Chapter 23 Xai
Xai
Although my baby still hasn’t unblocked me, I’m still on a high from last night.
She didn’t keep me shut out. She opened her door and admitted she still loves me.
That’s all I needed to know. I took my ass home, showered, and slept like a muthafucka.
I even got my damn appetite back. I fucked up one of the donuts Trista brought to the shop this morning and I’m at Phat Fish now waiting on my fried red snapper dinner.
“Eighty-one,” the man at the counter yells out. I’m eighty-three so my food should be up soon.
Phat Fish is a staple on the Southside. It fed Kadean and me too many nights when we lived in The Manor, and sometimes, I just want hot, fried fish.
It’s a “you buy, we fry” seafood market and restaurant.
Since they cook to order, it’s so much better to call ahead.
If I hadn’t, I would be waiting in the long ass line outside.
“Eighty-two,” a different man on the other end of the counter calls out right when my cell vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and see it’s Adora. I can only imagine how big and goofy my smile is as I answer.
“Hey, love.”
“Xai…Xai,” Averi stutters through sobs.
My fucking heart drops in my stomach as I turn and rush out of the restaurant. Whatever is wrong, I’m coming to fucking fix it.
“Averi, what’s wrong?” I ask.
“It’s Mommie,” she begins and I hear Romi wailing in the background.
Fuck!
“They fought her. She fell and hit her head,” she cries and I’m already in my truck.
“Where are you? At the house?” I ask, trying to keep my tone calm. She’s already hysterical and I don’t want to scare her more.
“Yes. Home. She’s on the porch,” she cries.
“Is she moving? Talking?” I ask.
“Not a lot,” she says and I exhale. She’s moving.
“Okay. I’m almost there. Where’s Romi?” I ask, trying to keep her preoccupied by anything but her momma being hurt.
“She’s right here.”
“Can you tell her to get your momma’s purse and keys?” I ask.
“Okay. Romi, get Mommie’s purse out of her room,” she says, then sighs. “She getting it. You coming right now?” she confirms. Her little voice is mixed with fear, concern, and anxiety.
“Yes. I’ll be there very soon,” I say as I barrel through the city, saying fuck it to all traffic laws.
“Romi got her purse.”
“Good. Tell her thank you.”
“He said thank you,’” she says.
“Do y’all have on shoes? When I get there, we’re leaving. I need y’all to be ready.”
“We got on shoes.”
My questions and little tasks keep her preoccupied and help calm me too as I make it to Adora’s house.
I practically jump out before I’ve shifted into park and run to the front door.
It’s open and Romi and Averi are sitting on the frame.
Adora is laid out in front of them struggling, trying to move.
She’s conscious but obviously hurt. There’s a small pool of blood to the right of her, thankfully away from the girls.
“Fuck!” I exclaim as I kneel next to her. “Love, what hurts?”
“My head and foot. I can’t move my foot,” Adora mumbles.
“Okay. I got you. I’m going to take you to the hospital.
Don’t move.” I step over to Averi and Romi.
Both of their eyes are filled with tears.
“Sit right here. I’m going to take your momma to my truck then come get you,” I say and they nod.
I step over them, rush into the house, and grab a towel from the guest bathroom, then return to Adora and carefully scoop her up, bridal style.
I carry her to my truck and position the towel behind her head.
“The girls,” she cries.
“I’m going to get them right now. Just try not to move.”
When I’m back at the door, Romi reaches for me and I grab her.
She latches her arms around my neck, buries her head in my chest, and sobs.
Reassuringly, I caress her back as I grab Averi’s hand to help her stand.
She grabs her mom’s purse and closes the door.
“Can you get her keys and lock the door?” I ask.
She nods slowly before getting the keys from the purse.
She locks the door then reaches for my other hand.
Together, we walk back to my truck. I place both of them in the backseat, get in, then back out.
My chest constricts and my mind is going as fast as my truck for the entire ride. What the fuck happened and who did this shit?
The girls are already shaken and crying and Adora is in pain so I hold my questions and just concentrate on getting to Mount Sinai.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m pulling into the valet lane and getting out.
Before the attendant can make it to my door, I’ve already grabbed a wheelchair from the entrance and am back at my truck.
I hand him my keys and he gives me a parking slip.
I get Adora into the chair and we head into the emergency room. The ER is a little packed but Adora’s head injury gets her to the back kind of quick. Ten minutes after signing in, they wheel her back for testing.
We aren’t allowed back until she’s in a room, so the three of us sit anxiously in the waiting room.
Averi is in the chair to the right of me and Romi’s to my left.
Both of them hug my sides. Their tears have subsided but worry is still on their faces.
I’m worried too and itching to know who the fuck did this.
My gut is telling me it’s one of her ex’s family members, and if it’s that nigga from outside of Redmond’s, I’ll kill him myself.
I need answers.
Romi has fallen asleep but Averi is still awake. She’s holding her mom’s purse tight to her chest and staring at the muted television on the wall.
“Lil mama,” I say softly, getting her attention. “Do you know who did this to her?” I ask and she nods. “Who was it?”
“Kita and I don’t know the other lady’s name but they’re my cousins.”
“Your cousins?” I confirm and she nods. My gut was right. It was that nigga’s family. “What’s your last name? Is it Mitchell like your mom?”
“No. It’s Roberts,” she says, then looks up at me. “Is she going to be okay?”
“Yeah. You did good by calling me. We got her here and these doctors and nurses are going to take care of her.”
“Okay,” she mumbles before resting her head on my arm.
Now that I know who’s to blame, I don’t waste time. I start making moves by hitting Terrance’s cell.
Me: Do you remember someone named Rush from back in the day? He went to Manor Crossing around the time you did?
T: Jack boy, Rushmore Roberts?
Me: Yeah. That’s him. He’s in DFC doing a bid and I need to reach him
T: To talk?
Me: No. Touch.
T: Bet. Let me see who we know inside. I’ll hit you.
Me: Thanks. Make it a priority.
When I was in the street and running my blocks, I took care of my people.
If one of my lil runners needed extra to cover his mom’s light bill, I gave it.
I was eating, so everyone under me was full too.
One thing I’ve learned in business, legal or otherwise, is if you don’t feed your employees, they’ll turn on you and try to eat you.
The same goes for anyone in my circle. So if I have an ask, there’s not too many who’ll tell me no.
Getting to Rush isn’t going to be a problem.
“Family of Adora Mitchell,” a male nurse calls out from the double doors to the back.
After acknowledging him with a nod, I lean down and notice both Romi and Averi have cried themselves to sleep. I gingerly lift them both, grab Adora’s purse, and follow the nurse through the doors and down the long hall.
Inside the last room on the right, Adora lays in the bed with her leg propped up and bandaged. She forces a smile on her face when I step in. There are two chairs off to the side, so I place Romi in one and Averi in the other. Then I walk over to her and carefully and softly peck her lips.
“How are you feeling, love?” I ask.
“Hurting,” she says, then flashes a half smile. “Thank you for coming.”
“If you need or even want me, I’m coming,” I assure her. “It’s always gon’ be about you and them. I’m glad Averi called me.”
“That’s my little baby,” she says, then tries to sit up.
“Are you supposed to be doing that?” I ask. There’s a small bandage on the right side of her head, so she probably needs to be still.
“I just need to see them,” she says, almost pleading. I step back, giving her a clearer view. She stares at them lovingly and her pretty smile spreads across her face. Then she sighs. “I can’t believe they saw what happened.”
“What happened?” I ask, trying to get the full details, but the room door opens and two doctors—one male and one female—and the male nurse walks in.
“Is it this bad?” she asks jokingly but I can see the seriousness on her face. I’m wondering the same because why are there two doctors? I grab her hand to comfort her.
“No,” the female doctor says with a genuine smile. “I’m Dr. Walker and I’m here to check your head and ankle. Dr. Holmes just wants to make sure you and the baby are okay.”
Baby!
“Baby!” she exclaims, expressing my exact thought.
She’s pregnant?
“Are you sure you have the right patient?” Adora asks.
“Yes, we are pretty sure. Your urine and blood tests came back,” Dr. Holmes confirms. Adora turns slightly to face me, her big eyes stretched even bigger and her eyebrows raised in pure surprise.
“I’m pregnant? How did that happen? I can’t even remember…how?” she rambles.
“My guess is this gentleman with a smile on his face might have an idea,” Dr. Walker says, smiling.
Both doctors approach and I reluctantly release her hand. As they check her head, ankle, and stomach, they both talk but I can’t hear shit. The only thing on my mind is that my baby, Adora, is having my baby.
When the doctors walk out, the nurse stays and changes the bandage on Adora’s head.
He double checks the ankle boot Dr. Walker placed on her, then goes over medications.
Since she’s having my baby, they only want her to take Tylenol.
The nurse reinforces that and the recommendation to follow up with an OB about the baby.