Chapter 10
brIANNA
Irolled over, aggravated as hell because my phone was ringing nonstop.
Everyone knew not to bother me during this season because I liked to keep my mind clear of any type of outside drama.
Shit, I even tried to keep drama with Teddy at bay until anything dealing with basketball was over with.
My little sister, Brixie, was the main person I stressed this to because she couldn't have cared less about the time of day or night that she called me.
If she had something on her mind, she called until I answered.
My phone ringing for the sixth time was a prime example of her not giving a damn once again.
Brixie was the baby of my older brother and me.
Her little sixteen-year-old self was spoiled as hell.
Between our mom, dad, me, and our brother, she'd never wanted for a single thing, which is why regardless of the hour, my ass always answered just because it was her.
Typically, it was some boyfriend drama or how she wanted to come to live with me because Mama wouldn't let her do her, whatever that was supposed to mean.
This call wouldn't be any different from the rest. I'd listen to her vent about everything under the sun until she got sleepy.
Looking over at my boyfriend, Teddy, I shook my head at how he seemed to snore louder each time the phone rang. Between his snores and my phone ringing, I was ready to sleep outside with my Pitbulls, Prissy and Proper. Grabbing my phone, I answered, then placed it to my ear.
"Be-Be," I groaned with a stretch of my arms and legs. "It's three a.m." Her loud cries caused my heart to drop. "Brixie, what's wrong?"
Jumping up, I slipped my feet into my house shoes and fumbled with my robe. Rushing to my purse, I checked for my gun and keys before running down the stairs. She hadn't said a thing yet, but my baby crying meant it was going to be hell for someone to pay.
"Daddy!" she cried out, and my heart immediately stopped beating fast, and I turned to head back up the stairs.
"What's wrong now? They won't let you go to a party?"
"He had a heart attack. We need you to meet us at Memorial!"
"Huh? Brixie, what happened?" I cried out.
"Just please get here, Bri. I'm so scared, and I can't handle Mama."
"Ok, sis. Just hold on, and I'll be there soon." Ending the call, I hustled up the remaining steps and into my bedroom.
"Teddy... Teddy!"
"What, man? Damn! Can't you see a nigga trying to sleep?"
"I need you to drive me to the hospital. My dad just had a heart attack, and I'm too shaken up to drive."
"Can't you call PJ and 'nem'? I'm tired as shit." My emotions went from me crying to violently swinging on him.
"I swear to God, you better not need me for shit anymore!" I spazzed.
"Go head on wit' that shit, Bri. Yo' pops don't even fuck with me. The fuck I look like taking you to check on him? His ass probably just got gas from all those peas yo' mama cook daily."
I chuckled, but nothing was amusing about what he said. It was a bitch, I can't believe you're still putting up with his shit type of chuckle.
Going to my closet, I slipped out of my night clothes and threw a purple Nike sweatsuit on with some slides. Grabbing my phone off the bed, I stomped out of the room and back down the stairs. Swinging my front door open, I exhaled when I saw my girls coming up the steps.
"Brixie called us, too."
My words were caught in my throat, along with the tears I had been holding in since Teddy pissed me off. If I couldn't count on anyone else, I knew for a fact these two would be here with no questions asked.
"Give PJ your keys. You are riding with us."
Nodding my head at Naomi, I gave my keys to PJ and headed to her car. Sliding in the front, I took my phone out to send a quick text to Brixie, letting her know I was on the way, then dropped it back in my bag.
Naomi pushed it as fast as she could to the hospital while PJ complained about how fast she was driving the entire way.
"Girl, slow down. We do want to make it to the hospital in one piece and not in pieces," PJ spouted.
"One thang I hate is a backseat driva', and you already kno' that," Naomi sassed. Jamming on the gas, the car took off at full speed again, knocking PJ back in her seat.
Naomi, weaved in and out of the light night traffic. They were always into about something, and usually, I was always laughing in the middle, except tonight, I couldn't think about anything but my daddy.
Once we made it to the hospital, I was eager to get out of the car. Instead of parking first, Naomi dropped PJ and me off at the front entrance. "I'll wait on her, boo." PJ hung back while I put my slides into overdrive and headed inside.
My eyes landed on my sister first. Brixie looked distraught with her hair all over her head. She ran and threw her arms around me when she spotted me.
Brixie cried into my shoulder while still trying to get her words out. "Bri, I'm so scared."
"It's ok. You know Daddy is not going down without a fight. Where is Mama?"
"I just left them in the other waiting room. The nurses moved us from up here to the back. She didn't say why. Oh my God, what if they are about to take us into that little room where they tell you your family member passed away?" Brixie's thoughts made her cry even harder.
"We not gon' think that, sis. Just calm down." At this point, Naomi and PJ were at our sides. "Take me to Mama."
We all followed closely behind Brixie. Once the lady at the desk pressed the button to open the double doors, we all filed in line.
My heart raced, hands shook, my head pounded, and the only thing I wanted to do was lay eyes on my mama.
When we walked into the waiting room, BJ was sitting next to Mama with his arms wrapped around her tighter than a chunky girl in a bodysuit.
"Oh, thank Heavens, you made it. The doctor just left out. He said Bryson is stable now. They lost him once they got him to the back, but they revived him. He's in getting put into a room now, then we can go to the back," my mom disclosed.
I released the breath I was holding once I walked into the room. After hearing everything, I was just happy that my dad had pulled through.
"Hey, girls," mama greeted Naomi and PJ. "Where's Teddy?"
My eyes reacted to her question before the words came out of my mouth. "He's at home sleeping."
"And why didn't he... never mind. Thanks for bringing Bri here," she looked over my shoulder and told them.
"Now, Ma, you already know we were coming, regardless. No thanks needed." Naomi reached out for a hug, and Mama pulled her in tight.
"Tell yo' sister to drop that zero," she mumbled, making Naomi laugh.
"I'll be right back. I need some coffee."
"I can go with you," Brixie blurted out, then attempted to get up from the seat Mama was sitting in.
"No, sis, stay here with Mama and BJ," I declined.
After hearing what Mama said, I needed to take a walk.
I wasn't upset about what she said. It's just that everyone knew Teddy was a piece of shit.
and I was being stupid. I was only holding on because we had history, and I didn't feel like learning someone new.
The fact that his ass hadn't texted me once to see if I made it, how my dad was doing, or nothing, was wrong on so many levels.
This situation could have turned out differently.
Thank God it didn't, but Teddy didn't know that at the time, and he still couldn't show up for me once, not even when it was literally a life-or-death situation.
Exhaling, I grabbed the cup of coffee I had just made and rounded the corner. "Fuck, I'm so sorry. I didn't see you."
"It's cool, lil' mama. You didn't need that coffee, anyway. It's cold as shit."
"I was going to warm it up once I got back into the waiting room. That's going to stain," I told him as I looked at the perfectly-thrown coffee stain on his Polo T-shirt.
"I'm good. I have plenty of these things. Don't even worry about it. Is everything good though? It looks like you've been crying."
"Yeah, everything is ok now. My dad had a heart attack, and we are waiting on them to put him in a room so we can go to the back and see him."
"Sorry to hear that, but at the same time, I'm glad ya pops pulled through. I know how girls are when it comes to their fathers, the active ones, anyway. You keep looking down at your phone. Are you waiting on your man to check in?"
"Nah, I just figured he would've called by now.
Excuse me before being rude. I didn't catch your name.
" I stood there holding an entire conversation because, for the first time in a long time, a man actually wanted to listen.
Teddy pretended to care when it was beneficial to him.
Yet, this guy had nothing to gain from simply asking was everything good.
"Brooklyn," I heard from behind me. "What is this on my food?" Looking back, a cute little, short girl frowned at me before coming around to stand in the middle of the little space he had left between us.
"That's my bad. I spilled coffee on him." I never noticed the Styrofoam plate in his hand until she said something. "I can pay for you another plate. He'll just have to go back out to get it," I offered.
"Nah, the food didn't get touched. She's good. Just go clean the top off and eat." He damn near shooed her ass away like she was a lil' gnat.
"So, you're really gon' stand here in my face and keep talking to this broad. Brooklyn? Who is she to you?"
"Maan, Em, go 'head with that."
"I'm sorry. I'm not here to play on your insecurities. I don't even know him. As I said, I bumped into him on accident. Whatever you guys have going on is still good, boo. He's safe tonight because I'm not in the mood to go back and forth with you," I chimed in.
"He's safe tonight? What is that supposed to mean?"
I looked at Brooklyn, then down at the short bitch with the big mouth. "As I said, tonight, he's safe, and my name isn't broad. It's Brianna."