Page 119 of Kissed By The Trillest Thug 3

I wasn’t sure she heard me, and it didn’t even matter. I left the bedroom and closed the door behind me. The apartment was dark and quiet as I crossed the living room. I grabbed my keys from the counter, slipped my feet into my sneakers, and headed out. By the time I reached the parking lot, the night air had cooled off. I unlocked my car but didn’t get in right away. Ghost told me to come alone. I pulled out my phone and opened MJ’s messages. He didn’t know Ghost had called. As far as he knew, I had left the hospital with Maliah hours ago, and that was that. I typed one message.

Meet me outside the hospital in 20 mins.

I hit send, and then I got in my car.

Chapter 24

By the time Aunt Tori showed up with Maylee, Pops had already been down to get his hip checked and was back in Ma’s room acting like everybody had made a big deal out of nothing. Thankfully, nothing was broken. The doctor hadn’t found any new injuries from his fall, and whatever soreness he was feeling wasn’t expected to interfere with the progress he’d already made in physical therapy. He’d been told to take it easy, which was the same thing everybody had been telling him since he came home from rehab.

Of course, Pops was acting like he’d known the results before they even examined him.

“I told y’all my hip was fine,” he said.

Ma adjusted herself against her pillows.

“Malik, you fell on the floor and couldn’t get up.”

“Because my legs don’t work right now, Eternity. That ain’t got shit to do with my hip.”

Pops looked over at me like he expected me to help him out. I shook my head.

“Nah, don’t look at me. I’m with Ma.”

“Of course you are.”

“She just had a whole baby cut out of her, Pops. I ain’t arguing with her.”

Ma smiled.

“Thank you, son.”

He turned his wheelchair slightly toward the television, and I laughed because I knew he wasn’t really mad. The doctor had also told Ma that if she and the baby continued doing well, they could both go home tomorrow. That news had done more for her mood than anything else. She was tired of the hospital, tired of being checked every few hours, and I’m sure ready to get back to her own bed. Pops had already started asking questions about what she’d need help with once they got home. He couldn’t do everything he normally would, but I knew that wasn’t going to stop him from trying.

I was just glad he was getting a chance to worry about regular things again. Maliah and Tahari had left earlier after Pops told them to go get some rest. Maliah wanted to stay, but after being up all night worrying about Ma and the baby, she was barely keeping her eyes open. Tahari had promised to bring her back tomorrow, and that had finally gotten her out the door.

Now, a few hours later, Aunt Tori was standing beside Ma’s bed while Maylee practically bounced on her toes.