What the fuck does he mean she’s sick?
I feel my palms sweat, and he rasps, “She’s had tests done and is waiting for the results, but the, uh, consultant she saw believes it could be cancer.”
No, no, no, no, no!
I stumble back as Doc rushes toward me, gripping my shoulders, trying to stop me from falling, but my trembling body collapses against his.
Cancer.
No, please, fuck no….
She hasn’t, she can’t….
Why the fuck didn’t she tell me?
Anger courses through me. She didn’t tell me; she fucks me but says nothing.
I shove off Doc and grab the tall lamp near the foot of the stairs and throw it, smashing it against the wall, narrowly missing the large picture of Brook and me, but I don’t take notice as I grab the side table, ready to throw it, but Doc quickly grabs me from behind.
“Brother,” he grunts, “this isn’t the way. I understand you’re hurting, but right now, she needs you to be fucking calm….” His words trail off, but I nod anyway, breathing hard, my fingers itching to punch the wall, and Doc lets me go.
Licking my bottom lip, I rasp, “I need to call my dad and my fucking mother. Maybe now she’ll back the fuck off, and then I need to go see my girl.”
Doc doesn’t answer me, and I turn, raising a brow at his pale face, and he stutters, “Fuck, I, uh, I think it might be best your mother stays in the dark about this….”
I tilt my head. I already have the urge to destroy my house, but I have a feeling whatever he’s about to say, I’m going to black out and break something.
He swallows hard and whispers, “Your mother paid her $50,000 to leave the county. She kept the check, and then showed up at the club as a fuck you to your momma. Yesterday, your momma confronted her.”
That does it.
My mind goes blank, my vision goes black. One moment, I’m standing near Doc, and the next, half my living area is trashed, I’m on the floor, lying over the smashed glass, and Doc has his knees in my back.
It's right about now I fucking wish I had never taught him that move.
“You calm, brother?” he asks, breathing heavily after I spent a while thrashing against him. I don’t answer him, I don’t fucking move.
She may have cancer….
Momma tried to pay her off….
Momma tried to have her raped….
Fucking cancer….
I could lose her….
I let out a sob as the reality of losing her hits me, and Doc holds me tight, letting me get my emotions out.
Doc sits with me for about an hour before I call Smokey, the only brother I know who will be able to keep up with me in the ring.
Left, right, kick….
Smokey grunts, gasping a little, then rushes toward me. His fist hits my eye, splitting my brow, and I relish the pain.
My punch hits his jaw, causing him to curse, before my foot connects with his gut again.
Left, right, left, right.