“You definitely have some congestion and some rattling. I’d like you to take a quick x-ray, so I can rule out pneumonia. Whether or not you have pneumonia will determine all of the medication I prescribe for you but regardless, I am going to give you a steroid, an inhaler, and some cough syrup with codeine and promethazine to give you some relief and allow you to rest.”
Just because he smoked weed and looked like a thug didn’t mean he abused other drugs. None of that was Symphony’s business. The man was congested and full of mucus and phlegm. He had to be miserable, and something was telling her that if he really wanted to take promethazine for recreational purposes, he’d know where to get it from on the street. Walking over to a drawer, Symphony removed a gown. Nasir must have really feltbad because none of the jewelry he had on the day she went to his home was on his body. He wasn’t even wearing a watch.
“Go ahead and get undressed for me. A nurse will be in to take you to the x-ray room. I’ll look over the results and let you know if I’m going to send any additional prescriptions to the pharmacy.”
Block gave a curt nod, and she left the room. That was uneventful, and she was glad. Being able to put any negative feelings to the side and do her job well was something that she was still trying to perfect. Some patients were harder than others. The most ignorant one she’d ever encountered was a rotten tooth meh addict that didn’t want her treating him because on top of being a woman, she was a nigger. It took nothing but direction from God for her to do everything within her power to help his dumb ass.
There were actually people out there that would rather die than to be helped by a black person, and that was fine with her. She would do everything she was bound by law to do. Symphony had integrity and wouldn’t let a person suffer just because they were assholes, but if they were of sound mind and refused her help, fuck ‘em. Nasir hadn’t been a jerk, and he was cooperative, so it had made her job easy to do.
In her office, Symphony picked her cell phone up off the desk, and she saw that Monique had texted her again.
Sister: I know you be busy at work, but I’m sure you’ve seen this message. It’s been an hour, but it’s cool. I knew you wouldn’t loan it to me anyway. I got in a car accident, and I have a check for $6,200 coming. You were definitely going to get your money back, but it’s all good. That’s why I don’t ask nobody for shit.
With a sigh, Symphony placed the phone backdown.Since becoming addicted to drugs, Monique had been arrested once for stealing. Aside from that, Symphony wasn’t sure how her sister supported her drug habit. She had an apartment through section 8. An apartment that she only qualified for because she had a child, and he wasn’t even with her. But she still had the apartment, and her rent was only $15 a month. Her car was paid for, so she didn’t have a car payment. How she kept her nails, hair, and lashes done as well as paid her utilities was a mystery that Symphony didn’t try to figure out.
It had been more than seven months since she had given her sister money. When she looked back at her Cash App and Zelle transactions and saw that she’d sent her sister $3,100 in two years, Symphony stopped immediately. Monique was going to do drugs regardless, but Symphony refused to keep contributing to her habit. If she wanted to get high, she’d have to find a way to support her own habit. Symphony also knew that Monique wasn’t going to get clean until she hit rock bottom. Even then, there was a chance that she wouldn’t stop using drugs, but they could pray.
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. “Come in.”
“The man in exam room number five is toooooo fine. Got DAMN!” Shawna marveled as she placed the x-ray on Symphony’s desk.
With a chuckle, Symphony eyed the picture of Nasir’s lungs. “And his fine ass has pneumonia.” Symphony stood. She was more than ready to finish up for the day and be on her way home. Mason would be coming for the weekend and as much as she loved her nephew, Symphony was going to enjoy her kid free evening.
“Let him know if he’d like an in-home nurse to look after him, I can do that.”
“You have to solicit your own services, ma’am,” Symphony simpered.
When she entered the examination room, Block had his head down scrolling through his phone. His dark hair was moisturized, glistening, and the waves were rippling. His head lifted, and her heart slammed into her ribcage. Symphony was confused as to why every time she saw him, her body reacted in ways that it shouldn’t. Okay, he was fine. So what? She had seen fine men before.
“Bad news. You do have pneumonia, which can be very serious. I want you to get plenty of rest and drink plenty of fluids. Warm showers and drinking hot beverages may help with the congestion. If at any time you are struggling to breathe, and the inhaler isn’t providing relief, please call 9-1-1. I have already sent your prescriptions to the preferred pharmacy. Any questions?”
Something about the way his gaze raked over her body made Symphony’s knees buckle. If she was a betting woman, she’d be willing to risk it all that he was a good time in the bedroom.This is what happens when you haven’t had sex in forever. You start lusting after rude ass men with pneumonia.
“Nah no questions,” he drawled slowly while continuing to ogle her. Block eased off the table. “’Preciate you.”
Symphony gave a quick nod and left the room. In the car, her mother called, and she sucked in a deep breath. Incollege, Symphony’s anxiety was bad. Once she settled into her career, her anxiety simmered down. Lately, it had returned, and she hated it. Whenever her mother called her, Symphony would brace herself for bad news whether it may have been about Monique or Mason. Since becoming addicted to opioids, Monique was the cause of many sleepless nights and worry filled days in her sister’s life. Especially when she would ask for large amounts of money stating that she owed the Perc man, and he wanted his money. Symphony didn’t want her sister to lose her life over three or four hundred dollars, but there came a time when she had to put her foot down and refuse to let her sister run up large tabs with drug dealers then feel responsible to pay them off, so she wouldn’t get hurt.
Monique was angry at her family for cutting her off, but that didn’t deter her from continuing to run up tabs. It was nothing for her to promise Mason money and not come through because she had to end up paying off a debt. It was a never-ending cycle. Sadly, it crossed Symphony’s mind on multiple occasions that the only way Monique would get sober was through death. Most days, she didn’t even pretend that she hated her life. Monique was a proud Perc head, and Symphony just didn’t understand it.
“Hey ma,” she accepted the call.
“Hey, baby. You off work?”
“Yes. I’m on my way home now. I’m only ten miles away from the house but with this traffic, it’s probably going to take almost an hour to get home.”
“Yeah, it’s bad this time of day. You know I hate to bother you, but can I borrow $500 until I get paid next week?”
Symphony’s brow lifted. When Sonya stopped gambling, Symphony was still in college. Once Sonya got herself together, she rarely found herself in financial binds. She wasn’t rich, but she made decent money and was good at budgeting. Even times when she gave Monique money or had unexpected expensescome up, she’d never asked Symphony for money. When her mother took Mason in, Symphony made it clear that she’d handle all of his needs, so her mother wouldn’t have to worry about it.
“Depends on what you need it for. Is it for Monique?” as far as Symphony knew, Sonya had cut her daughter off financially. But she had to ask.
“No. She got mad at me yesterday because I wouldn’t give her any money. Straight cussed me out. But nah, I wouldn’t dare give her $500.”
“Okay. I’ll send it through Apple pay as soon as I get home.”
“Okay. Thank you. I’ll pay you back next week.”
“No problem.”
