Surfacing

Chapter 7

Earth 1

Janet

She's sitting in Toni's hospital room not talking much today but doing a lot of writing. She's so focused on her writing she doesn't see or hear Tamar come into the room. She only looks up when she feels a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey Taymie."

"Hey Ms. Jackson, can we take a walk? There's something I need to speak with you about."

Tamar looked at Janet as another sister. Janet saw Tamar as a little sister too. They had a bond similar to her and Toni's except she and Toni were just a little closer. Even when Janet first met Tamar she knew that the little girl would grow up to be an awesome singer and entertainer.

The two women left the room both with a lot on their minds. They ended up walking outside to the small courtyard garden that the hospital had in the middle of the building. Janet trying to figure out how to share her news and Tamar trying not to cry at what she needed to say. Both women took deep breaths and held each other's hands.

"Janet."

"Tamar."

Both women spoke at the same time. Janet knew something was wrong when Tamar called her Janet. Ever since she had met her as a child Tamar only ever called her J or Ms. Jackson. So for Tamar to call her by her name something was really wrong.

"You go first. I'm still trying to put into words what I have to say."

"Tay, I'm pregnant. I'm so scared...I'm almost four months and I haven't told Maudlin yet. Tay, I am terrified that what happened the first time will happen again." Tears began rolling down Janet's face. Tamar knew that their would be more tears with the news she had to share.

Tamar hugged Janet and just held her.

"Janet, I didn't want to be the one to tell you this but Vince and I thought that since Toni still hasn't woken up that it was my place to do this." She took a few deep breaths and then spoke. "Jermaine is cheating on you. I have proof. He just doesn't know how to be faithful J. There is also a rumor going around Atlanta saying that the girl is pregnant too."

Janet looked at Tamar through her tears and just cried more. She put her head in her hands and began to hyperventilate. She was going to have a panic attack. Tamar couldn't do anything but run to get a nurse. By the time Tamar came back Janet was clutching her chest trying desperately to breathe and sweating. The nurse took Janet's hand and began to talk to her, she told Janet to begin taking small short breaths. As her breathing leveled, she passed out.

Janet woke up in the one of the ER rooms with Tamar and Rebbie sitting with her. She reached for her sister on her right side and Rebbie climbed in the bed with her. She reached for Tamar's hand on the left side and just held on tight. She really couldn't say anything.

Rebbie knew that her sister suffered with manic depression, that was something that wasn't public knowledge. Janet's family and close friends were the only ones who knew this. Janet had never told Jermaine and didn't plan to. Rebbie hoped that this news didn't trigger her into a manic episode.

While Rebbie and Tamar waited for Janet to wake-up Tamar had shared with her exactly what happened and why. Rebbie placed her hand on Janet's little baby bump and just rubbed acknowledging silently that Tamar had told her. The three women sat in the same positions for about two hours until Janet finally spoke.

"Tay, how did you find out?" She asked quietly. Tamar gulped and looked down before looking at Janet.

"Vince caught him and the girl at his house in Atlanta. He forgot he told Vince to come over, he walked in and found them on the couch." She didn't disclose that Vince had sent her a video and pictures.