Chapter 6
Shio Cuppacio
“As you can see, it’s a clean break.” The doctor held up an X-ray so we could clearly see the skeletal arm.
Sure enough, the bone was broken. A whimper from the left made me refocus my gaze from the middle-aged, pot-bellied doctor to a tear-faced Bahati.
She was no longer holding her arm to her chest; it was now in a sling.
Her dirty clothes had been replaced with a silk pajama set, thanks to the flight attendant who helped Bahati take a shower after I declined to help her.
Solana had toughened it out with the rest of us and was sitting in her clothes while caring for the small toddler, my daughter.
I still hadn’t seen her directly. With so many thoughts racing through my mind, I had to disassociate myself before I could give her my attention.
We’d landed four hours ago, and while I needed a shower, a gym session, maybe one or two blunts, and a triple shot of the finest whatever was in my collection, I was accompanying Bahati to see the doctor.
She’d been screaming her head off during the latter part of the plane ride after the liquor wore off, so I had the doctor meet us at the hangar.
He took one look at her arm and told us she needed a hospital.
He wouldn’t even be able to help her at his private practice.
She needed X-rays to determine where the break was, because, according to him, there was indeed a fracture.
His colleague had proven him right. I pressed my head into the wall since I was standing near the door with my hoodie pulled over my head and arms tucked into the black hoodie I’d gotten from the trunk of my Maybach, which was also waiting.
Bahati looked up at me for answers while the man, who could ease her pain, stood there in a white coat.
Since we’d killed a slew of motherfuckers in Mexico, we were ushered through the private entrance of Jagoda One.
Due to the excessive money we’d poured into this bitch, she’d been seen without ever being processed into the system.
It took a few rounds of X-rays and assessments I hadn’t expected, but there was nothing I could do but wait it out.
Thankfully, the baby slept through the whole flight, more than likely due to being shaken up, and the doctor had also looked her over and determined she was fine.
“So… Do I need surgery?” Fat tears slid down Bahati’s round face.
Her voluptuous lips were trembling, but I wasn’t sure if she was crying from the pain.
Something about Bahati was rubbing me the wrong way.
I was trying to shake the shit off because I knew I was pissed that she’d held the child from me.
Still, I wanted to be anywhere but near her.
“Not at all. I’ll get you put in a cast for about six weeks.
You’ll be somewhat restricted and experience some itching, but you’ll be as good as new in no time.
I can get started on the cast as soon as I gather the supplies.
In the meantime, I’ll have a nurse start you on an IV for a small dose of morphine.
I know the Lortab has more than likely worn off. ”
The doctor stuffed the black-and-white X-ray into a folder and tucked it back under his arm. It would be discarded, just like any footage of us caught on camera walking the halls once we left.
“I have to advise that the morphine does come with side effects. Dizzi—”
“Dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, itching, hallucination, vomiting, oh… and constipation.” Bahati finished.
The doctor was impressed.
She shifted on the elevated bed, letting her head hit the pillow. “I’m a pharmacy technician.”
My eyes cut to Bahati, knocking the smirk off her face.
This doctor was recommended by someone on our payroll, and her volunteering information was unnecessary to this unfamiliar doctor.
It could very well put us in a position to get jammed up.
I didn’t know if someone had reported her being kidnapped or what.
The last thing I needed was the fucking laws buzzing around, especially since Don had revealed that some already were.
It hadn’t been too long since we killed a detective, but we’d decided to avoid doing so again.
We didn’t need any pigs veering on our trail, making us renege on our plan to keep everything cool in Jagoda Bay.
Kicking off the wall, since my leg was folded behind me with my foot resting on it, I reached into my pocket and grabbed a stack of rubber-banded money.
I could feel Bahati’s eyes on me, but I kept my eyes on the paper as I counted out the usual amount.
Placing the twenty thousand dollars on the bedside table next to the apple juice Bahati had been sipping on, I put the remaining bills back in a rubber band before stuffing them in my pocket.
“Get her right, doc.”
Turning, I headed out of the room. The antiseptics were burning the fuck out of my nostrils, and the sterile aroma was making a nigga lightheaded. You’d think I’d had some fucking morphine the way I felt myself getting dizzy.
“Wait! Are you about to leave me?” Panic was in Bahati’s voice.
My back was facing her, and I didn’t bother to turn around as I said over my shoulder, “No. Get fixed up, Bahati.”
I pushed through the wooden door, my eyes adjusting to the bright white lights of the hospital corridor.
It was late morning, and normally, hospitals would be bustling by now.
But we were on the private floor the mobs had secured months before, and there was only one other patient here besides Bahati.
With my shoes squeaking on the waxed floors, I moved to the far end of the hall. Walking past the empty waiting room, I briefly glanced at the Gucci backpack leaning against the far left wall. I nodded at one of the security guards hired by the mob and pushed into the room.
“Pia know yo’ ass here instead of in summer school or some shit?”
Neltz had the controller in his hand, slouched in a chair he had placed in front of the TV.
It was nearly too high for him to connect his gaming system to, but the dangling extension cord showed how he’d made it happen.
The TV was too loud for such an early morning, but with the entire floor reserved for us, he wasn’t disturbing anyone.
Neltz flicked his eyes at me. He’d been rocking his braids lately, but now he was back to his usual ponytail. He wore black basketball shorts, a red Nike shirt, and black and red Chicago 12s. The little nigga had Rio’s whole face.
“She still cussin’ Daddy Number Two out… Damn! I tried to do that combination.”
His player was kicking the shit out of the opposition in the warrior fighting game. After looking at the screen for another minute, I realized that the player wasn’t fighting back at all. Looking behind me, I spotted the other controller and shook my head.
“Lil’ nigga, you in here playing a fucking coma patient in Mortal Kombat?”
Neltz shrugged while tapping a combination of buttons. “He be helping me get my skills up. Plus, Baby Shower Shirt don’t get many visitors outside of us Cuppacios and his mama.” He smirked at the latter part of his sentence.
“The Cuppacios are enough. I’m sure he ’bout tired of all y’all asses, and why you smirking?”
Neltz shook his head with a chuckle. “Bro mama be going so ham on him. She worse than Pia with her words. Then, after cursing him out, she will kiss him and get him together.”
“Yeah, that sound like Pia for sure.” I agreed while looking over Grind, who had yet to make much progress.
He still hadn’t awakened, and there was little to no brain activity.
We all remained hopeful, especially since his connection to Pearla was delicate.
Matteo was mean as hell. I couldn’t imagine his attitude if Pearla started walking around, moping the way she had been a few months ago.
Grind had round-the-clock care, and I’ve seen God perform miracles.
He’d just done one by helping us survive that war back in Mexico, so I wasn’t doubting Grind’s chances on waking up.
My chest tightened as I thought about how the Rodríguezes were still out there.
I inspected the feeding tube taped to Grind and the breathing mask before I pulled out my phone.
Though Grind had been blessed, and I believed he would come out on top even with the odds not in his favor, I couldn’t imagine being in his position.
I had too much to handle, too much to oversee, and too much shit to check off my list to be down bad for a few months.
Some people even take years to come out of a coma, and it was a big “fuck that” for me.
“You coming to see ’bout him… That’s what’s up, Neltz.”
Neltz slid his chair back to the bed, pressed a few buttons on Grind’s controller, and then moved back to the front of the TV. “Yeah, well… My auntie not fuc—I mean, fooling with him, so I figure I’d come on her behalf.”
I fucked with Grind, but I was glad that Pearla was standing her ground.
She was clearly heartbroken, but she was too damn young with too much of a bright future ahead of her to be tied up with Grind.
If it was meant to be, things would happen in the future.
For now, I was happy she was living in her youth.
With my head still glued to the phone, I focused on the screen.
“I been hoping to catch that whore of his, to tell you da truth. Oh! He beatin’ sum!” Neltz hammered away at the game as if his opponent had been a real challenge. I noticed he’d kept the same character but switched Grind’s. He was now fighting the opposite sex.
“And why you in that man’s business?” I asked Neltz while staring at my phone.
“Ohhhh! Nah… Not in his business, but I ride about my Tee Tee.”
“And what’s the plan if she shows up? His wife?”
Neltz turned his neck to look at me and jutted his chin to the screen. “You see this?”
His character looked as if he was slapping the opponent. “Gonna slap fire from her ass, that’s what I’m gonna do.”