Chapter 10
Val
I click on the voice text from Jabari.
“Hey, Val, I’m downtown meeting a retina ophthalmologist, and my appointment should be over around noon. Can we meet somewhere for lunch? I have a feeling I’ll need to talk about his prognosis.”
What’s on today’s agenda? I pull up my calendar to check if lunchtime is empty. A smile lifts my cheeks. For once, I don’t have a lunch meeting or have to be anywhere else, which means I’m free to meet Jabari. But where can we go without my family getting wind of it?
Fran’s out of town today, so that’s one barrier avoided. I take a peek at Jackie’s work calendar. She has a meeting down by the Navy Yard and our offices are closer to Dupont Circle. Dad has in-house meetings, so he’ll be occupied as well.
Clicking on the voice recorder button, I respond. “Sure. Do you want to meet at the Florida Avenue Grill at twelve thirty, or is that too far from your appointment?”
I wait to see if a message pops up. Unfortunately the three dots don’t show when someone’s composing a voice text. Before I push the phone away, a message appears.
“Perfect. I’ll meet you then.”
I bite my lip. Sometimes our friendship feels a little unreal. Yesterday Jabari wanted my opinion on whether or not he should tell reporters about his medical situation. He’s nervous about this appointment, so maybe he simply wants a friend to commiserate with if it doesn’t go to his liking.
Of course that’s it, Val. What more could it be?
What I’m still trying to make sense of is how Jabari and I slowly morphed into a familiarity where we message each other every day.
I’ve told him all about my plant babies, and he’s shared about his shoe collection.
Who knew guys coordinated shoes with their outfits too?
Though his are mostly Warriors’ colors. Talk about team dedication.
Every day that I learn something new about Jabari, I’m left with two questions.
How is this the same guy who cheated on Jackie?
She loved every part of their relationship and thought he was The One.
But when she said those three little words, he started acting differently.
Then she found the DMs from Insta models and proof he cheated on her. She’d been heartbroken beyond belief.
Which makes me wonder, What will my friendship with Jabari do to my sister?
She’s been my best friend from birth. Normally, we’re grabbing lunch together, setting up brunch dates on the weekend—with Ollie in tow of course.
Hurting her is the last thing I want to do.
There’s no way she’ll be okay knowing I willingly entered into a friendship with him.
But I can’t discount that Jabari’s hurting right now and needs support.
Lord, what do I do? Am I wrong to keep this from Jackie? Should I tell her and break the confidence Jabari is holding me to?
I drop my head into my hands and let out a little moan.
Why does life have to be so difficult? Why is navigating relationships so hard at times?
I love my family, I really do, but they exhaust me.
It’s like they always want my best but never allow me an opportunity to flounder and fail like Fran did in her teenage years.
Even Jackie went a little wild after her breakup with Jabari.
Meeting Isaac has changed her for the better.
But me? Well, my parents always relied on me to be the dependable one.
I’m the one who needed to choose the right degree, the right career field—being a permanent yes-man to my dad.
My folks never worry about me, and every time we’re in a family setting—whether that’s with Dad and his new wife or Mom and us girls—I’m expected to behave a certain way.
Their expectations are quite stifling.
Maybe that’s one reason I’ve kept this forbidden friendship. It’s not just for Jabari. It’s not for Jackie. Not for Fran. Not to meet my dad’s expectations or Mom’s hope.
Jabari is my friend, and I’m his.
Guess you just needed a friend outside of family.
Is that such a bad thing? I mean, yes, my spirit’s telling me that lying—even by omission—will always be problematic and will never remain hidden.
A chill goes up my spine. Regardless of my heart’s thoughts, my brain keeps wanting to make logical assumptions.
Like how as long as I never tell Jackie and Fran, neither will ever find out.
As far as Raimo is concerned, matchmaking me with Jabari was a horrible mistake. He apologized profusely and even bought me a new plant to make up for it. That leads me to believe Jabari hasn’t shared how we still talk on a regular basis.
Someone raps their knuckles on my door, and Jackie’s face appears in the doorway.
“Hey. You need something?” I ask.
She nods. “I’m about to head to a lunch meeting. Do you mind picking up my dry cleaning for me today? I don’t have time to do it myself.”
“Sure.”
Relief flashes across her face, and she hands me her slip. “Thanks so much, Val. Are you still watching Ollie for me tomorrow?”
Yikes. I’d forgotten that. “Um, yes.”
“You’re the best.” She beams. “Talk to you later?”
I nod, then glance at the slip. The cleaners are located by her house in Columbia Heights, which is close to the diner I’m having lunch at with Jabari. Perfect.
I flip down the visor and slide the mirror covering open so I can touch up my makeup.
My hand pauses, holding my lipstick. What am I doing?
Jabari can’t see if I’m wearing lipstick or not.
He probably doesn’t even remember what I look like from ten years ago.
Freshening up my makeup literally serves no purpose with him.
Not to mention I’m not trying to get his attention like that. He cheated on Jackie.
Right. If I can remember that and that he’s desperate for a friend, right now, everything will be okay. We’re just friends.
A weight lifts off my shoulders. When’s the last time I didn’t have to impress someone? This might be a first, but I’m rolling with it.
I lock my car door, then head inside the restaurant. A quick glance around the room finds Jabari sitting in the back. The place has a shotgun setup, allowing you to see the whole place from the front. I pass multiple red booths before sliding into the seat across from him.
“Hi.”
“Hey, Val.” He flashes a smile, but darkness clouds his brown eyes.
“Is it bad news?” I ask hesitantly.
He runs a hand down his face, and his Adam’s apple bobs.
Oh no. My heart breaks at the sorrow covering his face. “We don’t have to talk about it.” I reach across the table to squeeze his hand.
“But it’s one of the reasons I invited you.” He flips his hand over and tightens his fingers around mine.
“Then just tell me. Rip the bandage.”
“They think it’s worse than they first thought. The doctor suggested that even if I have surgery to remove the lesion on my occipital lobe, it might not do any good.”
“At all? No kind of visual improvement?”
He shakes his head.
My breath hitches. How can that be? I’ve been studying all the different treatments for macular degeneration. One treatment claims to be able to improve vision up to 20/40. Though that was for the eyes, not the brain.
“Why not?” I whisper.
This is so unfair. Jabari is only thirty-three.
How can you tell a man this young that there’s nothing you can do?
That the sport he loves so much is lost to him forever?
I blink rapidly, trying to prevent the tears I feel gathering.
Even though Jabari can’t see any potential waterworks, I’m neither a quiet nor a pretty crier.
It’s a full-body explosion of snot, blubbering, and body shakes.
I’ll stuff down the tears and spare him the theatrics and me the humiliation.
“So the first doc got it wrong. Though I have signs in my retina of the disease, it’s not actually causing the dark spots in my center vision. Apparently, the lesion on my occipital lobe is. An eye surgery won’t fix anything because it’s a brain issue.”
I cover my mouth to stifle my gasp, but the tightening grip from Jabari tells me he heard anyway. Is he really offering me comfort? A tear spills over.
“And they can’t operate on the lesion?” I ask.
“It’s not a simple surgery. It’s an actual craniotomy and recovery from that can be up to a year. There’s no guarantee it’ll restore vision the way I’d like either.”
How awful. I want to sob, so I can only imagine how Jabari’s feeling. “So now what?”
“He gave me info to a rehab facility that helps you try to restore vision loss or learn compensation skills.” He clears his throat.
He sounds so disheartened. Heck, I feel so disheartened for him.
“Is that your next step, then? Do you think you’ll seek their help?”
“Yeah, I’ll call them and see if there’s anything they can do to make life a little better.” Jabari runs a hand across the top of his black curls.
“I’m so sorry, Jabari.”
“Me too. I have no idea how I’m supposed to tell Coach. He’s been hoping this guy would have good news for me. Now the question will be whether the head office cuts me or forces me to retire.”
“Would they do that before the season’s over?” Surely, they won’t be that cruel. The Warriors are on a winning streak. Isn’t there some way, any way, Jabari can be of use?
“I hope not. I have a guarantee clause, so I’ll still get paid. But honestly, I’m a little worried about what happens after I retire. There’s no doubt it’s coming.”
“Jabari . . .” The lump in my throat is too big for me to utter any other words.
“Thanks for being here, Val. I’m glad I don’t have to process all this alone.”
I wipe the tear that escapes from my eye.
“Of course. I’m glad I could be here for you.
” And I really am. Because at this moment in time, I know deep down in my heart that I want to walk the valley with Jabari.
I can’t leave him to flounder alone on his own devices.
It’s not like he’ll go running to his mom with this information.
And how my heart hurts for her when she does learn the full extent of his health.
The poor man doesn’t even have Jesus to lean on. I’ll never understand how people face tragedy without faith to ground them, but I’m more than willing to be that support for Jabari.
Lord God, please help him find You. He needs You desperately. Help me be a friend. Help me be supportive. Whatever it is You ask for me in his trial, give me a heart that will say yes.