Nakyra stepped off the wall she was leaning on and spoke up. “I called him.”
“Why would you do that?” Mom questioned.
I snorted. “Glad to see you missed me, Mother.”
She cut her eyes into slits. “Don’t come here with the sarcasm, Creed. We have enough on our plates right now,” she scolded. “And why would you come in here with that mess in your mouth?”
I dragged my tongue over my bottom diamond grill then smirked. Typically I only brought them out for special occasions but I knew it would bother my parents so I compromised. She was lucky I’d only worn the bottom one and not both.
Nakyra went to lift her hands, but suddenly shoved them down and spoke. “His brother was hurt and now in a coma. I thought he should know.”
“Well I’m surprised you even showed up. I didn’t think you would care,” Dad mentioned.
One corner of my mouth lifted. I didn’t take his comment personally. Both of my parents never had a problem speaking their minds and I’d learned a long time ago to not let their words bother me.
The door they had been huddling around opened and a middle-aged man, along with a middle-aged woman, stepped out. My parents’ attention instantly left me and went to the manwith worried expressions on their faces while the woman gave a polite smile and walked off.
Nakyra stepped toward me and spoke as I moved closer. “I didn’t think you would come here, but I’m sure Rome would be happy.”
It took me a few days to get things in order on my end before hopping on a plane and traveling to West Pier.
I almost argued but instead nodded and gave her a once over. Bags rested in the pockets of her almond shaped, medium brown eyes. Exhaustion rested on her round, milk chocolate face.
“What are y’all doing out here anyway?”
She winced and wiped her eyes before glancing over her shoulder to where my parents and the doctor were still talking. My mom had an intense expression on her face as she spoke. By the look on his face, I could tell the doctor wanted to be anywhere but in front of her.
“The doctor was examining your brother and your parents kept getting in his way and asking questions so they made us stay out here.”
Before I could ask another question, the doctor walked past us and my parents headed into the room.
“What did the doctor say?” she asked, facing my parents and.
“If you would have come and listened, you would know. He’s stable,” Mom stated and stalked into the room with Dad behind her.
“You sure you want to marry into this?” I joked with a soft laugh, but I was serious. My parents were a lot to deal with. I knew Nakyra wasn’t their first pick for my brother either.
Nakyra gave me a forced, weak smile. “Everyone’s stressed out right now. I’m trying not to take it personally.” She turned and headed into the hospital room with me trailing her.
Mom sat at Rome’s bedside, holding his hand, with my dad behind her, his hand resting on her shoulder.
“Did they say when he would wake up?” Nakyra asked, moving to the opposite side of the bed and grabbing Rome’s other hand.
“It’s all up to him.”
I glanced at my brother. He looked like he was asleep, but from what I was told on the phone, he had been placed in a medically-induced coma to help heal the swelling in his brain.
The tension in the room was thick and the air stale. The sound of the machines beeping was the only thing that could be heard.
“And do they know what caused the accident?” I wondered.
“Apparently your brother?—”
“No they don’t.” Dad cut Nakyra off before she could finish. He tossed her a stern look. Nakyra’s brows bunched in confusion and she pressed her lips together. “It’s still being investigated, but it’s being handled,” Dad said.
I bounced my eyes between the two, wondering what I was missing.
“Creed, how long do you plan on being in town?” Mom asked, changing the subject, something she often did when a topic needed to be avoided.
