“No, Eugene was just seeing himself out.” I walked to the end of the bed and waited for him to stand.
“Mani, baby, are you for real?" He asked.
“I’ve already asked you to leave.” She said.
He sucked his teeth and stood. “Whatever.”
He left the room and I paged the nurse.
“Marco, I can explain.” Imani sighed.
“No need.” and I kept my mouth shut until the nurse brought her medicine. I started the shower for her, let the nurse help her inside, put her clothes on the bed, and then I went to sit inside the nearby lobby to cool my temper.
I wanted to clock that fucker upside his head and the only reason I hadn’t was because of Imani. I was fine with her baggage, but I wasn’t okay with her playing in my face. There was something going on there that I couldn’t put my finger on. A reason why Imani seemed to play nice with him.
The question was why?
Was she going to tell me?
Or was it going to be another thing that she kept hidden behind those fucking walls of hers?
I wasn’t ready to face her, so I stayed put. I had real food bought for all the girls and delivered to their rooms. The guard that had come into Imani’s room, came over to me, disturbing my show that I was watching on my phone.
“Sir.” Louis said to get my attention.
“Yeah?”
“She wants to know if you’re coming back to her room.”
“Does she need something? Is she okay?”
“Yeah, I don’t think the doctor has been back. She’s gotten changed and is settled in bed.”
“Then let her know that I’m in the middle of something and when I’m done, I’ll be back there.”
He looked at my phone and opened his mouth, thought better of whatever he was about to say and nodded before walking away.
Yeah, I know it was a dick move. I wasn’t ready. When I was, I’d go back. Until then, I was going to sit right here.
Marco
Two hours later, I'd cooled down enough to function like a rational human being.
I ordered good coffee and comfortable things for Imani to wear once she was discharged. They’d been delivered and Louis had someone bring it up to me. Maybe I could use it as a peace offering. Or an apology for being a dick.
I knocked on her door. "Imani? I'm coming in."
I pushed the door open and stopped dead. Eugene was back. Sitting in the chair beside her bed, leaning close. And Imani looked terrified. Not angry. Not annoyed. Terrified.
"Marco," she said, her voice too high, too tight. "Can you give us a few more minutes? Please?"
Everything in me screamed that something was wrong.
"Imani, are you sure?"
"Please." Her eyes were pleading. Desperate. "Just wait outside. I'll text you when we're done."
Eugene turned to look at me, and the smile on his face made my blood run cold. Smug. Satisfied. Like he'd just won something.
