Chapter 36 #3
“Um…” I couldn’t quite remember her name. “Terri? Tami—”
“Tanit?”
“Yes! That’s what the guy with the scar called her.”
“Manic?”
“No. Tanit.”
“No. I mean, the guy with the scar. His name is Manic.”
I placed my palm on my forehead. “I’m never going to remember everyone’s names around here.”
“What is Tanit doing here?”
I shrugged. “I have no clue. But her face is pretty beaten up, so my guess is she had a run-in with the bad guys too.”
“Not surprising,” Neon scoffed.
“Why? You don’t like her?”
“Listen, Swan Lake,” Neon tried to move the hand that had been bandaged, “girls like Tanit, they can’t be trusted.
The way she flaunts her breasts at every man willing to look, and swaying those perfectly shaped hips of hers whenever there’s a dick in a room, it screams desperation.
A woman that hungry for attention means trouble. ”
I pursed my lips. “What are you saying, exactly?”
Neon nestled her head deeper into the pillow. “What I’m saying is keep an eye on her. And don’t trust her. If that bitch says go left, you haul that bony ass of yours to the right. Got it?”
I snickered. “Warning noted.”
“Good. So, are you and Granite…you know?” Her eye gleamed with mischief.
“God, Neon. I really don’t want to talk about that.”
“Are you kidding? Of course, you do. The man kidnapped you, tied you up, and then he takes your virginity. That’s a lot of Oprah shit right there that needs to be talked about.”
Tucking my hair behind my ears, I glanced around the room. “To answer your question, yes. We are…you know.” My cheeks burned.
“Fucking?”
“God!” I laughed. “You have no filter, do you?”
“Not that I know of, no. Listen,” she started then cleared her throat, “I wanted to ask you something before—” Her voice cut off, and her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard. “Before all this happened.”
I leaned closer. “What is it?”
“You on some kind of birth control?”
Slightly uncomfortable with the direction this conversation was going, I drew my lower lip between my teeth before finally responding. “I have a feeling I’m going to regret asking…but why do you want to know?”
“Because a man like Granite can impregnate you simply by looking you in the eye long enough, I swear to God.”
I burst out laughing. “Oh, my God.”
“I’m serious. That man’s semen can penetrate concrete, I’m sure of it.”
I couldn’t stop laughing. I almost doubled over. Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes, I laughed so hard. “Neon, you’re insane, you know that?”
She let out a laugh, but then her face scrunched up in pain and she coughed.
“Shit, you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m good. Just, can you bring that glass of water over here? My throat’s a little dry.”
“Sure.” I shot up and grabbed the glass of water that stood on the bedside table, holding the straw close to her mouth. She took a few sips, trying her best to keep her head up.
“Thanks.”
I placed the glass on the table. “You don’t have to worry about me getting pregnant.”
“I’m telling you. Hulk semen.”
I chuckled and sat, pushing my hair out of my face. “My cycles have always been irregular. Sometimes months pass without me, you know…”
“You ever get that checked out?”
“No.” I lowered my head and gave a half-shrug. “I guess it’s the whole issue with me being underweight. I dunno.”
“Damn, Swan Lake. And your mother never thought—”
“My mother never cared,” I interrupted. “She’s more worried about my weight than my ability to bear children.”
And just like that, the atmosphere turned grim and black. It was like my mother literally walked into the room and poisoned our conversation with her miserable presence.
“Okay.” I slapped my hands on my knees and got up. “Doctor said I’m not allowed to stay long, so I’m going to let you get some rest. Need anything before I go?”
She closed her eye. “No, thanks, Swan Lake. I’m good.”
I gave her a warm smile. “Try to get some rest.”
“I’m so sick of resting,” she groaned. “This room is depressing as fuck. There’s no television set, radio, or any fucking color, for that matter. Look at these walls. Gray. It’s fucking gray. How am I supposed to get better when I’m stuck in a room that looks like a fucking morgue?”
I snorted. “It does not look like a morgue, Neon. It looks like a hospital room, which is exactly where you need to be right now.”
She pursed her lips. “I’ll say it again, it’s depressing as fuck.”
I smiled. “Well, if you’re not planning on getting some rest, I can always have Ink keep you company.”
“God, no. I’ll sleep. For fuck’s sake.”
I smirked. “That’s what I thought. I’ll come back later to check on you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Just go grab a donut or something.”
With a smile, I reached for the doorknob when Neon called.
“Swan Lake?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“For what?”
“Just…” She paused. “Just…thanks.”
I nodded with a smile even though she couldn’t see me. “Sure.”
As I closed the door behind me, I experienced a feeling that swirled around in my chest. Something warm and comforting. Something that felt a lot like…hope.
Maybe after everything that had happened, we’d all somehow manage to find a sliver of peace.
Maybe.