Playboi's Bunny

47. Sahara

January 24, 2022

"I can not breathe in this hospital, bae." Zayne mumbles, gripping my hand tighter as we wait for our three coffees Cookie ordered once Zayne calmed down enough.

The cafeteria is big with even bigger windows showing the world wake up while time seems to stand still inside this hospital. We're seated off to the side and out of the way so I'm confident Cookie can't hear us from the Starbucks stand.

"Do you want to leave?"

"Iono but this is a lot. It's like I'm here now and I'm back in Colorado with Ari when she died. I can't be in this hospital right now. I need a fuckin' drink."

Zayne puts her head in her hands and sighs.

I wish I could put her heart back together and give her nothing but happiness.

Cookie sets our coffee cups on the table and sits down next to Zayne. Playboi does look a lot like his mom with deep brown skin and almond shaped eyes. She reaches into her purse and then pours from a large metal flask into her cup.

I smile and shake my head when she tilts it into Zayne's cup next.

"Oouu, now you speakin' my language." Zayne smiles for the first time today as Cookie tilts a metal flask into Zayne's coffee cup.

I know Zayne has a drinking problem. Anybody that's spent more than a few days with her can see that.

"So, one of y'all gonna tell me what happened to my nephew?"

I sigh and ran a hand down my face. I knew she wanted to talk about that but I thought she would at least wait until we weren't at the hospital.

I'm prepared to tell her exactly what happened but Zayne does it before I can get out of my head. Knowing I'm the reason Melody is an orphan now kept me up all night last night. I smoked, sipped and probably would have done a line or two if I had it on me, just to clear my head and numb my feelings.

I feel so guilty.

"I hate to say it but I knew what type of life he was living. Even before you guys got here, he was walking a thin line. I just turned my head the other way, prayin' it would work itself out." Cookie takes a deep breath and stares out the window. "I guess it did work itself out. I thank God you two were there with Angelo and you happened to have a gun on you." Cookie directs the conversation towards me and then takes a sip from the flask.

"I always got it on me."

Zayne bites her lip and then smiles at me.

"Well...I'm just happy my son is safe, then. When he wakes up, I want to take him home. You guys are welcome to stay in his room with him. But I think it would be good for him to be around family, too."

"Oh, I smoke too much to be stayin' at somebody mama's crib. No disrespect to you." Zayne says and then puts her attention on the city outside.

New Orleans is breathtaking.

"Well at least you're honest." Cookie laughs and shakes her head. "Y'all are family now though. Which means the house is always open."