Page 38 of All The Smoke
“No, you’re not, baby.” She took my hands into hers after I washed and dried them and gave me a sympathetic look. “You look like everything you’re going through, so you need to go home. You have the time.”
“But I?—”
She cut me off. “Kaori, I don’t know if you picked up a bug or what, but I can’t have you getting me or my patients sick. I love you, baby, but you have to go home.”
She was right. I’d feel horrible if I got one of my babies sick. I hadn’t been working in the office that long, but I had been there long enough to establish relationships with some of the kids, their parents, and my coworkers. I didn’t want to potentially pass anything along to them.
“Okay, I’ll stop at the pharmacy and get some meds then go to Granny’s. She’ll take care of me.”
“Indeed she will.” Treva smiled. “She spoils you and Morgan too much.”
My grandma treated Treva and Morgan just like she treated me and my mother, so when she spoiled me, she did the same for my best friend. There would be times I’d go by my grandma’s and Mo’s ass would be there cuddled up in my bed like it was hers.
“Don’t hate.” I smiled and followed her out of the bathroom to the back so I could get my things.
Once I’d gathered them she pulled me into a tight hug. “Get you some rest and stay hydrated, baby. Nothing solid, just soup today. Okay?”
“Okay, Auntie, thank you. I love you.”
“I love you too, baby girl. I’ll call and check on you later.”
Nodding, I gave her one more hug before heading out, letting my coworkers know I was gone for the day on my way out. Once I was in my car I texted my mother and Mo to let them know I was leaving work early then I emailed my professor to see if I could just tune in online today since I was sick. I knew it was unlikely, but I had to try. My attendance was perfect and I could afford to miss a day or two and still be okay.
On the way to my granny’s, I stopped at The Marketplace. I didn’t feel like driving across town to The Deli for soup, so I gotthe ones they sold in the refrigerated section, Gatorade, water, and meds that would put me to sleep. I figured if I slept through the day, I’d wake up refreshed.
It didn’t take me long to get to my granny’s and when I did, I was immediately met with the smell of food. I followed it to the kitchen where I found her standing over the stove stirring a pot of greens. I knew they were greens because the smell was distinct and the vinegar she cooked in them had me dropping my things and darting toward the half bathroom.
She had new toothbrushes in the drawer in there, so I brushed my teeth yet again and washed my hands before emerging from the bathroom and slowly trekking over to grab the stuff I’d dropped on the floor.
“Well, I would ask you how you’re doing, but that much is apparent,” my granny said as she walked over to me and felt my forehead using the back of her hand. “You’re not warm.”
“I think I’m just still hungover from when me and Mo went out Tuesday,” I admitted as I sat my stuff on the counter, taking one of the Gatorades from the bag because I needed something to drink. “Plus, the vinegar in those greens is strong.”
Her brows dipped. “The vinegar? It’s barely a cap full in that big ass pot.”
“Well the smell is strong.” I shook my head. “Smells like the whole bottle is in there.”
“Heffa, are you pregnant?” she asked. “Because only a pregnant woman would be able to smell that little bit of vinegar, KK.”
“No.” I frowned.
“How do you know?”
“Because, Granny, it’s my body, and I would know if I was pregnant!”
She angled her head to the side. “Who you hollering at?”
I sighed. “I’m not, Granny. I’m not pregnant and I’m not hollering at you. I apologize.”
“When is the last time you had sex?”
“Granny!” I shrieked.
“What, girl? Hell. I know you’re fucking.”
“Oh my god,” I groaned.
“Okay, Kaori, when is the last time you had a period?” she asked. “Since you acting crazy when I say sex. Hell if I didn’t know about sex, your little ass wouldn’t be here.”
