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ChapterFourteen
Joseph
I didn’t expect the conversation with Joyce to go the way it did, and it left me with a lot to think about. Everyone she was supposed to be able to rely on in her life has treated her like shit. If I ever have the displeasure of meeting her ex-husband, I will repay a hundred times over everything he did to her, fucking coward. Men like that are a complete waste of oxygen; they have all kinds of energy for women but won’t step to a man. If you a bitch, just say that. Knowing everything she said, I still don’t know what I am going to do about it. I have a lot of work to do, and I intend to find who took me and why. Seeing Bree yesterday was just what I needed; I always enjoy my time with her. We talked, played music, and she brought a sample of a new set her house band has been working on for me to listen to and had a bit to eat. We realized that we don’t have any romantic chemistry, but we enjoy each other’s company. After about an hour and a half went by, she left, promising to come back to visit in a week or so. As soon as she was gone my mind drifted back to Joyce. I wish she would have told me the whole reason for her reluctance to us getting to know one another better and possibly dating monogamously. I may have approached the situation differently. I push those feelings to the side and prepare to go to physical therapy.
My muscles should have been exercised almost immediately after surgery but instead I was stuck in a hospital bed drugged for the first eight weeks, so my healing is behind. Lennox says the x-rays that they took were inconclusive on if I will ever get the use of my legs back. The knock on the door brings me out of my swirling thoughts, as I tell whoever is on the other side to come in.
“Hey Mr. Joseph, how are we feeling this morning?”
“New York, please call me Joseph. I know that goes against your southern upbringing, but you make me feel a thousand times older than I am when you call me that.”
“I’ll think about it,” she says. Translation…no. “We have to get in the shower and get you fed before it’s time to go downstairs for your PT appointment. We are just waiting on your brother Mr. Aryan to come help you with the shower part.” She is too cute. The piercings, tattoos, peach brush cut all works to make a very attractive woman and med student. Beauty and brains are an amazingly deadly combination. No sooner does she say that, does Aryan walk in the room.
“Sorry I’m here. Come on, Joseph, let’s get your funky ass washed, before your B.O. knocks the PT instructor out.”
“You are such a dick, and by the way, that’s you that smells like wet donkey balls, not me.” Brooklyn roars with laughter at our banter as Aryan wheels me into my bathroom. He helps me in the shower on the bench, makes sure everything is in my reach, and goes to sit on the stool to wait for me to finish washing.
“So, I see you had a couple of visitors yesterday. How did that go?”
“Joyce’s visit left me confused. I expected her to be gone before Bree showed up. But Bree and I had a nice time together; it was nice to just hang out with someone. Bree and I are only friends, there are no romantic feelings there. She has that jazz club downtown we’ve talked about wanting to go to. You should go, Aryan. It has a really nice vibe. Maybe you could take New York. I notice you can’t keep your eyes to yourself when you are in the same room as her.”
“I think you’re seeing things when it comes to me and Brooklyn, and confused how?”
“Well for months I damn near begged her to allow us to get to know one another and she flat out refused. She wanted me to sign a contract stating what we could and could not talk about. We couldn’t do anything outside of having sex, no dinner, breakfast, nothing. Then yesterday she drops all this information on me, and I am not sure what I want to do about it. So, I’m confused. And I am not a vindictive person, but I find myself not wanting to just forgive her. She didn’t have any consideration for my feelings for months.”
“All I am going to say is if you didn’t learn anything from your situation, life is short, and if she means anything to you, take the chance she is offering. Don’t let anger or pettiness get in the way of someone who could give you the happiness I see both our brothers experiencing now. I have never seen Atlas as happy and free as he is right now and a good portion of that is because he allowed himself to love and be loved by True, and do we really need to talk about Josh and Savvy? You deserve to be loved too and it may not have started off pretty, but it can end amazingly, if you let it. Just some food for thought.” We talked about if Jabarri had any luck finding out who took me while we headed down to the gym, and so far, not yet, which is thoroughly pissing him off. I know it will only be a matter of time before he gets a lead.
An hour later and I am covered in sweat and ready to take a shower and a nap and not necessarily in that order. I wheel myself in the shower, wash and get in bed fully naked. I wake up a few hours later when Brooklyn comes into my room.
“Time for lunch.”
“Already?”
“Yeah, you’ve been sleeping for the past couple of hours, and you have a visitor. She provided lunch for you today,” she tells me with a little eye wiggle.
“Where is she?”
“In the dining room, so put a shirt on and come on out. I left your chair right by the bed. If you need help, call me on the intercom,” she says and walks out.
When she leaves, I pull myself out of bed and grab a sheet to put over my bottom half and roll into my closet. I do not have the energy to get dressed so I throw on some grey sweatpants and a t-shirt. When I finally make it to the dining room and lay eyes on her, she looks stunning sitting at the table. She has on a lime green maxi dress, and I want to peel it from her body, very slowly. I had wondered if I lost the use of everything below the waist, but as I look at her, I feel the telltale signs of an erection trying to take hold and that answers that question.
“Joyce.”
“Hi Joseph, how was your visit yesterday?” I raise my eyebrow at her letting her know I have no intention of answering that question. “I’m sorry, that was out of line. How was your PT today?”
“Hard. You don’t have work to do today?”
“I always have work to do, Joseph, but you are more important. I can take care of it later today when I get home.”
“More important now?” I ask and Brooklyn comes in with lunch before she can answer.
“New York, you are here as my nurse, not a maid. We could’ve gotten our own lunch.”
“It’s really not a problem. I don’t mind,” she tells me with a smile and leaves Joyce and I to eat alone. Reluctantly we begin to talk about work, and life here in Mississippi, hopes and desires. Before we know it a few hours have gone by, and Lennox is here to check me over, and Joyce leaves but not before asking to come back tomorrow. It goes on like this for the next two weeks; she brings lunch, unless Jaasiel tells her he is cooking, and she has started bringing me books or movies that we watch together. My favorite thing I love most is the experimental products her and T are cooking up that she brings for me to try out.
“Joseph, I know I messed things up with us by not being able to compromise, and I am sorry it took you getting hurt for me to come to my senses about my feelings for you, but how long are you going to keep punishing me?”
“I’m not punishing you, Joyce.”
