Page 8 of A Player's Prayer
“Dr. Morrison to Room Six! Dr. Morrison to Room Six!
Sitting in the corner of the emergency room, I looked around and took in all of the people waiting to be seen. It was eight in the morning, and these muthafuckas were already showing out. From badass kids coughing and running around to people rolling all over the floor pretending to be dying, it was a total shit show at the hospital. Even with all of this going on, I was still going to be here until I saw Dakota Jenkins.
Looking around, I felt tense, and I didn’t like the shit. Not even the sexcapade that led into the early morning hours could keep me from stepping down on her today. My nerves were still on edge with how she handled me, even though I had accepted that I was wrong in the incident.
Twirling my trusted coin between my fingers, I had yet to flip it and decide how I wanted to approach this situation. I didn’t stop to pick up an apology gift, so my spirit was telling me what was bound to happen once I flipped it. When I told Skip I was going to flip a coin to determine how I would act, I meant it literally. With one side saying, “Keep It Cool” and the other saying, “Act A Fool,” I typically used this method to let the universe decide how a nigga was supposed to act. If it were up to me, the coin would say “Act A Fool” on both sides, but I knew there was only so much covering up we could do if my ass showed out at any given second.
“They really need to shut this place down,” I heard an older gentleman say as he took a seat beside me, groaning through the motion. He’d just come from the back area, so I assumed he was visiting someone. “It’s so damn crowded back there. My wife, Helen, came in for a simple bee sting and is still waiting to be seen.”
“Yeah…” I nodded, not wanting to engage. “I’ve been sitting here for a minute myself.”
“Are you here to see someone?” he asked, sipping his coffee. It was clear he wasn’t going to let the conversation die. “I can tellyou now, they’re swamped back there. There’s only one nurse who’s trying her best to make everyone comfortable. If it wasn’t for my Helen, I would have put the moves on her.”
Chuckling lowly, something told me he was speaking of Dakota. Even though she had cussed my ass out, she looked caring and gentle in that video Noemi played back. I looked around the room once more and noticed the security guard who was allowing people entry through the doors to receive care or visit those admitted. Glancing back at the old man, an idea came to mind.
“Say, OG, I need a favor.” I leaned forward, removing the hoodie from over my head. “I was trying to pop up on my girl and surprise her with a breakfast date.” Going into my pocket, I pulled out a stack of money, counting out a few bills. “Can I buy that visitor’s pass off you?”
Looking from me to the cash, he didn’t put up much of a fight as he removed it from his jacket. Placing it on my chest, I stood from my seat and stretched my legs before making my way toward the double doors. I flashed the pass for the guard to see and waited patiently for him to let me through.
“Which Wild are you going to get today, Dakota?” I mumbled to myself once I had entered the hallway where the patients were being held. People were lined up along the wall, waiting to be discharged or seen. The smell of antiseptic was so damn strong, I started to abort the mission. Standing off to the side as another nurse passed, I flipped my silver coin, catching it instantly. Uncovering it, I smiled as her fate for the day was revealed.
“Showtime.”
With my hands in my joggers, I smiled and greeted those I passed as I kept my eyes out for Dakota. Discreetly, I glanced behind each of the curtains, hoping I would catch a glimpse of her. After a few minutes, I started to lose hope until I rounded the corner where I knew the supply closets were located.
“Listen, I’m at work and don’t have time to talk right now.” I looked up and locked eyes on her thick frame. Her back was turned to me so that I couldn’t see her face. It didn’t matter because I knew that voice and ass anywhere. “I told you shit with us was over and—what the fuck!”
Coming up behind her, I put her in a headlock and dragged her into the supply closet. No one was around at the moment, and I was glad because this situation would look crazy to anybody watching. Dakota tried her best to fight me off, but she was so small compared to my solid six-foot-four frame that it was no use in her trying.
“Be your ass the fuck still before I snap your neck!” I hissed, gripping her neckline tighter with my arm. “I should choke your little ass out. Who the fuck—argh!”
I don’t know how she did it, but her fist connected with my nuts, bringing me to my knees. Tears welled in my eyes, and I wheezed as I held my little homies. Nothing could be heard in the small room but our heavy breathing.
“Nigga! Have you lost your fucking mind?” she yelled as she scooted away from me. “I’m calling security!”
“You’ll be dead before they get here.” I groaned as I stood to my feet, mugging her. “You hit me in my dick, girl!”
“You choked me, nigga!” she countered, eyes wild. “How the fuck—wait! You’re the asshole from the shoe store! How did you find me?” Her eyes squinted before they filled with anger. “This is the perfect place for you to be because I’m about to beat your disrespectful ass!”
Picking up a thick-ass plastic container of cotton balls, she threw it at my mouth with precision. I felt my lip swell immediately as cotton balls flew everywhere. The girl must have played softball in her past life because the way she was hurling shit directly at my head and face was unheard of. From tongue compressors to rolls of bed sheets, I was shifting around to avoidmore hits like a lying crackhead. I was too slow ducking the box of gloves, and the sharp-ass cardboard caught the corner of my eye. Once she came barreling toward me with a fucking metal bedpan, I knew I had to get a handle on this shit.
“Muthafucka, if you hit me with that piss pan, I’m going to beat your ass!” I huffed as I ducked before grabbing her in my arms. “Calm your little ass down!”
“Nigga, you’re the one that started with me!” She continued to wiggle against my front. “You can’t tell me how to defend myself from you! Why are you even here?”
Peering down at her angry eyes, I couldn’t deny how beautiful she was. Her crooked-ass glasses added to it somehow, and I smirked at her four-eyed ass. Her black scrubs fit her frame perfectly, and I knew she was hell under this uniform. The longer I stared at her, the harder my dick became.
“You know, you really do have the perfect set of lips.” I grinned as she began to growl. “For real… Now, I’m going to let you go if you promise not to throw shit else at me. I just want to talk.”
“Talk?” She threw her head back and laughed. “Too late for that, don’t you think?”
“I’m serious, Kodi?—”
“Mynameis Dakota.” She stopped squirming, but didn’t make an effort to remove herself from my arms. “You don’t know me to be calling me anything other than my name.” It was then that I could see a light bulb go off in her head. “Hold up… how do you know me?”
I smirked. “I have my ways. The coin decided for me to ruin your day, but now, I changed my mind.” I placed her on her feet but still kept her in my arms. “Let me take you out.”
Rearing her head back as if I cussed her out, she stared at me before she released a belly-busting laugh. She was so tickled thattears streamed down her face, and that pissed me off. Did I look like a joke or something?
