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Roc turned to Coco with a look that should have frightened her but she stood her ground.
Roc threw up his hands and turned from Coco and the men.
“Gizmo, Big Al, stand down and give us a minute please,” Coco spoke to the two guys. They both nodded then turned to leave.
“Roc,” I spoke up, “We are all hurting, anxious, worried, and scared.”
“Somebody shot my brother, Vee, in broad ass daylight. I can’t just stand around and do nothing!” Roc pleaded. “If these niggas done took my brother from me, this whole muthafuckin’ city will burn! On my word!” he finished while roughly wiping the tears from his face. “This is bullshit!” Roc yelled.
“I know baby, I got you. I promise,” Coco consoled while wrapping him up in a hug.
My mother rushed into the room followed closely by my father. They both walked to me and hugged me at the same time.
“Have the doctors said anything?” My father asked.
“No,” I shook my head, “They haven’t said anything yet.”
“Are you okay?” my mother asked.
“No,” I answered honestly. “I’m scared.”
“I know,” my mother said while hugging me again. “Where is Vivian?”
I motioned to the side of the room where Vivian sat.
My mother went over to Vivian and held onto her while they both cried. My father led me back to the seats near Keeva.
“What do you think that means, Daddy? Why haven’t we heard anything yet?”
“I don’t know sweetheart.”
My mother came over and sat next to me. I sat silently holding both my parents’ hands.
The room had quieted, and the only noise was from the television. The story of El’s shooting was on the news cycle. There was a reporter outside the courthouse standing in front of the crime scene tape that was stretched around the perimeter of the courthouse. There was also a reporter outside Ankh Towers where the Valentine Law Office was located, reporting on the shooting as well.
One reporter interviewed the police chief who vowed to find the gunman. The reporters interviewed eyewitness who really didn’t see anything because their stories were generic and unintelligible. Reporters always seemed to find that one person in the crowd with the least amount of sense and couth. I’d watched these types of interviews for years and never thought about how irritating it must be to see people using a tragedy to get fifteen seconds of fame.
An ambulance chaser was interviewed who explained the perils of being an attorney. All garbage.
“Can someone turn this crap off?” Roc pointed to the tv.
Countee retrieved the remote from the nurse’s station and turned the television off. Both he and Laila had been on their phones non-stop since we arrived. My phone was vibrating non-stop, but I wasn’t concerned with anything except finding out how Samuel was doing.
“Ms. Valentine?” A doctor in white lab coat wearing seafoam green scrubs said as he stepped into the room. He removed the surgical hat from his head while looking around the room to find Vivian. Vivian shot from her seat and rushed over to the doctor.
“I’m Vivian Valentine.”
“I am Doctor August McIntyre.” He extended his hand. They shook. “I led the team that operated on Mr. Valentine. He is alive…,” Everyone in the room released a deep breath. “Can you follow me to another room? I would like to discuss his condition with you,” Doctor McIntyre asked.
“Yes, of course,” Vivian responded.
“Roc,” Vivian called then grabbed Torrey’s hand. She came to me and extended her other hand. I accepted. I didn’t know if I was ready to hear the news that the doctor was going to deliver but I was so happy that she chose to let me hear it first-hand. “This is Samuel’s brother Princeton, his sister Torrey and his girlfriend, Averie,” Vivian said.
We followed Doctor McIntyre out of the waiting room into a smaller room several doors down the hall.
“Please have a seat,” the doctor motioned to the seats across the table from him.
I chose a seat on one side of Vivian while Torrey sat on the other. Roc decided not to sit. Torrey and I held Vivian’s hands and waited for the doctor to speak.
