My mother and sister rushed to my bedside, both teary-eyed but smiling. They began fussing at me at the same time and I almost told the nurse to take them back.
“Hold on. I can’t hear if you’re talking at the same time,” I said.
“I knew that shit would catch up with you eventually,” Ma fussed.
“Ma, chill. I don’t even know if this had anything to do with that.”
She gasped. “You promised me you?—”
I shook my head. “Nah, I didn’t promise you anything, but who says I’ve been?—”
“Cut the shit, Rowdy,” Uncle David interrupted. “You think I don’t know where you got the money to fix the shop? You’re taking money from dangerous people which puts your mother and sister in danger. I can’t protect them twenty-four hours a day, and neither can you. Hell, you couldn’t even protect yourself.”
“I’ve been doing a damn good job of protecting them for damn near my whole life.”
“Well, your luck ran out.”
“It’s my fault!” Ramina shouted.
She’d been quiet since I cut her and my mother off when they first walked in. The three of them looked at her.
“How is this your fault?” Ma asked.
“Nobody back home knew where we were, and things were fine. I posted a picture of me and Violet at her family flower shop on Flikstagram. My page is public, so anyone could’ve seen it.”
I wasn’t on social media but because of Myra, I was aware of the picture Ramina had posted. I didn’t bother talking to her about it because the damage was done. Besides, she was a teenager. I couldn’t expect her not to do shit that most teens did.
“Mina, this isn’t your fault,” I assured her.
“Yes it is. You told me to be careful what I post, and I forgot.”
“Mina, the only person to blame for this is your brother. It’s his actions that put our family in danger,” Ma reassured Ramina before speaking to me. “Rowdy, I’m glad you’re okay, but you need to make better choices, and if you don’t choose right, you can’t stay with me and your sister anymore.”
I chuckled. “You can’t afford?—”
“I’ll work overtime or get another job, but if you want to keep risking your life and putting ours in danger, you gotta go.”
“I’m too old to still be living with you anyway, so it’s cool, Ma.”
“Wow, Son! You’d rather leave than stop living on the edge?”
“I was already planning to move out, Ma. It’ll just be sooner than later.”
She sighed and shook her head in disappointment. “I love you, Rowdy.”
“Love you too, Ma.”
She leaned over the bedrail, kissed my forehead, and left. Ramina did the same, leaving me alone with my uncle.
“There has to be more to this, Nephew. I get the adrenaline and excitement of it all, but they’re on to you now.”
“I decided my last hit was my last hit. I got enough money to do everything I planned.”
“Where were you tonight?”
“Not where you think. I was a few blocks from our house, headed to see Noelani. That’s why I’m not sure this has anything to do with the stash houses.”
“What other enemies could you have in this city?”
