GUILT

Chapter 12

      Trae risen from the hospital bed that hindered him for almost a week. He wasn't as strong as he was before but he would gain all that back within a month. The doctors helped him to his crutches to usher him to get dressed for his departure. Somehow he was ready to leave but he wasn't ready, mentally, to enter back into the real world. He hopped on his crutches to the chair that had his clothes laid out for him to wear. In the chair, there were a pair of basketball shorts and a plain white t-shirt. He picked the clothes up and went into the bathroom. 

"Fuck!" He yelled as he moved the wrong way to put on the shorts. Trae was still on medication to ease the pain but he was still hurt. The doctors told him he would be have to be careful during this time of healing. He stared into the mirror and looked down at his arms and legs to see his stitches. Some of which covered the tattoos on his arms. He looked back into the mirror and tears formed into his eyes. The thought of him not working, having to wear a leg brace, using crutches, and losing someone he cared for, took a toll on him. He eventually snapped out of his thoughts and went back into the hospital room and laid back into the bed. The doctors entered back into the room to provide him with some advice and medical documents.

"Mr. Jackson, you are a true solider," the doctor smiled.

"Thank you, it is definitely not easy," Trae said shaking his head.

"Well, you must sure take it easy. In those documents, I provided a list of what you can and cannot do. Along with some instructional guides to help you while you're on crutches and a doctor's schedule with your appointments listed. My staff and I will be available during anytime you need us or have any questions. You may now call your ride to come pick you up from the hospital because we can't let you drive home by yourself." The doctor left out the room and took Trae's name tag off the door.

Trae reached for his cracked phone and called his uncle to come pick him up because he knew he couldn't call Chantelle or Devin, who were probably still upset with him. And he didn't want to call Joi at all. His uncle called and let him know that he was outside. Trae hopped into the truck and placed his crutches in the backseat. The relationship between the two of them were somewhat bland. Trae's uncle didn't really like him as much because he felt that since Trae makes a lot of money, that he can't support his dad's side of the family. His daddy hasn't really been in his life as much and only comes around if there is money involved. Even though Trae's uncle is his dad's brother, his uncle still wants to keep in touch with the family as a whole.

"Your mama told me what happen with you kinfolk," his uncle said. "That was crazy, females can be a mess can't they?"

"What exactly did she tell you?" Trae said not wanting to talk about the subject.

"That you was dating some crazy girl and she tried to hit you with her car and Cayren saved you and brought you to the hospital."

"Unc, no. That's not what happened. I was dating a girl named Chantelle and Cayren found out. Cayren ended up fighting her then tried to run me over."

"Are you sure? 'Cause that's not what your mama told me." His uncle started looking confused.

"I'm absolutely positive. Y'all listening to my mama going to get all y'all messed up. That woman crazy as fuck," he said angrily.

"Hey now, stop that cussing in my car. And that woman is your mother, you gotta be grateful for her. You only get one. You sound really upset by it kinfolk. Is something else going on?"

"I don't want to talk about it Unc," he said looking out the window.

Trae's uncle drove him to his house and stared at him. "Well, if you need anything I go to work all this week and I get off at two."

Trae grabbed his crutches from the backseat and his medical papers and headed to his front door. He locked the door behind him and began to hop around his house. About an hour later, there was a knock at his front door. He hopped over to the door and it was Joi.

"Hello," she said eagerly. She eased herself past him and sat her purse down on the ottoman next to his sofa.

"Joi, what are you doing here?" Trae sighed.

"Your mom told me that they let you go today and insisted that I come over here and take care of you."

Trae sighed, knowing that he couldn't rid of her. She was very attractive to him but he didn't want to be bothered by her. "Okay, fine. Just have a seat. The kitchen is over there and the bathroom is down the hall to the right. I don't feel like being bothered right now so if that's okay with you, I'd like to just chill on my iPad in peace. Thank you."

Somehow the way he talked to her turned her on. "Okay, just let me know if I can get you anything." Joi sat down on the sofa reading a magazine from the coffee table. She eventually got up and went to the kitchen to pour her a glass of water. "Did you want any water Trae?" She asked while turning on the faucet.

"No thanks, I'm good," he said continuing to scroll on his iPad.

Joi continued to pour the water into the glass and stared at Trae. The way his skin glowed and how his muscles showed through his t-shirt turned her on. She unbuttoned her blouse, exposing part of her bra and breasts, and splashed the water from the glass over them; which caused her shirt to become wet. "Aww man," she said loudly to get his attention.

"What happened?" He looked up.

"I wasted water all over my favorite top," she cried as she walked from behind the counter, holding a bunch of paper towels.

Trae's mouth dropped as he stared at the water glistening over her breasts. "Damn, how you did that?"

"I don't know. Maybe it was your stupid water faucet," she said laughing. "Can you help clean me up?"

Trae's face became puzzled and stared at her breasts again. "You got all them paper towels right there. Why you can't do it?" He said trying to shake the thoughts out of his head.

"Yeah, you're right," she blushed. Joi started wiping over her chest and breasts slowly, trying to tempt Trae into letting him have her. The two came so close to having sex so many times but he wouldn't let it happen because he was dating Cayren. But that didn't seem to matter to Joi.

Joi looked at Trae and smiled because she knew what he was thinking. "I should probably get going since I ruined my shirt. I shouldn't be around you like this."

"Okay, but can you do me a favor first?" Trae asked before she grabbed her purse.

"Anything."

"Can you go upstairs to the door on the left and get my sheets and pillows off the bed and bring them down here? Since this is where I'm probably going to be sleeping for a while."

Joi went upstairs and got the sheets. She tucked them into the sofa cushions to make sure they would stay as he laid there. Then, she left out the door. Trae wondered over and over why Joi tried to force herself to have sex with him so many times. He didn't mind but he knew if he were to, then she would want to end up being with him and he couldn't do it. For the fact of that he dated Cayren and he still had feelings about Chantelle.

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     "Chantelle, you need to listen to me," Shay called her.

     "What's this about Shay?"

"JT is bad for you. He's in a relationship," Shay sighed.

"I can't believe this. I can't believe you would make something up just for me to stop talking to him," Chantelle stated.

"The fuck? I'm not making this up! He's in a relationship with Joi."

"Yeah, and the tooth fairy is dating Santa Claus," she said sarcastically.

"I'm not playing!"

"Me either. I went on a lunch date with JT today."

"You went on a date with that nigga?!"

"Yup, I surely did and enjoyed every minute of it."

"Chantelle, quit playing and take Trae back. You are about to get yourself in something deep."

"Whatever Shay." Chantelle hung the phone up and began watching her favorite series on Netflix.