Page 63 of Regancy & Savior
THIRTEEN
TAURUS
Once Savior explainedeverything that Luke said took place, it took everything in me not to put one out on Duce. If this nigga was trying to get a rise, he definitely knew where to try. I knew this nigga would be on bullshit from the look in his eyes at the diner a while back. I felt that shit in my soul the moment Savior said he was getting out. I should’ve knocked his ass off that day he walked in that diner, but then, I would’ve ended up behind bars. It was shit like this that pissed me off.
As we walked toward the car, the sound of tires screeching grabbed my attention. I was too late though, because the bullets were already flying, and Savior’s yelling for me to get down was all I heard. I was too late apparently. The burning in my chest let me know that. Damn, I had gotten caught lacking, and for that, I deserved this shit. I can’t even remember the last time I got shot, but I know this time hurt worse than anything. I had more to lose than the life that I didn’t ask for. As my thoughts attempted to intensify, everything around me started to darken. Savior’s yelling for me to keep my eyes open sounded further and further away, everything was far away.
The next time I came to, I was in what felt like a limbo. The setting was a city street at nighttime. This shit didn’t even feel real.
“My baby boy, you’re here too soon. You didn’t even give me time to get ready for you.” Her voice was so familiar that I turned around with the quickness. Her figure sat on the bus bench, and she just looked at me. Of course she had aged a little, but I knew her from anywhere. Just because she’d left me more than ten years ago didn’t mean I didn’t remember her. I rushed her as she stood, and I pulled her into my arms. Of course I missed my mama, but I had made peace with the fact that she was no longer here struggling and suffering. She was up there with him.
“Nah, lil’ nigga. How ya let them catch you slipping?” Pop-Pop’s voice made me look away from my mother and back at the bench. There he sat with his old wooden cane and those indigo work overalls. He hadn’t changed a bit.
I didn’t mean to smirk, but that was all I could do. The old man raised me and gave me shit every time he thought I was moving flaw. This time was no different. “I can’t even?—”
“There is no time for that, baby boy. It’s not your time. You have so much life left to live.” My mother put her hands on my cheeks like she used to when I was a kid. She looked into my eyes deeply with tears in her own. I wanted so badly to comfort her, but for some reason, I couldn’t. I wasn’t in control.
“Mama, what’s wrong?” I asked when she let me go.
She stepped into the street, looking in the direction of what I assumed was the bus. Then she stepped back on the curb and grabbed my hands. “I miss you, Tau, and I want you to know that I am proud of you. You shouldn’t be here. You gotta go back.” It was as if the moment she said that, a bus approached the stop.
“What do you—” My sentence was halted by the pain in my chest. It was like I couldn’t breathe all over again.
“He’s coding!” Beeping coming from what sounded like machines and voice. It sounded like they were all around me.
“Push two of epi and get me a ten blade. The only way to stop the bleeding is to get the bullet out.” Another voice yelled. Each time they spoke, lightning shot through the sky.
She squeezed my hands, bringing my attention back to her and not at the dark cloudy sky. “I love you, Tau, but it isn’t your time. You’ve gotta get on the bus, baby.” She pulled me into one final hug before she pushed me away.
“When ya’ get back, give ’em hell.” Pop-Pop’s voice was far away, and everything around me was white.
I came to what felt like a forever later, and all I could do was look around. The room was dark, and the slow humming of a machine was all that sounded. I closed my eyes momentarily, allowing my brain to lull over what got me here and almost immediately I popped up. The pain in my chest didn’t stop me from snatching the tubes and shit from my body. That nigga Duce wanted war; he had it. This had to be what life after death felt like because now everything seemed so clear.
The sound of a door opening in front of me interrupted my thoughts. When I looked up, there she stood with tears in her eyes. “Taurus.” She rushed me and hugged me around my neck as I damn near melted against her standing frame.
“Please don’t ever?—”
“I won’t.” She had a tight grip on me like she thought I was about to leave her or something. What she didn’t know was I couldn’t leave her if I tried. As my mama said, it wasn’t my time.
I allowed Lane to convince me to get back into bed so they could check my vitals and everything. My mind was made up though. I was signing myself out of here tonight and hunting that nigga down. I was adamant about not spending another night in this motherfucker since she had informed me that I had been out for almost five days. That was a lot of fucking time but felt like a wink.
“I told ya ass I wasn’t staying in here another nigh, Lane.” I watched her as she walked in my direction carrying one of those hospital apple juices and a mug. Once she got over the initial fear that I wouldn’t wake, she settled into anger over the fact that I had almost died. Baby was the most bipolar being I had ever encountered.
“And I’m begging you at least let them makes sure you are 100 percent.”
“Baby, I got shot in the chest. Hell nah, I ain’t fine, but I’ma be fine.” I peered at her.
“You’re right because we’re gonna stay here.” She folded her arms and looked from me to the door, where two suited pigs stood with notepads.Here comes the shitshow.
A smirk crossed my face, not from what she said, but from this shit right here. Pigs didn’t give a fuck about another nigga getting killed, so why the fuck were they here? I wasn’t even able to speak, because Lane did.
“I thought I told you both that he wouldn’t be speaking to you.” The tone she took with them had even me looking at her.
I looked from her to them. Then back at her. She had her hands on her hips and a glare that could kill on her face. Babywas used to dusting motherfuckers with her words, so this was a regular rodeo for her.
I’d be lying if I said her protectiveness over me didn’t warm my heart. “Chill, baby. Let ’em oink,” I demanded. I at least wanted to hear what they called themselves coming up with.
She chuckled but never relaxed her stance.
