Surfacing

Chapter 10

Earth 2

"What you mean there's another baby coming?" Janet is hysterical and in labor. She just delivered her daughter but still feels like she has to push.

The doctor confirms that she is indeed ready to push the other baby out. The baby she wasn't even aware of. Janet pushes out a smaller 5lb 3oz baby boy. She has two beautiful babies, now she has to come up with a boy name.

After her delivery, the doctor comes in to explain why they never saw the boy on all the scans.

"Well, Ms. Jackson, I went back and looked over all your ultrasounds and I really missed him. I'm so sorry. When I listened to the scans, his heartbeat was mirroring your daughter's and he must have been hiding behind her and that's why we couldn't see him. Also he might not have moved much because of the position she was in which is why you never felt him."

"I understand Doc. I'm okay with it now. I just was hella surprised when I felt like I needed to keep pushing. Now I gotta name my children."

"Okay. I'll get out of your way and let you enjoy your new babies." The doctor left and Janet looked at Toni. Toni had a huge smile on her face and was ready to laugh at how well Janet took the news that there were two babies.

"Now I know why my back was always hurting. My baby boy was pushing all my organs around. Now I gotta figure out some cute names for them. Something with a J for my little man and something with a T for my baby girl."

"Hey Queen." Gil quickly does a double take and walks back out the door making sure he went into the right room.

"Gil, stop being so extra and come in to see your niece and nephew."

"So I ain't trippin? You really had two babies?"

"Yes Gil. Seems my son here was hiding behind his sister the entire time and the position he was in made him a little smaller than normal. But here he is." She hands him the baby boy.

"I think I have a T name for the girl, Janet."

"Okay let's hear it."

"Tori Sanaa Jackson."

Both Gil and Janet looked at Toni and smiled.

"Oh my God. I love it. It's beautiful Toni. Alright now we gotta find a name for little man here."

They all began to think hard and eventually threw out some names but none were quite right.

"Jaden, James, Jordan, Jeremiah, Jason, Jack" Gil was just spewing names. But Toni and Janet had to stop him when he said Jack.

"Really Gil, Jack Jackson. HELL NO. Toni, any suggestions?"

"Jacobi, Jahseh, Jaleel, Jarod, Jared, Jeff, Javon."

"Nope. Don't like any of those. Let's keep thinking."

So they all sat in silence for a while until Toni came up with another name.

"Josiah Samir Jackson."

"Well Toni, you've named the newest additions to the Jackson clan. It's going to be crazy having four kids. I think we're done having babies. We wanted four. Now we've got them. Two boys, two girls. It feels even."

Janet stayed in the hospital for another two days with the babies. Gil picked her up while Toni stayed home making a welcome home sign with Jaylen and Tera. Janet had called and told them that there were two babies, a boy and a girl. They were both beyond excited.

As Gil and Janet entered the house with the babies. Toni was in another space listening to the things that Janet and Tamar of earth 1 were saying. She began to cry without even realizing it. She passed out and Gil caught her before she hit the ground. She was now back at the place where she met the other Toni. Somehow she was till crying and she finally knew exactly why.

"Hey what's wrong?" Toni of earth 2 spoke.

"I just made a realization after hearing my best friend and sister in my head. I think it was what I needed to heal my brain."

"Okay, so what is it?"

"I love Janet. Not your Janet but mine. I guess I've always loved her but never thought about it beyond the surface because we both always had men in our lives. But now I know that I did exactly what she did, I suppressed my feelings. She told me a few days ago but her words weren't clear until a little while ago. Tamar also said the same thing and I know it's true."

"Aww, Toni. I'm happy for you. You need love everybody deserves unconditional love."

"You have two beautiful babies at home."

"Two?" Toni asked looking very confused.

"Yes. I know you guys knew about your little girl but your son was hiding behind her and their heart beats were always in sync which why he was noticed."

"OMG, we always wanted four kids. I was supposed to have the next one. But hey I don't have to now. What are their names?"

"Tori and Josiah."

"I can't wait to see them. I know they're beautiful."

"The boy looks just like Janet and your daughter looks just like you."

"I guess it's time for us to go back to where we belong?"

"It is. I'm sorry it took this long for me to realize my feelings for Janet."

"It's ok. You had to work through it for yourself."

For the first time since being in the limbo like space they were able to embrace each other. That is how they knew it was time for them to return to who they were. The looked at each other and were finally able to walk in opposite directions. Earth 1's Toni stopped walking and turned around.

"Hey Toni, how do we communicate if I want to talk to you again?"

"Just dream about me. We'll be able to speak in our dreams."

"I will definitely do that. I'm gonna need your help with a few things." With that she turned around smiling. She continued walking into the white abyss in front of her.

Both women walked into the white abyss in opposite directions, both happy to be going back to where they belong. Toni of earth 1 had finally understood who she loves and who she's supposed to be with. Toni of earth 2 learned to appreciate her family and friends more. Her and earth 1's Toni meetings had been interesting. She laughed as she remembered their first meeting. The one where she told Toni to just let Janet fuck her. Their next meeting earth 1's Toni's whole attitude had been changed. The meeting after that was when the kids went back to school and Jaylen didn't like his second-grade teacher. Jaylen could be quite the character with his thoughts and actions.

They had had many meetings but the most important were the first and last. Going home for both of them would be great. Both wanting to get back to who they were. Time had moved so fast. Toni of earth 1 one had been gone nine months and Toni of earth 2 only five months. The way time moved in both worlds was interesting.