8. Savvy
CHAPTER EIGHT
SAVVY
“ S avvy, w-what are you doing here?” Skye questioned as I stood outside her front door. Then, it was as if a terrible thought dawned on her. “Oh, my God! Is Monte okay?” she panicked.
I touched her gently.
“Skye, calm down. Monte is good—really.” I chuckled softly, hoping to ease her worries.
Skye visibly relaxed, placing her hand over her chest as she drew in a deep breath.
“Oh, thank God! I’m so sorry for freaking out. It’s just… you showing up unannounced. I just assumed something bad had happened.”
I shook my head with a small smile.
“No need to apologize. I promise he’s good. I’m actually here to let you know that I’m having him discharged from the hospital.”
Skye’s expression shifted to confusion and concern.
“What? Why would you do that? Has he finally woken up?”
I looked around, glancing at the quiet street before leaning closer.
“Can we talk inside?” I requested, wanting to keep our conversation private.
Skye raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but seemingly wary.
“Uh, sure,” she replied, stepping back to let me in.
As I crossed the threshold, I couldn't help but add a teasing tone, “You don’t have another nigga staying here, do you? You know my brother doesn’t play that shit, whether y'all together or not.”
“Ha ha!” Skye's laughter was a welcome sound as she closed the door behind us, the tension in the air easing a bit.
“Good thing your brother is no longer my man or awake to tell me what to do,” she quipped. “But no, I don’t have a man, and surely not one staying with me. The more important question is, what brings you here? And if Monte hasn’t woken, why are you trying to transfer him somewhere else? I’m not sure of the reason, but I would advise against that, Savvy.”
“You’re a nurse, Skye, so of course you would,” I said while taking in the décor of her living room. “It’s kind of the last thing I want to do too, but I think my brother’s life is in greater danger if he remains in that facility,” I revealed as I put my focus on her.
Skye's hands flew to her mouth.
“Wait! Do you believe someone might actually be planning to come there to finish what they started?”
“It’s a possibility I can’t ignore, but I won’t allow that to happen. That’s why I want to move him to my crib.”
“Your house? Savvy, do you even have the right medical equipment he needs?” Skye asked, genuinely concerned as she glanced toward the floor as if envisioning the logistics. “He’ll need continuous care—a doctor, nurses, and a system for round-the-clock monitoring!”
“Skye, I understand your concerns. I’m actually in the process of arranging all of that as we speak. That’s where you come into play.”
“Me?” she retorted in a surprised tone.
“Yes. Skye, I need your help. I need you to be Monte’s nurse, at least one of them.”
“His nurse ? Savvy, have you forgotten that I already have a demanding full-time job? Sure, I work eight to five, but that doesn't mean I don’t get called in at all hours. My schedule is always unpredictable.”
“I’m aware of that, and I’m not asking you to quit your job.”
“Yeah, but if I take on this extra responsibility, I’ll be tired as hell! Savvy, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you out. I’m certain there are other nurses out there who would be more than willing to take on this task,” she insisted, her decision firm.... or maybe not.
“I’m sure there are plenty who would, especially since they’ll have to deal with all the personal care, bathing included,” I playfully shot back.
Skye shot me a quick glare.
“That will be one of the job requirements, though. But for real, I don’t want just any nurse; I want you. I’m convinced that’s what my brother would prefer as well,” I added honestly, hoping to change her mind.
“Explain again, why me ?”
“Well, for one, I could really use your help, and I don’t want to go through the process of doing background checks, endless paperwork, and all that shit on strangers. Secondly, you know your shit, so I could use your expertise. Lastly, you’re very protective over my brother, and deep down, I know you still love him, although you won’t outright admit it.”
Skye sighed, looking away as if searching for some distant memory.
“Look, Skye,” I continued, softening my tone. “I know I’m asking a lot from you, especially considering all the bullshit my brother put you through. But I really need your help, even if it's just a few hours a day. You know I’m usually the last person who resorts to asking for help. But you’re the only person—well, nurse—who I trust with his life right now, and I’m sure you know of a few good nurses who you can vouch for to help out as well. But right now, I need you, Skye; he needs you. You should already know that money isn't an issue. I'ma make sure you're straight by all means. Just tell me your price.”
Skye’s gaze drifted up toward the ceiling, her brows knitting together in contemplation as she processed my request. The room was quiet, and I could almost hear the gears turning in her mind. After a moment that felt both tense and expectant, she let out a deep sigh and finally asked, “How soon would you need me to start?”
I couldn’t help but smile at her willingness to consider it.
“In the next two to three days, give or take.”
“Give me twenty-four hours to think it over and come to a decision.”
“I’ll take that. Just make sure you reach out to me tomorrow, Skye. I really need to get a move on getting my brother out of there.”
“I will,” she assured, nodding slightly.
“Aight. I’ll let you get back to whatever you were doing. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
“Bye, Savvy.”
With a nod, I turned to leave.
As I stepped out of Skye’s house, I felt hopeful and somewhat accomplished. Deep down, I knew Skye would most likely agree to help. Despite the differences between her and Monte, Skye still cared for him. Not only that, but over the years, she had grown to be a part of our family. If there was one woman Monte had truly fucked over and messed up with, it was Skye. I believed that having her by Monte’s side during that challenging time might just help him realize that she was, in fact, the woman he needed all along—well, that was if his ass would wake up and see it for himself.
I let out a long sigh when I saw an incoming call from Blue. He could be an annoying ass nigga at times, but it could've been about business, so I decided to pick up.
“Yeah?” I answered, keeping my tone neutral.
“Aye, what the hell is going on? I just went up to the hospital, and they told me that Monte couldn't have any visitors—shid, not even me,” he said, frustration clear in his voice.
“That’s correct. I’ve restricted his visits to close family only ,” I emphasized.
“Family only? Shid, so what do you consider me?”
“A close associate,” I clarified, trying to be as straightforward as possible. “You aren’t blood, Blue,” I had to remind him.
That might’ve sounded harsh considering his and my brother’s close relationship, but I was standing on what I said.
“Damn, Savvy. Like that?”
“Yeah, like that. It’s nothing personal—just business, Blue. This is a serious situation, nigga, and I need to, and I’m going to protect my brother at all costs. You know how I roll with these kinds of situations, which brings me to say you should also take a moment to remember who you’re questioning,” I added, hoping to make him understand.
“Yeah, aight. Well, shid, just tell Monte that I came to see him but couldn’t .”
Even though Monte was in a coma, the doctors and nurses assured us that there was a possibility he could still hear us. That information brought us a little hope during that difficult time. We gathered around his bedside every day, praying for him, sharing our thoughts, memories, and stories, hoping that somehow, he could feel our presence and our love.
“Will do. I’ll keep you updated about everything,” I assured him, then ended the call.
In that moment, I realized I had probably made Blue my enemy by denying him the opportunity to visit Monte and reminding him he wasn’t family, but I didn’t give a fuck. Right then, my brother was my number one priority. As I told my parents earlier, everyone outside our immediate circle—excluding Skye—was a suspect in my eyes, so I had to take all precautions. If Blue couldn’t understand my reasoning for keeping Monte's visitors restricted and decided to take that shit personally, then that was on him. I just hoped that if the nigga did feel a certain way, that he kept his feelings in check when he was around me. Blue knew better than most that I was one of the last people he wanted as an enemy, especially at that time.