“When can we see him?”
“Let’s give him a few hours in recovery, then visitation will be okay. The doctors and I will then let you know when family may come in.”
“Thank you so much. Thank you for saving him!”
Cyn grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly. The Dr. walked away, and everyone standing around went to find a seat among the available chairs. Cyn and I hugged each other because we were both relieved Hawk had survived this shit. I don’t even know why I was scared that he wouldn’t live in the first place. My boy is a survivor, a soldier just like his father. I’d been shot on three separate occasions, and those pussies couldn’t kill me either.
We all sat around the waiting room in silence, reflecting on our day, when I spotted Ari slipping out of the lobby, phone pressed to her ear. I got up and followed her out because I didn’t give a fuck who she was talking to. Now that I knew my son was going to be okay, it was time to address her.
“Hey, Proctor. Good to see you free.”
Tania spoke up as I passed her, sitting with her legs crossed in that little ass dress that showed her entire thigh.
“Appreciate that, sleeping beauty.”
“Why are you calling me Sleeping Beauty, Proctor? Because I fell asleep at your place that night?”
She giggled, biting her finger like she was trying to be cute. It looked like my reference to her being drugged at my house flattered her ass, but it wasn’t intentional. Maybe if I called her Benadryl Betty, she wouldn’t be as honored as she is now.
“No reason at all but excuse me.”
I stepped away from her, already moving toward what had my attention in the first place.
“Yo, Ari, slow down.” She stopped and looked over her shoulder, dropping the phone to her side with a nervous ass look on her face.
“Hey, Proctor, I’m sorry about what happened. I didn’t think they would have done that to Hawk.”
“What are you sorry for? Did you tell them to do that shit?”
I grabbed her wrist and pressed my thumb briefly against her pulse to confirm she was, in fact, as nervous as she looked standing in front of me. Sometimes, making bitches nervous wasn’t a good thing. It brings out lies and dishonesty from them.
“Of course I didn’t, I’m, I’m just saying I know Jojo and he’s always been reckless like that. I always knew his dumb ass would eventually throw his life away over something dumb. He’s been in and out of jail since I’ve known him.”
The name Jojo that she mentioned stuck out in her rambling like a favorite lyric to a song. So that was the name of the nigga who tried to kill my son. Whether in jail or not, he has to die because of that shit—him or somebody close to him. I’m going to show him how to really commit a murder when you committed.
“Listen, I wasn’t stopping you for that. Good information, but that’s not what I wanted.”
“Well, what is it?”
“Who were you on the phone with just now? Checking in on our daughter?”
“Our daughter Proctor? Who said my baby was your daughter?”
“I’m sure DNA can, plus I hear that she looks like me.”
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
“My daughter looks like me.”
“Then I am sure that she is gorgeous as hell.”
“Proctor, that is not going to flatter me. I know I am torn down right now, so your compliments are a little ironic.”
I dropped my gaze to the sandals holding onto her unpolished feet, up her legs, and all the way up to her edges that weren’t laid the way bitches swore they had to be. They curled slightly wild, like she hadn’t cared enough to tame them, but I still couldn’t find a flaw that took away my opinion. Even untouched in her most natural state, Ari is fine.
“Can you answer my question. Was that our daughter or your in laws?”
She exhaled.
