Chapter 21 Whodie
Adore had been asleep for a few hours when I went back upstairs to check on her.
As soon as I walked in, I knew something was off.
I stood there for a moment just watching her breath.
Her breaths were slow and heavy. She had never slept like that.
It was like her small frame was working harder than it should to keep her going.
I sat on the edge of the bed, hoping she would shift, cuss me out for flopping on the bed, or roll over.
Any sign to let me know the liquor had worn off.
“Adore,” I called, leaning closer to her face.
She didn’t respond, so I reached and shook her shoulder lightly.
“Adore, wake up.”
Nothing, so this time I shook her ass harder.
“Adore!” I slapped her cheek and still didn’t get a response. “Fuck!”
Panic was starting to set in as I yanked the cover off her and scooped her up. There was no time to call 911; I could drive faster in my Challenger to get her to the hospital. The drive felt like hours, even though I ran through all the red lights and damn near killed us trying to get there.
“Stay wit’ me, baby. Don’t you do this shit to me, girl,” I kept saying, glancing over at her in the passenger seat. Her head was leaned against the window, and she was completely out of it.
I pulled up to the emergency room entrance. I barely put the car in park before running to the passenger side and carrying Adore through the doors. Once they noticed me and Adore in my arms, slumped, they jumped right into action.
“What happened?” one of the nurses asked as they laid her out on a stretcher.
“She…she won’t wake up. She was drinkin’ but…”
My words kept getting stuck. As much death as I had seen, this was one that I knew would end me. They tried to wheel her away from me, and I gripped the bed, damn near snatching one of the nurse’s arms off.
“I’m goin’ wit’ her.”
“You need to wait–”
“I’m not fuckin’ waitin’,” I said, stepping forward.
Another nurse stepped in front of me, more firm, and touched my hand.
“You need to let us do our job.”
I released the bed and watched them rush Adore to the back.
I would never forgive myself if she didn’t make it through this.
I stood there just watching. Feeling useless as they disappeared with the love of my life.
I fought hard to get her to give me a chance; this could not be how I was going to lose her.
The waiting room felt small with so many people.
All the noise from the children crying and the coughing was too much for me.
I got up and paced the floor, running my hands through my hair, trying to stay calm but feeling everything building under the surface. I pulled my phone out to call Hollow.
“Yo!”
“Adore is in the hospital.”
“Fuck you mean?”
“She was drinkin’ and wouldn’t wake up.”
“Fuck! I’m on my way.” He hung up.
Hollow showed up quicker than expected, storming through the door like he already knew he wasn’t about to like what he was walking into.
“Where she at?” he asked.
“They got her in the back workin’ on her. I hadn’t heard anything.”
“What the fuck happened?”
“Shit, she was drinkin’. I had been callin’ her phone, and she didn’t answer, so I went by the house. She was sittin’ on the kitchen floor wit’ an empty liquor bottle.”
“Drinkin’?” he repeated.
“She was stressed. She met wit’ her lawyer today about the case–”
“I don’t give a muthafuck ‘bout the case,” he snapped. “You knew she had a problem wit’ that shit?”
That pissed me off instantly.
“Aye, watch who the fuck you talkin’ to, nigga. Fuck wrong wit’ you?” I said.
“I’m talkin’ exactly how the fuck I want to,” he shot back. “‘Cause if you was payin’ attention instead of disapperin’ and actin’ funny, you would’ve known she was spiralin’.”
“And where the fuck were you, nigga?” I stepped closer. “You had her ass locked up at yo’ house like a prisoner and she still ended up like this. Fuck is you sayin’?”
“Bitch ass nigga, I was keepin’ my sister safe.”
“And nigga, so was I. Y’all always hollerin’ some disappearin’ shit when I’m the only muthafucka out makin’ shit happen.”
Hollow chuckled, “Nigga think ‘cause he from the streets he puttin’ work. You was too busy in the streets to see what the fuck was really goin’ on.”
“And yo’ bitch ass too busy thinkin’ you the only one that cares ‘bout her. I’m not none of them other niggas, Hollow. I’m not afraid of you, nigga. We both get down like that and you kno’ what I mean.” I stared in his eyes.
What I said must’ve set him off because he pushed me, knocking me off balance that I fell into an elderly lady’s lap.
It didn’t take me long to get back on my feet, and just like that, everything went left.
We were going blow for blow before anyone could stop us.
This was years of built-up tension and different ways of handling shit.
Two men who loved the same woman but didn’t trust the other’s decisions when it came to her.
It wasn’t until security rushed in that they finally pulled us apart, both of us breathing hard and eyes locked like we could go another round.
The police showed up so deep that you would've thought it was a riot. They had shields and guns out. We were both placed in cuffs and pulled outside.
“Fuck is y’all lockin’ me up for?” Hollow asked.
“Disorderly conduct and fighting in a hospital.”
“Man, fuck.” I laughed.
While Adore was inside the hospital fighting for her life, we were sitting in the back of patrol cars waiting to be escorted to jail.
That shit was eating me alive. Had Hollow not pushed me, I would’ve been cool with his words.
That’s what brothers do. Hours later, we were booked and processed.
I was surprised when my name was called to be released.
“Look, I wasn’t about to leave you in here because I know how much you love Adore. I would give you a ride, but you know how Hollow is,” Love said.
“It’s cool. I can call a ride.”
“I do want to let you know that they placed Adore in the ICU.”
“What does that mean?”
“She’s having complications, Whodie.”
“I gotta go see her.” I grabbed my shit to head for the door.
“You can’t.”
“Fuck you mean I can’t?”
“Only immediate family. And right now, she needs rest.”
“Immediate family? Love, you startin’ to act like yo’ husband. Why y’all crossin’ me out like I’m not family?”
Love dropped her head.
“And what about that nigga?” I pointed towards Hollow, who was now seated in the driver’s seat.
“He’s denied too.”
“This is some bullshit,” I said.
Once Reese dropped me off, I sat in the parking lot for hours in my car. I hadn’t eaten, been to sleep, or moved since I was released. Nothing mattered until Love gave me another update. I sat up once I saw Love walking towards my car.
“Whodie, you need to go home and get some rest. Adore is going to be fine.”
“I’m straight. I’ll be here until she’s released.”
“You can’t help her sitting out here like this.”
“I’m not leavin’.”
“Whodie,” she touched me. “Go home and shower. Find you something to eat and then come back.”
I shook my head violently.
“She’s not alone, Whodie. I’m here to give you and Hollow updates. Now go before you piss me off.”
I finally gave in, but not because I wanted to.
Because I knew if I stayed, I was going to lose it.
The second I pulled away, my mind went somewhere else.
I stopped at a store to get a few things.
A few minutes later, I pulled up to the spot where I had Zhane stashed.
I unlocked the door and stepped inside. The smell of her urine was strong.
Grabbing a bottle of water, I walked over to her and tilted her head so she could drink.
After she shook her head to tell me she had had enough, I went and grabbed her phone and plugged it up.
The screen lit up with several missed calls from Rico.
Text after text asking where she was and when she was coming home.
He called at least a hundred times. It’s crazy that they were married, and he didn’t have her location.
Knowing Zhane, she turned it off like a fool.
Zhane was sober now and was able to talk a little clearer.
Maybe now she could give me more information.
She eyed me as I walked over and pulled the chair back in front of her.
There wasn’t an inch of me that felt bad about the way she was looking or smelling.
Her vomit had dried up on her, and I knew her ass was itching from the piss.
“You ready to be honest?” I asked.
“Why are you doing this?” She asked.
“‘Cause right now, I ain’t got shit to lose, and I believe you have the answers.”
“I told you already, I don’t know anything.”
“You lyin’. Since you don’t feel like talkin’, I’ll just leave you here a few more days,” I told her.
“Okay! What do you want to know?”
“Who the fuck is Rico?”
“I told you he’s just a nigga that owns a few clubs.”
“Muthafucka, I’m not askin’ you what he told you,’ I snapped. “I’m askin’ what you kno’. You’re Zhane the finesser, yo’ ass kno’ somethin’.”
“I don’t know everything, Whodie. I swear!”
“Well, tell me what the fuck you do kno’.”
“He…he moves money. Big money.”
“And?’
“I don’t know. He keeps that side of his life away from me.”
“Why did you come back?”
“It was his idea,” she finally said. “He told me it was an opportunity here. That there was money being made and he had to get his hands on it.”
“So, you came back to set us up?” I pulled my gun from my hip and placed it on my lap.
“No!” she yelled. “That’s not what that was.”
“What the fuck is it then, Zhane? My finger I’ really itchy.”
“When he mentioned coming here, all I thought about was you. I didn’t know that the people getting money was you and that bit–”
She stopped before finishing the word. I got up and walked to the window so I could piece everything together. Rico was smart. Nigga had us kill Mazi, thinking he was the problem.
“Smart…real fuckin’ smart,” I said.
“What are you going to do with me?” Zhane asked.
“Right now?” I asked.
She nodded with fear all over her face.
“Nothin’,” I told her.
“Huh?”
“I’m not killin’ you. Not because you don’t deserve it. But because you are more valuable alive,” I told her.
“Please don’t make me do something stupid,” she pleaded.
“Oh, you’re gonna do it. You helped start it, and you’re gonna help finish it.” I walked over to her slowly and leaned down close to her ear. “You don’t have a fuckin’ choice.”
I could see her heart about to beat out of her chest.
“If Rico found out you sittin’ here with me, what you think he gon’ do to you?” Zhane didn’t answer. We both knew the answer to that. “And if I let you go, what you think I’m gon’ do if I find out you lied to me?”
“Kill me,” she said softly.
“Exactly! So here’s what we’re going to do,” I said, grabbing her phone. “You gon’ act normal. You gon’ answer when he calls. And you’re gonna let me see how deep this shit goes.”
“And if I don’t?”
“You don’t seem like you ready to die tonight. Or am I wrong?” I glared at her.
“No,” she replied.
“Good. Now, I’mma uncuff you so you can clean yoself up. There’s a grey joggin’ suit in the bathroom, along with some toothpaste and shit. If you try any funny shit, Zhane, I promise I will kill you tonight.”
As she went into the bathroom and closed the door, I sat in the chair right outside the door. She couldn’t jump out the window, because the bitch was boarded up. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I answered immediately once I saw it was Love calling.
“Something wrong?” I asked.
“She’s up,” Love said.
I didn’t realize I was moving until I was halfway out the door.
I ran back on the porch to put the padlock back on the front door.
There was no way for her to get out, so I wasn’t worried.
She had water and I let her have her phone.
She was being recorded and didn’t know it.
Love was waiting for me when I pulled up to the hospital.
“I need to see her,” I said as I approached.
“You know you can’t come in here. They’ll lock your ass back up. Just give her time to get her mind right. I’ll Facetime you when she’s ready to talk.”
“Fuck you mean ready to talk?”
“She’s up but not oriented just yet. The doctors are working with her now. Right now, I just need you to chill because causing a scene because you can’t see her is not good for either of you.”
I left it alone, trusting that Love would call me as soon as Adore was able to speak. Her being awake was the only thing keeping me from losing my mind. I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes. The moment I did, that whole night started replaying in my head.
“Get it together,” I mumbled.
An unknown number flashed across my screen. I stared at it for a second before answering.
“Yeah.”
“You moving real bold for a nigga that don’t know who he’s dealing with,” the voice said.
I didn’t say anything right away. I wanted this pussy nigga to keep talking.
“You took something that belongs to me,” he continued calmly.
“My nigga, you gotta be more specific,” I replied.
“Ahhh, you’re smarter than that.”
“Then you already know where I’m at,” I said.
“Oh, I know exactly where you are.”
“Then come get at me ‘bout what belongs to you then, nigga.”
He chuckled, “Not yet. I like to watch things play out first.”
“I’m on whatever you on,” I said before hanging up.
I hurried to dial Reese’s number so he could put everyone on alert. While I was on the phone with him, Love’s number came across my screen. I hung up right in Reese’s face.
“She asked for you,” Love said.
She turned the phone around to Adore, who smiled. My mind completely forgot about Rico and focused on her. After this shit was said and done, there was no way I could live my life without Adore.