Aku’s throat tightened. She’d braced herself for his anger. For his noise. But this… this silence was worse. It made her feel like twelve again. Like she broke something she didn’t know how to fix.
But she wouldn’t take her words back, not even with his love sitting heavy between them. Her truth mattered, too, and she wasn’t letting it die in the name of his fear.
Gently, Solar placed her hand on her husbands’. “She’s grown now and instead of fussin’ or trying to make her change her mind, why don’t we just show up as her parents like we always have? We’ve loved her through everything aspect of her life, we can’t leave her in the world alone now.” She wiped her own face because love was strong and all encompassing. They had both vowed to love their kids in ways their own parentsnever showed up for them. Solar was going to ride with and for her baby, even if it was against the love of her life.
Before French could come back swinging with more words, the bedroom door creaked open.
The nurse poked her head in, brows pulled tight. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but his breathing just changed. We need to adjust his meds and reposition him.”
Aku nodded, moving first. Because whatever the fight was—whatever pain her daddy was carrying, whatever disappointment was choking him up—it didn’t matter in that second.
Malik was still fighting for his life, and she was gonna be right there.
She watched the nurse, willing herself to be strong. When she felt her Daddy’s arms around her, Aku shattered. “I—I’m sorry, daddy but?—”
French shushed her as he gave her the kind of hug that only a father could give. “It’s okay, baby… Daddy’s here.”
“You not mad?”
“Hell yea I am and when that nigga get better, I’m beating his ass again…”
Aku laughed as her body shook from crying.
This was the family she’d grown up in. Her Daddy always had her back even when he didn’t agree. Aku needed that now more than ever. Malik had a long road ahead, which meant so did she. The support of the most important people in her life would be needed now more than ever.
Everything felt…wet.
Not like rain or a bath or even blood, though he figured that’s what it was.
Just wet…Heavy…Thick.
Then there was the hum.
Low, constant,…like a heartbeat not his own.
Malik groaned, or maybe just thought he did. His mouth wouldn’t move. His chest was burning, worse than fire…it felt deep, like his bones were screaming…like his ribs were grinding every time he tried to breathe.
Then he heard her voice.
Soft…shaky…somewhere near his ear.
“…please, God, please. I don’t care what it takes, just let him stay with me.”
Damn…is this a dream?
Malik tried to open his eyes, but his lashes wouldn’t unstick. He tried to move his hand, but it was like he was buried under concrete.
“…you hear me, baby?” He heard her voice again…closer this time. “You stay with me. You fight, you hear me? You ain’t leaving me like this…”
He could smell her. Warmth and skin and that soft-ass lotion she always used after a bath. It wrapped around him, tugged at something deep.
Then—Darkness, then wind…
He was cold. No, not cold - floating.
The hum came back. Clearer this time.
He could feel something beneath him. A slight tremble, a rumble - the air conditioning brushing against his skin.
