Eboni. “Babe?”
“No, I’m fine. I’ll stay right here with you.” She patted his chest. “Very nice meeting you, Janelle.” She looked at Janelle and Gideon. “Maybe once Queen is back home we can all do dinner sometime.”
Janelle didn’t want to get too far ahead of herself. Right now, she didn’t know where she and Gideon stood with each other.
Gideon answered for her. “I think that would be great.”
Janelle didn’t refute his statement. She returned her attention to Gunnar and Eboni. “It was very nice to meet you two.”
“Nice meeting you.” Gunnar patted Gideon on his shoulder. “Go straight to the cafeteria. Don’t get diverted anywhere else.” He winked.
“Good thing you’re injured.” Gideon shook his head as he went back out to the hallway to the elevator.
He pressed the
D
own
button on the elevator and waited next to her.
She scanned around him. It didn’t take long for people passing by them to notice him and point. “People are looking at us.”
He leaned down close to her. “You know how I handle that?”
The elevator dinged and the doors opened.
After he stepped inside and pulled her behind him, he said, “I keep my concentration on the person I’m with.”
Once the door closed, Janelle continued with her questions. “You aren’t afraid that they’ll take a picture of us and put it out for the world to see?”
He shrugged. “I learned a long time ago that more than half of the stuff published about me is not true.”