Chapter 22
Cairo
“Kateri? Kateri?” I yelled multiple times for her. She was supposed to be on the couch where I left her but she wasn’t. I closed the door after seeing two people laid out in front the house. I’ll deal with that later.
“Shit.” Running into the living room, she was lying on the floor half naked, bleeding from both gunshots. Going into the linen closet, I grabbed one of the throw blankets to cover her.
“Cairo.” She whispered when I lifted her off the floor.
“I fell and hit my head.” Lying her down, I checked to see if she was bleeding or had a knot in which she had neither. I’m gonna make sure she’s checked there as well.
“Cairo, you good?” I heard Felix’s voice and soon after, Manny, Raul and quite a bit of my team showed up.
“Where is the fucking doctor?” Felix picked up the phone to call. Feeling her blood drenching my clothes, I knew time was of the essence.
“We don’t have time to wait. Drive us to the hospital.” Rushing out the house, Manny opened the door to one of the SUV’s, hopped in the front and sped off once I closed the door.
“It’s burning Cairo.” Kateri was crying and trying her hardest to squeeze my hand. It felt like her strength was dwindling each second that passed.
“I know. We’re almost at the hospital.” Manny used the sirens we had for emergencies. It was easier to run the red lights because everyone pulled over. The movement of the truck was hurting her but he had no choice if we wanted to save her.
“Raul said the emergency room staff is waiting for her outside.” Manny yelled from the front seat.
“She’s losing a lot of blood. Fuck! How much longer?” I’ve seen hella people die but never did any of their deaths hit home like this. The woman I was in love with dying in my arms wasn’t ever supposed to happen.
“We’re around the corner.” Wiping Kateri’s eyes, I repeated what he said to give her some assurance that she’d be ok but would she. It’s been at least twenty minutes since the shooting and her face was becoming pale.
SCREECH! The car stopped abruptly and before I could open the door, someone else did. They made me get out and two techs maneuvered her out the SUV. As they placed her on the stretcher, I whispered in her ear.
“Kateri, the doctors are here to help you now. Come back to me ok.” Wiping the few tears I shed, I kissed her lips.
“Ok.” I barely heard her and ran in behind the doctors and staff. They were running with her down the hall. The doors closed before I could make it through but even I knew going to the operating room wasn’t an option. How did a perfect night turn into my worst nightmare?
Leaning against the wall, I squatted in order to stay sane.
All I could ask myself was who knew about that house and why did they shoot Kateri.
I’m pretty sure the bullets were meant for me which lets me know since they couldn’t get me, it had to be her.
The person was sending me a message and I heard it loud and clear.
Now they’ll have to hear mine because when you touch anyone I loved, all bets were off.
I’m coming for you, your family, extended family, animals, pastors, teachers and whoever else they’re affiliated with.
Hearing voices coming down the hall, I turned my head and saw everyone that was at my house, my parents and siblings.
Why did they all come here? And did anyone contact Kateri’s mom or her brother?
Standing up, I glanced down at my bloody clothes and hands and realized shit was about to get chaotic.
The minute I heard Kateri was ok, I’m having her moved to my house which was heavily guarded.
At least I’d know for sure she’d be ok and no one could get to her.
“Do we know what happened?” My mom asked, hugging me with the bloody clothes on. I explained the little I could and told them I’d be back. If anyone should call Ms. Coleman, it was me.
Heading out the door after hearing my parents say they would wait there for me, I picked up my phone. Looking up Ms. Coleman’s number, I pressed send and waited for her to answer. When she didn’t, I called her brother.
“What’s up and it better be good because I just got the new Madden.” He joked on the phone.
“Aye, where’s your mom?” Not taking the time to play games, I let him know to be serious.
“Probably upstairs with her man. Did you call and where’s Kateri?
You never call.” I knew then he was aware something wasn’t right.
And I never called him because there was no need.
We were cool when we saw one another around town and now that I’m with Kateri but not that cool where I’d call just because.
“Something happened to Kateri. Get your mom and come to the hospital.” There was no need to waste time on telling him to get here.
“What? Don’t tell me that bitch found her and they fought.” That was news to me.
“What bitch?”
“I don’t know who she was but Kateri said she’s been sending her death threats and trying to fight her.” Now I was pissed.
“Think Mike. What was her name?” I couldn’t help but start pacing as he tried remembering the name.
“Ummm. Shit, I don’t know. Jackie or some shit like that.” He kept saying he wasn’t sure but he remembered the name Jackie.
“My cousin Jackie.” When the hell did she start beefing with Kateri? The last I knew they went out to eat together with my sister and Sariah last week. None of what he said was making sense.
“Where’s my sister? She can tell you who better than I can.” Him asking reminded me that he didn’t know the extent of Kateri’s injuries.
“I’m sending someone to get you and your mom. It’s not a good idea for either of you to drive.” The truth was I didn’t know who’s behind the attack and didn’t want them getting hit too. If they found Kateri at my house, it was a possibility they’d find her family too.
“Do not come out of your house until you hear from me.” I had to be stern with him because he thought everything was a joke.
“What? Why? What’s going on?” It sounded like he started to really panic.
“Just wait on my instructions. Do not leave that house until you hear from me. Are we clear?”
“Yes but how can I get my mother. I have to go outside to get up there.” I hadn’t thought about that. He stayed in the basement apartment and it wasn’t connected to the inside apartments.
“A’ight. The person I’m sending already left.” Manny and Felix were on the way when I told them I had to make the call. I told them to stop by my house to grab me some clean clothes. I kept a ready-made bag in my downstairs closet for emergencies and I’d say this was one.
“FaceTime me and keep me on the phone while you go up.” He hung up and did what I said.
“Should I bring some weed? Is it really bad what happened to her? Wait! Maybe I’ll bring my laptop to watch tv.” Yup, he was panicking.
“NIGGA! GET UPSTAIRS!” I shouted, making him jump.
“Ok. I’m going.” After a few minutes of watching him gather his things and lock up, he opened the door.
KNOCK! KNOCK! It took a few minutes for her to answer the door. You could tell she had an attitude by the way she snatched the door open. Mike had the camera facing her to be smart.
“Kateri’s dead. We have to get to the hospital.” Her eyes got so big and I swore she would pass out by the way her body buckled.
“Nigga what the fuck is wrong with you. Why you lie like that?” I shouted in the phone. That way Ms. Coleman would hear me and know he wasn’t telling the truth.
“That’s her fault for being dramatic. She know I play a lot.” He had a smart ass response.
WHAP! She smacked the fuck out of him and I busted out laughing. That’s exactly what he gets for doing that.
“You’re going to jail. I’m calling the cops.” I swear between those two and Kateri, I could see why she always had something smart to say or played games. She took the phone from Mike.
“Ms. Coleman, Felix and Manny will be there in a few minutes to pick y’all up. Please get dressed and bring extra clothes.”
“Extra clothes for what? You ain’t tell me to bring extra stuff.” Was he really complaining? He was putting some shit in a bag before he left his own apartment.
“What happened Cairo? Is she ok?” Hearing how scared she was, all I could do was tell her what she wanted to hear.
“She’s fine and asking to see you.” Her mom nodded and handed the phone back to Mike. He walked away from the door and started whispering.
“Now why you lying. I see blood on your shirt. Did you stab her?” I had to hang the phone up on his stupid ass because I was about to tell Manny to shoot him when he got there. Calling him back, I waited for an answer.
“That was rude and I’m terrified to know my sister may not make it so excuse me for trying to cope.”
CLICK! He hung up and I honestly felt like shit in a way. Granted those jokes weren’t funny but I understood why he made them. I guess when you don’t know the context of what’s really going on, it scared people. My phone rang back and I thought it was him but it wasn’t.
“We here.” Felix said and I heard him knocking on the door.
“About time y’all got here. Can you take me downstairs so I can get some more of my stuff?” Mike had the nerve to try and boss them around.
“Nigga what?” Felix snapped right away. I let him know they’re scared and he was talking out his ass trying to keep it together. He said Manny went to help Ms. Coleman and bring her bags to the car. Once they were in the truck, Felix called and went to check on Mike.
“I’m about to beat this nigga ass.” I walked out the hospital and lit a black and mild to calm down. Dealing with Kateri’s brother was like dealing with a kid.
“Mike, I swear you better get what you need before I drag your ass to the truck.” If Mike knew any better he should listen to Felix.
“All of you are rude as hell. I don’t have to take this shit.”
“Is her brother gay?” I started laughing hard as hell. Mike wasn’t as far as I knew but he did sound feminine as hell saying that. Me and Felix spoke for a few minutes as he walked to the truck. He said they were on the way and hung up.
“You ok?” Rosalina came outside. Our family was ecstatic that her and Felix were together and having a baby.
“Did you know her and Jackie were beefing?” She had a confused expression on her face the same way I did.
“That’s weird because Jackie asked Kateri if she could plan either y’all wedding or baby shower.” I almost choked on the black and mild. Kateri had my heart for sure but marriage wasn’t even in my future, especially after the shit with Victoria.
“Well, I won the first bet.” She shrugged with a smile on her face.
“And what bet was that?” I wanted to know what it was and why they even had one going in the first place.
“That you would finally fall in love again.” Mushing her in the head without acknowledging what she said, I put the mild out and headed inside with her. Once I hear from the doctor that Kateri’s ok, I’ll feel a lot better.
“How is she Cairo?” I was standing at the vending machine with Raul discussing the shit with Jackie. I sent two of the guys over to her house and she wasn’t home. That was odd because the family was up here and she wasn’t.
“We’re waiting on a doctor to come out.” She stared at my clothes. Manny had the bag with my clean clothes in his hand. I was hoping to change before seeing her but that didn’t happen.
“Is that her blood?” She pointed. I didn’t what to give her the obvious answer. My mother knew and jumped in right away.
“Hi, I’m Mrs. Romano and this is my sister, Sophia, my husband…” As her voice trailed to introduce her to the family, I had Felix find one of the nurses he knew to take me to use the doctors’ showers.
It took me all of twenty minutes to shower, get dressed and return to the emergency room waiting area. Too scared that the doctor would come out, I rushed just to make sure I didn’t miss him or her. When I entered the area, it seemed as if more people showed up.
“The family of Kateri Coleman.” A woman stepped out wearing a white coat.
“I’m her mother; is she ok?” Ms. Coleman walked over to where the lady was. You could hear a pin drop, that’s how quiet it was.
“Do you mind if I talk freely?” She introduced herself as the Director/ Chief of Emergency Medicine. In other words, she’s in charge of all the doctors in the hospital.
“Yes it’s ok.” Ms. Coleman looked at me.
“And besides, if you didn’t tell her man, he’d probably kill you in the parking lot.” Ms. Coleman joked but little did she know that’s exactly what would happen.
“Kateri came in with two gunshots; one in her arm and the other in her leg. One of the men stated she fell and hit her head as well. We checked and there was no brain bleed but she may have a concussion.”
“Is she ok?” Ms. Coleman asked again.
“The bullet in her arm was easy to get out but they’re having some trouble removing the one from her leg because it was lodged in one of her muscles.”
“What does that mean? Will she be able to walk?” My mom asked because Ms. Coleman was becoming overwhelmed.
“Yes she’ll be able to walk but with some of the fragments still inside, there’s a possibility of chronic issues with that leg.
Meaning she’ll have some scarring around them if the doctor can’t remove them.
Unfortunately, the bullet damaged some nerves and tendons in her leg as well and she will have constant pain. ”
“Can they get the fragments out?” Rosalina chimed in with her question.
“That’s what they’re trying to do now. If not, they’ll do more X-rays later and see if they can remove them at another time before the scarring gets too bad.
” As she went on to explain what else the doctors were doing in the operating room, all I could do was blame myself.
Why didn’t I go to the car myself? The person wanted me and she got caught in the crossfire.
“If you have any questions, I’ll be around and the doctor performing the operation will come out and speak with you once he’s done.” She handed Ms. Coleman her card. Taking a seat in the waiting room, I rested my head against the wall and closed my eyes. Kateri’s gonna have a long recovery.