ʜᴇʀ ᴀꜱꜱɪꜱᴛᴀɴᴛ | ᴛᴀʀᴀꜱɪᴀ

ꜰᴏʀᴛʏ ᴛᴡᴏ

ꜰᴀɴᴛᴀꜱɪᴀ ʙᴀʀʀɪɴᴏ
ꜱᴇᴘᴛᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 13, 2020
11:42 a.m. | hospital room

"you ready to get outta here, baby?"

laila nodded from the bed, clutching her stuffed bear like it was a shield. her little legs dangled over the edge, too short to reach the floor, socks mismatched but still cute. her curls were wild on one side from the pillow, and her voice still had that sleepy rasp to it but she was smiling again.

"mommy, can i keep the bear?"

"yep. he's officially yours," i said, helping her zip up the hoodie with the unicorn ears.

behind me, i felt taraji's eyes on us. she stood by the doorframe, arms crossed over her chest like always, but the way she looked at laila, soft and still like prayer made my heart catch. even after everything, she loved that little girl more than the world.

"what you think, raj?" i asked, glancing over as i smoothed down laila's hoodie. "should we throw a 'no more needles' party or keep it chill?"

she smirked, "we keep it chill. i'm still running on three hours of sleep and vending machine coffee."

"boring" laila mumbled.

"you four" taraji said, raising an eyebrow. "you fall asleep before the opening credits."

laila blinked, "i can still party."

we all laughed. but under all that easy banter, i was keeping something close to my chest. something for taraji. her birthday came and went two days ago... september 11th and she didn't say a damn word about it. no mention. no hint. just brushed it off like it didn't count because we were too busy worrying over laila's seizure but it counted to me.

she's done too much, sacrificed too much to let a day like that go by unmarked. so i let her think i forgot.
let her think i was too overwhelmed. but... something was waiting. something gentle and personal and laced with everything i felt for her but didn't always know how to say.

once we received laila's discharge papers i scooped her up, her tiny arms wrapping around my neck like instinct. she was light in my arms, warm and familiar.

"can we get pancakes?" she mumbled into my shoulder.

"girl, you just beat the hospital. you can get whatever you want."

i kissed her cheek. taraji was already grabbing the bags and bear, and just like that, we were headed home.

_____

ᴛᴀʀᴀᴊɪ ʜᴇɴꜱᴏɴ
ꜱᴇᴘᴛᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 13, 2020

the engine cut off. fantasia didn't say anything. she just looked over at me and smiled.

i didn't know what was coming, but there was a softness in her eyes that made my chest tighten. laila was half asleep in the backseat, her little fingers tangled in the hem of my jacket. still in her pajamas, still smelling like the hospital, like lemon wipes and graham crackers but she was home and safe.

i sat still for a second, letting the quiet hold me.

then, i turned. "baby girl," i whispered. "we're here."

laila gave a sleepy nod and reached out for fantasia. "can i have juice?"

i laughed under my breath. "she back, alright."

fantasia opened her door, stepped out, and came around to unbuckle laila while i gathered my bag. the evening air had a little bite to it—fall trying to find its footing. i followed them up the walkway, hand brushing fantasia's as she balanced laila on one hip. her warmth found me quick.

inside, the lights were low. the house smelled like fresh linen, vanilla, and something savory. fantasia's doing, no doubt. home had a new rhythm here. one i wasn't used to, but wanted badly to get used to.

"go on and take your time in the shower," fantasia said, setting laila down gently. "both of y'all. relax. i wanna take my girls out for dinner tonight. nothing wild, just a little something."

i looked at her. "you sure? you don't wanna rest?"

she gave me that look.. cool, deliberate, but sweet on the edges. "we're celebrating. laila's home. and you..." she reached out, brushed her fingers across the line of my jaw, "you deserve to be poured into too, baby. just let me handle it."

i didn't argue. didn't ask no more questions. i just nodded and kissed her lips before disappearing down the hall with laila.

the hot water was a balm. laila's giggles echoed off the tile as she played with her duck-shaped sponge. i helped her wash her hair slow, careful not to get shampoo in her eyes. the small things always made me ache in the best way. it gave me something to hold when the rest of life felt like it was slipping.

once we were out and dressed, laila curled up on the couch with her juice and a cartoon. i stood at the mirror, lining my lips, adjusting my earrings. fantasia leaned against the doorway behind me, arms folded, watching.

"you look beautiful" she said softly.

i met her eyes in the glass. "i feel like i haven't had time to look beautiful lately."

"then tonight's the night," she said. "let's go."

she was already dressed. dress hugging her hips like it was custom-made, pixie neat, perfume doing something dangerous to my pulse. i didn't ask her where we were headed. just reached for laila's coat and let myself be led.

the sun had dipped low. the city lights hummed in the distance. fantasia opened the car door for me, then for laila, buckling her in with a mother's touch—efficient, gentle, sure. she glanced at me once before starting the engine.

"you ready?" she asked.

i didn't know what she meant. but i nodded.

"yeah." i smiled. we pulled off into the night unaware of what she had waiting for us.