Reality Check ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Charisma

"So how long you and Mr. Wilson been together?" I asked Akira. She looked somewhat in her mid forties. Not too young and not too old.

"We have been together for two years now," she answered as we sat in the living room.

"Oh, that's nice."

"Yeah, it's something I really cherish."

"Did he talk about his son in any type of way?"

"All the time. I think his favorite thing to do is to talk about his son. He loves Devin so much, and I know he really wants to make up for lost time."

Devin better forgive him, I thought.

"Charisma, Charisma," I heard someone yell. When I looked over, I saw my cousin Dyana running up to me and crying. "Charisma."

"What happened?"

"Grandma is dying."

My mouth dropped. Her words didn't register. "What?" I said trying to comprehend.

"Grandma is in the hospital. We got to go."

Tears were starting to roll down my cheek as my cousin grabbed me by the hand helping me up.

"Wait, where's Devin?" I asked looking around starting to panic.

"Um, he went out with his dad."

"So how we going to get to the hospital?" Dyana asked.

"I can take you," Akira said getting up.

"Thank you so much," I said giving her a hug.

"You're welcome."

When we started walking outside to the car, I saw Toya and Kemarc finally resurface.

"Charisma, where are you going?" Toya asked clutching onto Kemarc.

"I'm going to be back. Make sure nobody steals my shit."

I got in the car and prayed that my grandmother would be okay.

"What hospital is she at?" I asked.

"Mount Sinai," Dyana answered.

"How do you know she's sick?"

"Well, the doctor told her that she only has a little time left. She meant to tell you, but you were so busy with Devin and ya'll problems."

I put my head down, and all I could do was cry. We got to the hospital and me and Dyana went straight to the emergency room.

"Um, is there a Vanessa Williams here?" I asked the receptionist with tears still running down my cheek. She looked at both me and my cousin and rapidly started checking her the computer.

"She's in room 23-D in the ICU."

When me and Dyana walked in the room, we saw my grandma lying there, and Mr. J was kneeling right beside her.

"Grandma," I said holding her hand softly.

"My little baby, Charisma," she said slowly, and tears began flowing down my cheek again.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," I apologized.

"It's okay. I understand, honey," she said cracking a smile.

I looked over at Mr. J staring him down. "What you doing here, Mr. J?" I asked. I didn't mean to be rude, but I it was more of a family moment.

"I think you should tell her," my grandma said.

"Tell me what?"

"Charisma," Mr. J said standing up, "I know that you have been working at the store for a while now, and I have been honored getting the chance to see you grow up into a wonderful young lady. I know that you could always tell that I favored you over the other employees, but there is a reason for that."

"And that is?"

"I'm your father."

I looked at him in disbelief. I felt like I was in a dream. Mr. J my father? I couldn't believe it.

"Grandma?" I said turning to her.

"He's telling the truth, baby."

I started crying even more, and Mr. J got up and gave me a hug.

"I'm sorry for not being there," he sobbed.

"But you were there the whole time," I smiled.

I always dreamt of what my father would be like, but now that he was only a few feet away, it was surreal. Next thing I heard was beeping coming from the machines that my grandma was hooked up to. The nurses came rushing into the room pushing us back.

"She's going into cardiac arrest," the nurse yelled.

I sat there in Mr. J's praying that she would be okay.

"We're going to need a doctor in here," they yelled as the doctor tried to get her pulse back.

"Clear," the doctor said pressing cold, metal paddles to her bare chest, but her heart rate stayed in a straight line, "Clear."

Every time I heard the zap of the machine, I would shake a little, but no matter what they did, the line stayed straight.

Dyana slid down the wall and started crying. "She's gone."

I was heartbroken. I lost my one and only role model. They put a white sheet over her body and turned to me and Mr. J.

"Did Mrs. Williams have any next of kin?" she asked, and I nodded my head.

"Yeah, my mother, but she's not here," I answered.

"Well, we will contact her, and I'm very sorry for your lost. We tried our best," the doctor said walking away.

I didn't want to believe it, but my grandmother was gone.