Their Choices, Their Life

Chapter Thirty-Six {Friends}.

In the month following BJ's birthday, things went back to normal. She seemingly pushed their reunion to the back of her mind and everything was as it had been before, which was great. Everything was great, save for the fact that Baakir had stopped taking. No ma-ma, da-da or anything else resembling words. His language had left as quickly as it came and it made Janee' anxious. She found no coincidence in the fact that his talking had started and stopped on his birthday, which was the only time he had both parents together with him. He was smart kid and sometimes she wondered if he knew what he was doing. Like he had a plan.

Michael was gone to Europe for the foreseeable future and one day out of desperation and curiosity she Facetimed him.

"Hey. Everything ok?"

"No."

"Shit, Jay. Is BJ—" his voice was shaky. He didn't know what was going on. She hadn't called him in over a year, so he assumed something serious had happened.

"Oh, he's OK. Relax. I'm sorry."

He took an exaggerated breath and stepped away from the cameras and lights she spotted around him.

"What's up then? It's just you haven't called in forever..."

"He's not talking."

Michael looked at her with a confused expression.

"He hasn't talked since his birthday. Since you left." She rubbed her eyes, trying to keep her emotions in check. It seemed like she just couldn't keep it together around him.

"Hey—it's going to be okay." The confidence in his voice soothed her a bit. "Have you taken him to the doctor? What do you think is going on?"

"His doctor said it's normal, but it's just not sitting well with me. I think it's because we're...he's not around us both."

The guilt Michael was constantly running from caught hold of him. His son was suffering from his actions, an indirect consequence he never considered when he did what he did.

"I'm sorry, Jay. It's just this movie. I'm going to catch the first flight out. Fuck this shit."

She found it endearing that he'd drop everything for his son and slightly humorous that he cussed out the movie project, but she couldn't let him mess up a job or his reputation.

"What if we come to you?"

Michael felt his heart drop to his stomach. She couldn't have meant that. He needed her to clear her words up before he got too excited.

"You mean Steelo?" he squinted at her through the phone, hoping she meant exactly what she said.

"No, us. BJ and me. Is that okay?"

"Shiiiiid. Hell yea. I would love that." The grin on his face warmed her heart in a way she wished it hadn't. "I'll make arrangements for y'all tonight."

He made arrangements alright, for the following night. The nigga was eager to say the least. Janee' nearly spit out her coffee when she received the email with their flight information. She almost called him to see if he could move it back a day or two, but the thought of mustering up enough courage to call him again kept her from doing it.

How am I going to be around him if I can't even call him?

"I really didn't think this through." She spoke aloud to herself, but BJ was attentive to her, watching her every move as she frantically packed their bags.

***

"How was the flight?"

"I've had better. BJ handled it much better than I did." Michael peeked under his blanket to see their child fast asleep.