YOU & I - LaMelo Ball

44

MARIAH
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I look at the ring as it glistens on my finger as we're on the way to the hospital.

I'm sure Melo isn't really in the mood to talk right now, so I don't wanna push him to talk if he doesn't want to.

The whole drive we sit in silence and when we get to the hospital and find a parking spot, Melo turns the car off and breaks down.

"Not my pops man." His voice cracks as he rests his head on the steering wheel.

I reach over and rub his back. "I know Dip, I know. The only thing we can do is pray that he's gonna be okay."

I look at Melo, and it hurts my heart to see him this way. I know he bottles up his feelings and there's things he doesn't talk about.

And when it all just comes out is when he loses it.

He bangs his hand on the dashboard repeatedly, making me recoil my hand away from his back.

"Fuck!" He yells, his shoulders shaking and tears running down his face.

I take the keys out of the ignition and open my door. "C'mon, we're going inside."

I walk around the front of the car and open his door, waiting for him to get out of the car.

He sighs and grabs his phone and wallet before he gets out of the car, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Please control your temper once we get in here, Dip. Be strong for your mom, your brothers, and grandparents. You all need each other right now."

I intertwine our hands together and we walk through the lobby.

We walk to the front desk and the nurse behind it looks up at us from her book.

"How may I help you today?" She smiles.

"Uh we're here to see LaVar Ball. I'm his son, LaMelo Ball, and this is my fiancé." Melo taps his fingers on the counter.

Fiancé. I'm his fiancé. It feels so unreal to say.

The nurse starts typing something on her computer before she looks back at us.

"He's in room 366, on the third floor. After that, you turn right and keep going straight." She smiles and we thank her before we walk to the elevators.

The elevator ride is silent.

Melo's staring out of the glass window for the short amount of time, and I'm staring at him.

Once we step out of the elevator we go the same way the nurse told us to, and we end up finding Mr. LaVar's hospital room.

"Oh Melo." Ms. Tina gets up from her chair beside Mr. LaVar's bed and hugs Melo.

"Hey ma, we came as fast as we could." He rubs her back before pulling away.

Ms. Tina hugs me next, and I did my best to give her a comforting hug.

I go sit beside Ally and Zo and let Melo have his time to be with his parents.

"Hey." Ally puts her head on my shoulder and Zo gets up to hug me.