Maria Maria | Oscar Diaz

9 - Hospital

"Aye, Spooky. The homies at the house on Baja street said the Prophets been trolling."

Tony looked at me waiting on my response. 

"Spooky?"

"Spooky?!"

I didn't look up from my phone until Santi put his hand over my phone screen. I looked up and frowned at him. "What fool?"

Santi, Tony and Benny looked at each other then looked at me. 

"Spooky, did you hear anything Tony just said?" 

I shook my head.

Santi laughed, "Damn fool, who got you so distracted?"

I smiled. "I'm just texting Maria."

Tony laughed, "Rico is going to kill you fool."

I looked and frowned, "Rico ain't going to do shit!" I looked down at my phone and started smiling again. 

Tony shook his head, "That girl has got you smiling hard as fuck."

"I bet they're sexting!" Santi said.

"Will you fools shut up!"

Tony's phone started ringing and he answered it. "Que? We're on the way!" He hung up. "The Prophets just tried to hit the stash house. Angel got shot. They're taking him to the hospital now."

"Shit!" I jumped and grabbed my keys. "Let's go."

We got in my car and started towards the hospital. We passed by an ambulance as we left out the neighborhood. Seeing it made me step on the gas harder. I hope Angel is okay.

_____________________________

We made it to the hospital and found Angel's aunt and sister in the waiting room. Santi rushed over to Angel's sister, Leana. He hugged her tight, consoling her. Then he kissed her on the forehead. 

The homies all gave them a weird look but I didn't. I knew Santi and Leana had been seeing each other behind Angel's back. None of that mattered right now though. I walked up to Angel's tia Lucy. "Any word on his condition?"

She shook her head. I could see it in her eyes that she was scared. She couldn't lose any more family. Not after losing her mom and sister to cancer last year. "I can't lose him Oscar. He and Leana are all I have left." I hugged her, "I know. I know. It's going to be okay." I held her as she cried.

Tony walked up, "Spooky. I got intel on what went down." I let Lucy go, "Lo siento Señora. I'll be right back." She nodded and sat down in the waiting chairs.

"So what's up fool? What did you find out?"

Tony shook his head. "It don't look good homie. They took all of the new product we got from Mexico."

I frowned, "How did they know we had new shit in?"

I sighed and ran my hand down my face. "Fuck."

"Family of Angel Vargas!" A nurse called out.

We all walked up to the nurse. "Luckily the bullet went straight through. We had to do surgery on to repair a few torn tendons in his arm, but he should be back to normal in a few weeks."

I took a deep breath.

"Oh gracias! Gracias!" Lucy told the nurse then hugged her and kissed her. The nurse looked a little uncomfortable but she didn't stop her. 

I'm glad Angel is okay.

"Hey Spooky!" I turned around to see Santi running up to me out of breath.

"What's wrong?"

He looked scared. He shook his head. "Follow me."

I walked fast behind him. We walked through the hallways and then he stopped at a room. The door was open but there was a curtain pulled to hide the patient inside. "What's going on Santi?"

He took a deep breath. "It's Maria."

"What?!" I quickly entered the room and placed my hand on the curtain. I stopped as I touched it, scared and nervous. Then I pulled it back. I instantly went weak and wanted to collapse onto the floor when I saw her. 

Maria.

My morenita.

I walked up to the side of the bed and held her hand. I clenched my jaw and felt my eyes burning from tears and from anger.

She had a tube in her mouth, helping her breath. She had bruises around both of her wrists and a big bruise down one side of her face. 

I closed my eyes. I shut them tight in hopes that when I opened them all of this would go away. That she would be sitting there smiling shyly and trying not to stare at me like she always does.

I opened my eyes and shook my head.

No. I broke down.

Santi came in and looked at Maria. He shook his head. "She don't deserve that."

Then I thought about him. "Rico."

Santi nodded.

"He's dead. I know he did this."

Santi sighed. "I do too, but if Maria doesn't tell us, we can't make that move."

I looked at her face again.

Santi checked his phone, "Spooky we got to go. You know Rico can't leave her alone for too long. He'll be back soon."

I wanted to stay here and make him pay for what he did to her. But Santi was right. I can't do anything until Maria tells me what's going on. Until she tells me she wants me to help her.

I squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead before walking out with Santi.

Santi put his hand on my shoulder, "We'll get him Spooky. We'll get Maria out of there."

I nodded still clenching my jaw.