by Darrien Lee
“Yes, Sir?”
“Don’t make your Momma have to call you again.”
“Okay, Daddy. I’m getting out.”
Venice glanced over at Jarvis who was relaxing in the chaise lounge reading the paper. He stared back, giving her a wink and a smile. Wrapping Brandon in a towel, she said, “Come on, Little Man, so you can get your bath. Daddy has cooked a delicious dinner for us.”
“Goodie! I’m hungry, Momma.”
“I know, Brandon. Let’s go.”
After dinner and a bedtime story beside the pool, Brandon was finally asleep. Jarvis carried his son to his room to tuck him in. After they entered the house, Venice stood up to admire the beautiful view from the hill on which their home sat. The tri-level home had six spacious bedrooms and four full bathrooms. The family room they spent most of their time in was warm and cozy with a large marble fireplace. The dining room they entertained guests in had a twelve-seat cherry table with the matching china cabinet and accessories. The lower level housed Jarvis’ recreation room and weight room. This was the room in the house where he relaxed with his friends and teammates. He decorated himself by installing a large screen television, video games, bar and pool table. It allowed him to chill with the boys after a hard day at practice.
Venice’s domain was a small library Jarvis designed especially for her. He knew she loved to read and no expense was spared. He wanted to make the room as comfortable and quiet as possible for her. Brandon’s room was like a kid’s dream come true. While not overdoing it, they made sure his room had everything a little boy should have. An adjoining room was considered his playroom where all the toys and train sets were kept. Collecting trains was something Jarvis started when he was a baby. Venice wrapped her arms around herself and thought that life couldn’t get any better. She had decided that when Jarvis returned, she would tell him she wanted to take some time off.
Before leaving Brandon’s room, Jarvis gave him a kiss, then turned on the monitor so they could hear him if he woke up. Returning to the deck, he hugged Venice from behind, kissing her shoulder.
“Tired?”
“Not really. Just thinking.”
“What’s so heavy on your mind, Niecy?”
Pulling her over to the lounging chair, he picked up the blanket to cover them from the cool night air. Snuggling her securely in his arms, he asked again, “What’s up?”
Nuzzling her face into his neck, she took a deep breath. “I want to take a leave of absence from work so I can spend more time with you guys.”
“Is that all? I thought something was wrong. Babe, as far as I’m concerned, you can stay home as long as you want to. I would love for you to be here. With both of us gone, it just doesn’t seem fair to Brandon. I know your career is just as important to you as mine is to me, but I wanted you to take a break when you were ready for one, not because anyone asked you to.”
“Thanks, Baby. I want to be the one cooking for my two men, not Ms. Camille. I want us to be able to travel with you to some of the out-of-town games. We can’t do that with me on the road, too.”
Kissing her forehead, he said, “Well, consider it done. You and Brandon will be with me as much as possible. Okay?”
“Okay. Now how about a real kiss.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
After a series of tender kisses, they lay in each other’s arms and listened to jazz until Venice drifted into a sound sleep. Holding her in his arms never felt better. He could’ve taken her up to bed, but decided to hold her a while longer and savor the warmth her body gave him.
Sometime later around midnight, he decided to call it a night, carried Venice inside and put her in bed. After a quick shower, he joined her, pulling her securely into his arms.
Six Months Later
Brandon was proudly in kindergarten and loving it. The NFL season had started and Venice still wasn’t thinking about returning to work. Being at home had been the most relaxing time in her life. One particular morning, after taking Brandon to school, Jarvis walked into the kitchen calmly.
“Niecy, are you ready to have another baby?”
“Huh?”
Walking across the room, he embraced her. “I want another baby. Are you ready?”
Tears fell from her eyes as she tiptoed to kiss him. “You bet!”
Their kiss was sensual and tender.
“How about we get started right now, Mr. Anderson.”
Smiling, he picked her up in his arms and sprinted for the stairs.
CHAPTER Three
Three months passed and they had been unsuccessful conceiving a baby.
“I don’t get it, Jarvis. I used to get pregnant every time the wind blew and now, nothing.”
“Don’t worry, Babe. It’ll happen in due time. Okay?”
“I guess you’re right. It would be nice to tell the family when we go home for Christmas.”
“I wouldn’t mind if we stayed here this year. Just the three of us.”
“Jarvis Tyler Anderson, you know your mother won’t have it. She’ll fly up here and kick our door down if she heard a rumor of us not coming home.”
“You’re right. What’s her motto?”
In unison, they said, “Family first.”
Christmas came and went as planned. Jarvis and Venice decided to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Times Square before the big game. “After an unforgettable trip filled with love and passion, Jarvis had to prepare for the Super Bowl. He was under a lot of pressure and Venice did her best to make sure he stayed focused. The game was being played in the Super Dome in New Orleans and the entire family would be in attendance. Brandon was so excited that his Daddy was playing in the Super Bowl and told all his friends to make sure they watched. Jarvis and Venice’s best friend, Joshua, was also in attendance. His pregnant wife, Cynthia, had to stay home because their baby was due soon.
In Jarvis’ hotel room, Joshua said, “Well, Bro, this is it. This is what you’ve been waiting on.”
“I know, man. I’m excited and nervous at the same time.”
“You’ll do fine. We’ll be rooting for you.”
Staring out into the skyline, Jarvis said, “Thanks.”
Joshua sat back in the chair. “What’s on your mind?”
“Niecy and I have been trying to have another baby. It’s been four months and nothing. She’s starting to get worried.”
“What does she have to worry about? I’m sure after the Super Bowl, you guys will relax and you’ll have her pregnant in no time.”
Jarvis turned to Joshua with a serious look. “I don’t think so, Joshua.”
Joshua stood. “What’s up, man?”
“I’m sick and it doesn’t look like I’ll be getting any better.”
Joshua’s legs gave out and he sank down in his chair. The blood left his face. “What do you mean, sick?”
Tears glistened in Jarvis’ eyes as they met Joshua’s. “I have a brain tumor.”
For what seemed like hours, they just stared at each other, but only seconds had passed. Finally, Joshua cleared the lump in his throat.
“Does Niecy know?”
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Jarvis answered, “No and I have no plans of telling her.”
Joshua made fists with his hands and asked, “How are you going to keep something like that from her?”
“I have to. I don’t want her worrying about me. She has to stay focused on Brandon.”
Clearly disgusted, Joshua asked, “Does anyone know?”
“Against my doctor’s advice, no. You and my doctor are the only ones who know.”
“Damn, Jarvis! How could you just drop something like that on me and expect to act normal around everybody?”
“You have to. I’m depending on you because I have another favor to ask and you might think I’m crazy.”
Covering his face with his hands, Joshua asked, “What is it?”
“I want you to get Niecy and Craig back together.”
“Now I know you’ve l
ost your damn mind!”
Jarvis sat on the bed. “You know yourself that she was in love with him and I know for a fact that he loved her. He’s the only one I trust to take care of them after I’m gone. Venice is going to be a wealthy woman and she’s going to be vulnerable. I don’t want her taken advantage of by men only after her money. You can understand that, can’t you? I don’t want her hurt, Joshua.”
Choking back tears, Joshua said, “This will hurt her and it ain’t right, Jarvis. You need to tell her what’s going on. She’s your wife and the mother of your son. She has a right to know.”
Jarvis stood and walked back to the window. Without turning to face him, he said, “I’ve made my decision.”
“Well, I think you’re making a big mistake. Anyway, how do you know Craig’s not married or something?”
“I’ve done my homework. He’s single and a workaholic and hasn’t dated seriously since he was with Niecy. He has a successful business in Philadelphia and Japan. He has to still be in love with her. My lawyer has drawn up my instructions and notarized everything. It’s all up to you and I’m counting on you.”
Not wanting to ask the question, but feeling he had to, Joshua asked, “How long, man?”
Jarvis softly answered, “Months.”
Joshua snapped angrily, “Damn!”
He then stood and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Back in the confines of his hotel room, his emotions overtook him in almost a violent manner as he tore up his surroundings.
The Detroit Lions won the Super Bowl and Jarvis was the MVP. The whole family was excited and happy for him, but Venice noticed Joshua was unusually quiet.
She smiled and asked, “Hey, Josh! You okay?”
“I’m cool. Just happy Jarvis finally got that ring.”
“So am I, Josh.”
Later that night after hours of celebrating, Venice lay in Jarvis’ arms. “Jarvis, I love you.”
Tilting her chin so he could look into her eyes, he said, “’Til death do us part, sweetheart. I love you, too, and don’t you ever forget it.”
A single tear rolled out of her eye as he lowered his lips to hers and stole her breath with his kiss. Making love to her that night was necessary and special as he joined his body with hers.
Philadelphia was blanketed with several feet of snow. Not many people showed up for work either because of the weather or because they had one drink too many at a Super Bowl party. Craig came in, not having anything else to do. The newspaper was at the door when he arrived. He opened it to see the headline: Detroit Lions Win the Super Bowl! On the inside was a picture of Jarvis, holding the MVP trophy and kissing the still breathtakingly-beautiful Venice. He didn’t expect to have to lay eyes on her, but it was too late now. She had already started to invade his dreams on a regular basis and it unnerved him. He used to only think of her on rare occasions, but it had increased for some odd reason. Now he’d laid eyes on her for the first time in seven years.
Throwing the paper into the trash he angrily shouted, “Damn!”
CHAPTER Four
Five Months Later
The month of July seemed to be an unusually wet one. This late night storm woke Venice up as it rolled through. Venice watched as the lightning lit up the room. Worried that Brandon might be afraid, she decided to check on him. Finding him sound asleep, she returned to bed and snuggled up to Jarvis. For a moment she reminisced about the intimate encounter they’d shared only hours earlier. Turning, she kissed him on the lips, but it felt strange. She stroked his face and his skin felt different, balmy.
She whispered his name to wake him to make sure he was OK. After no response, she started to shake him, first softly, then frantically.
“Jarvis! Baby, wake up!”
Still no response. Venice’s heart was pounding as she reached over to turn on the light. He was still breathing but was unresponsive to her. She reached for the phone and dialed 911 as tears streamed from her eyes.
“Jarvis! Don’t do this to me! Please, God!”
Luckily, Ms. Camille had spent the night. Venice ran to wake her so she could tend to Brandon. She didn’t want to alarm him that something was wrong with his daddy. The paramedics were there in no time and Venice dressed hurriedly while trying to stay calm.
After reaching the hospital, Venice tried to hold it together so she could call the family. Her oldest brother, Bryan, was able to get everyone on a chartered flight. Within a couple of hours, the family was at her side. Joshua greeted her solemnly and watched her try to hold herself together.
Finally the doctor came out and explained that Jarvis had an inoperable brain tumor and had suffered a massive stroke. He was now in a coma and on life support. He went on to tell the family that Jarvis didn’t want to worry the family, so he kept the news to himself. He was dying and Venice hadn’t had the chance to tell him how much she loved him. It sounded like the doctor was talking in a foreign language. The doctor continued, telling the family that Jarvis had filed paperwork not to be kept on life support. Venice was in shock and for a moment she stood completely numb. Jarvis’ parents and sister weren’t much different. The air became thick and Venice found it hard to breathe. She started hyperventilating, then the room went dark as she fainted into her father’s arms.
Hours later, Venice woke and went to Jarvis’ bedside. She trembled as she watched the machines keep him alive. Crawling into his bed, she cradled his head to her chest and burst into tears. “How could you do this to me, Jarvis? What am I going to tell Brandon? Damn you, Jarvis! I’m not going to make this easy for you! You’re not going to leave us like this!”
The only response was the sound of the machine breathing for him. Tears flowed down her face as she stroked his warm cheeks with her hand. She knew she had a difficult task ahead of her. She had to tell Brandon that his daddy was sick and wasn’t going to be coming home. The thought made her throat ache and nausea settled in the pit of her stomach. She barely made it to the bathroom.
The next few days were not any different and Mr. Anderson felt they were delaying the inevitable. He had read over Jarvis’ notarized instructions a thousand times and the results were the same. Disconnect the life support. Mrs. Anderson brought Brandon to the hospital to say goodbye to his daddy. Venice had explained the situation to him as calmly as possible. He seemed excited to see his dad and talked to him as if he were awake. Venice knew Brandon didn’t fully understand the situation.
Finally the time had come. Everyone had said their final goodbyes, which left Venice and the doctors alone in the room. Finding an inner strength, she leaned down to his ear and whispered, “Jarvis, you are the love of my life. I will never love anyone as much as I love you. You are my soul mate and I will love you forever. I guess God has something special he needs you to do. Sweetheart, I will do the best I can to raise our son to be the strong, black, loving man that you are. I’ll see you soon, my love.”
She leaned down and kissed his warm lips as tears clouded her vision. The doctor turned off the machine and within seconds…he was gone. Hearing Venice’s screams signaled to the family that their beloved Jarvis was gone.
The next day, Venice shut down. She wasn’t eating or sleeping and the family was starting to get worried. She had given up on everything and everybody, even her son. He was the spitting image of his dad and it hurt Venice to look into those familiar eyes. She was useless in making funeral arrangements. To be honest, she didn’t want to have any part of it. Closed off in the bedroom was her solitude.
People were coming and going and she wasn’t up to seeing anyone. The only person she would let close to her was Joshua. He, too, was worried that she was nearing a breakdown. He had to do something quick. Feeling the guilt of concealing Jarvis’ secret had taken a toll on him and he needed redemption. If this meant following Jarvis’ idiotic instructions, then so be it. First, he had to get Venice out of bed and back to life. She seemed to have a death wish of her own.
He approached her roo
m and knocked on the door. As expected, he didn’t receive a response. He pushed the door open to find her lying in bed in the fetal position. He walked over and softly called out to her.
“Venice, are you awake?”
“Go away, Joshua, and leave me alone.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed, placing his head in his hands. He knew she was devastated, but so was he.
“Niecy, you’ve got to get out of this bed. You can’t go on like this.”
“I said leave me alone!”
He turned to look at her realizing it was going to take more than sympathy to reach her. He stood, pulled the comforter away from her body and yelled, “Niecy! I said get out of this bed and put on some clothes.”
Angrily, she sat up with fire in her tearful eyes. “Joshua…Damn it! Get away from me!”
She took a swing at him, but he grabbed her wrists. He was about to lose it emotionally.
“Do you think you’re the only one who loved Jarvis? I loved him, too, and I’m sure he wouldn’t like seeing you neglecting Brandon like this.”
“Go to hell, Joshua! I love my son!”
“Then act like it and get out of bed! You can’t give up, Niecy, because Brandon needs you. We all need you.”
“You don’t understand! I loved him more than anything in the world! How could he keep something like that from me? How?”
She sank to the bed and covered her eyes sobbing.
Sitting next to her on the bed, he calmly said, “Because he loved you…that’s how. But you have got to pick yourself up because your son needs you and he misses his dad.”
She flung her arms around his neck and burst into tears. He helped her out of the bed and into the shower. Joshua was as close to her as any brother ever could be. They held no secrets from each other…until now.
Hours later, Venice was able to join the family downstairs to greet teammates, friends, and coaches who had stopped by to offer their condolences. The rest of the family had decided to go to their hotel suites to rest. This allowed her some time to be alone. One of Jarvis’ teammates came by later to check in on Venice. The silence in the house was unnerving, so when the doorbell chimed, it startled her. When she opened the door, Trammel Glisten greeted her with a warm hug.
