Kanaj, Nova, and Kalani stood over Koji as he slowly looked around, using his free hand to touch the gauze pads they put by his lungs and stretching his hands as far as the IV they put in would let him.
Koji's throat was as dry as a bone and his body ached. The nurse put drops of morphine in his IV but it wasn't enough to soothe his wounds. He looked around for a bit, coming to the conclusion that he was in fact alive.
He took in the hospital smell, felt the cold sheets on his feet and counted exactly how many wires were coming in and out of him. Koji's breath picked up as he recalled exactly what happened to him, he used his right hand to reach behind his back before feeling a tear tickle his cheek.
"Koji we're right here" Nova cried watching the nurse track his vitals.
"M-ma?" Koji called out, his voice a quaky soft. His lips were chapped due to dehydration and his mind was all over the place.
"Yes, yes baby I'm here. I'm right here everything is going to be okay" Nova encouraged.
The nurse swiveled her chair in front of the hospital bed, pressing the button to sit Koji up. Even though he was in pain, Koji still managed to grab hold of Kanaj's hand, feeling snot run down his face.
"Hey" Kanaj smirked squeezing his son's hand. "You're okay"
"Kojias I'm going to ask you a few questions okay? I need you to answer them as best as you can..take it easy"
The nurses smooth voice calmed Koji a bit as he took a deep breath, nodding his head.
"Can you feel this?" She asked, tapping his right foot with a small needle.
He nodded.
"What about this?" She hit the other foot.
"Only a little" His voice croaked. "It's a little numb...I think it's asleep"
"Kojias you suffered a stroke during the surgery...we had to remove your right lung and your body went into shock"
"My lung... It's gone?" He asked touching the blood stained gauze pads one more time.
"Yes I'm afraid. A bullet went straight through it, it was the best thing for you at the moment" The nurse tried to explain handing Koji a tissue.
Kalani stood far away from the bed trying hard to stop crying. She was more than glad Koji was awake but the fact that he would have to deal with this is what made her upset.
Koji let out a shaky breath, leaning his head all the way back with uncontrollable tears running down his face.
"I think that's enough for right now" Nova suggested. "He's in enough pain"
The nurse nodded in agreement handing Nova and Kanaj papers that explained his condition and proper measures to take.
As soon as she was out of the door, Kanaj sat back down, leaning Koji's bed back just enough that he could relax, using the tissue in the box the nurse gave him to wipe his son's tears.
"Dad" He mumbled.
"Yes Koji?"
"My back hurts" He sniffled. "My chest hurts too" He revealed.
"I'll go get the nurse and see what we can do about that" Kanaj sighed getting up from his chair and out of the room.
"Ma"
"Yes Koji?"
"Where's Lani?" He mumbled not able to see his sister in the corner.
"I'm right here" She spoke softly not budging from where she stood.
"And Kayden?"
"He's at home. I don't even think he knows what's going on" Nova sighed realizing they left her youngest son at home alone.
"Why are you all the way over there? I can't see you" Koji's voice dragged. The drugs in his system were slowly slurring his voice.
"Lani come talk to your brother..I'll be right outside I need to call Kayden" Nova spoke with a warm smile pulling Kalani closer to Koji's bed.
"What's wrong? I'm fine..see" Koji mumbled trying his best to smile.
Kalani wiped the falling tears from her eyes, taking a seat on Koji's bed. She watched as he struggled to take a deep breath. Upset that he was hurting so bad.
"I drank all the milk" Kalani cried. "If I would've just waited you could've got some Koji and this wouldn't have happened"
"Lani stop" Koji sighed.
"No it's true" She sobbed. "I could've waited"
"It's not your fault Kalani...even if you did drink all the milk" His voice slurred.
Kalani couldn't hold it in any longer, she cried and cried and cried as Koji watched unable to stop his own tears. They held each other's hands as they cried, using up all of the tissue the nurse brought them.
After a few minutes, Kalani blew her nose, staring at Koji with a pout before they both broke out into laughter.
"We some punks man" Koji slurred before sniffing. "But nah I'm hungry what you got over there?"
Kalani shrugged her shoulders laying beside her brother. She didn't care what anybody said, Koji was her best friend.
"It's pizza for Mommy and Daddy. You can't even eat that stuff"
Koji leaned his bed all the way back, wrapping his right and around Kalani and closing his eyes.
"This medicine kicking in" He chuckled. His eyes felt heavy and so did Kalani's. She hadn't slept enough since the incident but knowing Koji was awake and would make it put her mind at ease.
Meanwhile in the hallway, Kanaj sat in a chair outside of Koji's room highlighting every important sentence in the packet the doctor provided for Koji stating what he could and couldn't do, eventually he couldn't focus, all of the words on the paper floated around him and scattered his brain as if it were to taunt him.
So instead he placed the packet aside, leaning back in the chair with his eyes closed drifting off into sleep.
"Hit it" Kanaj encouraged holding his covered palms in front of his young son.
Eleven year old Koji wiped the sweat from his face holding a face full of determination. He hit the gloves his father was wearing hard, but slow causing Kanaj to pull away.
"You want to be a boxer right? You don't hit hard and slow you hit quick and gradually build to wear out your competition understand?"
"Yes sir" Koji tiredly smiled.
They both stared at each other before Kanaj let out a warm chuckle seeing how determined his son was and how he knew what he wanted at such a young age.
"Alright" Kanaj smiled. "Hit it again"
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If you haven't already please watch the surviving R Kelly documentary it's an important conversation the black community especially needs to have.
