For new readers, apologies for the "Jourdin". That was Janet's name at first . I thought I got it right but reading through some of the chapters, I didn't LMAO. But, just bare with me.
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Speeding down the rode, Lesane's mind was flooded with the worst but he didn't wanna think the worst. The closer he got to the hospital, the more his worries escalated.
When he finally got there, he prayed as he got out. Praying that Aaliyah was okay and it wouldn't be critical or deadly. He ran through the hospital doors looking for O'Shea and his mother. Immediately spotting them, he made his way over.
"Wassup? What they say?" He looked at them both trying to read their facial expressions.
"It's not looking to good. It hit on of her blood vessels..you know how that goes. All we can really do is pray." Afeni simply told him, "That praying shit don't work, Ma." O'Shea flopped into his chair.
"Here your ass go being negative and shit." Lesane sat down in the chair opposite from his Mother.
"I ain't being fucking negative. I'm telling the damn truth. Praying and shit don't work. If praying worked, I would've never got locked up." O'Shea shrugged. Afeni and Lesane tuned out the young mans negativity.
They sat there, anxious for a doctor to come out and say she was going to make it but still no luck.
"I got to much shit to do." O'Shea stood up and walked off. Lesane just simply shook his head and looked at his mother. He noticed the hippy woman he knew, wasn't as hippy. She was down and he understood why. He got up and went to sit beside her.
"She gonna make it Ma. I know." He rubbed her back and she nodded, "I know. I know she will because I birthed her." She said and laughed back the tears the pooled her eyes. Lesane didn't wanna see his mother breakdown.
"Times like this make me wanna move back to Harlem." She rubbed her stressed temples as she spoke, "Harlem? That ain't no better." Lesane scoffed at his mother.
"At least I know my children weren't getting shot from left to right. My damn Babygirl back there fighting for her life, O'Shea almost died and you....you just out there." She said making him laugh, "No, this because of you. Because you trying to get away from Malone and she catching up to you and I warned you." She pointed her finger at him. Lesane shook his head.
"Aight, let's not play 'Turn everything on Lesane'." He defended himself, "Boy shut up. That reminds me, where the hell you been at?" He asked. Lesane smiled at her.
"You was with that girl. What's her name again?" She snapped her fingers trying to find Janet's name in her head, "Janet, Ma. I was with her." He spoke. He didn't wanna speak anymore. His mind was all over the place.
"I know her name, Lesane. You know I'm old. Can't keep up with the girls y'all mess with." She joked.
"I know you ain't talking." Lesane joked. Afeni hit his arm as he laughed.
"We got 3 different dads. Can't keep up with your ass either." He adjusted in his chair and shut his eyes for a second.
"You need to bring her around here sometimes. I was having that cook-out but they were shooting over there..I didn't want the kids to be out there playing and they having a 4th of July on a July 14th." She spoke. Lesane couldn't help but chuckle at his mother's jokes.
"I'm scared to bring her around here with y'all." Lesane rubbed his neck already mowing what his mother was gonna say.
"What do you mean by that? We crazy but we ain't THAT crazy." She emphasized, "What? Her family better? I know her mother ain't no better than me." She spoke looking for an answer.
"Nah, it's not that. She shy, Ma. Whenever I'm ready to bring her, I will." He answer. Afeni rolled her eyes, "Mhm. Janet....Janet...." She said over and over again trying to figure out who she was and if she knew her personally.
"Janet? Janet Jackson? Dunk! Her momma is Katherine, ain't it?" She spoke as soon as it hit her brain. Lesane nodded.
"Ohhh! Why you just ain't say that, Boy?" She laughed, "You know her?" He asked, "Yeah I know her sweet self. I remember when her momma was pregnant with her. She used to work at the canteen in the hospital I used to work at. She was a sweet lady. Used to give me rides home occasionally...Her husband is the devil in disguise. Whew, he used to mess her up. She would come to work with black eye's, swollen cheeks...just because she didn't wanna be in his shady business. They came from dirt now they living in that big ole' house in bel-air...they still married?" She asked and Lesane nodded.
He adjusted himself to hear whatever his mother know about her.
"Hm..she said she was gonna leave him but I guess not. Janet always been sweet. I took care of her while you and O'Shea were in Brooklyn with your fathers. That's why she's new to you but not to me. I remember when she got pregnant with her Babygirl and when she was with that boy you used to hang around with. After she had her, she moved from down the street. Haven't heard from her since." She spoke. Lesane nodded.
"It's a small world." Lesane said making his mother chuckle, "Very small. Whenever you get ready to bring her around, I can't wait to see her." Afeni smiled.
"And y'all can give me some grand babies." She said making Lesane burst into laughter, "Aight ma." He shook his head.
They spoke a little bit more before the doctor approached them.
"Are you guys here for Aaliyah?" He asked and they nodded, "You two can go back and see her." He gave them the OK and walked away. They both got up and walked to the room.
Aaliyah was sitting in her hospital bed looking almost lifeless. The beeping filled the silent room as they sat down and just stared at her.
"She don't look so bad." Lesane spoke. Afeni didn't say anything. She couldn't. It was hitting her that she could've lost her Babygirl in the worst way.
Lesane stood up and joined his mother on the couch to console her.
"She made it, ma. That's all that matters." He spoke, "I know."
Lesane held his mother for a long period of time until she slept there. Now the room was just silent with that reoccurring beep.
He moved Afeni over and sat there and took the moment as a thinking moment. How was he gonna stop all of this? Was it ever gonna stop?
