Twenty-One
We’re on the ground for a few minutes before it’s all clear. Savior’s body is covering mine and I can feel his pounding heartbeat on my chest. His breath is hot on my neck and a hand cradles my head.
“Are you okay?” He finally asks and I nod. “Stay down. I’m going to check on Junie and Tasha.” He crawls out of the room and knocks on the bedroom door. I hear muffled voices and Savior returns a few minutes later. “They’re fine. Also a little shaken up but fine.”
I manage to stand up and Savior helps me. Now would be the perfect time to tell him that he’s right and I do need to leave the ‘hood for good. Random gunshots are commonplace and even I have to admit, my first thought was Savior’s health and not mine.
I won’t get all dramatic and say I saw my life flash before my eyes and shit. But I’m pretty sure Bel-Air doesn’t have random niggas and equally more random gunshots rang out in the middle of the night. Even Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg knew when to get the hell on.
Just when I’m about to tell Savior he was absolutely right and I do need to get the hell out of Inglewood, the drama from outside continues. “My baby!” A woman screams. “My baby’s been shot!”
Savior glances down at me. “Shit!” He races out of the bedroom and I’m hot on his heels.
We go outside and see Big C’s baby mama/girlfriend, Patty, holding a hysterical Lil’ C. There’s already a crowd forming and everyone is just circling around the child. “Please!” Patty screams. “Somebody do something!”
Savior moves his way past the crowd and cups Lil’ C’s head. His pajamas are bloody and it appears he’s been shot in the upper torso where all the major organs are. He’s coughing up blood and I feel sick to my stomach.
“Somebody call 911 now!” Savior shouts. He takes off his shirt and rips open Lil’ C’s Paw Patrol pajamas. The bullet wound is in his stomach. Savior bundles up his shirt and puts pressure onto the wound. “Hey there, big fella,” he coos to Lil’ C, “I’m Savior and I’m going to help you, okay? I need to focus on your mommy and stay still.”
“My tummy hurts!” Lil’ C cries. “It really hurts!”
“I know, I know.” Savior holds the shirt on Lil’ C’s stomach. “You just need to be a big boy for your mommy right now, okay?”
I stand back in the cut to watch Savior and Patty interact. While everyone is just watching, Savior was the only one who took action. People talk amongst themselves and just as I suspected, it was Jalen’s voice I heard.
Apparently, Jalen didn’t pay back some of the gang members and they went looking for him. When Jalen had the money, the gang decided to add a ridiculous amount of interest and demanded Jalen pay up now before someone got hurt.
It’s not clear who fired the first shot nor is it clear who’s bullet hit Lil’ C. What is clear, however, Big C is about to enact some street vengeance. A sickening feeling takes hold of me and I know this will not end well. “Where’s Big C?” I finally ask one of my neighbors.
“He and his boys went to go look for Jalen.” The neighbor replies. “They don’t know where he is but they know where he might be headed next.”
Jalen isn’t stupid enough to hide out at one of the harem’s homes, but he will go to his mom’s if things got too bad. If I know Big C like I do, even Jalen’s mama won’t be able to protect him. “This is not good.”
“No, it’s not.” The older lady looks over at me. “Weren’t you his girlfriend?”
“Was.” I answer as I watch Savior. He’s still holding onto Lil’ C’s stomach with both hands. “I haven’t spoken to Jalen in a while.”
“Good for you.” She glances down at Savior. “You know this white boy?”
My eyes are focused on Savior. He’s shirtless and talking to both Lil’ C and Patty. “He’s my boyfriend.”
The neighbor’s arched eyebrows rise and slow smile forms on her face. “Great for you.”
The ambulance comes a short while later and Savior steps out of the way so the EMTs can work on Lil’ C. Patty gets in the ambulance with them after they load him on the stretcher. The neighbors are talking amongst themselves and some are opening thanking Savior for going into action.
Savior doesn’t say much and it appears he’s almost embarrassed by the attention. Holding his bloody shirt, Savior goes back to the house and sits on the porch. He makes a few phone calls and talks about Lil’ C, describing him and Patty.
“I want him to have the best treatment possible. I don’t care how much it costs. I will take care of it.” His voice is low and authoritative.
His hands are shaking and Savior’s eyes are ice. He swallows hard as he makes phone call after phone call, running a hand over his face at times as he explains the situation. He finally enters the home and Tasha offers him a hit of her joint, which Savior accepts. He moves towards the bathroom and closes the door behind him.
I gather Savior’s bloody clothing and put them in the hamper. I sit on the bed and gather my legs to my chest, waiting for Savior to reappear from the bathroom. So many emotions run through me and I feel the hair on my arms stand straight up.
I accused Savior of trying to change me and get into a situation I’m not completely comfortable with, only to be proven right. Lil’ C will recover but he’ll be one of the lucky few. Every year, some kid is caught in the crosshairs of gunfire here because the adults don’t know how to act.
When will it be enough?
Savior reappears a short time later with a towel wrapped around his waist. He walks into the bedroom and sits down on the bed. His body is still but there’s still the bite of anger. He doesn’t look at me, but stares straight ahead at the floor-length mirrors on closet doors. He’s staring directly at me.
