Chapter 39 Ajori
Ajori
Three weeks later…
The room that once felt sterile and intimidating now had a relaxed, almost cozy atmosphere.
The machines were still there, humming gently in the background, and nurses floated in and out, but that day, Kyrin was sitting up in bed with his legs crossed casually, like it was just another lazy afternoon at home.
And in a way… it kind of was.
“Well… you just gon’ stare at it, or you gon’ eat it?” I asked, leaning against the window with my arms folded.
I had fixed him a simple meal that consisted of oven-baked, lemon-pepper chicken, a side of buttery rice, and some steamed broccoli, all seasoned just enough to taste good without being too much on his system.
With a dramatic squint, Kyrin examined the food, then lifted his eyes to meet mine, a playful smirk forming on his lips. “I’m inspecting it. I’m making sure you didn’t forget how to cook while I was out here fighting for my life.”
“Boy!”
He grinned, finally deciding to take a bite. “Okay…” he nodded slowly. “You snapped.”
“I know,” I bragged, grinning.
Kyrin took another bite; that time faster and less cautious. The transformation from a fragile patient to his usual charmingly annoying self was almost surreal.
I exhaled quietly, my chest easing just a little.
Recovery hadn’t been pretty. Those first few weeks were terrifying. Kyrin was exhausted most days, could barely walk, tubes everywhere, and machines doing more work than his body could. He’d been moody, too.
Yeah… moody. Snappy sometimes… quiet other times… then randomly funny like nothing ever happened.
The doctors said it was normal, and it was just his body adjusting and his mind catching up. Still… it was a lot.
But this moment right here made it worth it.
I exhaled softly, my heart slowly unclenching at this sight.
“Now that’s good cooking!” Kyrin declared triumphantly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, his expression akin to that of a gourmet critic.
“You don’t say?” I teased, relishing the playful exchange.
After about thirty minutes of indulging in food, joking, and letting the meal settle, Kyrin leaned back against the plush pillows, rubbing his chest lightly, a gesture that immediately drew my attention.
“Still feels weird.”
“Like pain, weird or just… weird-weird?” I asked, stepping closer, my concern piqued.
“Relax,” he said, waving me off. “Not pain, just… different.”
I inched even closer. “Different how?”
He thought for a second, then shrugged. “Like I can feel I got a new heart.”
I nodded slowly.
The doctors had warned us that a new heart didn’t feel like an automatic replacement and that the body would need time to adjust to this major change.
“Your body’s adjusting. Give it time,” I reassured him, trying to impart some comfort in the face of the unknown.
Kyrin looked at me, then smirked. “So basically…” he sat up a little straighter, “I’m upgraded now, huh?”
I giggled. “Say what?”
“New heart, new me. I’m basically version 2.0,” he proclaimed confidently.
I shook my head, fighting a smile. “You’re so unserious.”
“I’m very serious. Matter of fact… do I got extra lives now?”
I blinked. “Extra lives?”
“Yeah,” he nodded like it made perfect sense. “Like in a game. I died once and came back. That gotta count for something.”
I snorted. “You did not die!”
“I was close,” he countered. “That should at least give me like… two extra chances.”
“Boy, life doesn’t work like Mortal Kombat.”
“Well, it should. I done been through enough.”
I strolled over and sat on the edge of the bed, nudging his leg. “You’re silly.”
He beamed at me. “But I’m alive, though.”
“Yeah… you are.”
Kyrin glanced at me, catching the shift in my tone. “Aye,” he said, nudging me back. “Don’t get all emotional again. You already cried enough for both of us.”
I rolled my eyes, but I knew he was right. I blinked away the stinging sensation that threatened to break free.
“I did not.”
“You did,” he laughed. “But for real though, thank you.”
That time, I didn’t deflect with humor. I reached over and squeezed his hand. “Always.”
And that time, I meant it in a way that felt different, because I didn’t have to fight anymore, I didn’t have to scramble, and I didn’t have to wonder.
“Jo…” Kyrin started, a hint of hesitation in his voice.
I turned my head slightly, fixing him with a curious glance. “Yeah, sport?”
“Have you talked to Mama?”
My stomach tightened.
I should’ve known that question was coming eventually.
“Yeah… once,” I answered, keeping my tone neutral.
Kyrin nodded slowly.
I looked at him. “Have you talked to her?”
“Every day since she’s been here. She told me why she took the money.”
I remembered that conversation I had with him before all of this, sitting him down, explaining what she did; not sugarcoating it but not poisoning him against her either… just the truth.
Kyrin let out a soft breath, and I could see the conflict in his eyes.
“She was crying… like… real crying. Not that fake stuff,” he continued, watching me closely for my reaction.
I leaned back, propping myself up on my hands, fully invested in his recounting.
“Are you still mad at her?”
“Yes. I got a right to be.”
“I’m not saying you don’t, but Jo… you gotta forgive her.”
My brows knitted together in confusion, frustration simmering beneath the surface. “Kyrin—”
“Listen,” he cut in gently. “I ain’t saying what she did was right. It wasn’t. It was messed up. But I don’t think she was trying to hurt us. I think she just made a bad decision… a real bad one.”
I exhaled slowly, the tension in my body loosening slightly, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of betrayal.
“That ‘bad decision’ could’ve cost you everything."
“I know, but it didn’t. She ain’t take my heart. I still got one… a new one at that. And Jo, she’s still our mama.”
I huffed a quiet breath, but I listened.
“I forgave her,” Kyrin announced, taking me by surprise.
I blinked. “Just like that?”
“Nah,” he shook his head. “Not just like that. I was mad too. But I was laying in here thinking…” he went on, tapping his chest lightly, “I just got another chance… like… a real one. And if I can get another chance, why she can’t?”
I didn’t answer right away because part of me didn’t want to hear that or accept it.
“You don’t gotta forget what she did, and you don’t gotta act like it didn’t happen, but holding on to it like that, it’s just gonna mess you up.”
I swallowed, my throat tightening. “I’m not holding on to it,” I grumbled.
He shot me a dubious, knowing look. “Yes, you are.”
This boy was too smart for his own good.
I rolled my eyes, trying to muster some defiance, but there wasn’t much fight left in me.
“Jo…” he said again, his voice dropping in volume, almost like a whisper meant just for me. “She was wrong without a doubt, but you have to understand, she was doing what she thought she needed to do at the time.”
“That doesn’t make it okay,” I responded sharply, desperate to cling to my anger.
“I know,” he nodded. “But it makes it human.”
Memories began to flood my mind—the anger that had consumed me, the deep betrayal that left scars, the paralyzing fear of losing something precious—and then… there he was, the person before me who steadied my soul.
I let out a slow, shaky breath, feeling a mix of relief and weariness washing over me.
“You’re strong, Jo,” he added. “But you don’t gotta be hard all the time.”
I let out a small, tired laugh. “Since when you get so wise?”
He smirked. “New heart… new mindset.”
I shook my head, smiling.
Of course, it was only him who could reach this part of me.
“How you holdin’ up, my guy?” Domino asked, startling me as he leaned casually against the doorframe.
Kyrin cracked a weak smile. “I’m good… just a lil’ tired.”
Domino nodded knowingly, crossing his arms over his chest. “Yeah? You better get out this bed soon. I’m trying to whoop you in 2K. I’ve been letting the computer practice on you,” he teased.
Kyrin smirked, a flicker of competitive spirit igniting within him despite his exhaustion. “Man, please! You don’t even play like that.”
Pushing off the doorframe, Domino stepped into the room, an exaggerated swagger in his stride.
“Say less. I’ma humble you, though... as soon as you can sit up without looking like a newborn deer,” he shot back, a cheeky grin plastered on his face.
"Don't do my brother!" I said in playful defense of Kyrin.
Kyrin let out a small laugh. “You got jokes… but aight. Give me like… two more weeks.”
I cleared my throat. “More like two more months.”
Kyrin’s head snapped toward me, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Two months?!”
I folded my arms slowly, maintaining eye contact. “Do you want to make it two years?”
I raised an eyebrow, my tone playful yet firm.
He exhaled, a hint of attitude lacing his breath. “No…”
“Okay then,” I said sweetly.
Kyrin huffed, sinking back into the plush pillows behind him. “Y’all acting like I just got hit by a bus,” he muttered, the familiar sarcasm creeping into his voice.
Domino chimed in, crossing his arms. “You basically did… internally.”
I shot him a look that was both admonishing and amused.
“What?” he shrugged, the mischief in his eyes glinting with humor. “I’m just putting it in terms he understands.”
Turning my attention back to Kyrin, I took a deep breath. “Your heart just went through major surgery. It’s not just about you feeling okay; it’s about healing properly. That means limited movement, no overexertion, and definitely no getting worked up over video games.”
Kyrin narrowed his eyes at Domino. “So if I beat him, that doesn’t count as overexertion, right?” There was a hint of playfulness in his challenge.
Domino smirked, confidence oozing from him. “You ain’t beating me, so it’s irrelevant.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, rolling my eyes at their banter. “No stress,” I continued firmly, my voice leaving no room for argument. “No jumping, no yelling, and no ‘just one more game’ until you forget you just had surgery.”
Kyrin groaned. “So basically I gotta be boring.”
“For a little while… yes. Healing isn’t about what you can do, it’s about what you should do.”
Sighing deeply, he leaned back, frustration mixed with resignation. “This is ghetto.”
Domino chuckled. “You got a brand-new heart and complaining. Some people don’t even get a second chance, and you mad about 2K.”
"That part," I agreed.
Kyrin paused, then nodded slightly. “Aight… you right.” Then after a beat, “But when I’m cleared?”
Domino cracked his knuckles. “I’m still whooping you.”
Kyrin lifted his chin in that same competitive way he always did. “We gon’ see,” he declared with a determined grin.
I shook my head, trying to suppress my amusement, but a small smile crept onto my lips.
I loved the back-and-forth and the bond they were building.
Kyrin had never really had a strong male figure in his life to challenge him, to joke with him, and to teach him how to be a young man without it feeling like a lecture.
In that short time, Domino had stepped into that space effortlessly, showing him how to stand tall, move with confidence, and carry himself with a sense of worth.
And Kyrin needed that… more than he probably even realized.
“Alright, it’s time for you to take a nap,” I announced, standing up and smoothing my hands down my clothes, signaling that the conversation was coming to a close.
Kyrin's face fell instantly, a dramatic pout forming on his lips. “Another one? Jo, I just woke up!”
“You’ve been up for an hour,” I deadpanned, crossing my arms.
“That’s enough time to live a full life!” he argued back, his tone playfully exaggerated.
I chuckled. “Kyrin, I swear you just say anything. You just got a new heart, not a new schedule. Lay down.”
He groaned dramatically. “This routine is oppressive!”
I snorted at his antics. “Boy, go to sleep before I extend it!”
Kyrin rolled his eyes playfully but eventually settled back against the pillows, clearly realizing the futility of arguing. Then, just as I turned to leave, his voice softened, pulling me back. “Hey, Jo…”
I looked back. "Yeah, sport?"
“Thank you, sis… for everything. And… think about what we talked about."
I held his gaze for a moment longer, then nodded. “I will. Now get some rest.“
“Okaaaaay,” he dragged out, already closing his eyes.
I shook my head, a fond smile on my face as I stepped out of the room. I barely made it two steps into the hallway before I felt Domino’s presence right behind me.
“Now that you're done playing sister nurse…” he murmured low. “…let me put you to sleep.”
I grinned. “Is that so?”
“Yeah,” he said, taking a step closer, the warmth of his body radiating toward me. “You’ve been stressing all day. I think I know exactly what you need.”
I let out a quiet laugh, running my hand down the fabric of his shirt, feeling the strength beneath it.
“Mmm. Great minds think alike. Besides, the doctor didn’t say anything about my heart needing rest.”
A slow grin spread across his face, mischief dancing in his eyes. “Say less."
Domino reached for my hand, pulling me a little closer, and I felt a rush of excitement.
“And don’t start nothing you can’t finish,” he added, his voice low, wrapped in a challenge.
I smirked right back at him, feeling bold. “Please… I’ve been waiting on you to catch up.”
His grip tightened slightly. “Come on.”
I was more than ready to follow my man into whatever freaky adventure awaited us next.
That’s right, my man, my man, man. It was clear we skipped all the mushy stuff and went straight after each other's hearts and ended it with a label.