Page 41 of Make Me Remember

CHAPTER 15

JACOB

As if enough shit hadn’t happened today, Mekayla’s father took a turn for the worse. When we got to the hospital, I chose to valet so we could get to where he was a little quicker. They were still in the emergency room, and I noticed there were only a few people here. A tall guy quickly embraced Mekayla when we walked in. A curvy woman approached LaTee and me with a tight smile.

“Hi, Grandma Mercedes.”

It was like something shocked Mekayla’s senses, and she hurried back to us. She looped her arm through mine and said, “Jacob, this is Mercedes, my biological mother. That’s my brother Zhori. The two of us share the same parents. You’ll meet my other siblings at a later time.”

I nodded and shook her mother’s hand. She seemed a little nervous after Mekayla’s introduction, and I wasn’t sure why. I knew their history, but Mekayla had told me that she’d healed from all of that.

“Umm… Mekayla, you can go see him,” her mother said.

“Can all three of us go at once?”

“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask the nurse. LaTee can stay with me if you want.”

“No. She has to stay with me.”

“Mekayla, if necessary, I can stay in the waiting area,” I offered.

“No!” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I would like for you to be with me also.”

I nodded. Glancing at her mother, I could see that she seemed to know what was going on. I wished someone would tell me, though, because I was in the dark. Her brother seemed to be also. We walked to the doors, and the person over the intercom asked who we were going to see. After Mekayla told her his name, the doors opened. There was a sign saying that children under the age of eleven couldn’t be back there.

I didn’t make Mekayla aware of it because she seemed to be extremely touchy and fragile right now. I didn’t want to be the person she lashed out on, because my Henderson petty would come shining through quick as a muthafucka. This wasn’t the time for that.

“Ma’am, how old is your daughter?” a nurse passing by asked.

“She’s eight.”

“She’s too young to be back here.”

“Oh well,” Mekayla said and kept walking.

I was somewhat stunned as the nurse followed us. “Ma’am, if you don’t adhere to the rules, I’ll have to call security.”

“Do what the fuck you have to do then.”

My eyes widened. Uncle Storm said he could see that she would be a handful, but shit, I was still stunned. She seemed like she was falling apart emotionally on the ride here but mild as fuck. This came out of the blue. We walked into the room where her father was, and I could see he was struggling.

“Grandpa Stacy!” LaTee yelled and ran to his bedside.

He turned his gaze to her and tried to smile. She climbed into bed with him and lay on his shoulder as tears fell down Mekayla’s face. I slid my arms around her, and she flinched.

“I’m sorry, Jacob.”

I nodded as she leaned into me. She pulled away and went to her dad’s bedside. She kissed his head and said something in his ear. When I saw the tear fall from his eyes, it softened me. While I had witnessed death, most of the instances were quick. Seeing him like this took me back to the night my grandmother died. It was an emotional moment for the entire family. I leaned against the wall and tried to focus my attention on Mekayla and LaTee.

“Daddy, this is my boyfriend, Jacob. He’s gonna take care of me and LaTee, but you also know that I’m capable of taking care of myself.”

He nodded and tried to smile again.

“Excuse me, ma’am. We have to escort you out.”

I frowned. These people were fucking tripping. Mekayla stood up straight with a frown on her face as the guard’s gaze went to LaTee. She was still in bed with her grandfather. When she ignored him, that seemed to bother him. I could see the frown on his face, so I stood up straight as well, making sure he saw me. He glanced at me and came further into the room. I walked over to Mekayla because if he thought he was gonna put his hands on her, he had another thing coming.

He said something in his lil walkie-talkie then stood there and stared at us. When Mekayla’s dad’s machine started beeping, I turned my attention back to them. He’d coded. Nurses came running into the room, and we had to leave out anyway. However, when we stepped into the hallway, there were two other guards there, waiting to escort us out of ICU and apparently out of the hospital.

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