Page 9 of Zeus: Love of a god

Our mama turned from the pot she tended to face us. “It don’t matter. If you want to know so bad, then you can ask her when she gets here. Now I done told you that girl gonna be here for as long as she needs to be.”

The entire conversation confused me. “Wait, so why is she coming here? Is she homeless or some shit? She didn’t look homeless wearing Prada combat boots.”

Yeah, I peeped them when they had her on the stretcher. Those boots were like eighteen hundred dollars. I knew that because Hera just had to have them for her birthday, and I bought them. I would hope that she wasn’t one of those females with fucked-up priorities.

“No, she is not homeless. She doesn’t have anyone here with her. No family or anything. Her house is all the way in Lake Wylie,” Hestia confirmed. “I just don’t like that she’s alone like that. She’s still going to need substantial help for a while. She said that she would hire someone, but I don’t like it.”

Lake Wylie, huh?That said she had a little bit of money. “Did she say she wanted to come here?”

Poseidon laughed. “You know good and well that girl didn’t say that she wanted to stay here. Hestia came in here with her soft ass heart, and Mama in here massaging it to make it better. Mama, what if that lady says no?”

“Have you met me?” Laverne thought she scared everyone. Napoleon complex at its best. “When that girl gets here, y’all better not bother her either, or it’s going to be y’all ass. Me katalavaíneis (Do you understand)?”

We all glanced at each other before we roared with laughter. Our mama learned just enough Greek to scold, discipline, and tell us that she loved us.

“Katalavaínoume,” we all said in unison.

This was about to be a time in this house. I couldn’t say that I would mind her being here. That would give me the chance to get to know her. Getting to know her was now at the top of my personal priority list.

I’d beenin the hospital now for five days and was slated to go home in two. My lung collapsed from a broken rib puncturing it. I also broke my ankle. I had scrapes and bruises on my arms and face. The doctors said that it was a miracle that I didn’t have more severe injuries. The car didn’t fully hit me from what they said. It clipped me.Whatever that means.

My mind had been all over the place with the reaction of Aaron’s wife. Why was she so hostile? Why didn’t that man who was my father stop her? He let her push me into the damn street. I could have died.

I didn’t tell my cousin what happened. Her crazy ass would fly here with some of the homies and have that lady murdered. Icouldn’t have that blood on my hands. My interest in getting to know my sperm donor was the last thing on my mind now.

The light over my door came on, letting me know that someone was about to enter. I smiled when Dr. Basil stepped into my room. She was the most stylish doctor that I’d ever met. It was a plus that she was black and knew ASL (American Sign Language). Her sister, Hera, who was a nurse here, knew it too. I knew how to read lips, which was what I normally did.

“Good afternoon, Dindi. How are you feeling today?” Hestia asked. I told her the other day that I read lips, so she didn’t have to sign unless she wanted to say something that she didn’t want others to know.

I smiled before I lifted my hands to sign. “I’m good. Ready to go home.”

She gave me a warm smile. “About that. My mother didn’t like the idea of you going home and hiring someone to help you. She wants you to come stay at her house until you are better and more mobile.”

My eyes bucked.Is she serious?“No, no! I’ll be fine. That is not necessary.”

She giggled. “I figured you would say that, and I told my mother that you would. I apologize in advance for my mother’s intrusiveness. She’s standing outside. She wants to talk to you. Is that alright?”

I shifted in my bed before I nodded my head. Hestia turned, went to the door, opened it, then stuck her head out. Seconds later, a beautiful chocolate woman walked in with a warm smile. She was dressed to the nines as well. I knew Jimmy Choo when I saw it. I was a shoe fanatic.

“Hi, Dindi, my name is Laverne. You can call me Mrs. Laverne. Now my daughter told me that you can read lips, so I’m going to try and talk slowly. When I get to running my mouth, I talk like Speedy Gonzolez,” she said with a titter.

It pulled one out of me as well. That was a vital part of communication with someone that read lips. I knew a few people who went to school with me when I was younger who mastered reading lips of those who spoke fast. From a young age, I knew that I wouldn’t be that social. I didn’t want her to go out of her way for me though. I glanced at Hestia, then signed to her that I would turn on my implant.

“Mama, she said that she’s going to turn on her implant. You can talk your talk.”

Laverne smiled at Hestia, then me. She gave me a second to turn it on before she started to talk again. “Alright, now I know you don’t want to come to my house because you don’t know us. That is understandable. I also know that you are here alone in this city and will not have you paying someone for help. Now, I’m not ya people, but now… I’m ya people. With that being said, you’re gonna come stay at my house and love it.

“Consider this a friendly kidnapping. Now, my son, Zeus, is coming to pick you up with me when it’s time to get discharged. I have a beautiful guest room downstairs, so you don’t have to climb stairs, and you are close to the kitchen. I’m gonna cook a nice dinner so you can meet the rest of your new people here. Is that alright with you?”

It didn’t seem like she was giving me an option for it to not be alright. It would be nice to have a nurturing spirit around me.God, I miss Auntie Kadence.There was a hole where my heart used to be. Clearing my throat, I spoke for the first time to anyone outside of Melody in months. “Yes, that is alright, Mrs. Laverne.”

Mrs. Laverne smiled, then asked me if I had any food allergies. I shook my head to let her know that I didn’t. For another hour, she sat with me, and we got to know each other. Hestia left after I agreed to stay, to tend to her other patients. I enjoyed my conversation with Mrs. Laverne. She was so countrythat I would consider keeping on my cochlear just to hear her speak.

DISCHARGE…

It was time to be discharged, and I was ready! Hera just came in to tell me that her brother and mother were on their way up for me. Hestia worked this morning, so she would be free for the dinner that Mrs. Laverne planned tonight. Hera had just gotten off. Just as Hera got me into the wheelchair, the light above the door went off before the door opened seconds later.

Mrs. Laverne walked in followed by this man that looked like everything a good man was meant to be. His curly hair sat atop his head in a man bun. If I had a sexier voice, I would have said, “Hey, stranger!”

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