Page 59 of Love me Like XO

She had to come back from this, because I didn’t know what to do if she didn’t. Somewhere between all the thinking I was doing Malik had left, and I heard my auntie’s voice.

“She’s going to be fine, Zero. You can breathe, son.”

“How?” All the anguish that I kept at bay was now threatening to break through. I was just getting used to the thought of them and her. Them being my own family, one that truly belonged to me. One that I didn’t have to worry about falling apart, because I swear I had them.

“Because God has them. These doctors may play god from time to time, but they are not him. Her purpose on this earth isn’t finished. She isn’t finished and they’ve just begun. You have to believe that everything will be find and not stand here allowing your mind to crawl in the darkest spaces. You don’t belong in those spaces. You belong here, and so do they.”

“Then why isn’t she awake?” I probably sounded like a child, one with little faith in what could not be seen.

Before I knew it, my auntie began to pray, and I bowed my head for once not looking at her before me.

“Think, O’ God, of our loved one who is ill, whom we now commend to Your compassionate regard. That no healing is too hard if it be Your will. We therefore pray that You bless Empress with your loving care, renew her strength, and heal what ails her in Your loving name. Bring her and the babies back to us O’Lord.”

“Amen.”

“Amen.”

REE

She was supposed to be on her way to the shop to meet me because she had a client at twelve. I knew something didn’t feel right. It felt like my heart had dropped at exactly eleven fifteen, then when I called her and a voice that wasn’t hers answered the phone I could’ve died right there. Being told that my sister’s car had flipped off a road had me ready to walk out into fucking traffic. I couldn’t though, I had to hold it together and get to the hospital. I had to make it there, all the while calling Zero and everybody. I dreaded calling Zero, giving this type of news to him but he needed to be there, we all did.

When I made it to the hospital, I was told that it was too early to tell. That she was touch and go, then slowly everybody started to trickle in. The devastation in Zero’s eyes made mine feel obsolete because if I didn’t know anything I knew he loved my sister. I had sat here considering what everybody else was feeling, not once considering myself until Malik walked over to me and wrapped his arms around me. In that exact moment I felt like heaven and earth collapsed taking what little bit of restraint I had with them. I needed my sister, so the last thing I could think of is those doctors coming out and telling me anything other than she’s okay. She had to be okay. Empress had to pull through because that was it. There was no other fucking option.

After hours of what felt like the pettiest torture the doctor came out and told us the severity of the situation. She hit her head,brain swelling and a severe bleed. Fetal trauma, from the crash itself.Fetal distress,the babies weren’t projected to make it.She was touch and go,Critical condition. The waiting game…

“I don’t know why we all have to be here. Y’all got my kids up here and shit.” Fiona’s annoying ass voice filled the room.

Interrupted from my mental play by play of how this day started, I blinked a few times before focusing on her.This bitch.

“He didn’t even hit the car that fucking hard,” she tried to mumble, but I heard her loud and fucking clear.

I had to blink a few times, before I was standing from my seat and getting in her face. I hoped my mind was playing tricks on me. “Who didn’t hit her that hard? What are you talking about?” Obviously, this bitch knew who hit my sister.

“Stop it,” my father nearly growled, giving Fiona the time to jet like she was trying to do before I hopped in her face.

By the time I turned around the bitch was in the wind and Irish was walking up on me with Malik in tow carrying the coffee that he’d gone to get for me.

“What’s wron—” Irish started to ask.

“She knows what happened.”

“With what? What are you talking about?” Malik asked.

I explained to both of them what I meant, which had them looking at me in disbelief.

“That means she was there or knows exactly what went down. Who would want to run her off a fucking road?”

“Don’t worry, I got somebody pulling all the police cameras in the area, so we’ll know too...and for sure.”

I believed him, so there was nothing else to be said. No more to talk about because we were back to the game. Waiting for her and them to be okay. Waiting for all of this to be a nightmare that I woke up from. If Fiona had something to do with what happened to my sister, I don’t know what I would do. I just didn’t understand why she hated us so much. For her sake, she better hope my sister pulled through this, because if not, they’d be burying Fiona’s ass and I put that on my mama.

I sat in the waiting room for as long as I could, tapping my foot and every so often looking at the clock. My brain was hurting, and I couldn’t think straight. All I could do was be there.Emperors was my best friend before a best friend was even thought of. She was my rock when life got as hard as possible. Empress was damn near my everything. My baby sister had to be okay, because if not, I didn’t know if I would be.

We had sat there for long enough when I noticed Irish standing to his feet and shaking his head. He was on something, I could tell.

“Where are you going?”

“To handle something.” He wouldn’t look me in the eyes and that told me everything I needed to know.

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