Chapter 14

Jayden

Just when we thought nothing could get any worse than it already was, it could and it did. Here we were on our way to the hospital with Mimi, to go check up on Mimi’s daughter, who was now in the ICU. We didn’t know what happened to her exactly, nor did we know how everything went down. I just hoped that we heard something good when we arrived at the hospital. I couldn’t believe that we were at this point again, but life sometimes has a way of knocking you down beyond your lowest point. I was ready for everything to turn around but, from the looks of it, that wouldn’t be happening anytime soon.

When we pulled up to University Hospital in New Orleans, the place was crowded. It looked like damn near everybody who stayed in New Orleans was sick today. It was hard for me to even find a parking space, which frustrated the hell out of me. After about two minutes of riding through the parking garage, we were finally able to locate a parking spot. After getting out of the car, we rode the elevator to the emergency room, where we went straight to the nurse’s station.

“Um, excuse me, but do you have a patient by the name of Kailay Williams in here?” Troy asked as Amina stood off to the side. She looked like she was stuck in place, as if her body was there but her mind wasn’t. My heart went out to her. I couldn’t imagine myself being in her situation right now. Hopefully, we could hear something great right now because, honestly, I didn’t think she could handle it if it wasn’t good news.

I stood off to the side as the girls did what they had to do. I wanted to give them the space that they needed, and yet still be there for them at the same time. I watched the way Mimi stood off, letting Troy handle things. I knew she didn’t want anyone to know about her still being alive, and I was sure that the shit she was going through right now was eating her up. That look in her eyes was something that I’d never seen before. It wasn’t the look of shock, surprise, or death; it was the look of fear. I went to try to talk to her, but my phone started to ring, bringing my movement to a halt.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I noticed that it was Shelly calling. I wanted to ignore her, but I wanted to check on Cam and see how he was doing right now.

“Hello,” I said, answering the phone.

“Nigga, I know you didn’t think I was playing with your ass. Why haven’t I seen your face yet?” she asked.

I silently cursed myself. This shit with her was beginning to get old, and I was just about tired of her shit. This was why I never wanted to answer the phone for her. She always came with some bullshit.

“Shell, for real though, ma. I’ma need you to chill with the attitude you giving me right now. I’m going through some shit, and I don’t need you to add to it,” I said. I signaled to Mark that I was about to walk outside and he nodded his head.

“Nigga, I really don’t care much. I asked you to show your face and yet I still don’t see you. I see you really trying to play with me right now, huh?” she asked, getting a little too loud for me.

“Look, bitch, I’ma need for you to shut your fucking mouth up before you make me do it for you. I’ve just about had enough of your fucking shit,” I said, walking into the parking lot. “Don’t you ever in your life come at me like that again!”

“Nigga, you actually think I give a fuck about your threats? You don’t scare me at all. I think you and I both know that you ain’t ’bout what you be talking about. Your bark is way worse than your bite,” she said, which just pissed me off. I thought it was time that I put this ho in her place, once and for all.

“Bitch, you and I both know that the reason why I don’t put my hands on you is because of Cam. Had it not been for him, your ass would be right where you belong. Now I told you not to fuck with me, but yo’ ho ass stay letting your mouth write a check that your ass can’t cash,” I said, a little too loud. I looked up to see a few people staring at me, so I walked farther away from the hospital. “You already know what the fuck it is!”

She laughed a crazy laugh that made me even madder. “You and all these little tantrums that you’re throwing are actually kind of cute. You think I, Lashell Monae Richards, give a fuck about what it is? Because I’m telling you right now that I don’t. I told your flunky, fuck-boy ass to show your face, and yet it’s been weeks and you’re still not here. You really trying me right now, huh? You really thought that I was playing when I said that I’d come looking for you and whatever bitch you tripping on me for? I’m not. So if you know like me, you’d stop playing me like I’m some bird bitch!”

“Bitch, where Cam at?” I asked, ignoring her ass. This ho just wasn’t getting the point. She really couldn’t see that I was through with her dumb ass.

“Why the fuck do you care, huh? You ain’t so worried about him that you came to see him yet,” she said.

I swear, if this bitch were in front of me, I’d whoop her ass from Saturday to Sunday.

“Bitch, I care because I’m his motherfucking father, that’s why. You know, the nigga who’s paying for everything that y’all got? The nigga who makes sure that you have a roof over your head, a car to drive, and food to eat. Keep playing with me and I’ll—” I started to say, but she cut me off.

“You’ll what, nigga? Huh? You’ll what? You talking all of that slick shit, but that’s your fucking job. You’re supposed to do that shit!”

I had to laugh to keep from exploding. “No, bitch, what I’m supposed to do is take care of Cameron. He’s my seed, my responsibility, not your ass,” I said, setting that ho straight. I didn’t know why this ho thought I was just supposed to take care of her ass because, really, I wasn’t. I only did the shit because I didn’t want the bitch to run off with my son.

“Tsk tsk. We already had this conversation, Mr. Smith. You’ll take care of me as long as I’m the mother of your child. Which will basically be for the rest of our lives,” she said, laughing.

“Bitch, you got me all the way fucked up. As a matter of fact, I want you out of my house before I get back. If I get back and you’re still there, we will have a lot of fucking problems,” I said, about to hang up. “Oh, and don’t take my car either. Since your ass got a lot to say, I want to see you take care of your muthafucking self, because I won’t be anymore!” I hung up the phone, blowing out air in frustration. I was tired of playing with her. I was about to show her just how hard things were about to be without me.

I slipped my phone back in my pocket and started walking back toward the hospital when it started to ring again. I already knew it was her, so I didn’t even both to look at the caller ID.

“You must not remember who I am. You think them little-ass threats are scaring me, but they ain’t. Whatever bitch you fucking must be really good at her job to have you tripping on me like this, but just remember what Shelly said. We ain’t over until I say we over and I haven’t said that yet. Play pussy and get fucked, nigga.” And with that said, she hung up the phone. I’d handle that shit the minute I found out what was going on with Mimi’s daughter.

Before I could finish my thoughts, my phone started ringing again.

“What?” I yelled, answering the phone.

“I know you better watch the way you answer that phone, boy. Now, I don’t know who done made you mad, but you better not ever talk to me like that,” my mother stated calmly into the phone.

“Ma, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know that it was you calling. I thought it was someone else,” I replied, lowering my tone.

“Let me guess. You thought I was that baby mama of yours. She’s the only one who gets you this upset. I told you that broad ain’t no good,” she said, sounding like she had a bad taste in her mouth. My mother was never a fan of Shelly. From the first moment that she’d met her, she’d always said that she was nothing but a gold-digger. She would always express her dislike for her, even when she was around. My mother never sugarcoated shit. She kept it realer than most of these niggas out here.

“Yeah, that bitch—” I started to say before she interrupted me.

“Hey, watch your mouth now, boy. I know you don’t like her, but I’m still your mother. Show me some respect,” she replied, chastising me.

“Sorry, Ma. I’m just so frustrated right now,” I said, spotting a bench and taking a seat.

“I been told you to cut that little gal loose. I don’t know why you continue to keep her around. She ain’t no good, no how,” she said, as always. I’d heard this same speech over and over again.

“Ma, you know why I keep her around.”

“You say that, but you and I both know that Cam is and will always be good. She ain’t trying to take him nowhere. She just had him so she could be tied down to you anyway. You know damn well that girl ain’t in no position to take care of a child.”

“Ma, what woman you know would just leave her child behind?” I asked her.

“The girl you chose to lay there, stick your thing in, and not pull out of, getting her pregnant in the first place,” she replied.

“Come on, Ma, can we please change the subject?” I said, faking as if I were about to cough up a lung.

“No, we can’t,” she said, laughing. “You acting like you got something I ain’t never seen before. You better remember that I was the one changing your diapers and shit.”

“Ma, come on!”

“All right, baby, I’ll leave you alone,” she replied, still laughing. Then she got serious. “But how are you? How have you been? Why haven’t you been calling me? Why haven’t you come home yet? You better not be down there getting into no trouble.”

“Ma, I’m good. I’m just down here handling a little business, that’s all. I’ll be back home in a couple of weeks, I promise,” I said to ease her mind.

“Jayden Anthony Smith, you better not be getting your ass into no trouble. You know your ass ain’t too old for me to go upside your damn head!”

“Ma, I already told you that I’m not. I’m fine. I need you to do something for me though,” I said, trying to change the subject.

“Yeah, uh-huh, make me come out of retirement for your ass. Make me hook my foot up your ass. I’m not playing either,” she said as if she could really beat me. “What you need?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I need for you to make a trip to the house for me.”

“Oh, hell no. You know that girl is there and you know damn well that I can’t be alone with her ass, or else I’ll end up in jail,” she said. I waited for her to laugh, but it never came.

“Come on, Ma. I’m not there, and I need you to do this for me. If you want, I’ll send Chucky with you.”

“It better not be no illegal shit, I’m telling you now,” she said, huffing into the phone.

“Ma, you know good and well that I’d never send you on no bullshit like that,” I said. My feelings were hurt.

“Well, what is it then?” she asked.

“I need you to go and get Cam and kick Shelly out of the house,” I replied.

“You sure about this? Because I’m not going over there only for you to take her back.”

“Yeah, Ma. Besides, I got a new woman. Ain’t no going back this time,” I said, knowing she would want to know who she was.

“You do? Tell me about her. She better not be another one like the one you got now!”

“Trust me, Ma, she’s nothing like Shelly. This girl is the total opposite, and she has class.”

“Yeah, you say that, but I have to see it to believe it. When will I get to meet her?” she asked.

“Soon, Ma. I gotta go, but don’t forget to do what I asked you to,” I said, cutting her off because I knew how she could be.

“Uh-huh. Call Chucky. Tell him to meet me. As for you, I’ll handle you later,” she said.

“All right, I’ll talk to you later. Love you, Ma,” I said to her.

“Love you too. See you soon, baby,” she replied. I hung up the phone as I stood up from the bench. Damn near ten minutes had gone by and I knew Mark and them were probably looking for me by now.

I hurriedly walked back toward the entrance. Once I entered the waiting room, I didn’t see Mimi and Troy anywhere. I was about to walk over to the nurse’s station when Mark called out to me.

“Over here, man,” Mark said. He was ducked off in the corner, which was why I didn’t see him in the first place.

“What’s going on, man? Where are the girls?” I asked, sitting in the seat next to him.

“Man, you ever looked at your life or the life of someone you cared about and wondered why they’re going through the things that they’re going through?” he asked, ignoring my question. The way he was looking made me scared to hear where this was going.

“Yeah, man, all the time,” I said, answering him. Then everything got silent between us. I asked, “Well, what did they say? Which one of her kids was hurt in the accident? As a matter of fact, where are her kids?”

Hanging his head low, he shook his head from side to side before replying, which let me know that whatever he was about to say wasn’t good news. “It was her daughter. She suffered an injury to her head, which left her with a great amount of head trauma. Right now, she’s bleeding on the brain. They’re waiting on someone to come for her, so that they could get papers signed, saying that she can undergo surgery,” he said, as my heart broke into pieces. “I feel for Mimi. She’s been through enough. It’s like she can never get a break.”

“Damn, man,” I said as I wiped a hand over my face. I couldn’t imagine my son going through anything like that. I hoped he’d never have to. On the outside looking in, one would think that Mimi was just a magnet attracting bad shit. I was sure that’s what she was probably thinking right now. She needed to know that no matter what happened, I would always be there for her and I would have her back through all of this.

“I can only imagine what she’s going through right now, man. For her sake, I hope that little mama pulls through, or else shit will only get worse, and her thirst for revenge will only increase,” he said, just as Troy walked into the waiting room. I was thinking the same thing too.

A few minutes later, Mimi came walking out of the back room. I got up to meet her when she ran straight into my arms.

“It’s going to be all right, ma. If she’s anything like her mother, then she’s a fighter. She’ll pull through this in no time,” I said as she broke down crying. She didn’t say anything. She just laid her head on my shoulder and continued to cry her eyes out. My heart broke to see her in pain. I walked backward, trying to get to the seat that I was just sitting in. When I got there, I took a seat and pulled her into my arms.

“It’s going to be fine. Just wait and see. She’ll be just fine,” I kept saying repeatedly as I rocked her.

She pulled back, looked me straight in my eyes, and said, “I really hope that you’re right, because if I lose my baby, I promise you it’s going to be hell on earth for them.”

“I know, baby, I know,” I said, as she laid her head back onto my shoulder. I silently prayed that God spared that little girl’s life. I really hoped that little mama pulled through this, because I honestly didn’t think that Mimi would be able to handle it if she didn’t. If she lost her daughter, she was going to fall off, and if she fell off, we wouldn’t be able to get her back.