11. Old Thang #5
Eazy stood at the bannister with his arm resting on the post stroking his beard and staring at Evren on the ground.
Soon, police and paramedics flooded their home.
His guard was just now waking up from a tranquilizer that Evren hit him with after sneaking onto the property during Lotus’s last delivery that she’d missed.
It seemed like forever after they loaded Evren into an ambulance barely hanging on.
Once all the evidence was collected, and Lotus gave her statement, the paramedics advised her to go to the hospital.
One of them patched Eazy’s head up and treated his slightly busted lip as Lotus watched with tears in her eyes.
“I’m good,” she told him when everyone cleared out.
All it took was one look from him, and she knew he wasn’t budging on that.
He helped her to her feet and to his car.
The drive to the hospital was quiet. Full of things that surely could be said, but both Lotus and Eazy were too busy replaying all the shit that went down.
At one point, he gripped the steering wheel with one hand and reached for her belly with the other.
Resting his palm against it, he stroked her with his thumb, and Lotus peered across the middle console.
Gently, she placed her hand over his, and when the lights from the emergency room entrance to the hospital shined in front of them, she felt the light kick from their son. Eazy did too as his eyes connected to hers. He parked anyway, wanting to make sure she was good.
About two hours and an exam or two later, his car rolled back into the driveway of the house and parked.
Lotus was worn out. Only for the doctors to tell her to take it slow, rest, and take Tylenol if the back pain persisted.
If she didn’t feel better in a few days, they wanted to see her again.
She was more mentally drained than anything, though.
Eazy could tell from her posture when he killed the engine that she didn’t want to go inside.
Instead, she remained in the passenger seat, eyes on the front door.
This was all a crime scene a few hours ago.
“Lo.” Eazy spoke first.
“I know I have to get out.” She didn’t look at him when she replied.
“We ain’t gotta stay here. We can go back to the apartment—”
“It’s my house.”
“I know.” Eazy studied her.
“He doesn’t get to take my house from me too,” she declared, finally swiveling her head in his direction.
For a minute, Eazy didn’t say anything. This was the woman he’d fallen for, though.
Strong. Fierce. Feisty. He got out and went to open her door for her so he could walk her inside, careful not to rush her.
He’d had someone come in while they were gone to clean things up.
There was no sign of blood or Evren, except for the fractured bannister above them.
For now, it was boarded up, but he was paying someone to come in and reinforce it asap.
Eazy walked Lotus into the living room so she could take a seat on the couch.
When she leaned back, he picked her legs up and draped them across the couch before reaching up to remove her shoes.
She heard him in the kitchen minutes later and the sound of the freezer door closing piqued her interest. Eyes shut, feet curled under her, Lotus ran her fingers through her hair and listened as Eazy’s steps approached.
“I didn’t think you were coming back tonight,” she said, opening her eyes.
He held an individual pint of Haagen Daz strawberry ice cream out to her with a spoon that he’d stored for her before they left. Lotus’s eyes misted at the gesture, and she reached for it. He moved to join her on the couch, practically sitting on top of her as he draped his arm around behind her.
“Come here.” He grabbed her head and pulled it toward his chest.
Resting against his solid frame, Lotus sighed. Safe. Warm. Loved. Eazy kissed the top of her head and let his fingers massage her scalp.
“I was coming back anyway. I just had to handle that conversation with Bull and your brother face to face. Plus, I had to sign for this late shipment at the gallery.” He kicked his feet up on the table, and Lotus lifted her head to look up at him.
“You were?”
“Yeah. This is my home. Where I belong. With you and our baby boy.” He reached for her stomach, and their son kicked instinctively.
“He’s your biggest defender already, too, just so you know.”
“I’m knowing, kid.” Eazy leaned toward her belly, and Lotus laughed. “And I’m sorry, shorty.”
“For what?” Lotus sneered and took the lid off her ice cream.
“For pulling back because a nigga was hurt. I love you, Lo. Don’t ever get that fucked up,” Eazy confessed.
“You love me?” she asked, eyes misting.
“Don’t start that shit.” He leaned in to kiss a single tear that slipped. “I’m in love with you, and you know that shit. You my future. Now, eat ya ice cream so you can take a bath and get some rest.”
Later that night, after everything was settled, and Eazy triple checked all the doors and windows, Lotus was able to sleep.
In the arms of her man. The father to her child.
She was able to find a sense of solace she never knew before.
Her father was the only other man to provide her with a sense of protection.
Lotus always knew Javon would tear the city up over her.
Til this day as her father it was still on the table, but it was nice to have a man love her in that capacity.
After a nightmare, she woke with her shirt clinging to her due to the sweat piled on her chest. When she reached out, Eazy was right there, ready to hold her until she drifted back off.