Surfacing

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Earth 1

Two weeks after the wedding

Kenny

Kenny walked into Toni's room and just looked at his fiancé. It was hard seeing her like this every day. He didn't quite know what to do or say. He started to sing to Toni and her eyes began to rapidly move even though she was still in a coma. One of the nurses heard his quiet singing and came into the room to check on Toni. He stopped singing to ask the nurse a question.

"When I sing her eyes move around a lot. It that supposed to happen?"

"Mr. Edmonds, each patient is different, and I can't say for sure what will happen in Ms. Braxton's case."

"I understand. Thank you." He hummed while the nurse continued her mandatory check.

Singing always made him feel better. For some reason it didn't this time. He felt like he was losing Toni. He shook those negative thoughts away and began to check his e-mails business waits for no one. He replied to a few and then sent some e-mails. He needed to be okay with Toni's situation but he wasn't and he couldn't figure out why?

Kenny stayed at the hospital for another hour before he had to go pick up Peyton. Peyton was his joy, her personality was infectious. He explained to her what happened to her Mama T and she understood. The wisdom and maturity in his daughter amazed him everyday. She was 6 going on 36 with the way she thought and spoke.

Janet

Janet quietly entered Toni's room, she grabbed Toni's hand and held it. She needed her best friend right now but she had to make do with her other BFF Gil. Janet was in an odd place in her life. She wanted so badly for Toni wake up and give her some advice. She began talking to Toni.

"Hey T, you know I love you. Just wanted to say that. There's a lot going on with me. There is a lot I haven't told you. I'm sorry for keeping these things from you. If you were awake you would probably knock me upside my head for not telling you." She took a deep breath and let it out.

"So you know how you made me take a pregnancy test. You might have been right. Let me tell you why. Jermaine and I have been trying to have a baby for the last year. I know I should have told but I didn't want to get your hopes up of being a godmother if it didn't work. We tried to conceive naturally but it just didn't work. So we consulted a specialist and began IVF treatments. I got pregnant the first round, made it to three months and had a miscarriage." Janet began to cry, so she paused to get herself together.

"I know you probably want to kill me for not telling you. I had my reasons T. Three months later we tried again. I didn't get pregnant that cycle. I want a child so much T but maybe it's not meant to be. Back to your wedding day even though the test was negative. I just think it was too early to tell but I think I'm pregnant again. I've had morning sickness these last two weeks you've been here. I'm so afraid to take a test. I know I shouldn't be but I am. Pretty soon Gil will notice and probably make me take one like you did." She wiped her tears and laughed.

"Gil misses you. He comes once a week to see you. I know he talks to you too. I miss us hanging out together already. It doesn't feel the same without you." Janet kissed Toni's forehead and sat back down. She pulled out her old weathered notebook that Toni had given her and started to write a new song.

Tamar

A week later