Chapter 8 Painful Memories

Their anniversary had fallen on father's day so Diane took that opportunity to celebrate the two occasions in one which includes all the fathers in the family and was held at City View overlooking the city lights. After the party, they decided to spend the night there. Dana agreed to take Jasmine home with her after the party ended at about eleven-thirty pm. After everyone had left they went to their room and after half an hour of intense lovemaking and a shower they went for a walk, Gabriel took a big blanket with them; they found a secluded spot overlooking the city lights and spread the blanket on the grass, then they both lay down on it and ended up making love again under the stars, and to her, their lovemaking was even more magical.

The following Saturday was Jasmine's graduation from basic school. So they spend most of the week preparing for it. On Friday Diane took Jasmine to the hairdresser to get her hair done for her graduation and by Saturday morning Jasmine was beside herself with excitement. Gabriel hired a photographer and videographer for the ceremony and needless to say Diane's entire family was there so they had their work cut out for them.

Jasmine got five plaques for been the student in her class with the highest academic performance and a few others for her participation in different activities. After the ceremony, they all went to Coco Jam for an after-graduation party. They wanted her to have a little fun because the following Monday she would be attending summer school at the prep school that she will be going to in September. The school would be having three weeks of summer classes but the teacher promises that it would be fun.

On Sunday morning after Sunday school, one of the ministers asks him to begin morning worship as the choir marches in. A few minutes later with the choir standing behind him, he took the mike and after whispering a prayer he took a deep breath and began singing the first song he chooses was (God favor by Hezekiah Walker) because of all the things he had gone through before and after he met her. The second song he chooses was (I give myself away by William McDowell) which really hit the hearts of the congregation. He had just begun singing (Jesus lover of my soul by Darlene Zschech) when he felt like he was been suffocated and he knew he was about to have another panic attack so with every ounce of strength he could muster he tried to fight it off and for a few minutes it seems to be working but then it got more forceful so he motioned to a choir member closest to him to take over then made his way out the side entrance.

She knew what was happening so she quickly asks one of her nieces who was seated next to her to keep an eye on Jasmine and went after him. She found him in a secluded spot at the side of the church with his hands on his knees struggling to catch his breath. She hurried over to him and lifting his head place his back against the wall and put her forehead next to his and lock her fingers with his. "Breathe baby, just like we practiced. Close your eyes, relax and take deep breaths. I'm right here, you'll be okay, just breathe." She whispers humming the song that he had started and fifteen minutes later after drinking some water he was able to return to the service.

Sunday afternoon after the service had just ended, Diane was in a lady's meeting and Jasmine wanted to use the bathroom, so Gabriel took her. He was standing outside the bathroom door waiting for her when Bro Michael approaches him. "Listen here Bro Maxwell, you and your wife's little display of affection didn't go unnoticed by me but just remember, this is the house of God, not some motel. You both may want to keep that in mind next time." He said in disgust storming off; Gabriel was about to go after him to set him straight about what he saw when Sister Mitchell walks up to him. "Hi, Brother Gabriel how are you?" She asks in a sweet tone. 'I'm fine thank you." He replied in a dry stiff voice; he still hadn't gotten over the fact that she tried to frame him for assault at his engagement party. "I just wanted you to know that I'm still waiting for you." She said with a bright smile and Gabriel rolls his eyes at her.

"I think you should spend more time preparing your soul to meet God and less time waiting for me, because I'm never going to leave my wife or cheat on her, so to be honest you're actually waiting for something you'll never have." He replied coldly. "I can't deny my love for you Gabriel; I've been in love with you ever since I met you. Just know that if you're ever in need of a virgin I'll be more than willing to give you what you need.' Gabriel was about to reply to her statement but she stops him by holding up her palm.

"Please don't say anything, I know you think that what I'm feeling is just lust but I know what's in my heart. You're the kind of guy I've always dreamed about, so I guess I was in love with you before I met you and now that you're standing before me that love has only gotten stronger and I can bet on my life that you cannot say the same about your wife. I'm not saying that she doesn't love you, I'm just saying that she can never love you the way I do. And even though you may never be mine just know that I'll always love you."

As she turns to walk away Gabriel could see the tears in her eyes. He watched her as she walks slowly towards the side entrance of the church and even though he knew he couldn't encourage her behavior he also knew that there was nothing he could say to her that would change the way she felt about him. Jasmine came out of the bathroom and hold onto his hand. "I'm ready daddy; let's go see if mommy is finished." He smiled down at her and they both went to find Diane.

It was now Wednesday and they were on their way back from dropping Jasmine off at summer school, Jasmine loves her new school and she was already making friends. Gabriel hadn't said a word to her since he left the school; he looked tense and angry and she couldn't help laying her hand gently on his shoulder. "Baby, you okay?" She asks softly. "I'm fine." He answers but his voice sounded cold. "Could you please pull over for a minute?" She asks again softly. "Why?" "Stop the vehicle, Gabriel." She said more firmly. Turning on his indicator he pulled over onto a vacant lot at the side of the road and Diane turned towards him. "Tell me what's bothering you. Come on baby boy you know that you can talk to me about anything." She said massaging his shoulder.

Taking a deep breath he ran his fingers through his hair. "It's Alex." He said breathing out slowly. "Oh boy what has he done now?" "It's just that every time I go to his housing complex or his auto shop or check on his buses I remember just how close we were. I didn't think that there was anything that could come between us. He was like my brother and if I'm completely honest with myself I would have to admit that I still think of him as my brother." He said letting out a loud sigh.

"But he turned his back on me for no good reason. He walked away from me when I needed him the most. I needed to share this wonderful experience with him; I needed him to understand why I had to change my life, I needed his support and he turned away from me, it hurt me so deep that words can't even express how hurt I was and still am." He said locking his fingers behind his neck and she remembered what Mr. Smith had told them, the man was right and now he was finally letting that pain out, so she continues to massage his shoulder and arm as he continues.

"It's like losing my blood brother all over again. I begged him to understand, I pleaded with him, but no, he would rather go and take cocaine, attack my girl and tell such a horrible lie on me that I almost lost the woman I love and now he's stuck in a damn wheelchair for the rest of his life and for what? For what! None of this had to happen Diane; it didn't have to turn out like this." He said fighting back his tears.

Diane leaned over and hugs him. "It's going to be okay, but please don't keep all this bottled up inside of you, I'm your wife and I love you, you can always talk to me." She said massaging his cheek. "I know baby it's just that I don't like to burden you and I know that talking about Alex brings back a lot of painful memories."

"I don't mind talking about Alex, I've forgiven him a long time ago for what he did to me, so please feel free to talk to me about anything that's bothering you, okay baby." "Okay baby girl I will, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to shut you out I just thought that I could handle it on my own." 'Well from now on we'll deal with all your concerns together, is that clear?" "Yes, I think I can do that." He said placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

On Friday Alex was in his living room watching television when he heard Gabriel's voice in the hall so he braced himself for what was to come as Gabriel enters the living room. "Please tell me you're not here to cuss me out again," Alex said in a defeated tone and clasps his hands under his chin like he was about to pray. "No I'm not; I have some papers for you to sign but I was also wondering if you have any idea how badly I want to strangle the life out of you with my bare hands?" Gabriel asks coldly.

"You've made it perfectly clear how much you hate me Prince; I get it." He said his head down but then his whole body tense as in his opinion his friend did a slow and deadly walk towards him and bending down place both his hands on the armrest of the wheelchair and gave him a cold deadly stare. "Just so you know, friend or no friend if you had ever made the mistake of actually raping my woman; there's no power on earth that could've stop me from slitting your throat in that hospital room; feel me." He sneered coldly. 'Yes, I think that goes without saying." Alex answers in a frightened voice. "Good." He sneers pushing the papers at Alex's chest and walking to the other side of the room.

"You know, even though you rough me up sometimes I know you still really care about me not that I deserve it. It gets lonely here sometimes not that I'm complaining I did this to myself but honestly I really thought that you would have taken back all the things that you had given to me and leave me to fend for myself." Alex said nervously. "Trust me it crossed my mind but I just couldn't bring myself to do something like that because I still think of you as my brother." "Really? Even after everything I've done to you? All you wanted was my support and I couldn't even do that. I don't even know what the hell I was thinking." Alex scratched his head.

"God I was so stupid. You took me in when I had no one, you bought me this house, you gave me one of your apartment complexes, you gave me an Auto shop, damn you even bought me a bus and what did I do? I hurt you in the worst way possible. Gabriel, I'm so sorry."

"You know Alex, just the fact that you put your hands on her makes me want to rip you apart with my bare hands. I left my girl in my house and because of you, she had to run from my house with her clothes torn from her body. What if she didn't have any money on her to take a taxi home? When I think of what could have happened to her my heart hurts. When I think about the fact that my best friend tried to..." Gabriel suddenly felt nauseous; cold sweat bead on his forehead, he also felt hot. "You okay man?"

He clears his throat. "The fact that my best friend tried to rape my girl because he was stupid enough to take cocaine still makes me sick!" Gabriel snapped at him. "I'm sorry man I really shouldn't have done that and not that it changes anything but I really didn't know she meant that much to you, Prince." "Have you ever seen me bring a girl inside my house before?" "No." "Then from the moment that girl steps through my door you should have known how serious I was about her! She is the only woman I ever brought to my house, the only one, and because of you I almost lost her!"

A strong wave of nausea hit him. He felt like his stomach was about to turn inside out and he had to grab onto the edge of a table for support. "I think this subject is making you sick," Alex said with concern in his voice. "I think you're right, I'm going to leave; Call me when you're done with those papers." He said rubbing his forehead. "Take care man." "Gabriel got in his vehicle and heads for home. Twenty minutes later he drives the car into the garage and got out. He was on his way inside the house when a strong wave of dizziness hit him; he had to hold on to the door jam to keep standing, he took a few deep breaths and after a few minutes, he was able to move again.

Entering the house he went straight to the kitchen. He then took a bottle of water from the fridge and putting it to his head he drank half then put the rest on the counter. Diane enters the kitchen and puts her arms around his waist from behind. "Hi, baby." She said sweetly. He turns and hugs her tightly but the scent of her perfume brought the dizziness back in a hurry. He back away from her and swayed before he could sit down.

'Baby…are you alright?" She asks in concern. "I don't feel very well." "Are you hungry?" "No, I ate earlier today." "Your skin is cold but you're sweating." She said feeling his nack and forehead. "And I'm as hot as hell." He said taking off his shirt. "Maybe you're coming down with the flu. Come and lie down for a while." She holds his hand and was about to lead him upstairs when the scent of her perfume hit him again. This time it sent him running towards the powder room.

Everything that he had eaten since that afternoon came back up, after ten minutes he was able to leave the bathroom, Diane was waiting for him. "I think you may have a stomach bug, come on let's go lie down." She led him upstairs and lay down beside him and within a few minutes, he was asleep. She then gently slipped out of bed and went downstairs to call Desreen. "Hey Diane, is everything okay?" "I think Gabriel is coming down with something, he's sweating, and vomiting and he seems to have a little dizziness as well." "Where is he now?" "He's sleeping."

"Alright make him some vegetable soup it may be something he ate." "Okay, I will, thanks Desreen." After ending the call she went and made the soup. Half an hour later she turns off the stove and went upstairs to check on Gabriel He was in the bathroom vomiting again so she went back downstairs and got a bowl of soup for him. She has never seen him sick before and all she wanted now was to make him feel better.

Saturday was the same and he wasn't even able to attend church on Sunday. So Monday morning after they had dropped Jasmine off at summer school she accompanied him to the doctor. The doctor examined him from head to toe but couldn't find anything wrong with him. He didn't have the flu, he didn't have a stomach bug and it wasn't food poising. The doctor then prescribes a few pills for him to help with nausea.

They filled the prescription and went home. And once again he hadn't made love to her in three nights and she misses him a lot, so since they were home alone she decided to try and ease his discomfort by making love and he really made an effort to make love to her but he just couldn't, he was literally sick to his stomach. "Baby please don't take this the wrong way but I think it has something to do with your perfume. Every time I come near you I get dizzy." He said caressing her cheek.

"Oh okay then, I'll go take a shower then and I won't use that perfume again." She said getting up and going into the bathroom, a few minutes later he steps in behind her. The warm water felt great on his skin and once again he tried making love to his wife, and for the first time in three days with her back against the tile, the water cascading over him and her legs wrap around his waist he was able to have sex with his wife without running to the bathroom, but to his dismay, after about two hours the nauseated feeling came back. "Your perfume may have been causing my dizziness but I don't think it's what is making me feel this sick." He groans.

On Wednesday he pushed the bad feelings aside and decided to go on the road to take care of a few things. His business that he was able to check on that morning was doing fine so he decided to go to Alex's auto shop and check on things there. He tried pushing the nauseated feelings aside but it had gotten the best of him a few times. But still, he pushed on; determine to get some work done. He was in the auto shop signing a few checks when out of the blues the dizziness and hit him again.

Sister Mitchell who was at the Auto shop getting her car fix walks in at that moment and immediately saw that there was something wrong with him. "Are you okay Gabriel?" She rushed over to him and placed her hands around his shoulders but he shook her off. "I'm fine, what can I do for you?" He snapped at her in frustration. "I was told to take this check-in here." She said handing him the check. Nausea course through him in waves and for the hundred times, he went running to the bathroom. When he came back out she was sitting at the desk.

"I know it would only be a matter of time before she starts making you sick. She has tied you to her and whatever she is using is making you sick. Why can't you see that Gabriel?" "Please put the check on the desk and leave," Gabriel said turning his back on her. "She is hurting you Gabriel and you need to go get yourself checked out please, for your sake don't wait any longer." "Will you just leave, please?" He said sharply.

She reluctantly puts the check on the desk and left. After she was gone he called Chris, "The papers you need are on the desk, I have to go." He left the Auto shop and decided to go home. He then called Diane to let her know that he was on his way. He then uses all the strength he could find to concentrate on where he was going but again an overwhelming surge of nausea hit him like a sledgehammer.

He swerves to the side of the road and stops. "I've had it with this. God, please help me find out what's wrong with me." He prayed to himself. He took a few deep breaths and let them out slowly. He then turns his car around and heads back towards a doctor's office he had passed a few minutes ago. Pulling into the parking lot he got out and walk towards the building, pushing the door open he enters, and seeing that the place was empty he walks right up to the receptionist desk. "Good afternoon, I need to see the doctor." The girl's eyes widen with admiration as they roam over his face and body. He was used to his looks captivating women but he really didn't have the patience for it right now. "Woman." He snaps sharply dragging her back to reality. "Can I please see the doctor before I pass out?"

Dana enters the kitchen behind Diane. "You really should eat something; it's no good if both you and your husband are sick." She said with concern. "I really can't eat anything right now. Gabriel calls me a while ago and told me he was on his way home but he still isn't here and I'm very worried about him. He's not getting better Dana and I don't know what else to do. We pray and fast but he's not getting any better. He can't even make love to me properly anymore, because he's so nauseated that he's always running to the bathroom and that makes him angry but what's worst is that the doctors keep telling him that they can't find anything wrong with him but there's something wrong with him because I've never seen him like this before."

Two hours later he entered the house and she ran to him hugging him tightly, "Are you, okay baby? I was so worried about you." He wraps his arms around her and presses her against him, thank God she wasn't wearing any perfume. Turning her back to him he pulled her against him and buried his face in her neck. "I stopped by another doctor's office on my way home and he told me that I have gastroenteritis and prescribe me some medication." He said while nibbling on her ear.

"Hold on a second, that doesn't sound right," Dana said shaking her head. "Gastroenteritis usually comes with diarrhea. Do you have diarrhea?" "Nope." "Also gastroenteritis is highly contagious and so far you're the only one that is sick. I'm no doctor but I don't think you have gastroenteritis." "Oh great, just when I thought I had an answer." He moans squeezing her waist gently.

"Do you have any idea how much I miss making love to you?" He whispered in her ear. Covering his hands with hers's she lean her head back against his chest. "Me too baby, and we'll soon, we just have to figure out what's wrong with you first." He moves away from her and took up his briefcase then taking the bag of medicines he had bought from it, he tosses them on the counter with a groan as the nausea returns. "This is frustrating the heck out of me but one way or the other I'll find out what's wrong with me because I really don't think that I can take much more of this." He said holding his stomach and running from the kitchen.