Chapter 13
Kateri
“Let me get this right. You’re telling me that Cairo lifted you out the water like wet clothes and dropped you on the sand.” Rolling my eyes at Sariah laughing, I snatched the suitcase off the conveyor belt and left her standing there.
“Wait Kateri!” She was running behind me as I speed walked through the airport. The faster I got out of here and home, the better.
“How you leaving me and I’m pregnant?” Slowing down because she made me feel bad, I turned and she was pulling her luggage.
“All I’m saying is you’re lucky that you didn’t break an ankle falling in the hole. And weren’t you complaining about the hand cast getting super tight due to all the water that went in.”
“Sariah, he threw me like a rag doll and if his family wasn’t there I’m sure he would’ve killed me for touching his leg.” The look in his eyes told me to never speak to him again but it was only right to thank him for saving me.
I hated the ocean and had no idea how to swim. When the water pulled me in, I just knew that was the end if no one helped.
“Really? That’s fucked up.” For a moment, I really believed she was being sincere until she started laughing hysterical again.
Storming off and not paying attention, I flipped over one of the janitor’s buckets and fell, dazing myself for a moment.
Shaking it off, I noticed water spilled on my clothes and sneakers.
“Damn girl, you’re accident prone like crazy.” Sariah reached her hand out to help and almost slipped herself. Staying put on the ground to gain my composure; an instant headache came on.
“Oh hell no. There’s no wet floor sign around.
You better sit there while I call the ambulance.
That’s a lawsuit.” Sariah literally pulled her phone out, snapped photos and made the call.
Other people came over to ask if I were ok and honestly, I thought I was until some women said a huge knot already formed on the front of my forehead and blood streamed down the side of my head.
“Damnnnnnn girl. You went flying forward.” Some kid joked walking by with his phone in the air. Just my luck it’ll be all over social media by the end of the day.
“First, I get hurt in the Cayman Islands and now back home. What else can go wrong?” There was some commotion in the airport and then a few TSA agents appeared.
“Well if it isn’t the bitch who stole my man in high school.” Looking up at the chick to see who was talking to because to my knowledge, I had no enemies whatsoever. Sucking my teeth after seeing it was some woman I went to school with years ago, I knew it was about to be some shit.
“Bitch don’t nobody give a fuck about some high school lover. We grown as hell now and as a TSA agent it’s your job to find out if she’s ok or needs assistance.” Sariah snapped. I’m glad because as bad as I wanted to, the headache and dizziness started to take over.
Maria went to high school with me and as she stated, me and her man, Milton did hook up but after they broke up.
Him and Maria were together since the middle school and in our freshman year of high school, she cheated on him by allowing one of his friends to break her virginity.
Milton was distraught and beat the ex-friend up.
Long story short, she begged for his forgiveness and he declined to have anything to do with her. At the end of our sophomore year, he and I ran into one another at the mall, exchanged numbers and became a couple over the summer.
We stayed in a relationship for the next two years and were even voted Prom King and Queen.
Sadly for me, Milton had scholarships from all over the country to attend D1 schools for football.
He committed to USC and unfortunately the long distance relationship didn’t work for us.
We remained close friends and to this day whenever he came to town, he sends me, Sariah, my mom and brother tickets to his NFL games.
Heck yea he went pro and as one of his closest friends, I was there along with his family cheering him on.
I had no hate in my body for anyone except those two bitches of sisters on my father’s side. Now they could die and I wouldn’t even attend their funeral. The hate they had for us had nothing to do with me or my brother yet and still, we dealt with a lot of bullshit from that side.
“I ain’t helping that dick sucking bitch with nothing.” Flabbergasted wasn’t the word for how the crowd responded to her. Not only was people recording but cursing her out.
“You still mad he don’t want your dusty ass.
I mean, had you not fucked his friends you two would’ve still been together.
So, I have to say you were the ho and not the other way around.
” Whenever Maria saw me, she always brought that situation up letting me know how hurt she was but I came along later.
I wonder if she did the same with other women he’d been with or was it just me.
“Ooooohhhhhh.” Sariah had the people’s attention by now.
“Excuse us. We need to get through.” I heard but couldn’t see if it were the cops or paramedics.
“She alright. It’s only a knot and I’m sure she could still sleep with someone else’s man.” Maria sassed.
POW! I heard and next thing I knew Sariah was beating the shit out of Maria. Rushing to stand because in my eyes those TSA workers appeared to be trying to break it up but I swore one of the other chicks hit Sariah.
“Ma’am, you should sit down. We need to evaluate…” The man who I found out was a paramedic tried to stop me but there was no way I’d allow anyone to jump my friend regardless of his hurt I was.
“Nah Bitch. You not jumping my friend.” I started swinging and my cast came in very handy. The second I hit the chick in the face her nose bled right away. It was pure chaos at this point in the airport.
“What the fuck going on? Break this shit up.” Some guy pulled me and Sariah away and made us stand against the wall. From what I could see, he looked very familiar yet couldn’t place him.
“Fuck you Bitches. I’m gonna sue y’all.” Maria shouted walking away along with the other TSA girl I beat up.
“You good?” The guy asked Sariah and never acknowledged me. Did she know him and where did he come from? Feeling dizzy and lightheaded, I leaned against the wall.
“Ma’am, we have to get you to the hospital. Bring me the stretcher.” Those were the last words I heard before passing out.
“About damn time. Girl, I thought you were dead.” Sariah yelled soon as my eyes opened.
“Are you ok Honey?” My mom was on the other side rubbing my forehead.
“How long have I been out?” I tried to sit up but stopped due to Sariah moving the bed with the remote. She put me in an upright position. I was shocked to see my brother and two aunts there.
“A couple of hours. They ran some tests on you but for the most part you’re ok.” She smiled and leaned down to kiss my cheek.
“You’re lucky it wasn’t a bad fall. It could’ve been a lot worse believe it or knot.” My brother cracked a joke by pointing to my head. One of aunts smacked the back of his head.
“That was funny as hell Mike.” Him and Sariah were cackling in the corner while making more jokes about the knot.
“Anyway, you know they’re childish. What happened to your hand and before you ask, Sariah claimed she didn’t know.” I rolled my eyes at my friend shrugging her shoulders when my mom asked. Sariah wasn’t there when it happened but she damn sure knew what took place.
“The doctor had to replace the cast due to it having a crack in it. He also wondered why it was so tight and asked if you went swimming in it or got it went in the shower.” At this point there was no need to try and hide what Cairo did. Then again, we’ll never see one another so why not.
“Fine. I’ll tell you.” As I went into detail about the incident on vacation, one of my hood aunts was shaking her head and the other one seemed very confused.
My mother had an unexplained look on her face and Mike put his index finger under his chin as if he were thinking about something.
That let me know right away he would be the one about to either make another joke or talk shit.
“Cairo Romano did that to you?” That was Mike’s first question.
“Yes.” Wiping the sleep out my eyes, I noticed the cuff on my arm and the IV in my hand. They always said it was hard finding my veins.
“The Don himself, Cairo Romano?” Mike appeared to be in disbelief.
“Yes and why are you calling him a “Don.” Again, Sariah told me how powerful Cairo was as well as the cousin Raul but a Don.
To my knowledge a Don was known as a crime boss or kingpin. He didn’t cross me as anyone who moved drugs although he did have a ton of guards around at all times. Even at the hotel, I thought my eyes were deceiving me when men with guns appeared on the roof at the hotel when I almost drowned.
“I keep forgetting you live in a bubble but Sariah knew who he was.”
“Hell if I did. I only met Cairo through Raul and we barely been around one another. I’d never be around a drug dealer.” Now why was she lying.
“Ain’t your cousin in jail for ten years for drug trafficking.” Mike brought up what I was thinking.
“And?”
“And your ass was besties with him. Those guys who broke the fight up was hired by your man, the other drug dealer.” I had no idea that’s where the men came from. I just assumed they were in the airport and decided to break it up.
Her and Mike went back and forth making me laugh because Sariah knew damn well being around anyone who sold drugs didn’t bother her. One of her old high school boyfriends sold drugs too.
“Alright you two, that’s enough.” My aunt told them to be quiet with all that noise.
“Was he the one who kicked my door off the hinges?” Peeking around my mom to see Mike’s face, I rolled me eyes. I told him what happened and he promised not to mention it if I brought him weed.
“No he wasn’t.” My mom glanced over at Mike which confirmed my suspicion that he said something.
“Don’t look away and you owe me $100 for running your mouth.” I held my hand out.
“Hi Mrs. Coleman. How are you feeling?” A male doctor walked in removing his stethoscope from around his neck.
“We’ll discuss that situation at home and you better not had borrowed money for no a weed.” My mother popped Mike on the head.
“He absolutely did and made me feel bad because he didn’t get paid until the following week.” I smirked when my mom turned her back. Mike was grown and paid all his bills on time but fell short for weed money in which I did enable by giving it to him so I blame myself as well.
“All your tests came back good but you do have a concussion. You’ll have frequent headaches and the ten stitches in your head from the gash should be removed in about three weeks.” I really fucked myself up falling over that mop bucket.
“Also, the cast on your hand had to be replaced but I need to ask if you went swimming in the ocean. There was a lot of seaweed and sand inside it.” Sariah busted out laughing and I threw my pillow at her.
As he gave me the discharge instructions, I took the covers off my legs. It started to get hot and I was ready to go. When he stepped out, my mom closed the curtain for me to put my shirt on.
By the time we got out of there it was after eight at night. I was hungry, tired, ready to shower and go to bed. The vacation was fun except a few of the days and I had four more days off before returning to work. I planned on staying home and in bed the entire time.
“Everything ok?” My mom asked, standing at the bathroom door. We got home twenty minutes ago and I hopped straight in the shower.
“I’m good. I’ll be out when I get my pajamas on.
” Sariah had the nerve to say we were having a sleepover knowing damn well it was because Raul said she couldn’t stay home alone now that she’s pregnant.
If you ask me, I believe that crazy woman was stalking her and from what I understand since he’s not back, he didn’t trust the woman wouldn’t try something.
“Hurry up. We’re hungry and want to start the movie.” One thing we never did was start without everyone around. Feeling rushed, I hurried myself, got out, put my pajamas on and went to grab my vibrating phone. Looking down, the number was unknown but the message was clear as day.
Unknown: For someone who broke her hand you sure are clumsy as fuck at the airport.
And who fights with a cast full of seaweed and sand in it?
This had to be Cairo. Instead of texting, I went to the number and hit call.
I didn’t mind hearing his sexy as voice even it were to curse me out, and how dare he say I broke my own hand.
“The number you reached is not in service.” How in the hell was that even possible when a text came through.
Not wasting too much time thinking about it, I went in the living room with everyone.
I’m not going to lie and say he didn’t have me wondering how he got my number and why he felt the need to text me.
Whatever the case, I hope that was our last correspondence because the two of us did not belong in the same space together.