Consequences

30

Taraji looked up at the hospital sign and took a deep breath. Her heart began to pound as she walked up the stairs. She had promised herself that she wasn't ever going back to that hospital. But now she had a good reason, Sidra.
Taraji got on the elevator. It was the same elevator she used all the time to come see Honey. She touched the seventh floor button and fought back the urge to cry. She quickly pushed the button for the ninth floor. She made it around to Sidra's room. As soon as she opened the door she felt better.
"Hey, you,"
Taraji said as Sidra smiled at her.
"Hey, superstar. You played your ass off, girl."
Sidra smiled at her friend. They had been getting to know each other better. If Taraji ever asked, she planned on saying yes.
"Yeah, it was OK. Would have been better with you out there."
Taraji sat in the chair next to Sidra's bed.
"Sidra, I don't know what to say."
"There's nothing to say besides, a drunk driver ruined my chances of ever playing ball again."
A tear rolled down Sidra's face.
"I may not be able to walk right again."
Tarajis heart was breaking in front of her. She had
always taken her skills for granted, never realizing they
could be gone the next day. Taraji grabbed her hand.
"I guess you're going to have to come home with me, so I can take care of you."
Taraji smiled. Sidra turned red.
"Last thing you need to do is worry about a handicapped chick."
Sidra smiled back.
"Sid, you know it's not like that. I got your back always."
"Well, you won't have to this go-around. Maybe it's just not in the cards for us, T. My mom is coming to get me tomorrow. She's taking me back to Texas, where she moved."
Taraji looked at Sidra's face. She was getting butterflies. She hadn't felt them since she met Fantasia.
"Sidra, it scared the shit out of me when coach told me you were in the hospital."
Sidra's heart to began race.
"It scared me waking up in the hospital,"
Sidra admitted.
"Man, you just never know how things are going to change. It's like there are so many things I wish I would have done before this happened. Some people I wish I would have actually gotten to know. Man, when it happened I thought I was about to die 'cause the person just kept on hitting me over and over. The bad thing is that I thought to myself that if I was about to die I wish I would have apologized to some people, and spent more time with people."
Sidra looked at Taraji.
"You never know what turns your life is going to take." Taraji thought about what Sidra was saying.
"Sid, please don't lose touch with me."
"Of course, not."
Taraji kissed Sidra on her forehead.
"See you around, Superstar."
Sidra smiled as Taraji walked out the room.

Taraji headed out of the hospital, but heard someone calling her name. She turned around to see Nurse Paulette, the nurse who had taken care of her grandmother while she was in the hospital.
"Yeah, Ms. Paulette, how are you doing?"
Taraji said as she hugged the small, older woman.
"I am doing just fine. I see you are doing well too. Caught a piece of that basketball game the other day. Are you going pro?"
"Well, hopefully. There are going to be a few people looking at me during the tournament."
"I am so proud of you. You are such a strong girl. I don't know how I would be able to go to school, play sports, and deal with my mother in the state your mother is in. I just came to tell you that they moved her to the twelfth floor, you know, since she has gotten to the point that she is."
Taraji didn't know what to say. She didn't want Paulette to know that she didn't even know her mother was in the hospital.
"Oh, thank you. Do you know the room number?"
"1218."
Paulette put her arm on Taraji.
"Now, I want to warn you that she has gotten pretty bad this week. I know that you probably don't want to hear this, but you need to start getting preparations ready. There is no way to come back now."
Taraji nodded. She felt a twinge in her stomach realizing that Paulette just told her that her mother was about to die. Taraji hugged Paulette again and headed to the twelfth floor.
As she made it off the elevator her hurt and anger started to set in. She passed by many rooms, all quarantined. Taraji looked at the door, knowing Hazel was on the other side. She went to turn the handle, but stopped. She turned around and walked away.