Page 141 of River & Crown
"He's not alone."
"Who's with him then?" I asked.
"Choyce but hear me out. Choyce was with us at the meet. Like I said shit popped off. Kage got hit and was bleeding badly. We needed to call him an ambulance but having them pull up where we just laid out six muthafuckas was gon' jam us up. Choyce drove Honor to the hospital, and Killian dropped Kage at a different one."
"Okay but why would Choyce drive Honor and not Kage?"
"Killian knows a doctor with a private practice, and Choyce is willing to lie to the police about Honor's shooting."
"What's the lie?"
"Does it matter? We got everyone where they needed to be. Everyone will be strai?—"
"Wolfie, what was the lie?" Chosyn asked.
"Honor and Choyce were on a date when someone started shooting."
"So, she's his girlfriend." My tongue cruised over my teeth as realization set in.
"Navy it's not no funny shit I swear. It's an easy story to sell to the cops."
"Okay," I whispered.
"It's about to be a long ass night." Chosyn sighed.
"I couldn't agree more," I murmured and didn't say shit else for the rest of the drive.
The walk down the hall to Honor's room seemed never fucking ending. So many fucking thoughts, gassed by a million emotions I had to suppress because this wasn't about me. Honor was shot. Whatever I was going through internally didn't matter, but if I was being honest, when did it ever? I love Honor, but our relationship has been something like an emotional prison,and I've been doing consecutive sentences. I tried expressing my thoughts to him, but they were often pacified with sweet I love yous. My heart swelled every time. I love Honor in ways I didn't think were possible. As a young girl, I was wrapped in that man. As a young woman, I became feisty. I spoke up more, rumbled with the best of 'em behind my man, who the world didn't know was mine. At this big ass age, I've found peace in mellowing out and allowing situations to play out. I didn't question much and kept my opinions to myself. Through all our different phases, I was loved. That was more than what most women could say, but was it enough?
"Navy," Chosyn called out, stopping me from opening the door to Honor's room.
"Yeah." I sighed.
"When you go in, don't let my sister get in your head. You know Honor loves you. Don't let Choyce make you believe differently."
"I won't." Opening the door, I walked in and had to catch myself. Just that fast, I had forgotten everything Chosyn had said.
"Who are they?" the officer standing at the foot of Honor's bed asked.
Choyce with her naturally pouty lips curled in a smile, looked toward us and said, "Chosyn is my sister and Navy is Honor's sister. I called them because, as you can see, we need all the support we can get."
Choyce was a charmer. That much was true from how smitten the white cop seemed to be with her. The two continued their conversation as Chosyn and I stood there. I watched their interaction, mentally recording everything.
"Remember what I said," Chosyn whispered.
I nodded and continued listening. The cop asked standard questions about what happened. Nothing too out of the ordinaryuntil Choyce said Honor jumped in front of the bullet, saving her life. The air caught in my throat, escaped in a sharp, involuntary gasp. Chosyn's eyes cut toward me, begging me to play it cool, but it was too late. The unplanned, dramatic sound had already silenced the room.
"I'm sorry. Hospitals turn me into a wreck. I'll just wait in the hall until you two finish." Smiling weakly, I exited the room with Chosyn on my heels.
"Navy, you have to be cool."
"How? How am I supposed to be cool when she fucking reduced me to being his sister? His fucking sister, Chosyn!"
"I know, but?—"
"Please don't," I snapped in a hushed tone. "You were on my ass because I yelled at Wolfe in the car. I don't wanna hear a damn thing about playing it cool."
"Fine." She shrugged and leaned against the wall.
