Page 11 of Nitro

4 – MONI

“Hey, girl. What timedid you get in last night?” my younger sister, Tiffany, asks, sticking her head in my bedroom doorway.

We both work at Oakland Medical Center; I’m in the ICU ward, and she works in the ER. Because of our crazy schedules and hectic lifestyle, we’re roommates. No one else could put up with how we came and went all hours of the night.

Flipping over onto my side to face my sister, I smile. “Three this morning.”

Frowning, she says, “I thought your shift ended at midnight. I texted you a few times, and no answer.”

“Sorry, love. My phone died, and I didn’t remember to charge it.”

She wraps herself in a hug. “Don’t do that,” she pouts.

Sitting up, I pat the space on the bed next to me. Opening my arms, I say, “Aww, come here, boo.”

She comes and flops down onto the bed beside me. Wrapping my sister in my arms, I press a kiss on the top of her head.

“Sorry. I know how you worry.”

“Shit happens, Moni. You know this.”

“I do. That was irresponsible of me not to call or tell you what was happening, not charging my phone. Just had an unexpected patient last night that shook me.”

“Another victim of gang violence?”

“Not even sure, but I think so.”

“Who?”

“Detective Blackwood.”

“Get the fuck outta here!”

She’s also worked with Detective Blackwood when he comes to question victims or potential suspects of gang violence.

“Yeah.”

“What...is he...”

“He’s going to make it. I believe that, and that’s what I’m standing on, Tiff.”

I give her a rundown of what I know, his surgeries, diagnosis, and prognosis, but she still looks shaken. More so than I expected her to. I wonder how well she knew him.

“What’s worse...this arrogant, surly ass biker comes strolling into his room while I was there.”

Tiffany stiffens in my arms. Turning, she says, “What? Was he there to finish the job?”

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