Southside

Chapter 8

Ghost

I pulled into the driveway and parked my car. I had been gone for about seven minutes and after smoking my blunt I was good. I made my way inside the house and upstairs to Dutchess's room. I knew I had to apologize for blowing up on her the way I did.

"Dutchess," I yelled as I walked up the stairs towards her room. She didn't respond back and I internally rolled my eyes.

I finally made it to her door and knocked before realizing her door was open. I walked inside and realized that her room was empty. I took out my phone and called Redd.

"Wassup," he said as soon as he answered the phone. 

"Summer with you," I asked.

"Nah and Risse is with me but we haven't talked to her since we left your place," he said.

I walked downstairs and back outside. I tried calling her name but no response.

I walked further into the backyard and that's when I noticed the blanket on the dock. My body went into a panic as I raced down the hill and towards the lake. I saw her phone on the dock and the blanket was sprawled out.

"DUTCHESS!" I yelled seeing if maybe she walked away and left her stuff behind. I looked back in the lake and that's when I saw her body floating at the bottom.

I quickly jumped in and pulled her out. She was unconscious and barely breathing I laid her out on the dock and tried to give her CPR but it wasn't working. I picked her up and carried her to my car, before speeding down the road towards the hospital.

I drove to the local hospital and they quickly took her from me and into the back where they would operate on her.

I sat down and rested my head in my hands as tears of frustration ran down my face. I was tired and I felt like I could of done more to protect her. Flashbacks of when my mom was in the hospital after my dad killed her ran through my mind like a bad memory. I hated hospitals and the thought of Dutchess dying didn't sit well with me.

My phone rang and I wiped my eyes before answering.

"Wassup," I said

"Malik what's wrong?" asked Risse.

"She tried to commit suicide and I'm at the hospital," I said.

"Send me your location I'm coming to meet you. I have Marlee with me but I'll drop her off at Jerry's place," she responded.

I hung up the phone and sent her my location. I said a silent prayer that Dutchess would pull through.

A couple hours later Risse came to the hospital just as the doctor was walking out.

"Hey are you the family of Summer Jones," he asked us.

I nodded my head as he continued on with her status.

"Well we were able to stabilize her and she is conscious now, all of her vitals are good. We're going to keep her here for a couple of days just to monitor her and make sure she doesn't try anything else. Also we highly recommend that she gets a therapist and sees a psychiatrist for anti depressant medication. Do y'all have any questions for me?" asked the doctor.

"Can we see her now?" asked Risse.

"Yes follow me," said the doctor.

We followed him down the long hallway and into her room. She didn't look like herself, her eyes were red from crying and she looked tired.

The doctor walked out to give us some privacy. Risse sat on one side of her while I sat on the other.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare y'all, I'm just tired of everything. I miss my brother so much and they just shot him right in front of me, I couldn't cope with that. I was taking my anger out on you and you didn't deserve that, you have only been trying to help me and you saved me. I'm sorry for treating you like shit, I just miss my brother," said Dutchess as tears streamed down her eyes.