There were some hiccups. Like when William showed up with his four out-of-wedlock children, at least the ones they knew of, and Reecie was already there. Janita and Von were amazed at how she played it off with a smile like it was no big deal to her.
But as his children gawked at Hawk like he was some circus side show, and as a look of distress could be seen behind Reecie’s smile, Janita could tell that William regretted the move. He even told his children to wait for him outside and he went to his wife and apologized. “I didn’t know you were going to be here. I was the only one on the schedule for today.”
“I don’t go by Joe Nathan’s schedule,” Reecie said bluntly. “I will come see my son whenever I take a notion. On the spur of the moment. Whenever the mood hits me. You know that about me. But you do it anyway.”
“They’re my children, Resheda. Despite the fact that it was wrong, and I have nothing more to do with their mothers, they’re still my children. They had nothing to do with the circumstances of their birth.”
“That’s the only reason I tolerate it. But don’t push me, William.”
Janita and Von expected William to explode. They’d seen him do that too in the time they’d been in Los Angeles. But he held his peace.
And Hawk’s condition never changed. He didn’t get better. He didn’t get worst. He just remained comatose.
Until one bright Friday afternoon, after nearly a month-and-a-half of seemingly no changes whatsoever, the entire official Websters, along with Janita and Von, were in Hawk’s hospital suite. Janita and Von decided to take a break and go downstairs to the cafeteria. But when they had returned and were just getting off of the elevator, Dray was running to them. “Janita! Von!” he cried out.
When they saw him running to them, they hurried to him. “What’s wrong? What is it?” a very nervous Janita was asking.
Dray was nearly out of breath. “He’s awake,” he said breathlessly. “And he’s asking for you!”
Neither one asked which one Dray meant. Because they already knew. Janita dropped those cups of coffee in that Styrofoam cupholder and took off running back to Hawk’s suite.
And when she got to his room, and saw smiles on the faces of every member of his family as they were gathered around his bedside, her heart squeezed. But when they moved aside as she hurried to the bedside, and she saw that Hawk’s bed was lifted up and he was propped up as if he was sitting up for the first time in a month-and-a-half, her heart soared. “Oh Hawk!” she cried out.
Tears appeared in his eyes for the first time since he had awakened. “Janita,” he said as if he had been waiting to say it forever. And he pulled her into his arms even though he had little strength. Janita was outright crying by now.
But Hawk was emotional too as they held each other. Then they released their embrace and their foreheads touched. Then Hawk hugged her again.
His voice wasn’t strong, but it was clear: “I heard you,” he said.
Janita leaned back and looked at him. “When?” she asked him.
“At my house.” He had to clear his throat. “When you showed up at my house, I heard your voice. When I heard you, and when I knew it was you, that was when I was certain I was going to make it. That was when I knew I was going to be alright.”
Everybody was in tears when he said those words. Including Von. They were all crying happy tears.
But it was so much more than that for Janita. She placed her hands on both sides of his face. Seeing Hawk alive and well again wasn’t just a happy moment for her. It was the happiest moment of her entire life. None other could compare.
CHAPTER THIRTY
And three days later, after his family members were back in Tennessee handling their own responsibilities now that he was back to himself again, Hawk was on the backseat of a limousine hand-in-hand with Janita, while Von was riding up front with the limo driver. To Janita, it felt as if Hawk had been holding onto her hand ever since he woke up. And it delighted her mightily.
But Hawk had been handling business on the phone during the entire ride, and had little time for anything else. Which only reminded her of how important business was to him. It was his number one activity ever since he woke up. He was very attentive to her and Von. She wasn’t saying that he wasn’t. But he was more attentive to his business.
He was now on the phone with Shelly. “A limo, really? You sent a limo to pick me up? You know I don’t roll like that. I’m not my father, Shelly.”
Janita could hear Shelly laughing even though Hawk didn’t have the phone on Speaker. But even though Hawk was complaining, Janita and Von weren’t. They didn’t mind riding around in this level of style for a change. Not at all.
But then Hawk’s voice changed. “Any news on Kem?” he asked with a softer voice, as if what she did to him still hurt him.
Janita didn’t hear the response, but it didn’t seem hopeful because Hawk said nothing else until he was saying goodbye and ending the call. But Janita was too curious. “Any news on Kemberly?” she asked him.
“The authorities believe they may have absconded to Mexico.”
Von turned around. “She crossed the border?”
“With her two brothers, yes. At least that’s what the FBI believes.”
“I never thought she could be like that,” Von said as if he regretted that she was once his crush.
