Family Lies 2

Because of You

Tré

"Dottie Edwards room, please?" I asked the lady at the desk as soon as Nic, Jam & I rushed into the hospital toting all our bags. "I'm sorry love, Miss Edwards is in Psych ICU, she isn't allowed any visitors at the moment."

"Bitch I'm her daughter, I'm here to give blood. Y'all said she needed blood. Where she at? I ain't fly all the way out here just for yo ugly yellow ass to give me the run around! You better find me somebody else to talk to before I tell everybody in this bitch you broke HIPPA while I mop the floor witcho a—,"

"Tré?!" A familiar voice cut me off and I looked over to see True standing there looking like he had seen a ghost. I ran over hugging him so tight. "Yo, where the fuck you been?"

"Our flight was delayed because of a storm. Is she okay? Was they able to find another donor?" I asked as we began walking towards the elevators.

"I gave as much as I could already. But she—,"

"But she what?!" I asked, stopping and grabbing my brothers arm to stop him too.

"She need more. She lost a lot of blood Tré," True said with a shake of the head as he pressed the elevator button. "Look... I just need to put my eyes on her." I tapped my foot nervously. "She ain't gone be the same Tré."

"Whatchu mean?"

"Mama ain't been good in a long time."

"She sick?"

"Physically? No."

"So what you saying?"

"Her mental fucked up. Her doctor got her on hella meds. And keep it a bean half the time she refuse to take that shit."

"And why didn't nobody tell me this?!" I snapped. True looked at me like he could have slapped me.

"Well first of all don't act like you don't hang up the phone every time somebody says her name. And secondly she didn't want us to."

"Why wouldn't she want you to tell me that?"

"She said you'd already been through enough bullshit. She ain't wanna give you no more to deal with. And we respected that."

"Still keepin' secrets from Tré... I guess don't shit change in LA," I mumbled as Jam took my hand in hers. I looked down into her face. "Are you okay, Ma?"

"Stop callin' me that!" I snapped and Jam snatched her hand away from me. "Damn Tré," Nicci said with an attitude as she pulled Jam close. "Wait, Jam, I'm sorry I—," I stopped speaking as she stepped behind Nicci's leg with tears running down her face. Just then the elevator dinged and True stepped out, holding it open. I looked back at Jam, "I'm sorry Jam. Come on," I held out my hand which she refused to take.

Nic shook her head. "I got her. Just go."

I took the deepest breath I could take before following my brother off the elevator. We spotted Aunt Donna and Kash way down the hallway. Aunt Donna ran to hug me and started crying into the crook of my neck. I ain't never seen nobody but me cry that hard. I almost couldn't believe the strongest person I knew had just broke down like this.

"Thank you baby," she cried before kissing my cheek over and over again. "Excuse me nurse!" She turned, holding onto my shoulder like she was afraid I'd run away or something.

"This is the young lady we been waiting for. She's ready to donate blood."

"I wanna see her," I interrupted the nurse before she even started to speak. Aunt Donna shook her head.

"She'll be there when you get back, baby. Gone now, we already been waiting too long. Gone." She patted me forward and I followed the nurse.