Loving Eazy...

Fighting For His Life...

*2 and a half years later*- February 1995- Janet's POV

I spent the rest of that July of 92 with Eric. I saw him go off to therapy and resume use of his legs. It was a remarkable thing to see and if anything, according to the doctors, for someone who came to the hospital in a coma and didn't come out of it until two days later, Eric's story was a miracle and he should be someone to admire. It was wonderful hearing that as well, I always knew he was a fighter. His arm healed up nicely and by his birthday in 92 he was back on his feet and ready to run Ruthless.

One of the greatest moments came when Eric decided to accompany my mother, Regina and I to church. Cube still wasn't in the vein of going to church and when he found out that Eric was going, it was a swift definite no for him. But it was cool, Cube stayed at home and took care of Londyn and we all went to church. It was surprising to some of the church goers that E had showed up, given the music that he made and to some extent they followed the news stories that plagued us during our divorce. But the good thing about folks at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church is that they don't judge, they try to accept everyone.

The sermon was about forgiveness and how there was nothing too hard for God to handle or accomplish. I could tell it affected Eric because he hadn't been to church in the longest, not since we were kids. I think the music, the voices of the choir is what really got him. That was the first time since he started therapy that he walked on his own. He had been on crutches and had brought them to church but he managed to get up and walked without them. He had walked to the front of the church and shook hands with our pastor. It was something I'd never thought I'd see E do, it was an incredible moment.

But in the same day, the one thing I had been waiting for the longest time for had finally come. That night during dinner with him, I presented E with the papers indicating our divorce had been finalized. I gave him his ring back and the next morning I left him, for good. But I promised that I would keep in touch for the sake of our daughter.

Since that day I hadn't seen Eric in person and it was for the best. I reconciled with Pac and he's been with me ever since, for better and for worse. We moved into together and we have been happily moving forward with our lives and careers. We finished Poetic Justice and it went on to box office success. It may not have been as big as Boyz N The Hood but it was well received and shit. I also dropped my album in 93 and my single "Again" I put on the soundtrack for the movie. It was a song about Eric, and as beautiful as a song it was, I've come to terms with the crazy ass roller coaster of a relationship that Eric and I had and if anything I'm glad it's over.

As for what Eric has been up to these past two years, he went back to Ruthless as soon as he could to start working on new shit. He had some stuff he'd be working on before he got into the accident and he just had to finish it up. His EP 5150: Home 4 tha Sick dropped in late 92 and he even made a music video for one of the singles and the other single was a Christmas single that I knew Londy would love when she got older. These past two years he's been beefing hard with Dre and the way I know is because it was all over the news. Dre released The Chronic to huge sales but he dropped "Dre Day" as one of the singles. And not only did E release his other EP, It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa in 93 he also dropped "Real Muthaphuckkin Gs" as the lead single.

People have asked me several times whose side I'm on in their beef and the truth is, I'm on neither. It's a beef I have nothing to do with, similar to their beef with Cube and he pulled out "No Vaseline". It had nothing to do with me then and it has nothing to do with me now, but I truly believe that E and Dre will work things out just like he worked things out with Cube last year, they are best friends after all. He also got back together with Tomica who apparently came back to him when he dropped his first EP and she came to his release party. They've been together for 3 years now and have a child together, a little boy. I don't even worry about it, as long as he's happy.

I've been on tour since 93 for my Janet album. Unlike the Rhythm Nation tour, this was a worldwide tour that I was just beginning to finish up. I'm currently touring Japan, then I would circle back to Canada then back to the West Coast. But for now I decided to come back to LA for a small break before getting back to the tour. I wanted to see my man and I wanted to see my baby. So I had been back in LA for about 3 days now, Pac was at the studio and Londyn was with E, she had been dividing most of the time I was gone between her father, Cube and Gina and Ren and Ari. Speaking of them, Gina has moved on to become an established actress and Cube...well Cube was trying to write a movie. Last I heard he was naming it Friday.

I was by myself at home doing nothing more than staring at the TV rather then watching it. My eyes caught the familiar jewelery box that sat between a picture of me and Londy and me and Pac. I went up to it and gingerly pulled it out. I rubbed my hands across it as I took a deep sad breath. This wasn't any jewelry box, it was actually my baby's remains that lay in here. My baby. I was staring at the box when suddenly my phone rang. I went over to it and picked it not thinking of who could be calling. "Hello?" "Jay, it's Yella." I'd never heard Yella sound like this before. Normally he sounded cheerful and upbeat but now he sounded distraught and desperate. "It's Eric... he's in the hospital...he collapsed at the studio...we need you here." He hung up before I could do anything.

I hurried up and grabbed what I needed and got into my car, I was probably doing 90 on the freeway as I made my way to Cedars-Sinai...

...

When I got to his room, I immediately felt tension. Awkward tension as if I was intruding on something that I wasn't supposed to. Ren and Yella were in the waiting room not sure if they should go in. But I wanted to go in, see what was up. As I made to the door, I saw Tomica come rushing out. "Tomica," I said as she looked at me. "Janet," "What's going on?" I asked and she started crying again. "You go in... he probably wants to see you anyway." She walked past me and I confusingly opened the door where I saw Eric arguing with the doctor. "Doc there has to be a mistake I'm not a fag!" The doctor shook his head before his eyes landed on me. "Who is this? I thought your girlfriend just left out of the room?" "She did...this is um...my ex wife Janet." Eric said and I shook hands with the doctor before standing next to E's bed.

"Tomica just ran out of here. What is going on?" I demanded. "Well um miss, in addition to Mr. Wright's asthma and bronchitis being even worse, he has tested positive for HIV. His T-cell count is only 14 and he is steadily declining in terms of his overall health." I was in complete and utter shock and disbelief. It just didn't seem possible. "Okay well if I have it doc, what can I do, what about treatment? Because money is no issue what do I have to do-" Eric was panicking and the doctor sighed. "Mr. Wright I'm so sorry but you are extremely sick. Even though you might not feel bad you are very ill. Now we can take care of you and make sure you're comfortable for about-" "C-comfortable? What...do you mean comfortable?" I stuttered as the tears falling down my cheeks matched Eric's.

The doctor looked broken himself. "6 months is usually the limit when the illness is in the final stages like this. So... really it's just a matter of time. I am so sorry Mr. Wright." The doctor got up and left the room ignoring Eric's pleas for him to come back. Eric started crying and breathing heavily. I haven't seen him this broken since the day his cousin got killed. "Jay..." He croaked and I just hugged him. "I might have given my child HIV!" He sobbed and I pulled away and looked at him. "What?" "That's why Tomica left... she's pregnant...and she might have HIV..." He broke down in my arms again and I just held him, not sure of how to feel. At the moment the only thing that was clear was that he was now fighting for his life.

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