Chapter 16
Dos
The beeping was the first thing I heard. A slow, rhythmic sound that clawed at the edges of my consciousness, pulling me toward wakefulness. My body felt like it was weighed down by bricks, each limb aching, each breath a battle. Then, panic set in. Something was in my throat—tubes, wires. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. My heart pounded against my ribs, setting off more rapid beeping from the monitors. My vision blurred, dark shadows morphing into something tangible, something real. And then I saw him.
Uno.
His face hovered over me, tense, tired, his eyes dark with something I couldn’t quite place. He moved quickly, stepping toward the door. “He’s awake! I need a nurse in here!”
The door swung open, and a petite Latina woman in scrubs rushed in, her presence brisk but calming. She placed a gentle hand on my arm. “Mr. Douglas, you’ve been in an accident. Everything is going to be okay. Please remain calm.”
I tried to nod, but the pain shot through me like fire.
She glanced toward Uno. “I called for the doctor. He’ll be in shortly.”
Uno shook his head, as if he understood something I didn’t. And then his voice, steady and familiar, cut through the noise.
“Relax, man. You’re good. You’re gonna be okay.”
His words, his presence—it was enough. The panic in my chest started to settle, my breathing evening out. I was alive. I was going to be okay.
The next few hours blurred together in a haze of bright lights, sterile voices, and the steady beep of monitors. Nurses and doctors came and went, their voices merging into an indistinct hum. But Uno—he stayed by my side. I had never seen my brother like this before. Attentive. Patient. Protective. He didn’t just sit there; he paid attention. He asked the right questions, listened to the doctors, and pushed back when something didn’t sit right with him. It was like watching a side of him I didn’t know existed.
Three days passed in a fog of pain and exhaustion. Every time I opened my eyes, a different face was there. Ivy. Uno. Even Crystal. Their eyes heavy with worry, their voices soft when they spoke to me.
And then came the moment I’d been waiting for. The breathing tubes were finally coming out. The process was brutal. My throat felt like sandpaper against glass, every attempt at speech was a sharp, tearing pain. The doctor explained that it would take time for my voice to return to normal. Even sipping water burned, but I forced it down. I didn’t have time to sit in silence. I had questions. And I needed to talk.
I woke up, my throat scratchy and raw. The dull ache in my body was a reminder that I was still here, still breathing. The room was dimly lit, the glow from the machines casting soft shadows on the walls. Uno was beside me, slumped in a chair, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked like he hadn’t moved all night. Exhausted. His face was drawn, dark circles settling under his eyes.
I swallowed, trying to clear my throat, but the sound came out rough and broken. The noise was enough to stir Uno from his sleep. He blinked a few times before sitting up straight, rubbing his face as if to wipe away the exhaustion.
“Hey, man,” he said, voice thick with sleep. “What you need?”
I forced the word out, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Nana.”
A flicker of something crossed his face—hesitation, worry. He exhaled slowly, rubbing a hand over his head.
Shit. I already knew before he even said a word.
Uno explained everything to me—what had happened to Nana, how she was still holding on. His voice was steady, but I could hear the weight behind his words. He told me Ivy and Crystal were with her while he stayed by my side.
“She’s fighting, man,” he said. “But it’s bad.”
I swallowed hard, my throat still raw, and forced myself to speak.
“I need to see her.”
Uno nodded and left the room. A few minutes later, he returned with a nurse who arranged for me to be taken down to the fourth floor. The process of getting into a wheelchair was slow and painful, every muscle in my body protesting, but I didn’t care. I needed to see Nana.
Uno walked beside me as I was wheeled into her room. The sight of her nearly took the breath I barely had. She was hooked up to machines—not as many as I had been—but the steady beeping filled the room. Her skin looked paler than usual, and for the first time in my life, she looked… small. Weak.
Ivy was sitting by her bedside, holding her hand, whispering something to her. Crystal sat across the room, her face unreadable, but her eyes softened when she saw me. Nana was sleeping, but the steady rise and fall of her chest let me know she was still fighting. That was all I needed to see.
Uno cleared his throat. “Can you two give us a few minutes?”
Ivy hesitated for a second before nodding. She stood, placed a kiss on Nana’s hand, and gave me a quick glance before stepping aside. Crystal followed without a word. Once they were gone, Uno and I sat in silence for a moment, both of us just watching Nana, listening to the beeping of the machines.
“She’s strong,” Uno finally said.
I let out a shaky breath. “Yeah,” I whispered. “Stronger than both of us.”
Nana’s eyelids fluttered open, and despite the pain etched into her face, she smiled. A small, warm, familiar smile—one that had comforted us since we were kids.
"Uno… Dos… my babies," she rasped, her voice weaker than I’d ever heard it. "I don’t have much time, but I need to talk to you both."
Uno and I straightened in our chairs, gripping her frail hands. I could feel how small and delicate her fingers had become, but she still held on tight.
"You know I’ve always loved you both," she continued, her eyes moving between us. "Each of you brought something different and special into my life. It’s that same difference that draws those women to you both."
She coughed, and Uno started to speak. "Nana, don’t—"
"Uh-uh," she cut him off, her grip tightening. "I ain’t finished. Now listen to me. This ain't about them. I’m talking about y’all. This fucked up shit y’all got yourselves into… fighting, not speaking, carrying on like fools."
I looked away, ashamed. I felt Uno shift beside me.
Nana squeezed our hands again. "Fix it. Y’all are all you got left. When I’m gone, I need you two to have each other’s backs—always. Promise me that."
"Nana, don’t say that," I choked out.
"Promise me." Her voice was firm, her stare unwavering.
Uno swallowed hard. "I promise," he whispered.
I blinked rapidly, trying to push back the sting in my eyes. "I promise, Nana."
She gave a weak chuckle. "No woman or thing should ever come between y’all. So, if you gotta share—hell, it’s 2025—share that pussy."
Uno and I let out small, choked laughs, but the reality of what was happening was too heavy to ignore.
Nana exhaled softly, her grip on our hands loosening. "Just… don’t give up on each other," she murmured.
The beeping of the machines slowed. Her fingers went still in our hands.
Uno and I held on to her as her last breath left her body. The weight of her words settled over us. The only person who had truly ever held us together… was gone.