Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
As Dr. Steward spoke to Kross about the current state his son was in, all Kross could focus on was Aniyis, who laid on his side in the hospital bed, staring aimlessly out the window.
They were all blessed with a miracle when Aniyis was strong enough to wake up from the month and a half-long coma he was in.
Kross liked to think of Aniyis’ collapsed lung as a blessing in disguise because it pushed his son to no longer depend on the ventilator he was on.
Little man defied all the odds that were stacked against him, but there was still a hell of a journey he had to endure.
“We would like to set him up with some therapy so he can regain both his physical and cognitive capabilities back,” Kross heard Dr. Steward explain to him.
This promoted him to pry his eyes off Aniyis and fix them back onto the doctor.
He knew it would be in his son’s and also his best interest to retain every single detail of what was being said to him, but it was just so much all at once.
He was just getting his son back. He wanted to bask in that for a little while before jumping straight into what had to be done.
“Listen, I truly appreciate everything you and your team has done for my son, but all of this is a lot right now. I just need a moment to be with him. Once I can gage how he is mentally, I can give you all the time you need to go over everything,” Kross responded, his words followed by a heavy sigh.
Practically everyone who was on Aniyis’ medical team was privy to the circumstances, so they had extra compassion for both Aniyis and Kross, who were dealing with the pains of losing Cassie.
Dr. Steward, who was a father himself, completely understood Kross’ situation and would have probably made the same call had it been his child.
“I completely understand, Mr. Hunter. Take all the time you need.”
Kross granted him a firm handshake before expressing his gratitude once more.
Dr. Steward exited the hospital room, leaving them alone.
Despite begging God for his son to wake up, now that he had, Kross had no fucking clue where to begin.
Aniyis just wasn’t the same bubbly, funny and optimistic little boy anymore.
Not saying that he would never return to who he once was, but as of now, Kross couldn’t find a speck of the brightness he once had in his eyes.
He took a seat at Aniyis’ bedside, ultimately blocking his view of the window he was gazing out of aimlessly.
Since waking up two hours ago, Aniyis had yet to utter a word.
It sent Kross into a panic at first, but he had to realize that baby boy had been through a lot.
Things were going to progress gradually, and his recovery wouldn’t be an overnight process like he would have wanted it to.
Reaching his hand out, he slowly lowered it so he could push a few of Aniyis’ cinnamon brown dreads out of his face. “You’re a warrior. Y’know that?”
He caressed the side of his son’s face, hoping to offer him some sort of comfort. Just from the way Aniyis was darting his eyes around the room, Kross could tell that he was still on high alert and not at ease.
“You’re safe, ‘Niyis. Daddy won’t let nothing happen to you,” he assured him.
The way Aniyis gazed into his eyes sent a chill down Kross’ spine.
His eyes were just so full of fear. As much as he wanted to trust his father, how could he?
He had never been physically present for him.
The only person Aniyis knew to be physically there for him was Cassie, but she was nowhere to be found.
Still, Aniyis said nothing in return to his father.
Kross could see a single tear cascade down his son’s face, which hurt his heart.
He wished he could take away all of Aniyis’ pain and fear.
He couldn’t imagine going through everything Aniyis had been through at just six years old.
With his thumb, Kross wiped away Aniyis’ tear before leaning in and setting a light kiss on his forehead.
“I know all of this is a lot for you to understand, and you won’t fully understand everything that’s going on until you get a little order, but I want you to know how proud of you I am, ‘Niyis. You’re stronger that I could’ve ever been when I was your age.
This is only the beginning for us, but just know you got your daddy through thick and thin.
I’m never leaving you again. I promise you that,” Kross continued to express his heart to his son.
There was a time where he doubted if Aniyis would ever wake up.
Now, here he was, striving toward another day.
Kross was going to express everything to his baby boy before it was too late for him to do so.
Although Aniyis wasn’t saying much, his father’s comfort was well appreciated.
It was what any child would want and need in a time like this.
Kross may not have felt like he was doing everything right, but he was, and guaranteed, Cassie was up in heaven smiling down at her two boys.
For hours, Kross and Aniyis just sat in a comforting silence. Kross kept his baby boy’s hand in his just to give him the sense of security he needed. He was cool with the silence. Whenever Aniyis finally felt like he wanted to talk again, he for sure would be all ears.
There was a light knock on the door that caused Aniyis to tense up.
Kross gave his hand a little squeeze, assuring him that everything would be fine.
Assuming that it was probably one of Aniyis’ nurses, he gave them the okay to come in.
Once the door was pushed open, he was shocked to see it was Amoura who was making her way inside the room.
The last time the two saw each other was when she pushed up on him back at the condo.
Kross assured her that he would eventually come around and let her know when she could come and visit Aniyis, but he never did.
He had so much shit going on already, he didn’t want to deal with the situation with Amoura as of yet, so he pushed it to the back of his mind.
He stood up, wanting to stop her before she got in view of Aniyis, but it was too late. Aniyis craned his head in the direction of the door and saw Amoura make her way inside. “Niyis,” she croaked, almost on the verge of tears as she rushed to his bedside.
Kross let out a heavy sigh. He didn’t want to cause too much of a commotion in front of his son, who was still in a very fragile state, so he just let it ride.
“I’m so happy you’re okay.” She kissed his cheek repeatedly. “God mommy is so grateful. Thank you, God,” she went on and praised.
From the looks of it, Aniyis seemed to be reacting to Amoura well.
After all, she was one of the most active and constant people in his life, second only to Cassie.
He knew her well and felt safe. Overwhelmed with emotion and the pain that he was still recovering through, Aniyis ended up breaking out into full gut-wrenching sobs while in Amoura’s arms. Since he wasn’t talking, Kross had yet to figure out how much Aniyis knew or didn’t know of the current situation.
He shed a tear with his father, but he felt comfortable enough to unleash himself fully to his god mom.
She cradled him in her arms, his cries strong enough to bring her to tears.
There was just so much pain and anguish they were feeling.
Despite him and Amoura not seeing eye to eye, Kross knew some familiarity was what Aniyis needed in a time like this.
He excused himself out of the room and just gave them a moment alone.
His time in the waiting room lasted all of thirty minutes before Amoura stepped out of the hospital room and approached him.
A heavy breath exhaled out of Kross. He really didn’t want to address the elephant in the room.
He preferred not to speak on it at all and just keep Amoura at a distance.
Instead of shutting her down before she could get anything out, he decided to hear her out.
“Hey,” she said nervously as she approached him.
“What’s up?” Kross looked up from his phone and set his eyes onto her.
All in her face he could see the nerves that shackled her. She just wouldn’t feel right if she didn’t clear the air.
“Look, I just wanna apologize for what happened the last time we saw each other.”
“You did that already,” he reminded her.
“Right. I just don’t want you thinking I’m some fake-ass bitch who jumped on her cousin’s man after she died.”
A deep chuckle rolled out of Kross as he shook his head. “Man, Amoura, that’s exactly what you did and that’s exactly what you are. You trying to do damage control ‘cause I ain’t fold like you thought I would.”
“I’m going through a lot, Kross.”
“Me too, but the last thing on my mind is sliding into your pussy, Amoura. Look, I don’t really care to move past this because we wasn’t locked in like you and Cassie were.
You did some snake-ass shit, and I can’t give you the benefit of the doubt.
We can stop this conversation where it’s at ‘cause ain’t no changing how I perceive you.
” Kross shrugged his broad shoulder nonchalantly.
Amoura pursed her lips in shame. Since the night she jumped on him, her guilt had been eating her up.
She couldn’t even muster up enough courage to go visit Cassie’s grave.
In the heat of the moment, Kross was just there when she was longing for someone to fill the void Cassie left behind.
She crossed a major line, and as painful as it was to hear how Kross thought about her, she knew he had every right to feel how he felt.
“Alright, Kross,” she agreed to put an end to the conversation. “Am I still able to be a part of Aniyis’ life? He means the world to me.”
“How you even knew he was awake?” He screwed his face up.
“Your mom. I reach out for updates.” Kross never got around to telling his mother the real reason why Amoura stopped coming around the hospital. He didn’t feel like it was necessary to paint her out to be the bad guy to everyone when she had her guilty conscience eating her up already.
“Look, you’re good to see him today. I’m not tripping.
Just keep communication with Raq. I’m cool off you,” Kross concluded before rising out of his seat and bypassing her to head back to the room and check on Aniyis.
After saying a goodbye to Aniyis, Amoura left shortly after.
She felt like it would be best to ease back into things, and eventually, Kross would be comfortable with her staying longer.
Next to Aniyis’ bed, Kross sat gazing at him aimlessly.
His mind brewed with questions about his son’s road to recovery and eventual normalcy.
He was parenting alone, and the pressure of having to make the right moves for his son was beginning to feel suffocating.
He had all the respect in the world for Cassie because she did it all alone for seven years and never cracked under pressure.
She was a damn good mother, and Kross knew he had some big shoes to fill.
Reaching over, he cupped Aniyis’ hand into his and gave it a light squeeze. “We’re still gonna do everything you said you wanted to do while I was away. We just hit a slight detour, but that ain’t nothing to a giant.”
A faint smile tugged on the corners of his lips as he spoke to his son.
He was hoping everything he was saying would bring life back into him.
Kross didn’t know if he had it in him much longer to sit and witness his son in so much mental and emotional pain.
Still regaining his strength, Aniyis mustered up enough of it to nod slowly in response to his father.
The small gesture caused Kross’ heart to swell and a beaming smile to cast his face.
Since Aniyis awoke, speaking to him felt like speaking to a brick wall.
He was so emotionally and mentally disconnected, but Kross still made the effort.
Small progress was better than no progress, and Kross was grateful.
Kross could see the concerned look that conjured up on his son’s face. It was evident that he wanted to speak but was too afraid to. Running his hand through his dreads, Kross was hoping he could get him to say something.
“Let it out, ‘Niyis. Whatever it is, I’m listening,” he assured him in a soothing tone.
Aniyis’ plump bottom lip trembled for a moment before he craned his head up and his big brown eyes seared into his father’s. Finally, his lips parted, and he croaked out a question that was heavy enough to make Kross feel like he had just gotten the wind knocked out of him.
“Where’s Mommy?”
Kross bit down on his bottom lip as he raked his mind, trying to figure out how he was going to tell Aniyis that his mother had passed away.
Cassie had always been truthful with Aniyis about everything.
She took pride in not keeping secrets from her son, so whenever he asked why his father wasn’t around, she made it clear that Kross made some bad decisions that landed him behind bars, but what he did shouldn’t define who he was as a person.
She kept Aniyis protected, but never to the point where didn’t know what was going on.
Kross knew that if Cassie was here, she would reveal the truth to Aniyis, but in a way that would still preserve his innocence.
Kross feared that after the coma, Aniyis’ memory would be in question.
Having to be the one to make him relive the trauma of what happened to Cassie was hard as hell, but it was something he had to do.
Kross rose from his seat and got into the hospital bed next to Aniyis. He pulled him in close before sitting a kiss on his forehead.
“Mommy is gone, Niyis,” Kross throated out, suppressing the sharp pain the truth inflicted on his heart.
“She’s not here with us physically anymore, but she’ll always be with us here.
” He placed his hand over Aniyis’ chest, indicating that Cassie would always be in their hearts.
He could see the anguish and pain that masked his son’s face.
It was evident that his young mind was working overtime to make sense of what his father had just told him.
“Mommy needs you to be as strong as you were while I was away and it was just you and her. Now, it’s just me and you, and we gotta make sure we’re doing right by her and making her proud.”
Without uttering out a word to his father, Aniyis nestled himself closer to him and rested his head on his chest. Immediately, his whimpers full of pain and agony for his mother sounded through Kross’ ears.
Aniyis’ pain now went beyond the physical.
It was mentally and emotionally damaging to be hit with the hard truth of his mother’s death.
Without Cassie, Aniyis and Kross were left empty.