Chapter Six- Darin's View

Sorry for the put together words. But enjoy!

 I was in the living room, sitting across from my parents, thatstopped by to visit. It was good to see my dad up and walking again.He's been in the hospital, because he fell down the front steps of hishouse. " So, son, how's it going with you and Jessica?"

 " Great. As always, but just this morning, she was gone, when Iwoke up." 

 " She wasn't around the house?" my mother asked.

 " Nope. She was at the gas station, getting pain medicine." 

 " That's weird," my dad replied. 

"Yeah. It kind of is, because you know what? I looked in the cabinetfor some, because you know, something just didn't feel so rightabout it all. There was plenty of pain medicine for her to choosefrom," I explained.

 " Hmm. That's weird all right," my mother added in. 

" But anyways. How's it been since, being out of the hospital. Youfeel free? You feel better?" 

" Defiantly. Thanks to your mother," he wrapped his arm around her," She knows how to take care of your old man, here." 

" I know she does. I've had my turn of being cared for by her. She was a great nurse," I glanced at mom. I heard the garage door open, and there I knew it was Jessicacoming home from her day of work. " Is that you, Jessica?" I yelledfor her to hear.

 " Yeah, it's me," As Jessica was walking into the living room, I couldsee my mother trying to get up and hug her, " No, momma, I'll cometo you. Just go on and sit down," she said with a smile. She wrappedher arms around her," It's great to see you, momma. How've you been?" she asked. 

" Great and you?" my mother asked when she departed from thehug.

 " Wonderful. Just trying to keep Darin under control as much aspossible. You know him," she joked. 

" Oh' I know him quite well, to know that it is hard to keep himunder control," she kidded back. Oh' Lord, I hate these times whenthey try to get on me when I'm in the room. But that's what relativesdo, right? Your not a perfect family if you don't make fun of eachother. 

      We asked them if they wanted to stay for dinner, and theyagreed to the offer, so as always my mother follows Jessica into thekitchen to help cook. While, my mom and Jessica were in the kitchen, me and myfather stayed in the living room to watch the LSU game. Thedoorbell had rung, " Darin, honey, can you get that for me?" Sheyelled to me, so I could get to the door. 

" Sure," I replied. I got upfrom the couch and answered the door. When I opened the door,there was two big guys standing there with a tall brown, box. I wasguessing it was our tree that was supposed to be arriving today, " We have a delivery for Darin Johnson and Jessica Johnson fromKirkland's?" they asked me for conformation. 

" Yes, sir. That would be me. My wife is in the kitchen cooking atthe moment."

 " All I need to do is sign this paper."

 " Great." I took the clipboard that had the paper attached to it andsigned it. They took the tree inside and they placed it on the floor onit's side." Well, son how tall did you really want it?" my dad asked. 

" Well, dad it was time for a change up. I thought it would lookrather nice right in the middle of the fore way. Don't you think?"

 " Sure son, sure," he said, sounding so unsure of it. 

       We left the tree in the box and sat around the table and ate andtalked about the future wedding. "So, you want it around the Christmas time?" my father asked Jessica. I watched her finisheating her role and then she answered him, " Defiantly. Like I toldmomma, I think that it would make it more magical and meaningful.You know?"

  " What about the attendance, though?" momma asked. 

" I know that people may be on vacation, because it's a holiday, soyou know, we just might make it the week before Christmas," sheadded. 

" That would be better for everyone, because we were thinking aboutgoing down to Texas to visit our grand kids. So, that would be great,"momma replied.She took another bite of her spaghetti and wiped the sauce off hermouth, "Then that will be the date. That means that we have twoweeks to wrap everything up," she said, while acknowledging me.

 " Yeah. Were gonna be busy," I replied. I took a sip of the wine thatwas sitting in the glass in front of my plate. After we ate and tidied up the kitchen, my parents left to gohome for the night. I went back into the living room to take unpackthe awaiting tree.

      Darin had decided to unpack the tree from the box.It took me about ten minutes to put the tree together. Once, I got itup, it was about seven feet tall. It was pretty tall, but that's what I wanted. 

 " Now, all we need to do, is put decorations on it and ornaments,"Jessica joined. 

" Yep, you want me to go and get them back down or do you?" Iasked.

 " You can." 

 " Okay."

 " Here they are," I said, while laying the box down on the coffeetable," Would you like some hot chocolate?" I offered. I could feel thatJessica was wanting her favorite Christmas drink, because whenevershe was doing something that had to do with Christmas she need herhot chocolate. Period. 

 " Yes, please. That sounds good at the moment," She took the lid offthe box and took out a box that held the important ornaments." One day, if we ever have kids, Darin, I hope to one day to passalong these ornament to them," she said, while holding up a glassangel that her grant grandmother had passed down to her, before shepassed away. 

" That would be nice, huh?" 

" Very. I mean we have to have something to pass down to them,right?"

 " Yeah." 

 " So, I think an ornament that meant something to you or me, wouldbe perfect," she unwrapped it and easily and gently, she placed it onone of the limbs of the tree. she took a step back and admired it. "It's already starting to look good, baby," she said. 

" Sure is," I came back in the living room with the hot chocolate andhanded her one in her hand.

 " How about some Christmas music? It's probably going to take atleast an hour to put this whole thing together."

 " Why not?" While, she was adding the Christmas carols to her Christmas joy, Ithought it would be a good idea to start putting up some Christmasornaments, " This is going to be a great year, baby," I said. 

"Well, yeah of course. We're getting married to each other and it'sthe best time of the year," I listed. 

" Exactly why, it's going to be a great one." As we were listening toDeck the Halls, she reached in the box for another ornament andplaced it on the tree. Her phone had started going off, " Hello?" She was busy talking on the phone to someone, and I was busy hangingornaments. I turned around and took a sip of my hot chocolate andhung another one, till Jessica got off the phone, " My mom told methat my dad had a heart attack and he's in the hospital."

 " Which hospital?" he asked. 

" The one downtown. We need to go," we both rushed to put ourcoats on and then we left for the hospital. 

 " I can't believe this," she said, while driving, " just last month hehad one and then it happened again. What's going on, Darin?"

 " Honey, I don't know. But I'm sure he'll be fine. We just gotta prayfor him. He'll be alright," I grabbed her hand and locked it withmine, " Just trust me, baby."

 " I do. I'm just scared that one day these heart attacks is going to sendhim away to the pearly gates." " Well, that just means that it was his time, but hopefully this timewon't be his time." 

     We showed up at the hospital and ran inside. Once, we got into thehospital, I spotted her mother waiting for us nervously. "He's alright, it's just that he had a heart attack and now he'sfeeling better and the doctor is trying to get him back to normal.He'll be alright. I'm glad you could make it," her mother informedus. 

" You're welcome. I was scared that he wasn't gonna pass this time.He's had so many in the past."

 " Well I'll let you know this. The doctor said that he was going toprescribe him medicine that will help him and it will limit how manyhe has a year." 

" Why can't he have him them at all?" Jessica asked angrily. 

" Well, wouldn't that be nice?" she said.

 " Very nice." 

      The nurse came out into the waiting room and looked like he wasgoing to give some news, " Well, it looks as though, Mr. Henderswill fine. You are able to visit him, now." 

" Great. Thank you." her mom said back to him, " I guess we couldall take turns switching out. Will that be fine with you guys?" sheasked me and Jessica.

 " That would be fine. You and mom can go in first and then me andmom will go in next. Will that be OK?" Jessica recommended to me. 

 " Yeah, sure."

       Me and Jessica's mother walked back to her fathersroom, while Jessica stayed out in the waiting room. When we got into the room, her father was asleep. Her motherjust stood in front of the bed, where he laid and slept. She had herarms folded on her chest, " You know, I hope that you are just asgood with Jessica as good as Tim is good with me," she said.

 " Oh', I'll tell you this much, Mrs. Henders. That woman is my princess. I spoil her rotten. She is just wonderful and she's all I couldever ask for. I know this might sound cheesy or corny, but before shewalked into my life, I was just a thug off the street and you knowever since I met her, my life has changed for the better. Dramatically.And you know what else?"

 " What, son?"

 "I wouldn't change it for anything in this world. Not even a milliondollars, because you know what? That's what she's worth." 

"Oh' that's sweet. Has she ever heard you say that?"

 " Nope. Not one time." 

 " You should tell her that some time."

 " You think?"

 " All I know is that if you do, it could earn you some browniepoints."

 " What?" 

 " Yeah. When her father does that let me tell you, he makes me sogiddy inside and just makes him want him even more. Not to ever lethim go. Every time."

 " I'm gonna take your word on that, Mrs. Henders." 

" Great, it's about time someone listens to me, before I die," right there we shared some giggles and I left her alone with herhusband to have some time alone together.

       I come out of the room, to see a guy holding my fiance''s hand.What in the hell? The hand holding thing better be some kind offriend thing, not another boyfriend on the side. She saw me look atthem and left with fire in my body and if I talked, fire wouldpossibly come out like a dragon. I went and sat in the car, thinkingabout what I was going to say. I didn't want to be mad at her, but thisoverrode the fact of that. I laid my hands on my forehead, becausemost of the time that position helped me think better than usual.From inside of the car, I could hear Jessica's heels clacking away,coming towards the car. She opened the door and got in. She facedher body in my direction, so that we could have a straight upconversation. " Baby, what did you see in there?" she asked me. 

 " What did I see? Really, Jessica? Really?" I let go of her hand andstared into her eyes with anger, " I saw my future wife with someonethat I hope that she didn't know in any kind of fashion or form.Please tell me you didn't know him. Did you know him?" 

 " Baby, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't ever want you to find outlike this. I really didn't."

 " So, you were just going to keep messing with him, until you gotcaught, huh?"

 " Baby, I was planning on telling you after the wedding." 

 " Why? Why in the hell would you keep something like this fromme? Huh?" 

 " Because I didn't want to loose you, honey. I really didn't. I onlyused him, baby. Used him." 

" For what? Money? Drugs? Sex?" I started listing off. Now, I'mmarried to a prostitute? Damn, I was blind, and now I see! 

 " For money. I would have sex with him and then he would rewardme with whatever I wanted, the things that I would ask for. Like theother day, he bought me a Gucci purse. A purse that I had alwayswanted. I know you couldn't afford those kinds of things, but hecould, so that's why I used him for the things I wanted," sheexplained to me. 

" I can't believe you, Jessica. I can't." Over a freaking purse! 

" Are you going to tell my parents about this?"

 " No. But I'm sick about this. You need to get help, if you're sleepingwith a guy just to get things you can't afford at the time, then yeah,you need some major help, darling. I can walk home or one of myfriends can come and get me, because I can't even stand to be aroundyou right now. I'm sick to my stomach, that I even thought aboutasking someone like you to marry me." 

      I got out of the car andwalked to the side of the road and got on the phone to call one of myfriends.  My friend Laterious came and picked me up, after Jessica wentback into the hospital. 

" What happened man?"

 " Man, Jessica been seeing this other guy, named Kaderis. He's anurse here. So, when we were visiting her father, me and her motherwent into the room and she stayed out in the waiting room. Well,when I was leaving the room, I caught a glimpse at the guy holdingher hand. And then you could just tell by his facial expression andhis body language, that it was just more than friends, you know?"Laterious looked over at Daren for a quick second, away from theroad then back at the road, " Then, Jessica saw me and I just left,pissed. I really was. But it gets better, man. Once, I get out to the car,she follows me. I ask her how she knew him. She said he was morelike a pimp. A friends with benefits type of guy."

 " Man, that's wrong. So she used him for money?"

 " Yep."

 " But you're so good to her, man. I don't understand."

 " Yeah. Tell me about it. Try being in my place." 

 " So, why'd you call me?"

 " Well, I needed to get away from her. Just too hot and fired up to bearound her. I don't want that for her. I mean, I just hope she don't donothing stupid."

 " Why would she?"

 " I just don't."

 " So, what you wanna do?"

 " I don't know man." 

" Wanna go on the other side of town for a bit?" 

      Usually when we went to the other side of town, it could meandifferent things for us. It was either hit up something, or just visit.But Jessica doesn't know about that." Yeah, let's hit up something, man. I need something to get megone." 

 " Ight'." 

      We showed up to this guy's house, that Laterious knew. Therewere a couple of cars parked out on the street, but that's how it waseveryday on the other side of town. Once, we got in the house, therewere a couple of guys here and there, smoking and had a beer intheir hand. You could tell that half of them were faded out and gone.Laterious walked into the kitchen to find the owner of the house. 

"Hey man, what up?" he said to the guy. He did a hand shake and theman looked at me. 

" Who dis'?" he pointed at me. 

" This is my homeboy, Darin. He was wondering if he could get a hit or two." he brought up. 

" Hell yeah. My name Jameri, man. Hit it up man. If you need me,I'll be around. Follow me," we followed him into this back room,where there were more guys crowded around and relaxing on somesmoke, " These guys, I wouldn't say they're regulars, but I see thema lot. Don't ask me what their names are, because really I don't evenknow. Hell. But enjoy," he left me and Laterious to enjoy ourselvesand we hot up some weed and got high. I took about five or ten hitsand I was gone. After I faded, I fell asleep and the next thing I knew was that itwas the next day.

     I got up from the couch, to see Laterious passedout too. The guys that were there with us, I guess left, because theywere no where to be seen. I took my phone out to see if I missed anycalls from Jessica, calling to apoligize or beg me to come home. Idid have one voicemail, though. I listened to it and it was talkingabout how there was a patient enrolled by the name of Jessica.Jessica was in the hospital. She did something stupid, like I knewshe would do. I woke up Laterious, and I told him what was goingon, " Bro, come on take me to the hospital. We gotta go," I could tellhe was still half way asleep, " Man, for what, exactly?" he said with atired voice. 

 " Jessica in there. I told you she was going to do something stupid. Iknew it. Come on," I urged him to get off the couch. We rushed to the hospital and Laterious just dropped me off. Hewas too tired to stay. 

" Thanks man for a great night last night andthanks for helping me out."

 " Anytime, man," he drove off and left.

      I went into the hospital andrequested to see Jessica. They gave me her room number. I walkedinto the room to see her fast asleep. I sat in a chair that was sittingbeside the bed and I just stuck my eyes on her sleeping body. I hopethat I had nothing to do with this. I really don't. After, I stared at herfor about thirty minutes or so, I fell asleep with the thoughts in myhead became a dream, until I heard Jessica's sweet tired voice.