Chapter 4 #2
"I just know they looking for dependable people."
I laughed.
"So basically...you volunteered me."
"Damn right I did."
I shook my head.
"You don't ask nobody nothing."
"If I'd asked, you would've said no."
"...You right."
"I know."
She laughed.
"I'll text you the address."
The call ended.
I stared at the phone for a second before looking around my apartment again.
One o'clock. That gave me just enough time to shower, grab my things, and get back to the hospital before heading to wherever Kendra was sending me.
I looked up toward the ceiling.
"Alright, Daddy..."
A small smile found my face.
"I'm trying to figure it out."
Stripping out of my clothes I took the quickest shower of my life.
By the time I got dressed, threw my bag over my shoulder, and made sure the fish had enough food for a couple days, I was back out the door.
The bus ride to the hospital felt longer than the first one. Probably because my mind wouldn't shut up.
Between rent, lights, work, my mama and that damn orange notice. Everything kept taking turns running laps in my head.
When I finally made it back upstairs, my mama's room door was halfway open.
I could hear her before I saw her.
"I'm telling you, these people don't know how to season nothing."
A nurse laughed.
"Ms. Ellis, your daughter said you weren't supposed to have all that salt."
"Well my daughter ain't in here right now."
I smiled to myself.
Yes the hell I was.
I pushed the door open.
"I heard that."
My mama's eyes got big.
"There she go."
The nurse tried not to laugh.
"I'll give y'all a minute."
As soon as the door closed behind her, my mama looked me up and down.
"You took a shower."
"I did."
"Good."
She pointed toward me.
"You smelled like outside this morning."
"Mama."
"What?"
"You lucky I love you."
"I know."
I sat my bag down beside the chair.
"I brought your housecoat."
She smiled so big you'd have thought I'd brought her a million dollars.
"My purple one?"
"Your favorite one."
"Knew you was my child."
I shook my head, laughing while I helped her slip it on.
She looked down at herself.
"Now I feel like somebody."
"You been somebody."
"I know."
She looked at me for a long second.
Then her smile faded.
"What's wrong?"
My heart skipped.
"What you mean?"
"I know your face."
I looked away.
"Ain't nothing wrong."
"Nyrobi."
"I'm good."
She folded her arms.
"I carried you for nine months. Stop lying to me."
I stared at the floor. If I looked at her...I was gone tell her everything. The eviction. The lights. The job. All of it. And I couldn't do that to her.
Not while she was laying in a hospital bed.
So I forced a smile.
"I'm just tired."
She studied me another few seconds.
Then finally nodded.
"Mhm."
She didn't believe me not one bit.But she loved me enough not to push.
A knock came at the door. The same nurse stepped back inside.
"Ms. Ellis?"
"Yes?"
"You have a visitor."
Me and my mama looked at each other.
"A visitor?"
The nurse smiled.
"She said her name is Kendra."
Before I could say anything else, the door swung open.
"Knew I'd find your hardheaded ass in here."
I smiled before I even looked up.
"There she go," my mama said.
Kendra walked in carrying a Walmart bag in one hand and an oversized cup from Racetrac in the other.
She had on biker shorts, an oversized graphic tee, and a messy bun sitting on top of her head like she'd thrown it together in five minutes.
"Hey, Ms. Juanita."
"Hey, baby."
She walked over and kissed my mama on the cheek before looking back at me.
"You look rough."
"Damn. Good morning to you too."
"I'm serious."
She pointed at my face.
"You got bags under your eyes, your edges done gave up, and you still got the same hoodie on from yesterday."
"I hate you."
"I know."
She handed me the cup.
"I brought you a frozen Coke."
I looked down at it.
"You remembered."
"Girl aint it’s yo favorite. Get the damn cup."
A laugh slipped out before I could stop it.
My mama smiled watching us.
"I told her she needed to laugh."
Kendra looked at me.
"You been crying?"
I shrugged.
"I've been living."
She nodded like she understood exactly what I meant.
Then she reached into the Walmart bag.
"I brought Ms. Juanita some fuzzy socks."
My mama gasped.
"They purple!"
"I know."
"And I found you a crossword puzzle book because I know you gone be in here getting on these nurses' nerves."
My mama laughed.
"I like this girl."
Kendra looked over at me.
"She say that every time she see me."
"Because every time I see you, you bringing me something."
Kendra shrugged.
"My grandma always said don't visit nobody empty-handed."
The room fell quiet for a second.
Then Kendra's eyes found mine.
"You ready?"
My mama looked between us.
"Ready for what?"
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"Kendra got somebody she want me to meet."
"What kind of somebody?" my mama asked.
"Some work."
My mama's eyes immediately landed on me.
"You ain't finna overdo it."
"I'm not."
"You sure?"
"I'm sure."
She folded her hands on top of the blanket.
"How much they paying?"
Kendra answered before I could.
"Depends on the job."
"Hm."
My mama looked at me for a long moment before smiling.
"Go."
"What?"
"I'll be alright."
"Mama..."
"I'm serious."