Redeem Me - N'Jadaka Udaku/Killmonger

A Scorpio.

Taj

"So he's your cousin?"

"Yes,"

"And you just found out about his existence last week?"

"It's a long story,"

"I'm pretty sure it is," I chuckled. "Where is he from again?"

"Oakland, California,"

I nodded, writing down my notes. "Where did he go to school?"

"Massachusetts Institute of Technology,"

As we conversed, I continued to write down the rest of my notes from everything this guy has informed of my coworker's future client. Although, from the type of information I'm receiving, he might end up becoming a longtime patient with our clinic.

"Birth date?"

"November tenth, nineteen-eighty seven,"

"Ah, a Scorpio,"

"A what?"

"It's just astrology. Your cousin is one of the complicated signs. If not the most complicated sign,"

"If that's the case, I can attest to that," he chuckled, with his thick African accent. "Well, when will it be a good time to bring him in for a proper mental examination?"

"I can pull up his psychiatrist schedule and check for you. She'll be the one in charge of his full care. I'm just helping her for now,"

"Are you her assistant?"

"Nope. Miriam has a lot going on this week and almost got behind on her work. She almost didn't take him, but I urged her to give your cousin a shot,"

"Why?"

I chuckled, pausing at my notes. "Because Mr. Stevens is an old colleague of mine. We used to go to MIT together,"

His eyelids widened at my revelation. "Well that's good to hear. That makes me much more comfortable that my cousin will be in the company of someone he knows,"

*Beep Beep*

"Oh my," he huffed, looking at his cell phone. "I must get going."

"Everything okay?"

"Just something I have to tend to at my office. Is the psychiatrist here yet so I can set an appointment?"

"I'll be taking care of that as well," I grabbed one of the new patient packets, and turned to the last page. "Just sign here and initial here. When Mr. Stevens gets time, just tell him to sign on all the highlighted lines on each page and bring it with him to his first appointment, which we'll schedule now."

"That sounds perfect," he smiled, as I pointed to the digital screen in front of him, and asked to pick out a date.

"All of the green dates are what's available,"

After he scanned the computer screened, he replied, "Next Monday is available,"

"We have a 10:00, 10:15, 3:00, and 6:45,"

"10:15 will be good,"

I nodded, as I confirmed the date and time into the computer. "Will it just be him?"

"Yes. I have to get back to my home country soon,"

"Where are you from, if you don't mind me asking?"

I can tell from his facial expression that he didn't want to tell me where. Eventually after a few seconds though, he responded with a country that I've heard of vaguely in the news media.

"Wakanda. It's in Africa,"

"Oh," I nodded. "I've heard of that country."

"I'm sure you have,"

Soon I finished typing and printing all the appropriate paperwork, and set them in Miriam's new client folder. "Okay. He's officially ready to come in on Monday at 10:15 am,"

"Thank you very much, Miss?"

"Jones. Taj Jones,"

"Thank you, Ms. Jones. I appreciate your time."

"It's what I'm here for, Mr. Charles," I chuckled. "Tell Erik I'll see him soon."

"Will do," he nodded, before walking out the door of the building. That's an interesting last name for a guy who's from an African nation. Then again, it's not like I'm from the continent personally, so how could I know?

I also couldn't help but to notice how handsome that guy was. Not to mention his accent was rather pleasant to hear. I don't know, but I feel like I've seen him somewhere before? Have I seen him on the news? Maybe I passed by him down the street?

What I do know however is that it's going to be interesting seeing my fellow colleague again after all these years. I remember one of the days when we were hanging out at the local, student cafe. Just talking, laughing, and completing assignments like all close friends do.

Later on during our last semester however, I remember arguing back and forth about why he decided to join the US military, and hadn't figured to tell me sooner. Who would've known that after all these years of trying to keep in touch with him and crying myself to sleep every week worrying so much, that he would end up at the same mental health clinic I'm employed at.

"Who was that?"

I turned around to find Miriam, stressed and tired, walk into my office area. Goodness, she looks like she need a day long nap.

"That was Luke Charles. He's the cousin of your new client, Erik Stevens,"

"They're related?"

"Cousins," I chuckled. "I dunno how since Erik never told me about him."

"Well, did you know that he would end up in a mental health hospital?"

"No," I huffed, as I handed her the new patient file. "It's not surprising since he went into the military."

"We won't know exactly what's his deal until I give him a mental examination. From the look of his picture though, he seems to have been through a lot,"

"Why you think?"

"Look at his picture," she showed me his colored copy of his military ID, which I hadn't even bothered to look at until now. "His eyes. They're so, so-"

"Empty," I finished her sentence, shaking my head slowly. All of the numbness and anger that I've accumulated over the years slipped away as I saw his current state. All of those wrinkles, his glossy eyes, and his disgruntled facial expression are just some of the things that are different from the last time I saw him.

Erik Stevens, what happened to you?