I nodded. “I told you. I been feelin’ good as hell.”
“Yes,” she said quickly. “That’s exactly why I wanted to talk today.”
Toni sat up straighter. “Talk about what.”
Dr. Ellington inhaled slow, then exhaled like she was ‘bout to step off a ledge. “After reviewing your case again, and reassessing some factors, I’ve come to the conclusion that your initial diagnosis may have been… premature.”
I blinked. “What you mean.”
She swallowed. “I believe I was mistaken in diagnosing you with schizophrenia.”
The room went quiet, but it wasn’t peaceful quiet. Nah... It was that heavy, what the fuck kind of quiet.
Toni was the first one to speak. “Are you serious right now?”
Dr. Ellington nodded. “Yes. I owe you both an apology.”
I felt somethin’ loosen in my chest immediately, like a chain just snapped. “So you sayin’ I ain’t schizophrenic.”
“That is correct,” she said. “Based on further evaluation, I believe your symptoms may align more with stress induced episodes rather than a chronic mental illness.”
Toni stood up so fast her chair scraped the floor. “You gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ me.”
Dr. Ellington flinched. “Mrs. Mensah, I understand this is a lot to process.”
“A lot to process,” Toni repeated, her voice sharp now. “You told my husband he was schizophrenic. You put him on medication. You had us reorganize our whole life around this diagnosis, and now you just say oops my bad?”
I stayed seated, my heart poundin’ but my thoughts movin’ quick in a way that felt clear. “So I can stop takin’ the meds.”
Dr. Ellington hesitated just for a second.
“We can discuss tapering off,” she said carefully.
I laughed, a short sharp sound. “Nah. If I ain’t schizophrenic, I don’t need that shit. That’s what you sayin’, right.”
Toni turned to look at me. “Kay’Lo, slow down.”
“No,” I said, standin’ up now. “This whole time you had me thinkin’ somethin’ was wrong with me. You had my wife scared. You had me second guessin’ my own mind, and now you tellin’ me I’m good?”
Dr. Ellington nodded again, her face tight like she was embarrassed or some shit. “Again, I apologize.”
Toni shook her head. “This don’t even make sense. He was doin’ better, like really doin’ better. That ain’t come from nowhere.”
I looked at her. “So what you sayin’. You want me to be crazy.”
Her eyes flashed. “Don’t do that shit, Kay’Lo!”
“You the one actin’ like you don’t believe her.”
“Because I don’t,” Toni snapped. “Somethin’ about this shit feel off.”
Dr. Ellington stood up, clearly ready for the session to be over. “I understand your concern, but my professional opinion has changed.”
I stood up and clapped my hands together. “Say less.”
Toni looked at me like she wanted to knock a nigga out right here, but she followed me out instead.
The car ride home was quiet at first, but then I broke it. “She said I ain’t schizophrenic. That’s supposed to be good news, Toni.”
