“So, my brother is going to be okay?” Deasia asked.
“I can’t promise you that, but we are going to wean him little by little off the ventilator machine,” the doctor assured.
Slime and Cee had been there every day, awaiting some kind of sign that Rio would be okay. They too smiled at the news the doctor had given.
“Bro gon’ come out of this shit,” Cee stated with confidence.
“On God,” Slime agreed.
“I’ll have the nurse come in and check his vitals. I’ll be back in a bit.”
The doctor walked out just as Ruthia began her worship session. Every day like clockwork, she thanked God for hours, trying to conjure up His power to save Rio.
“I’m about to go call my cousins and let them know the news,” Deasia announced, grabbing her bag.
Cali nodded and stepped over to where Cee and Slime were.
“You need anything, sis? Rio told us to take care of you if anything happened to him,” Cee told her.
Her brows knitted right away. “He told you that?”
“Yeah,” Slime answered. “He gave us a list of shit to do too with his anal ass.”
Cali cocked her head. “A list like what?”
“Shit, make sure your gas tank was full. Get the grass cut, and send you flowers every week. Small shit.”
Cali was so taken aback by their revelation that her eyes suddenly were foggy. Everything about it made her stomach sour because she hadn’t deserved Rio at all.
“What you crying for?” Slime asked as if she had sprouted two heads. “You that man’s wife. You know he was gon’ make sure you were good.”
“But why would he tell you to do that?” She sniffled. “Was he expecting to die or something?”
“Naw but you know the kinda life a nigga living ain't safe. Shit bound to happen for niggas like us, sis.”
Cali shook her head, finding their confession to be so heartbreaking.
This man really did love me, and I didn’t deserve any of it…
“So, do you need anything?” Cee asked once more.
Shaking her head, she answered, “No, not at the moment. I just want y’all to keep coming here to talk to him. I’m praying that Rio hears us when we’re talking to him. That way he can have something to hold onto.”
Slime touched her shoulder. “We got you, Cali. We about to dip and check up on some shit. We’ll be back later on.”
She nodded and watched them say their goodbyes to Ruthia and Deasia. Cali needed a minute to herself. She had been cooped up inside the hospital room, crying and praying relentlessly.
“I’m going to the cafeteria,” she announced, grabbing her phone.
“Okay,” Ruthia conceded, rubbing his forehead.
Walking out the room, Cali boarded the elevator. On the way down to the cafeteria, she inhaled a deep breath and exhaled slowly. These days had been passing her by so fast that she didn’t realize it was the weekend. Normally, they would be spent with her going to get her hair done and meeting up with Braye. Now,she was confined to a hospital room, inhaling the smell of death while fighting to keep her sanity.
What would she do if Rio didn’t make a full recovery? How would she live with herself knowing she’d planned to end her marriage while Rio was fighting for his life? Cali was wrecked with so much guilt that her heart was hollow. What was once a woman with high self-esteem was a person who could barely live with herself.
The elevator doors opened, and Cali walked toward the cafeteria. Nothing looked appetizing and despite her not having an appetite, she figured soup would suffice. After ordering it, she grabbed a tray and took a seat near the window. As soon as she took the top off her soup, her phone rang.
Cali swallowed hard when she spotted Braye’s name on her screen. He had been blowing her up for the last three weeks. She hadn’t had time to talk to him, considering Rio’s condition. Now that she was alone, she felt he was owed an explanation for her disappearance.
