Dangerously In Love

5.

Fatima and Madam walked down the hallway of Grady Hospital, their footsteps echoing softly in the sterile environment. Madam, by her side, spoke up. "We're here to see Antonio Brown," she stated firmly to the woman behind the computer.

"And who are you to the patient?" the nurse asked, glancing up.

"He's our brother," Fatima replied. The nurse nodded, her voice steady as she provided the room number and directions, pointing them down the hall.

"Ready?" Madam asked, glancing back at Fatima as she placed her hand on the doorknob.

"Did you really have to ask me that?" Fatima shot back with a hint of sarcasm before Madam shrugged and opened the door.

Inside, Antonio lay unconscious, hooked up to various monitors. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor contrasted with the soft snores escaping his lips. Fatima couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Look at his ass... fucking pitiful," she muttered as they approached his bedside.

Madam reached out to wake him, but Fatima interjected, "Oh, let me." With a mischievous grin, she smacked him, causing his head to jerk to the side. The heart monitor beeped rapidly as Antonio jolted awake, his eyes wide with shock.

"Rise and shine," Madam smirked, clearly amused.

Antonio's eyes darted around as he gasped for breath, and Fatima playfully pinched the oxygen tube, blocking the flow. "Now I'm only gonna ask you this once, and you better pray you give me the answer I'm looking for..." She paused, letting her words sink in. "Where the fuck is my money?"

"I-it's in t-the uh s-safe at my house..." he stammered, struggling for air.

"Abubu shesheshe." She mocked him. "What the hell is it doing there and not in my possession?" Madam scoffed, eliciting a chuckle from Fatima.

"It's one thing I hate, and that's a motherfucker trying to play me like I'm stupid." Fatima released the tube, allowing him to breathe again. He coughed violently before continuing, "I'm not playing games, I swear. After I made the drop, I passed out. Before I came to the hospital, I had my wife take it back home because I knew if I sent her to you, you'd kill her. Everything is there, I promise."

Madam exchanged a glance with Fatima, who nodded reassuringly. "Okay..." Madam began, adjusting her blazer. "I'm going to check out your little story, and if it doesn't check out, I won't be back. But you know how this goes."

As they left his room and stepped into the elevator, Fatima exhaled deeply. "It's been a long time since I've done one of these. I almost felt Big Tima slipping through the cracks," she admitted, referring to her old, more ruthless persona.

"Oh, how I used to love working with Big Tima... I think it might be time for her to make an appearance again," Madam replied, side-eyeing her cousin.

"Umm, how about we not talk about that? That bitch is right where she belongs." Fatima rolled her eyes as the elevator doors opened at ground level.

"Even though you brought it up first, whatever," Madam mumbled, stepping off the elevator behind Fatima.

"Anyways, do you need me to—Zac?" Fatima's voice trailed off as she spotted him pacing outside the emergency room, his hands folded on top of his head. He looked up, quickly wiping his face, but not before Fatima noticed the remnants of tears.