“I’m sure it’s hot,” she says.
I wave. “Still here.” If they start fucking, I’m out.
Ella rolls her eyes and takes Anite upstairs. Julian’s stare trails after her, his lips pulled between his teeth like they didn’t just get it in.
I waste no time going to the kitchen to refill my water bottle. Paintings and certificates of achievement decorate the refrigerator. Paper snowflakes hang from the ceiling and match the feathery ice crystals scattered across the cabinets.
“How’s Mom Dukes doing?” Julian joins me at the kitchen counter.
“Better,” I sigh. “They’re keeping her three more days because of the appendectomy.”
I was on the last plane out of Buffalo after my mother called me from the hospital. Her appendix ruptured while she was at home alone. I held it together in Miriam’s kitchen, laughing at my mom’s poor attempts to make light of the situation and keep me calm. I was in shock, far from calm and so far away, even if “far away” by my definition was an hour flight. I didn’t want to freak out thinking about her being by herself, and I made it to the bathroom on the plane before I lost it.
That woman is the heartbeat of my family. She assured me they gave her good drugs and to stop fussing over her.
My pops is out of the country on a business trip, and he got a call before I did. He canceled the rest of his time away and got in a little after four this morning. He hasn’t left her side, no matter how much she snips at him to wash his ass.
“I’m glad she’s doing better,” Julian says. “I’ll go over on Tuesday to give your dad some time. My mother already dropped off meals and haste jejanmby the gallon ready to go.”
“Appreciate it, bro.” I run my fingers over my waves, which are in need of a shape-up. “I don’t like the idea of her by herself.Pops is slowing down and getting ready to retire, but look what happened the one time he was away.”
Had my mom not had the strength to call 911 and let them in, she wouldn’t be here to shoo me away after I climbed into that thin-ass hospital bed with her.
Anything could’ve happened.
Sepsis.
Organ failure.
Death.
The thought of losing her forced me to stay awake while she slept. In true Chrishelle Knight fashion, I got a kiss on the cheek and a boot from her hospital room hours after my dad arrived. They didn’t want me to worry, and they encouraged me to visit Julian and El, who’ve kept my mind occupied, before my flight back to Buffalo.
Said mind has been so all over the place that I forgot to text Miriam after leaving the way I did.
“Didn’t your mama tell you to stop stressing yourself and her out?” Julian nods at my thumbs as they race across my phone.
“I’m not texting her.”
I’m sorry I left the way I did. My mom is in the hospital with a ruptured appendix, and I flew out to be with her. She’s doing better. I should’ve told you, but I wasn’t in the right head space and didn’t want to put that on you. Send me the details about Wednesday.
Julian chuckles into a Roblox cup that’s likely filled with all gin and no juice. “You’ve got forty-five minutes before you head to the airport. Unlessyou’rea minute man, keep it in your jeans until you get back to the tundra.”
“Far from it. My stamina is at an elite level, unlike some.” I smirk at his middle finger.
He only plays rugby occasionally with the DC team we started on as flankers. Bro is a few inches shorter than me and a touch leaner on the muscle side, but he still keeps himself in shape.
My phone buzzes.
Miriam
I’m sorry and am happy to hear she’s okay. Do you need anything?
I smile at the text. It’s just like Miriam to get straight to the point. When she’s not rambling from nerves, she doesn’t waste words and only says what she means.
Thank you, Doe. I’m good. Got scared for a minute but I’m okay since she is.
Miriam
