Do or Die

07.

//Zonnique

I rushed to the freezer grabbing out a bag of frozen peas and brought it back to Chris. I gently placed it on his head and sat across from him on the small coffee table. Looking in his eyes, I saw so much hurt.

"Baby talk to me." I pleaded.

"I fucked up Zo." He sighed. "I fucked up big time."

"What do you mean Chris?" My eyebrows furrowed. "Did something go wrong with Rodney?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "A few months back, Rodney called me to meet him somewhere to pick up something. When we got there, he had some niggas coming to drop off some drugs and money. They tried to keep it for themselves and Rodney knew it. He killed them both right in front of me."

Hearing him talk about what happened made me sick to my stomach. Two men killed over money. It was sad.

"Now the detectives are asking around because their families have reported them missing." He continued. "Rodney thinks just because I answered their questions, I snitched on him. Those detectives are digging shit up and its all pointing towards Rodney. Tonight he told me if I kept talking to them, h-he would hurt you."

"M-Me?" I stammered. "I have nothing to do with any of this."

"I know you don't baby." He held his head low. "He just wants to go after anything I love.."

This all was too much. I don't know what to say or think. My family was in danger now because of some stupid drug deal gone bad. At that moment, I wanted so badly to tell Chris this was all his fault.

If he had just listened to me when I told him it was more to life than money and drugs, we wouldn't be in this mess. I wouldn't have to start looking over my shoulder every second.

But looking into his eyes, I couldn't bring myself to say those words to him. He was hurting and I could tell he felt horrible. He needed someone to stand by him instead of putting him down even more.

I took my hands into his and lightly squeezed them, giving him a reassuring smile. I wiped the stray tears falling from his eyes away and lightly pecked his lips.

"I can't let him hurt you." He wept. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"You don't have to worry about that Chris." I reassured him. "We're gonna be fine. This is all gonna work out. I promise."

He looked up at me before burying his face in my chest, letting his warm tears seep into my shirt. I rubbed his back and kissed the top of his head, trying my best to comfort him.

I knew from day one that the streets weren't a place for Chris. He wasn't cut out for everything that came along with it. Pain filled my heart knowing he was hurting like this. I struggled to lift him up from the sofa and lead his weary body to our bedroom. He collapsed on the bed and turned, facing the wall.

"Do you need anything else?" I asked, standing by the doorway.

"Not right now." He mumbled.