GOOD LIFE #4
When his mama, Heavy’s auntie, and their grandpa’s only daughter passed away, Viggo was brought in and raised right alongside Heavy and Henna.
The three of them used to joke that they were cousin/siblings because of this.
Not one of them was treated different than the other.
Viggo was particularly close to his grandfather, though, and worshipped the ground he walked on.
If something were to happen to him, he wasn’t sure he could take it.
“He ain’t answer his cell.” Viggo cut his eyes across the seat as Heavy backed out of their parking space.
The normally fifteen-minute trip across town turned into about seven, and his heart damn near stopped when he hit the corner and saw all the flashing cherry lights.
“The fuck,” Viggo muttered, immediately shoving his car door open.
Heavy looked for somewhere to park while his cousin took off up the block. Locating a spot on the corner, he didn’t give a damn if he got a ticket. He shut his car off and hopped out, doing a light jog until he reached their business.
“Pops!” Viggo screamed, weakening Heavy’s knees.
The tired squeak from the wheels of the gurney pushing him out of the store locked Heavy in place. Horace Sapien was beaten black and blue. Blood drenched his skin and clothes. Holding his hand and walking beside the stretcher with the paramedics, Viggo leaned toward his face.
“How the fuck this happen? What happened?” Viggo pleaded.
“We have to get him to the hospital now!” one of the paramedics announced.
“Fuck that! I’m going with you!” Viggo barked back. “Heav—”
“I’ll meet you there, V.” Heavy watched them load up into the ambulance before the driver hit the sirens and wheeled them down the street.
“Mr. Sapien?” a detective emerged from inside.
He was early fifties, bald head, thick beard and goatee. Piercing eyes that resembled coal fixated on Heavy, taking note of his expensive chain and watch.
“The fuck happened here?” Heavy demanded.
“Your grandfather took a pretty bad beating. Paramedics said it didn’t look good. Oddly enough, nothing seems to have been taken. You have any idea who would want to hurt him?” He was questioning him like he was a suspect.
“Nah.” Heavy shook his head, rage coursing through his veins.
“This is a crime scene. You can’t go in there,” the detective told him when he tried to step past him.
“Fine. I’ll call my security company. They should have video footage. Is there anything else you need? I need to get to the hospital and check on my old man.”
“You’re free to go. For now,” the detective countered.
Heavy didn’t remember being in traffic. He just knew he arrived at the hospital and left his car in the emergency lot. When he stepped into the ER, he found Viggo pacing outside the double doors next to the check-in desk.
“V, what’s going on?”
“I don’t fucking know! They wouldn’t let me back there.
He looked bad, Heav. Real bad.” Viggo had tears in his eyes.
“I had to call Petal. She lost her mind. Pri is on her way to get Pierre, and Henna’s gonna drive Petal over.
” He paced the whole time he talked, clearly sober while checking the clock above the doors every few seconds.
“Aight, have a seat.” Heavy gripped his shoulder, not forceful, but gently enough to get Viggo to catch his breath and lower himself into a chair. “Let me see if I can find out what’s going on.”
Seemed like they’d been sitting around forever, waiting for word on Horace.
Most of the Sapien family had gathered in the waiting room.
Heavy sat on the edge of his chair, hands clasped together in front of his face as he did a slight rock.
To his left, Henna leaned forward in an awkward sleeping position, and Toussaint was stretched out with his fitted over his face and arms folded to his right.
Viggo held up the wall, hands in the pocket of his jeans with one foot kicked up.
It was Petal that Heavy was most worried about, wearing the floor out with her pacing and prayer.
“I know he better be alright. We agreed I go first.” She aimed a finger at her chest and griped.
“Petal, you really gon’ leave us alone with him?” Viggo queried. “Why y’all can’t just go together?”
“Are you the Sapien family?” a young, white male in a white coat and green scrubs emerged through the double doors.
Heavy and Toussaint jumped up while Henna stirred and sat up in her chair.
“How is my husband?” Petal asked, wringing her hands together anxiously.
“We have him stabilized. There was some internal bleeding, which we were able to repair. He suffered a nasty concussion and a bunch of bruised ribs, but we expect him to make a full recovery. He is older, so it may take a little more time. He’s been moved to recovery right now if you would like to see him before they move him up to his room.
We’d like to keep him for a couple of days just to monitor him. ”
“I want to see him. Right now,” Petal voiced.
“Okay. You can come with me. I’m Dr. Raynor.”
“I got something I need to do.” Heavy broke away from his family and headed for the exit.
“Wait, Heav, you’re not going to see him?” Henna checked.
“I’ll be back. Just tell him I love him, and I’ll see him later.”
“Be careful, son.” Toussaint adjusted the cap on his head.
“You sure you don’t need some back up?” Viggo called out, but Heavy was already walking out, on a mission.
His entire family read the look on his face.
He’d been anxious this whole time. It was obvious from the way he kept fidgeting and tapping his damn foot that vengeance was on his mind.
Since he was still on probation, Toussaint had done his best to keep his nose clean.
He made a promise to himself when he got out that he was never going back.
His kids were grown, and his father was old, but his family still needed him around.
He hoped his son wouldn’t follow in his footsteps and allow the streets to grab a hold of him and not let go.
Heavy had always been smart and better than that, but sometimes certain things couldn’t be helped, and people pushed you beyond your limits.