Loving A Gangsta

Chapter 33 (Friday)

Karmen's POV

My heart is racing a mile a minute as Jada gets us to the city's hospital. I don't know what's going on with my baby, and it's killing me. Mike is getting out of control. I tried to let him do what he wanted to do and stopped nagging him about being in the streets so much, but it's been too many times he allowed it to enter our home, and I'm not going to take it anymore. Next it could be Angel's life in danger. For all I know, it can be me, and I'm not going to just sit around to wait and see. He needs to stop this now.

When Jada parks the car, I get out and quickly run into the hospital with the kids following behind me. Luckily, there's no one in line at the registration desk, so I go straight there. "Excuse me, I need to get to Korrine Brown's room," I tell the desk lady.

"What is your relation to the patient?" she asks, typing some things into her computer.

"I'm her mother, and these are her friends. Are they allowed back with my consent?"

"Yes, they are. She's in room two hundred and three. She go through the double doors and make a left," she directs.

"Thank you."

The closer I get to the hall Korinne's room is on, the more anxious I become. I don't know if I'm going to be walking in to her nearly beaten to death, with any broken bones, in a coma, or anything worse than that. I should never have to go through this when it comes to one of my own children.

Turning the corner, I see five men standing outside of her room door, but none of them look too familiar. I'm not sure if any of them are some of the boys that Michael always have at the house, but they look like they associate with them. "Who are you all?" I ask.

"We're friends of Mike. Korrine's not in here right now," one of the boys says. He moves out of the way as he walks towards, and my jaw drops when I see who was standing behind him.

"Karmen? How did you know Korrine was here?" Anthony, my husband's childhood friend, asks. He inches closer to me and attempts to grab my arms, but I smack his hands away.

"Was I supposed to be the last person to know that my daughter was kidnapped and is in the hospital? Was anybody going to tell me any of this, or was I just supposed to be in the blind of every fucking thing?" I yell.

"Karmen, I apologize for not calling you, but with everything going on, my main concern was just getting Korrine safe, and that's what I did. Now if you want to see her, just follow me," he says.

The anger and hurt boiling inside of me is trying to unleash, but I keep my composure as I follow after him just so that I can get to my daughter, which is more important than anything right now. We turn down a few halls and pass by several hospital rooms and patients before he points down the aisle.

He doesn't have to point twice for me to start running in that direction, and as I get closer, Ren's figure comes into view. At least it appears to be her from the looks of her long brown hair that can help anyone identify her from mile away.

She's sitting in the lap of a boy that I recognize, but I can't pinpoint his name or where I've seen him, but the fact that she's sitting in boy's lap, probably just getting down kissing, is the last of my worries.

"Michaela!"

Korrine's POV

I jump away from Marcus and straighten up as my eyes lock with my momma's eyes. Running up behind her is Marlon, Jada, and Dejah. A sigh of relief escapes my lips at tears prick my eyes. Seeing them has just made me so happy and grateful that my life was taken away in that warehouse. I'm so grateful to be surrounded by my loved ones.

She opens her arms wide enough for me to run into her embrace. I wrap my arms around her tightly and she squeezes me as tight as she possibly can, but I have no complaints. "Oh, baby, I'm so happy you're okay," she says, finally releasing me and wiping the fallen tears from my eyes.

I smile and kiss her cheek, giving her one last hug. "I thought I was never going to see you again," I admit.

"Don't even think about it anymore, honey. You're safe now."

Jada and Dejah both come up and pull me into a group hug. "You scared us half to death, but I'm happy you sent them," Dejah says.

"So am I. I love you," Jada says, grabbing one of my hands as Dejah grabs the other one. "We thought we lost you."

"I'm sorry I didn't try to do more to change Mike's mind. None of this would've happened if I would've helped more," Marlon says, lowering his eyes to the ground.

I shake my head. "There was nothing more you could've done, and I don't blame you at all. Pick your head up," I say, giving him a small smile.

He walks forward and wraps his arms around me, and I wrap my arms around his waist, laying my head against his chest. "I love you, man." He lets me go and grins.

It feels so good to be around them and be able to hug each of them. This unforgettable event adds to our list of things we've gone through together. I can't even imagine what they did or the type of panic they went through after receiving those text messages from me. And then I know it must have broken my momma's heart when she found out what happened and that I was here.

"Hi, Ms. Brown," Marcus says, walking up to her and extending his hand. "I'm Marcus. I'm the one who told you Ren was here."

She nods. "And the boy from the mall that day," she says as if she had been thinking about it since the time she saw us. She pulls him into a hug, which takes him by surprise, but he hugs her back. "Thank you for letting me know the whereabouts of my daughter. I honestly appreciate it."

"It was no problem."

"What I want to know is where Michael and Jessie are. They're about to hear a piece of my damn mind if it's the last thing I do," she says, putting her hands on her hips and pressing her lips together.

My body stiffens just hearing Jessie's name again. I still haven't went to see how he's doing. Michael said he's doing fine, but how can someone be fine after getting shot and stabbed. Even though I'm upset with him, I should be there for him like he's always been for me, and like I know he would be right know if he could.

"Jessie was shot and stabbed tonight," I say, making all of their eyes go wide and jaws drop. "But Mike said he's doing alright. I'm assuming he's in the room with him right now, and I need to go there to see Jessie because I haven't since I got here."

"Oh my Lord. Go ahead, baby," my mom says.

I grab Dejah's and Jada's hand and pull the to the aisle that Jessie's room is on. Rounding the corner, room three hundred and seventeen appears, and I hesitate before knocking on the door.

"You know you need to see him," Jada says. "Just open it."

I do as she says and I see Jessie laying in the bed, and Michael sitting next to him. They stop talking when they noticed I've opened the door and Jessie's eyes bore into mine. "Can I have time alone with him, Michael?"