When we got to the lab, I still felt somewhat lethargic. I barely remembered leaving the jailhouse. I stumbled a bit when I got out of her car.
“Seven, you okay?”
“Yeah, just a little dizzy.”
“After we do these labs, I’m taking you to the hospital. Somebody drugged you. They done ruined their whole fucking case. I guess they thought I wouldn’t leave Baltimore with the quickness to get here. Incompetent muthafuckas.”
My dad grabbed my arm and helped me inside for them to do what they needed to do. As we waited, I asked, “Anybody talked to Iesha? Royal still have my stuff?”
“I have your wallet and your phone. Iesha knows. She was at the house yesterday evening, waiting to hear from you. We couldn’t find where those muthafuckas had you, so we had to wait for Sidney.”
An old white man was staring at us, and my dad saw him. “Anything you wanna say?” my dad asked him.
“Please have some respect.”
“Respect for who? You the only one in here. I don’t know you personally, and so far, you ain’t gave me nothing to respect. When we walked in, you turned your head the opposite way. You don’t like Black people so stay out of Black ass business. I know exactly who your racist ass is, though. My daddy couldn’t stand you, but I bet you eating Henderson rice though.”
That old man was red as fuck. I thought it was strange that my dad was speaking loudly in this public place. He didn’t give a fuck most times, but he knew how to respect people that deserved it until they gave him a reason not to.
“Wesley Henderson was your father? I don’t have a problem with Black people. I only had a problem with him.”
“Mm-hmm. He took their land back that your family stole from his family.”
He rolled his eyes. “That had nothing to with us.”
“Yeah, the fuck it did. You were still holding on to stolen property and didn’t wanna give it back. He should have shot you between your eyes where he put the barrel of his gun at. Step foot in Nome, and I’ll make it happen.”
“Are you threatening me, Mister Henderson?”
“Mayor Henderson. It’s not a threat. It’s a warning. Yo’ old ass better take heed.”
“Seven Henderson, come on back,” the nurse called out.
That old man frowned. “Ma’am, I was here first.”
“Someone will be with you shortly, sir.”
Both of us stared at him and smirked. He was hot as fish grease. My dad grabbed my arm to be sure to hold me steady.
“I swear, the older I get, the less tolerant I am of bullshit like this. That’s why it’s good to know your history, especially your family history. It could have you canoodling with the enemy. That muthafucka’s name is James Albritton. The Albritton’s left Nome after that bullshit with Daddy. They were pissed that he didn’t get in trouble for what he did. He was friends with the Jeffcoats back then, and because they backed him up, he wasn’t arrested.”
I nodded as I sat in the chair so they could take blood. I probably wouldn’t remember a word he said in the next hour.
“Any changes with PJ?” I asked as she inserted the needle.
“Yeah.”
I tore my gaze away from my arm to look at him. He only gave me a one-word answer.
“He coded. They got him back, and he woke up. He was in so much pain. They gave him some heavy meds though. He’s still in ICU for now.”
My eyebrows lifted. “So he’s awake?”
My dad gave me a slight smile and nodded. “He’s awake, asking for food, you, Mythic, and Ace. The nigga was talking nonstop until Lema told him to shut up and leave something to talk about tomorrow.”
I smiled. God was good. I refused to vocalize my negative thoughts, but I didn’t think he was going to make it. Once she’d gotten my blood drawn, I said, “Take me to the hospital to see PJ.”
“You need to be checked out, Seven,” Mrs. Sidney said.
