“What’s up? Talk to me.”
“She’s pregnant, fam. Tell them she’s pregnant.” My voice hardened as it cracked from the overflow of emotions following the thought of losing my unborn child.
“Aight.”
I ended the call on the way to Huffington Medical. There wasn’t a stoplight or stop sign I gave a second thought. Everything was getting run to get to my baby. With blurry, tearful eyes, I dialed Lyric’s cell.
“Hello?” I could hear the sleep in her voice as she answered.
“Baby girl.” I wept, wiping tears from my eyes with my arm as I tried to steer carefully.
“LUCA?” I could hear ruffling in the background while I tried my hardest to get my shit together.
“I’m going back to jail, baby girl. I’m going to kill this nigga.”
“Luca. What’s going on?”
“He got my fucking kids, and he beat the shit out of Ever. I’m going to bend this nigga’s top the fuck back.”
“Luca. Where is Ever? Where are the girls?”
“Ever is on the way to Medical. I don’t know where they are, Lyric. This nigga got them!”
“I’m going to meet you at Medical, and I’m calling Laike. Stay on the phone.”
There was a brief silence before she returned to the line.
“Big bro!” Laike hollered. “What’s up?”
“This nigga has to die, Laike.” I couldn’t control the parade of wet tears that hit my face each time I wiped them.
In my thirty-six years of living, I couldn’t recall a time where I’d shed one. Not even as a kid. Nothing, and I mean nothing, ever bothered my spirit enough to bring me to tears. Life wasgoing to happen regardless and that’s how I’d always lived mine. For every action, there would be a reaction. For every issue, there was a solution. For every move, there would be a consequence.
It was plain and simple, black and white with me. Always had been. Not even cuffs locked on my wrist after I’d pushed Chauncey’s top back affected me enough. I sat and I waited on the police’s arrival and made sure that nigga was dead a few times before I called them to come pick his stupid ass up off the ground. When I was sentenced to ten years, I didn’t bat an eye. I’d done my dirt and was ready to lie down to get my shit over with.
“Yes. Yes he motherfucking does!” Laike agreed, pure emotion evident in his tone as well.
“Find my girls, Laike.”
“I’m already on it. Cane just hollered at me. He’s on the way to me.”
“Tell that nigga I got him.”
“No payment necessary. This nigga heated he let the nigga leave with the kids. He said this one is on the house.”
“I’m pulling up. Lyric, get up with her moms. Tell her no police.”
“I’m on my way. Be there in five minutes.”
We ended the call simultaneously as I exited my truck. I cleaned my face with the bottom of my shirt as I rushed into the emergency exit. Beds lined the walls of the hall that I walked down. I searched every bed that was out in the hallway but came up empty-handed. They’d all been brought in by paramedics.
“Ever Sinclair,” I told the receptionist before she could even ask if she could help me.
She began pecking on the computer at her desk. “I’m not sure what the last name is but there was someone just brought in by that name. She was just rushed to the back. There’s a teamworking with her now, but she can’t have a visitor just yet. You’ll need to give them at least thirty minutes and then I’ll give you the room number to the one they’re going to put her in.
“Appreciate that.”
As much as I wanted to protest and demand to see her immediately, I knew that the more attention the staff put on me the less they’d be able to give to Ever. I wanted all hands on deck when it came to her care. I could wait thirty minutes and I would wait. I took a seat in the area designated for seating and released a sigh.
