Chapter five #2
My aunt and uncle nodded their heads while I wondered what they knew that I didn’t. “Ready? Ready for what?” I asked growing nervous.
“I told you that the doctor said Mama isn’t gonna get better, Gigi,” my auntie said.
“How does he know that for sure? She could make a full recovery!” I argued.
“Doctor can you please explain to my niece what you told us?” Aunt Trudy asked.
“Yes, of course.” The doctor walked over to me and started speaking to me in a gentle tone.
“Your grandmother had a massive stroke and unfortunately, help didn’t get to her soon enough.
The blood stopped pumping to the left side of her brain, and she started to hemorrhage.
By the time she was brought to the hospital, her pulse was fading fast… ”
“But she had a pulse!” I fussed. “Shouldn’t that mean she’s still alive?”
“Unfortunately, her brain is showing no signs of activity right now. Even though it looks as if she is still breathing, your grandmother cannot breathe without this machine, and I’m sorry to say that it won’t improve,” the doctor stated.
“So, what are you saying?” I asked as I looked around the room at everyone.
“It means we have to pull the plug sweetheart,” Uncle Calvin said with tears in his eyes. “Mama wouldn’t want to be connected to this machine, and you know that, Gigi.”
“NO! YOU CAN’T DO THAT!! MAW MAW IS GONNA COME BACK TO US!!” I yelled as I stood up.
“No, she isn’t,” Uncle Calvin said with sad eyes. “Look at her. She’s already gone, baby.”
“NO! Doctor, tell them!” I cried as I looked at my grandmother.
“Tell them my grandmother is gonna be alright!” The doctor just stood there with sad eyes, not saying anything.
“TELL THEM!!” I yelled. “Pleeeeeease!!” I was beside myself at this point.
I was crying so hard that I could barely see straight.
“I’m sorry. I really wish I had better news,” the doctor said with misty eyes. Even the nurse had tears in her eyes. He looked at my aunt and uncle and asked, “Do you all need a few more minutes?”
My uncle said, “No. A few more minutes isn’t gonna change anything. It’ll only make it worse. Just do it doc!”
The doctor walked over to the machine and flipped the switch to turn it off. I watched as my grandmother’s chest rose up once more before the machine flatlined.
“NOOOOOOOOO!!!” I screamed and tried to perform CPR on my grandmother. “Somebody HELP ME!!” I waited for someone to join in with their hands or breath, but they were too consumed with their own grief to give a shit.
Finally, my auntie grabbed me and just held me close to her.
I collapsed against her as my uncle and cousins embraced me too.
We stood there for Lord knew how long holding each other and crying.
Once they let me go, I looked at my grandmother expecting her to start breathing again, but she didn’t. Her chest just stayed still.
I rushed out of the room and down the hall, passing up the waiting room. I had to get out of here. “Hey!” I heard someone calling as they trailed behind me. “Gianna, hold up!”
I didn’t stop to find out who was calling my name.
I just kept running and pushed the ‘down’ button on the elevator.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long for the doors to open.
I jumped in the elevator and hit the first- floor button.
Right as the doors were closing, Dimitri stuck his hand between the doors to open them back up.
He looked at me and asked, “You alright?”
“Does it look like I’m alright?” I asked as tears continued to stream down my face. I just lost my grandmother. What kind of question was that?
We made it to the first- floor and the doors opened.
I rushed out and headed for the exit. Once I had made it outside, I took in the fresh air, but it didn’t do anything for me.
I burst into tears and would have hit the pavement if I hadn’t felt the same strong arms that caught me earlier wrap around me.
I couldn’t even fight this dude right now because I was just too distraught. I allowed him to embrace and hold me. As he soothed me, he gently rubbed my back while I cried against his chest.
“It’s okay Gianna. I gotchu,” he said.
The scent of his cologne and the slight fragrance of weed on his clothing had me feeling some kind of way.
Regardless of how I was feeling right now, I didn’t want him to let me go.
After several minutes, I slowly pushed myself out of his arms. I didn’t know he was standing on this public sidewalk embracing him this way.
“I’m sorry,” I said as I sniffled.
“Don’t be. You’re upset about your grandmother. She will be missed,” he said as he reached into his pocket and handed me a handkerchief.
“Thanks,” I said.
“Would you like to go somewhere and talk?”
I looked up at him with my mouth wide open. I knew he didn’t think I was going anywhere with him after my grandmother just passed away. Was he trying to take advantage of me?
“What? I don’t know you like that!”
“Nah, but as much as I’ve heard about you, I feel like I know you.”
“But you don’t!” I said as I shrugged my shoulders.
“I’m just trying to make sure you are okay, ya heard me.
I ain’t tryna take advantage of you or nothing like that.
I’ve known your family ever since I moved here from Atlanta years ago.
Your grandmother has always been really nice to me.
She always treated me like I was family.
We can go sit over there under that tree if you feel safer,” he offered as he pointed to a bench under a huge oak tree.
My phone started to ring, and I checked to see who was calling. I already knew it was Jonas since I hadn’t reached out to him yet. Instead of answering, I sent him a text letting him know that I’d call him back.
I didn’t say anything, but I allowed Dimitri to lead me towards the bench. He sat down and I sat next to him. He placed his arm across the back of the bench and gently stroked my shoulder with his thumb.
“I can’t believe my grandmother is dead,” I said as the tears started again.
“I know. It’s hard to believe that since I just saw her yesterday,” he said.
“I spoke to her yesterday, and she mentioned her headache. I just figured she would take some Tylenol and she’d feel better. If I had known that was going to be the last time I talked to her…” I started sobbing again… this time, really hard.
Dimitri pulled me close to him, and I leaned against him for support. I didn’t know what his angles were, but right now, I needed someone, and he was here. My phone started ringing again and I pulled it from my pocket. It was my auntie calling so I answered.
“Hey Aunt Trudy.”
“Hey baby, where are you? Did you leave the hospital?” she asked, concern in her voice.
“No ma’am. I’m right outside sitting on the bench. Do you need me?” I asked.
“No, I just wanted to check on you because we didn’t know where you went.”
“I’m sitting out here with Dimitri.’
“Oh, okay. Well, I called the funeral home to come pick up Mama’s body, so they’re on their way. If you wanna come see her again before they leave with her…”
“I’m sorry Aunt Trudy, but I can’t! I just can’t!” I cried as tears slipped from my eyes again.
Dimitri continued to stroke my shoulder softly letting me know that he was still here with me.
“Okay. Well, after the people from the funeral home leave, we’re gonna go to Mama’s house to discuss the arrangements. You can just meet us there,” she said.
“Okay, I will.”
We ended the call, and I relayed the message to Dimitri.
“That was my aunt. She said that people from the funeral home are coming to get my grandmother, and then they’re going to her house to make funeral arrangements. I am so not ready to say goodbye to her. She was the only one that I counted on since my mom died...”
“Aw man, I’m sorry to hear about your mom,” he said in a sympathetic tone.
“Thanks, but she’s been gone since I was five, so I’ve dealt with it. But now, I have to deal with my grandmother being gone. I wasn’t ready for this,” I said as I started crying again.
Dimitri pulled me close and held me tight as he brushed my hair gently with one hand and stroked my back with his other hand.
“Let it out Gianna. It’s gonna be okay,” he soothed.
Who was this guy? Why was he here with me right now? Even though I didn’t know him like that, I was glad that he was here with me. I needed his comforting arms, and his cool demeanor kept me from losing my mind right now. I didn’t know how much I needed him until now.
Not to mention, how good it felt being in his arms…