Page 211 of Own It

“Maybe so. No point in waiting for the neurologist to decide that.” I shrugged, heart thundering in my chest.

“Good thinking, baby.” He kissed me. “I need you to calm down.” He hugged me tightly, and like usual, I melted into his embrace, inhaling his cologne and basking in the feel of his strong body.

“What’s going on?” LaMia’s shrill voice broke up our moment as she stood at the threshold of the backyard.

“Talid,” I answered since Rakim had started walking toward the front, tugging me along.

“Is he okay?” she asked.

“Hope so.”

We all filed into our respective cars and made our way to Torrance where the hospital was. Josias had informed the EMTs where Talid’s doctor was located.

Rakim and I arrived about ten minutes after Talid, and by that time, he’d already been wheeled to the back. I wanted to get an ETA on my father but decided against it. He did this for a living and didn’t need to be monitored—hopefully.

Once Dr. Yarrow, the neurologist, informed Shardaya that Talid was going into surgery, we all sort of took a breather and sat down in the waiting room.

“Last time I was here, I lost my fucking brother,” Rakim stated lowly, head dropping against my shoulder as I sat in his lap.

“Think positively. You trusted my father before; keep doing so.”

“Even though the nigga hate me now?” Rakim picked his head up to look into my eyes.

“Yes, and I don’t think he hates you. If he does, he shouldn’t.”

It seemingly took forever in that cold ass, sterile place for us to hear anything, but I kept busy, consoling everyone, mainly an inconsolable Shardaya.

She was sobbing nonstop, whispering several prayers to God not to take her husband, and the sight was heartbreaking. I knew she loved Talid as much as I loved Rakim, if not more due to their history, though I couldn’t fathom it. And the mere thought of me on the brink of losing Rakim on several occasions had me feeling sick, so I could only imagine how she felt.

Finally, my dad emerged, and I had to keep my composure as everyone shot to their feet, Shardaya in the front but being held lovingly by Josias.

“You all can relax. Mr. Miles did well in surgery. Seems a small tumor did grow back, and that was the cause of his seizure. We were able to cut it out, and he did amazingly on the table. He is still under, so give him some time to come out from the anesthesia⁠—”

“Thank you so much, Dr. Conrad.” Shardaya whimpered, hugging him tightly, and I could tell it caught my typically iron-hearted father off guard.

“Of course.” He bobbed his head curtly once she pulled back, wiping her nose with her sleeve. “You can go back and maybe one other person. When he awakes, more visitors will be welcome.”

“You go ahead,” Rakim told Josias who looked at him to go.

“Damn. Aight.” Ayan half joked then went to sit down and wait his turn.

“Aye, Dr. Conrad, let me holla at you right quick,” Rakim said.

“Naomi, direct Mrs. Miles to Talid Miles’ room please.” My dad instructed his nurse before stepping off, Rakim mimicking his movements.

I was in earshot, so I stayed put, not wanting to make it obvious I was eavesdropping.

“First off, thank you for saving my cousin, again,” Rakim began, but my father remained silent, staring up into my man’s face. That annoyed me, but I kept quiet. Unbothered by the lack of response, Rakim continued, “I hope⁠—”

“Mr. Godfrey, it is unlikely that we will ever get along after what you did.” My dad interjected.

Rakim nodded, then replied, “Look, I get it. If I were you, I’d feel some type of way, too, but I had to do what the fuck I had to do to save my family. I’m gon’ own that. Real shit. I hate losing people, and it seems like that’s the soundtrack to my fucking life as of late,” he explained, and I noticed the small relaxation of my dad’s tightened and angry features. “While I may have gone about the shit wrong, I don’t regret it because had I not, be real, you wouldn’t have done ya fucking job, and I wouldn’t have met the love of my life. To go on vacation when someone’s life is in the balance is some wild shit. Whether you can admit it or not don’t make the shit any less true, Doc. We trust y’all to do right by us and our fucking lives. I hope we can move past this and agree that we both did foul shit—you more so than me—because Daylin and I are for life. That’s gon’ be my wife and the mother of my kids. If not, you gon’ miss out on a lot of great shit coming to her and great shit that she’s gon’ do. I know you don’t want that.”

My dad was still quiet, but his face fully returned to its original place, the anger and annoyance vanishing.

“I do hate what you did, Mr. Godfrey, but I think a lot of that hate stems from you pulling my card, young man. Your actions helped remind me why I even wanted to become a neurosurgeon. I think after doing this for so long, . . . you start to forget. I know I haven’t been the best father to Daylin, I’m sure she explained this, but I do love her, and her being in danger really put into perspective how lackluster of a father I’ve been.”

“I love you too, Dad.” I had to speak up, making both men look my way.