Kody stood back up, and Jamie smiled at Freedom. “No. You haven’t made me feel like that. Guess, trying to understand all of this and wishing you two could still be friends.”
The two men stared at each other again, unable and probably unwilling to respond.
“And I’m trying to understand why none of you don’t seem bothered about those two boys, because if I find out who they are, someone is going to have to pull me off them.” I perched on the side of the bed. “Freedom and I missed the story.”
He shrugged. “They were ragging on me because they never see me with anyone. Trying to say I was a weirdo, a psycho, that I needed to kill myself already. Thought they could bully me because I refused to respond. One pushed me from the back, and I swung and connected with his jaw, and then hit him again. The other one jumped in because he could tell I was about to win the fight.”
“Those boys are going to be suspended, right?” My hands balled into fists. “Peace, do you know who they are? I need their names.”
He seemed amused. “They’re already suspended for a week, and I have some choice words when I see them. No one knows Jamie is my nephew yet.”
I jumped up. “This is not funny. We have to do something. This can’t happen again.”
All the men, including my son, looked at me like I had two heads.
“What is wrong with you? They could’ve killed him.”
“They didn’t, Ma. I fought two boys and got the most licks. One pushed me into the locker, and I hit the edge. They won’t mess with me again.”
“Boys fight…sometimes they bully. Jamie handled it, and he’s fine. He wasn’t even unconscious long. They only brought him here to make sure he’s good.” Freedom explained.
“Of course, you don’t think it’s a big deal. This is the kind of shit you did back then. Getting into fights, not caring who was hurt. Kody having to save you from your own mouth and fists,” I hurled.
His brow furrowed deeply, and he huffed, “Kody ain’t have to do shit for me.”
Kody snorted. “Talk about delusional.”
In a flash, Peace was out of his chair beside his brother. “You better shut the hell up now if you know what’s good for you.”
“What’s going on? I could hear you down the hall.” My father’s booming voice entered the room before his body. He walked in and stopped when he locked eyes with Freedom. “Why are you here?”
“To see my son.”
My father’s head snapped toward Kody and me. “You told him?”
I moved closer to my father. “I thoughtyoutold him when Jamie was a baby.”
He stared at me unblinking, though I saw the slight clenching of his jaw. “Told him not to come around anymore.”
“Grandad?” Jamie’s unsure voice broke the tension thick as ice.
Freedom quickly bent to kiss Jamie’s forehead. “You can stay with me over the weekend. I need to go.”
“Over the weekend?” My father bellowed. “What’s going on?”
“Your grandson is recovering. Not the time.” Freedom insisted as he beckoned Peace to leave with him.
“Dad, we can talk about it later,” Kody added.
Freedom stopped in disbelief. “Dad? You call him ‘Dad’?” He looked Kody up and down with disgust and stormed out of the room.
Peace fist bumped a saddened Jamie. “You did good today. Call me later, okay?”
He nodded slowly. Tears that I thought he would have when I first walked in the room now fell. Jamie had been stronger than I thought he would be, and his family just let him down in a big way.
“Give me a sec, I need to check on your dad and uncle,” I told Jamie, purposefully letting my father know that they are family now and that I still cared about them.
My dad grabbed my arm when I passed him. “Your husband is right here.”
