“I’ll drop you off at your car before I go to the hospital,” Noble told her.
“No, I need to get to Cali, so I’ll go to the hospital with you.”
Noble didn’t respond as they walked to his car. Getting inside, he quickly pulled away while Irish’s thoughts ran rampant. Going inside her purse, she noticed she had two missed calls from Jovanis. He was likely trying to alert her of the news.
“Do you know what kind of accident it was?”
“A car accident.”
“My God,” she whispered before saying a quick prayer.
With Noble’s lead foot, they were able to arrive within fifteen minutes. When he parked in front of the emergency room, Noble turned to her. “You go in first. I don’t wanna cause no smoke if people see us walk in together.”
Agreeing, she nodded and got out the car. Irish took a deep breath, hoping that Rio was okay before walking inside the hospital.
Cali felt like she was on a stage with a spotlight on her. Everyone peered at her, anticipating what she would say next, but she was lost. Only because her husband laid lifeless in a hospital bed with a machine breathing for him. Cali was informed by the police that Rio’s car flipped a total of four times before it landed in a ditch. He was so badly injured that he didn’t resemble the handsome man she’d married. He’d suffered many fractures including one in his neck.
Rio, why did you do this to me?
The tears had been running like a leaky faucet. She cried not only for his condition but the plans she had set for the night. Cali was going to ruin him, but life had other plans for her. She wondered what would’ve been worse for Rio. Her request for a divorce or this? It would’ve been this scenario. Seeing him unconscious with so many tubes coming from his body had to be agonizing for Rio because it was for Cali.
“Did you call Rio’s family?” her mother, Cecilia, asked.
Cali blinked out of her daze, focusing on her. “Huh?”
“Did you call Rio’s mother?”
Cali shook her head. She had been so engrossed in Rio’s condition that she hadn’t reached out yet. She planned to, but she didn’t know what to tell them. They would wonder if he was okay, and Cali hadn’t had any answers up until ten minutes ago.
“It’s okay, I can do it,” Bria offered.
Thank God for her family because Cali wasn’t certain how she would be holding up. Enya, Bria, and her parents had arrived right away. Jovanis, Slime, Cee, and some of the members of TLM had made their way to be by Rio’s side. Every part of her being wanted to scream out in agony but she had to possess some restraint. She was Rio’s wife and was expected to hold it all together.
Her father, Douglas, pulled her in for a much-needed hug. “Everything is going to work out, baby girl,” he assured.
Normally, Cali would believe her father but seeing Rio’s condition made her faith waver.
Abruptly, she pulled back from his embrace and went to the hallway, hoping she could inhale a complete breath. Ever since she arrived at the hospital, she felt as if someone had a tight grip on both of her lungs.
“Cali!”
Looking to her right, she noticed Irish jogging down the hallway. Immediately, she met her, and they embraced. The tears resumed their stream down Cali’s cheeks. She was so hurt and angry with herself, but Irish’s hug did subtly soothe her guilt.
Irish drew back, gripping her face. “What happened?”
Shrugging, Cali sniffled. “I don’t know but he got into a really bad car accident. He’s on life support, Irish.” She whimpered at the thought of it. “What am I going to do?”
“First thing first, you’re going to pray.” Irish looked her square in the eyes. “That’s all we can do at this point but just know that I’m here for you.”
Cali shook her head. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. The doctors are trying to ask me if I want to keep him on lifesupport or take him off. I haven’t even spoken to his family yet. I’m just so confused.”
“Listen, I know this situation is really bad, but we’ll get through this together, okay?”
Seconds later, Cali looked past Irish to see Noble walking in. He was calm with his hands inside his slacks. When he approached them, Cali wiped her face with the pads of her fingers.
“How is he?”
Sniffling, she confirmed, “Not good. He’s on life support.”
