Lessons || MJ

Lessons || Chapter 30

THE KID

I should've popped Calvin with a single gunshot after Morris bled out on the concrete. The stress of these recent losses and shootings had been enough to drive me insane. Levels of growing madness only heightened when no one could find Leslie again. For all we knew, she could've been dead by now.

After Morris's funeral, I slumped back to the compound. There was only silence in the office where I rocked back and forth in my favorite chair. Tears clouded my eyes. I suddenly found myself blubbering. Pain I'd kept in for too long finally emerged and screamed out, desperate for answers. For now, I'd cry and grieve. After a few minutes, I looked up to see Jerome carefully stepping in. My longtime "brother" also mourned with a blank expression.

"What are we gonna do?" I finally cracked. "I can't chase him forever, Rome. We'll be arrested sooner or later." I turned slowly in the chair to avoid facing him and lowered my head in shame. Sniffling resumed, but I still heard when Jerome circled to stand near my desk. Out of respect, I turned the chair and reddened eyes for deal with him.

"Sleep for now." Jerome cautioned. "It's been a long day, Kid."

I shook my head in response while Tricky took his seat across from me. The chair near him seemed invisible once I remembered that Morris usually took a spot there. In that moment, we both moved away from each other and grieved once more. I couldn't even think straight at this point.

I somehow made it to my single bed, but thoughts raced with nightmarish ways to rid Calvin. I hadn't even shut my eyes when mumbling voices echoed down the hallway. I slipped covers off and planted my steps onto the ground. Cautious, I opened the nearest drawer to pick up a silver revolver instead of my Glock. Each step I took hardly moved along the cold floor.

I peeked around one corner for second and nearly gaped. Max and Darryl whispered to each for some reason and raced down the hallway before I could catch up.

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These two knuckleheads zipped right down to a nearby hospital. I didn't know what to think when lurking behind them all this time. Max and Darryl shortly walked through the automatic doors, never realizing my presence. Thankfully. Only wind hushed through this open space.

Ignorant parking lot visitors shrunk away when I ducked my eyes in a sleeved and black hoodie to keep myself warm at this hour. The doors opened before long and I stood tall walking in. Brightness of the fluorescent lighting overhead nearly blinded my vision just before I reached the reception desk.

A freckled secretary pushed up her clear glasses after turned away from her large and white desktop computer. I folded both arms, waiting impatiently. For all I knew, Max and Darryl probably made to Leslie by now. I knocked on the desk to gain her attention and it worked. She titled her head before revealing a nasally accent.

"Do you have an appointment, sir?" she typed away every so often by now.

"No." I admitted. "But I know one of the patients very well. Her name is Leslie Edwards."

Maybe this answer could get me through. Fellow visitors chatted amongst themselves or even hoped for the best in their quiet ways. All around me, I looked with a nervous gaze just before turning back. Concentration now focused on the secretary who worked before my hazy but worried glare. Who could blame my expression or even anxiety to begin with?

The receptionist typed away as expected and a puzzled smirk reached her chapped lips. "I'm sorry sir, but we've logged in Ms. Edwards as frequent visitor, not a patient. On the other hand, Ms. Yvonne Daniels has stayed her for several weeks. Is that good enough?"

I could've kicked myself. Dazed by Calvin showing up again, I almost ignored the fact that Yvonne had been cooped up in this very place. Everything made sense now. I nodded almost feverishly for the reception and she pointed me toward Yvonne's room seconds later.

A close nurse immediately saw my frazzled nerves and offered a small grin before gesturing me toward herself. I followed as expected and quickly followed this woman down the ivory hall. We passed door after door until stopping at her room. i couldn't even remember the digit if I wanted to, but numbers made no difference at this point.

The nurse and I peeked through the glass to find Max and Darryl standing across from each other. Leslie kept herself warm and probably slept underneath her own heavy coat on the loveseat across from my new friends. The nurse looked over to face me after a while and whispered loud enough for me to still her.

"I've told Max and Darryl everything going on with Yvonne. Who are you, sir?" the nurse squinted reasonably. At the same time, I nearly panicked. What if she recognized me from some violent news broadcast?

Scared out of my wits, I quietly excused myself and remained calm until my steps could honestly rush through the doors. My car revved out of the parking lot within seconds as I hurried back to the compound, ashamed. Risking anything else for Leslie would've shattered my heart. Max and Darryl could report back to me on their own anyway.