28. Daylin #3
“Last time I was here, I lost my fucking brother,” Rakim stated lowly, head dropping against my shoulder as I sat in his lap.
“Think positively. You trusted my father before; keep doing so.”
“Even though the nigga hate me now?” Rakim picked his head up to look into my eyes.
“Yes, and I don’t think he hates you. If he does, he shouldn’t.”
It seemingly took forever in that cold ass, sterile place for us to hear anything, but I kept busy, consoling everyone, mainly an inconsolable Shardaya.
She was sobbing nonstop, whispering several prayers to God not to take her husband, and the sight was heartbreaking.
I knew she loved Talid as much as I loved Rakim, if not more due to their history, though I couldn’t fathom it.
And the mere thought of me on the brink of losing Rakim on several occasions had me feeling sick, so I could only imagine how she felt.
Finally, my dad emerged, and I had to keep my composure as everyone shot to their feet, Shardaya in the front but being held lovingly by Josias.
“You all can relax. Mr. Miles did well in surgery. Seems a small tumor did grow back, and that was the cause of his seizure. We were able to cut it out, and he did amazingly on the table. He is still under, so give him some time to come out from the anesthesia—”
“Thank you so much, Dr. Conrad.” Shardaya whimpered, hugging him tightly, and I could tell it caught my typically iron-hearted father off guard.
“Of course.” He bobbed his head curtly once she pulled back, wiping her nose with her sleeve. “You can go back and maybe one other person. When he awakes, more visitors will be welcome.”
“You go ahead,” Rakim told Josias who looked at him to go.
“Damn. Aight.” Ayan half joked then went to sit down and wait his turn.
“Aye, Dr. Conrad, let me holla at you right quick,” Rakim said.
“Naomi, direct Mrs. Miles to Talid Miles’ room please.” My dad instructed his nurse before stepping off, Rakim mimicking his movements.
I was in earshot, so I stayed put, not wanting to make it obvious I was eavesdropping.
“First off, thank you for saving my cousin, again,” Rakim began, but my father remained silent, staring up into my man’s face. That annoyed me, but I kept quiet. Unbothered by the lack of response, Rakim continued, “I hope—”
“Mr. Godfrey, it is unlikely that we will ever get along after what you did.” My dad interjected.
Rakim nodded, then replied, “Look, I get it. If I were you, I’d feel some type of way, too, but I had to do what the fuck I had to do to save my family.
I’m gon’ own that. Real shit. I hate losing people, and it seems like that’s the soundtrack to my fucking life as of late,” he explained, and I noticed the small relaxation of my dad’s tightened and angry features.
“While I may have gone about the shit wrong, I don’t regret it because had I not, be real, you wouldn’t have done ya fucking job, and I wouldn’t have met the love of my life.
To go on vacation when someone’s life is in the balance is some wild shit.
Whether you can admit it or not don’t make the shit any less true, Doc.
We trust y’all to do right by us and our fucking lives.
I hope we can move past this and agree that we both did foul shit—you more so than me—because Daylin and I are for life.
That’s gon’ be my wife and the mother of my kids.
If not, you gon’ miss out on a lot of great shit coming to her and great shit that she’s gon’ do. I know you don’t want that.”
My dad was still quiet, but his face fully returned to its original place, the anger and annoyance vanishing.
“I do hate what you did, Mr. Godfrey, but I think a lot of that hate stems from you pulling my card, young man. Your actions helped remind me why I even wanted to become a neurosurgeon. I think after doing this for so long, . . . you start to forget. I know I haven’t been the best father to Daylin, I’m sure she explained this, but I do love her, and her being in danger really put into perspective how lackluster of a father I’ve been. ”
“I love you too, Dad.” I had to speak up, making both men look my way.
Rakim pursed his lips at me once he realized I was ear hustling.
My dad stuck his arm out to pull me into a tight hug. The last time he did such a thing, I was released from a kidnapping.
“Also, in the future, Dr. Conrad, I’m gon’ need you to refrain from name calling Daylin no matter how upset you are. I want us to be cool, cordial, but you being disrespectful to my lady is the quickest way for us to become enemies.”
My dad froze, a smile lingering, before he nodded to comply with Rakim’s wishes.
“I apologize for that, baby girl.” My dad looked down at me, still clutching me into his side. I kissed his face in response. “You like men who kidnap you, huh?” he jested as I pulled away, making the three of us chuckle lowly in the otherwise quiet hospital.
“No. Just this one.” I sank into Rakim’s side as he hugged me into it.
I would let today’s progress simmer a bit before I revealed the new impending creation from Rakim and me.