by Grant, J. R.
Chapter Two
Jazz
<>Past<>
For the longest time, I was told no one would love someone as worthless as me. My previous foster father, Troy, embedded in my head that I was a no good piece of shit. I wasn’t sure if I believed his hateful comments until I had my heart broken by Nolan Andrews. He was my first real boyfriend, and my last, until Brax.
After Nolan and I had broken up, I promised myself I would never give my heart away again. And true to my word, I made good on that promise.
I enjoyed having friends, but dating was out of the question. I made sure I rarely wore make-up or fixed my hair, anything to feel less attractive was what I aimed for. As long as my heart stayed in my chest, not shattered into a million pieces again, then I was content. I had more important things do, anyway. Falling in love clearly wasn’t one of them.
Besides, in my world, the word love didn’t exist. It was a four-letter word that made you feel warm and fuzzy for a short period of time, until your heart was crushed and your soul was shattered, leaving you in a state of helplessness. But for some unknown reason, I went to dinner with Brax, regardless of my heart’s warning.
We opted out of going to the movies. Instead, we had dinner at Applebee’s then he drove us into downtown Annapolis, leading me around the docks. It was absolutely beautiful out there; the boats, the shops…..everything. I could have stayed out by the water for hours.
We talked again about life and the plans we had for our future. He asked personal questions I hated answering—questions I normally didn’t feel comfortable talking about—however I felt a sense of peace when I was around him. Eventually, I let my guard down, telling him everything about my life.
After our date, he took me home and walked me to the front door. He gave me a hug and then kissed me again, except that time, the little peck he gave me earlier was history.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, keeping our kisses at a steady pace. His one hand rested on my hip while his other hand cupped the back of my neck. The kiss felt seductive, making me hot and bothered. It was an explosive feeling I wasn’t used to.
Brax deepened the kiss then walked me back until I was pinned against the side of the house. I pulled back, out of breath, trying to hide my embarrassment.
He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. “Don’t hide from me, Jazzy,” he said as he looked into my eyes.
Placing my hand on his chest, I felt his heart racing.
“Do you feel that?
I nodded; my mouth unable to speak without shrilling myself.
“It’s beating fast for you. Whatever you’re doing, don’t stop. I feel like a different man when you’re around.”
God, just hearing him call me Jazzy made me want to kiss him over and over again. There was something about the way he said my name that made me feel cherished.
“Say you’ll go out with me? Say you’ll be my girl. There’s something between us, baby. Something I can’t explain, but I know I need to have more of you.”
I was shocked when Brax asked me out on a date. But this…I can’t put into words how I was feeling.
“Are you going to answer me?” He watched me closely. “I’m not leaving without hearing you say yes.”
Whatever was going on between us felt different. It felt right. It might have scared the shit out of me, but at the same time, I yearned to have more. So I agreed to be Brax’s girlfriend, praying he wouldn’t hurt me. Because only God knew what another heartbreak would do to me if he did.
**
That summer, for the first time in my life, everything started falling into place. I found my own place, moving two and a half hours away to Dewy Beach, and started waitressing for a busy crab shack in town. I signed a two-year lease on an ocean front condo. It was a busy time in my life, but I was enjoying every minute of it.
Brax and I continued dating while he remained in college, studying for his degree. My complex wasn’t that far from campus, so I was able to see him more than I anticipated. There were big obstacles he had to overcome, but I stood by his side and did the best I could, encouraging him along the way.
One year led to two, two years led to three, and by the third year Brax asked for my hand in marriage. I was speechless, shocked. And when I accepted his proposal, there were happy tears of joy.
Six months later, we said our vows under the sunset with our feet in the sand, facing the ocean. We were surrounded by his family and our friends as we became one under God.
Our wedding wasn’t formal, because that wasn’t who we were. I was a simple girl from a hectic world, and Brax was perfectly fine with whatever I wanted. His only request was that we hurry up and get married so I would have his last name. That was all he seemed to care about. I laughed at his possessiveness, but it only made me love him even more. I had a guy who genuinely wanted to make me the happiest girl in the world.
I had finally found my forever.
When Brax received his master’s degree, he opened a construction business. I was proud of my husband for succeeding after the challenges he had faced. He wasn’t just handsome; he was a pure genius.
Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and before I knew it, I found out I was pregnant with our little girl. Savanah Summer Sorrentino was born September 19, 2013, making me the luckiest girl on the planet.
Finally, all of my dreams had come true. I was a wife to the best man I had ever known and a mother to the most beautiful little girl in the world. I was walking proof that if you followed your heart, you could do great things. Things that brought you an abundance of joy. But no matter what, you had to have faith. Faith and hope were the two things that would carry you through your struggles and bring you happiness along the way.
<>Brax<>
Since I was eight years old, I always dreamed of playing in the NFL. And throughout high school, my parents, coaches, and teammates were my backbone. They pushed me when I needed to be pushed, never letting me give up, knowing how important my career meant to me.
I attended the University of Delaware with a full paid scholarship in football. For once, everything felt right. I was certain I was going to make it into the big leagues until my sophomore year, when my knee blew out during an away game against South Carolina University.
I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance and taken straight back to the operating room to repair my right patellar tendon. Following my surgery, I remained at Palmetto Health Baptist Hospital for a little over two weeks. Two days after the operation, I got an infection in the same knee and had to start IV antibiotics. It was a bitch, to say the least, especially dealing with all the pain. After the infection had cleared up, I was finally discharged. My parents sat by my side, then drove me back to Maryland, helping me jump start my recovery.
I saw Dr. Hammond at Atlantic Physical Therapy three times a week for a six consecutive week period. Dr. Hammond was a well-known PT in town who specialized in sports-related injuries. After I had pushed through rehabilitation, I was excited to get back out on the field and practice again with the team, until my life crumbled again before me.
I was getting ready to head back to school when I went out to check the mail. As I retrieved the mail, I leaned down, and when I stood back up, I somehow pulled my bad knee out of place again.
Ma rushed me to Annapolis Orthopedics where Dr. Barnett ordered an MRI stat. When it was completed, he sat me down with the test results. That was when I found out my dreams were shattered—my career was finally over.
I had torn the meniscus in my right knee and was possibly looking at another surgery. I couldn’t move my leg at all. The pain was extremely intense. Dr. Barnett put me back in a full leg brace, sending me home with strict instructions to stay off my feet and rest until further notice.
Even though it was the end of spring and football season hadn’t started back up yet, Coach Myles held onto my position for the upcoming season. It was hard to replace a quarterback with as much experience as I had, bu
t I knew in my heart that I was not playing again. That my dreams, my career in football, were over.
I went back to my apartment in Delaware needing to get away from everyone. I knew my family felt bad for what happened, but them hovering over me wasn’t something I could handle any longer.
I stayed in my apartment, turned off my cell phone, and pushed every-one away. I slept during the day, and at night, I partied my ass off with my buddy Jack.
Leaving the team meant losing my scholarship. It wasn’t something I ever expected to happen.
It took me some time, but with the help from my family and friends, I was finally able to sober up and continue on with my degree. That’s when I met the girl of my dreams.
I never understood the true meaning of love until I first laid eyes on Jazz. She captured my soul, stole my heart, and somehow turned me into fucking mush. My brothers thought it was funny how much I’d changed, but they were the least of my worries. Jazz was made for me and the night of Brayden’s graduation, I knew I had to make her mine. There was no other way to go about it.
Her brown hair flowed down the bottom of her back with curls that bounced every time she turned. Her striking body, curves and all, made it nearly impossible for me to keep my hands to myself. And now, all these years later, Jazz was as beautiful today as she was the day she walked into my life. I was one lucky sonuvabitch.
She didn’t care if I was hurt or couldn’t make millions playing ball. All Jazz wanted was my love and attention, pushing me to be all I wanted to be.
Our relationship stayed strong over the years. Jazz was the girl of my dreams; someone I didn’t even think existed. My junior year in college, I finally got the courage to propose to her.
We got married on the beach just like Jazz had always wanted since she was a little girl. We said our vows, promising one another a happy life. My girl completed me as I did her. That was all that mattered. The world could end and I wouldn’t care. As long as I had Jazz by my side, I was complete. I was whole.
I graduated with my master’s degree in business management, and opened up my own construction company on the shore. If I couldn’t play ball that was my next best choice. I was great at building things, and worked well with my hands at creating structures.
When our daughter was born, my world brightened even more. The experience of being a father was something I couldn’t put into words. I never knew how much I could love someone until I saw the little baby I created. My life could only get better from there.
Things might have not gone in the direction I had planned, but I could not have been more thankful for what I had; two beautiful girls who completed me—mind, spirit, soul, and body— giving me a reason to live.
Chapter Three
Jazz
I continued working in the resort town during the summer, making enough money to sit comfortably through the winter, not having to worry about finding another job to pay my bills. Brax promised to take care of me, but I couldn’t let him. I had to put forth the effort on my part. I wasn’t the type of girl to sit still.
From November to April, I had extra time on my hands, forcing me to get bored easily. I wanted to find a career for myself. Something I enjoyed taking part in. I needed direction; I needed to set goals. Being married young was simple, but there were a lot of gaps in my life that needed to be filled.
When Brax opened up his own construction company, he worked long hours every day. Being alone gave me the extra push I needed when I finally realized what I wanted to do.
I’d always wanted to get into photography. It was a dream to further my expertise. But I couldn’t afford a decent camera. Instead, I had taken pictures on my phone and emailed them to myself. Then I downloaded them onto my laptop and then edited each one individually.
I was proficient with designing graphics and transpiring images into perfection. I had a great eye for art. I loved taking a random shot and then photoshopping it into so much more than the normal eye could see. If you’d heard the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” I believed it wholeheartedly. It was one of my favorite quotes. You could capture so many little things in the picture that most people would never notice had they not taken the time to admire the beauty from within.
That year on Christmas morning, I opened a large box from Brax. I was so flabbergasted that I immediately started crying. I couldn’t believe he bought me a digital camera. The gift might have been small to him, but it meant the world to me.
During the winter, in my spare time, I started doing freelance shots. I created a Facebook page to help get my name out to those looking for a photographer. That was when my first set of customers contacted me. From there on out, I met my customers at their destination of choice, shooting whatever kind of scene they desired; Christmas, weddings, birthdays. You name it—I did them all.
When Savanah was born, I was finally able to let go of my waitressing job and stuck with what I loved best. I was comfortable in my surroundings and ecstatic to do something I genuinely enjoyed. For the first time in my life, other than having my daughter and marrying my best friend, I finally found my calling.
Around the time Savanah turned three months old, Amelia offered to take her three days a week to help me get my business jump started after the break I took for maternity leave. I needed to get organized and focused. It helped having the most amazing guy in my corner. I always knew Brax loved me, but what he did to help further my career would never be forgotten.
We just got back in town from celebrating Savanah’s first birthday at Brax’s parents when I noticed Brax chose a different route home. I sat up in the passenger seat, looking over at my husband.
“Where we going?” I rubbed my eyes.
“Just lay back and relax, baby. We’ll be home soon.”
I peeked in the backseat, checking on our daughter before dozing off into a slumber rest. I was exhausted. Having a healthy one-year-old kept me busy all day.
Savanah was hard work, especially when she didn’t sleep through the night as much as I would have liked, however I wouldn’t trade her for the world. God surely knew what I needed when He blessed me with my little girl.
As I fell into a blissful dream, hands unexpectedly wrapped around my body, lifting me out of the seat. My eyes jolted open and the first thing I noticed was it being dark outside, the street lights barely flickered. I found my footing as Brax set me on the ground, unsure of what was going on.
“Where are we, babe?” It was so foggy I could barely see two feet in front of me.
Brax ignored my question and jogged around to the other side of the car. He picked Savanah up out of her seat and met me back on the sidewalk. Taking a hold of my hand, I followed him up to the door. Brax reached into his pocket and pulled out a key.
“Are you ready?” he smirked. It might have been dark out there, but I knew my man and he was up to no good. It was written all over his face.
“Yes,” I replied. “Let’s get this over with. I’m exhausted.”
Brax stood behind me and covered my eyes, then flipped on a light switch. I could barely see the lit room since his hand was blocking my view.
“How am I supposed to see if you’re covering my eyes?”
He leaned down on my shoulder and kissed my neck.
“Before I show you everything, I want you to know I did this just for you. Not only do you deserve what’s in here, baby, but you deserve the world. Just know, there is no amount of money to put on how much you mean to me. I love you.”
My husband was good to me. I adored him more than anything in the world.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as Brax walked in front of me, brushing his lips against mine.
“Are you ready?” he mumbled against my mouth.
I nodded my head. It never failed. My man always got the best of me. There was no doubt—I wouldn’t trade him for the world.
“Good. Because you deserve nothing but the best.” He removed his hand slowly.
I took a st
ep back and opened my eyes, outright shocked. I was speechless. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
Across the room, a sign lit up behind the counter, displaying, Hour Glass Photography in bright, cursive lettering. The walls were painted black with white trim and pink designs throughout. All of my props, cameras, tripods, and backdrops were neatly organized, giving the studio a homey feel. I turned around and faced the love of my life completely baffled.
“I can’t…” I covered my mouth as tears smothered my eyes. “I can’t believe you did this.”
Brax stepped forward with our daughter, hugging me close to his chest. “You deserve so much more, baby.” He kissed my forehead. “Do you like it?”
“Like it?” Was he joking? “I love it, B. Oh my, God!” I squealed with excitement.
Wrapping my arms around his waist, I hugged his body tight. “I don’t know what I ever did to deserve your love, but God, thank you. Thank you for being so good to me.”
Brax tipped his head forward, kissing me again then swatted my ass.
“Good. Now go look around. I ain’t got all night.”
My husbands, oh, so, famous words.
Taking photos wasn’t just a hobby—it was a dream. And now, thanks to my husband, I was able to live all three of my dreams at once; I was a mom, a wife, and a full-time photographer. I couldn’t have been happier.
<>Brax<>
My shop was located across from the Giant shopping center in Millsboro. When I bought the warehouse, I did a lot of work to make it suitable for my business. I turned the front half into an administrative area, making four offices and a waiting area for customers and business partners to relax and feel comfortable. The back of the warehouse held our supplies for jobs along with forklifts and other warehouse material stationed throughout.
