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"This lady better not be sleep." I mumbled to myself as I pulled up to my mother's house. She had left not even twenty minutes ago and was already ignoring my calls and texts. I don't play that.
Her car was in the driveway so I parked behind hers and marched up to the house, ready to respectfully go off. I went to knock but noticed droplets of blood on the front porch. I grabbed the knob quickly, realizing that it was unlocked and rushing in.
"Mama!! Mama where are you?!" I called out as I ran up the stairs, following the blood trail.
The biggest puddle was at her bedroom door, causing me to look up and see her, lying in the middle of her bed half naked and bleeding.
"Oh my gosh Mama!!" I said rushing over to her. She was crying uncontrollably and it was making me anxious.
"Shit, Mommy you gotta calm down. What happened?!" I asked frantically as she cried into my lap.
I pulled out my phone and called Taraji as quickly as I could, hearing her answer on the third ring.
"Hello?" She asked groggily.
"Rah! Mommy needs help, I don't know what happened but I got here and she's bleeding and half naked and I don't know what to do! I don't know how to calm her down.
"Who was there last Zion?" She asked, her voice more clear as I heard her shuffling around.
"I don't know. Her car is the only one here besides mine." I said shakily as I continued to console my mother.
"Grab her phone and check." She said, a door slamming shortly after.
"I think it's downstairs, she won't calm down Rah what do I do?!" I asked as my mom started dry heaving.
"Lay her flat on her back and blow on her face." She said making me pause.
"Huh?"
"Lay her flat on her back and blow in her face, I've done it before and it calmed her down. She needs to blow back on you to get her breathing under control. Do that for me okay? I'm on my way." She said making me take a deep breath.
I turned my Ma so she was in my lap and looking up at me. I set the phone down next to me, putting it on speaker before doing what Taraji said to.
"Blow back on me Mommy. I need you to calm down." I begged before blowing on her face again.
She hiccuped before trying to blow back on me but was cut off by her own sob.
"Come on Ma you can do it." I coached lightly as I blew on her again. She blew back, better this time but still crying.
We kept this up until she was breathing better and Taraji stormed in with Mommy's phone in her hand.
"Oh my baby, did he do this to you?!" Taraji asked as she scooped my mother off of my lap, placing her into hers.
Seeing my mom cling to Taraji broke my heart. I saw her nod lightly and a fire ignited behind Taraji's eyes.
"Zion, I need you to pack some things for your siblings and go to my house okay? There's a room for each of you already." She said cooly, but in a tone that kind of scared me.
"Should I go get them?" I asked standing up.
"No. I called your grandmother and she's already on the way to get them. She doesn't know anything so don't say anything. I gotta take her to the hospital." She said making me nod.
"Was it Kendall?" I asked making both of them freeze.
"Don't worry about that Zi."
"But he, nevermind." I said immediately shaking my head, my stance changing and catching Rah's attention.
"He what Zi?" She asked sternly making me look at her. I stared at her then my mom then back at her, hoping she would get what I was trying to say.
"When?"
"Three summers ago, when I came to visit." I said making her jaw clench.
"First time?" I shook my head sadly.
"No ma'am. Happened before I left for college too." I said adverting my gaze from hers.
"Don't worry about him anymore. He'll be gone by tomorrow. Now get some stuff for the kids and go to my house. We'll talk more in depth later." She said standing up with my mom still in her arms.
I nodded and headed out to Dallas's room, grabbing some quick things for him before doing the same for Kezzy. Once I had everything I headed downstairs and to my car.
Taraji was putting my Mom in the car, speaking to her softly as she tried to console her. I looked away, guilt gnawing at my heart as I put the bags in my backseat and closed the door.
"Straight to my house Zi. Here, lock both locks when you get in the house and make sure every other entrance and exit is locked too okay?" Taraji said as she handed me her house keys.
"Yes ma'am. Text me when you get there?" I asked making her nod before giving me a tight hug.
"Did you ever tell her?" She asked lowly making me shake my head.
"I didn't want to be the reason another one of her relationships failed. I thought I would be okay if I just stayed away." I said softly making her sigh.
"The relationship failed before he even laid a hand on you Zion, you were not and will never be the reason something fails in her life. You and your siblings are her greatest gift okay? Never feel like anything is your fault, not even this. You spoke up when you were ready to, and even now I don't think you were all the way ready." She said as she held me tightly.
"Now go, share your location with me and I'll do the same okay? I'll let you know everything the doctor's say and when we're on our way back." She said as she let me go, smoothing my hair down as I nodded.
"Okay. See you soon." I said as I backed away and opened my car door. I looked back at my mother, whose eyes were glued to her lap as she cried silently, Taraji getting in the car and grabbing her hand to calm her.
"I'm sorry Mommy. I wish I said something sooner." I said lowly as I got in my car, venturing to Taraji's house.
