THIRTY-SIX
Coco met her mother inside the hospital like she had been doing for the past three weeks. Her mother appeared happy and Coco hoped to hear good news of Miss Katie.
“Ma, you look like you heard sump’n good. What’s…?”
“Oh Coco I’m so proud of you,” Mrs. Harvey gushed.
“You are at the top of your class. You are the number one in all the scores and grades. Coco I dunno what to say…”
Coco reached over and hugged her mother. In each other’s embrace, they walked silently to the elevator. Mrs. Harvey was beaming when she walked into Miss Katie’s room.
“Oh Miss Katie,” Rachel began to speak enthusiastically. “Coco did a great thing. She has the highest average in the school and she has turned in all her papers. She could be valedictorian. Oh Miss Katie if only you could see the letter from the school, you would be smiling and saying…”
“Lemme see the letter,” Coco said interrupting her mother.
“I’m really, really proud of you Coco. They thought that you weren’t gonna make it and you just showed them non-believing asses up. I love that and I love the fact that you is my flesh and blood,” Mrs. Harvey said.
Coco stared in guarded surprise at her mother’s glowing face.
They heard a sound that surprised them both. It was a clearing of a raspy throat. Wide eyed with surprise Coco and her mother glanced at each other for a moment. Disbelief, then joy overcame them.
“Miss Katie!” They both shouted at the same time.
“Miss Katie, oh God bless you so,” Rachel Harvey said through her tears. Miss Katie signaled for a glass of water. Coco quickly grabbed the cup next to her bed. Miss Katie drank. Her face made a smile and Coco moved closer.
“Oh Miss Katie…” Coco’s emotions overcame her. She held Miss Katie’s hand and her tears came.
“Coco don’t cry girl. We all gotta go sometime,” Miss Katie said in a faint voice. Her lips were parched and Coco smoothed them with Vaseline. She then gave her more water to drink.
“Shouldn’t we get the nurse?”
“Doctors and nurses what they know anyways? Only God have the answers,” Miss Katie proclaimed.
“Miss Katie, you heard us?”
“I know your mother was in a good mood…”
“Oh Miss Katie, I’ve been coming here all the time waiting for this and here…” Coco stopped speaking when Miss Katie started coughing. “Maybe we should call the nurse or a doctor. I think we should Miss Katie,” Coco said anxiously.
“Now you know everything in the medical book is wrong with me. I’ve been up before this. This morning was the first time… briefly… ah.. ahem…” Miss Katie’s voice trailed off.
“Miss Katie I’m gonna get a doctor or a nurse,” Mrs. Harvey said and quickly left the room.
“Your mommy still crazy,” Miss Katie said showing her teeth when her eyes reopened. “Coco you’re gonna be a star, child. But you’ve got to respect elders. Read the Bible, embrace humility. Put God before you, Coco whatever you don’t see God will. I want you to be strong for you and your mother. I know you’ll be, but I feel I should tell you anyway.” Miss Katie said. She held a slight smile on her face. Miss Katie’s voice went silent and she closed her eyes.
“Miss Katie, Miss Katie…” Coco cried.
Miss Katie’s eyes slowly opened. She took a breath and the pumps on the respiratory machine moved up and down.
“Is it supposed to be doing that?”
“It does what it feels like. Your mother should have pressed on the knob right here. The nurses would be here already.”
“They’re coming, they’re coming Miss Katie, I can hear footsteps.”
“Oh don’t worry ‘bout that. Coco you’ve gotta be the strength. Your work is not yet done, hon. You’re gonna be a great person. Thank God I got to know you, Coco.” Miss Katie’s voice trailed off again. She closed her eyes as the nurse and Mrs. Harvey walked into the room.
Coco stared in disbelief as the nurse checked Miss Katie. The nurse eventually asked the visitors to wait outside in the hallway. Two doctors rushed past Coco and scurried inside the room. She knew it was bad when they later walked out of the room shaking their heads.
“Are you next of kin?” One of the doctors asked and the other walked away. “I’m afraid… there was nothing else we could’ve done… Katie Patterson ah… died a few minutes ago.”
“Noooo!” Coco screamed her knees buckling. She wept with extraordinary violence, keening and howling. Her mother tried to steady her.
“This will calm her down,” the nurse promised giving Coco a cup of water.
When she got home, Coco sat in the kitchen with her headphones on staring into space. She was numb to calls and text messages.