The Patient.

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"I know for a fact she had something to do with it," Tupac said as Suge leaned back into the seat with his eyes on the cut phone cord. Tupac had brought the phone as proof to Suge's office so he could see for himself.

"You have zero proof." Dekiya hissed. "What reason would I have to cut a cord?"

"Because you can't face the fact that I don't want you so you're bitter."

"I'm bitter? Yet you are barging in here ranting and raving." She cackled. "Trying to accuse me of harming a patient."

"You two, please." Suge held up a hand for them to stop.

"What we had then was amazing but it's over," Tupac said. "It's over now leave me alone."

"You think I'm crazy over you please don't flatter yourself." She told him. "I could have any man I want."

"Shit! Are there any more left? You've been with a vast majority already." He responded.

Her mouth spread in complete shock.

Suge shook his head and tried to stay out of it.

"You weren't saying that when you were trying to get with me." She was quick to remind.

"Yeah, that was before I knew how you got down."

"Fuck you!"

"You couldn't that's why we aren't together now." Tupac retorted.

Suge stepped in before anything went further. Dekiya wanted to slap him. No one's ever spoken to her or accused her of the things he had the last hours. Rather they were true or not he had no business speaking to her this way. This only confirmed what she had always suspected which was he never truly loved her.

"Let's keep it professional," Suge advised.

"Do something about this now or I'm outta here for real," Tupac swore then stood to leave. He went back to Aaliyah's room as she sat on the bed with Nurse Furley closeby.

"I'll be right down the hall if anyone needs me." Nurse Furley said before she left.

"I got good news and bad news." Aaliyah began. "My casts are off..." She wiggled her toes in the polka-dot socks she wore.

"That's what's up." He cheesed.

"Bad news is I'll be leaving soon... I can't stay here." She announced. "I talked with my mother and she has arranged for me to come home."

Tupac stood there expressionless. "So that's it?"

Aaliyah nodded. "Thanks for everything though."

"Right." He kept his response simple since he knew beforehand that this day would come. But he didn't expect it to happen so soon. Especially not like this just when things seemed as if they were going somewhere between them.

He turned to leave with a burning question fighting to be spoken. Once he touched the doorknob as she continued packing.

Nurse Furley let the receptionist know that the patient in room 305 would be leaving soon. And she couldn't wait to deliver this news to the girls downstairs during their lunch break. She popped the 'closed' sign on her desk then raced off to the elevators.

"Guess what you guys?" she bellowed before plopping down in a seat. "She's gone! Vanished! hasta la Vista."

"Are you serious?"

"That old hag Furley told me." Pam, the receptionist said. "She's out of here for good."

"Thank god."

"That was easier than I thought." A smile formed on Dekiya's face. She and everyone here had gotten what they wanted.

Kadafi overheard their conversation. "Ain't that some shit." He shook his head then went off with his cart. Continuing with his duties around the hospital he then took a stop on floor 2. And over to Aaliyah's room as he knocked. "Housekeeping..."

"Come in."

Kadafi stared around at all the packed suitcases and bags. "You leaving for good, huh?"

"Yep!" She smirked.

"Look! It's probably not my place to even speak on this for real, but Pac and I have been boys for a while." He let known. "And I could tell he was feeling you so you leaving here gon really affect him rather he let you know that or not."

"Um," she didn't know how to reply to that. "That's sweet... I guess, but we're just friends." Aaliyah took the old framed photograph of Ginuwine and her from the nightstand. Carefully she ran her slim fingers along it. "After what I've been through love is really the last thing on my mind besides look at me."

"I know my homie." He said. "And you look aight to me. Anyone unwilling to see that gotta be crazy."

She pushed some hair behind her ears. "Okay! who put you up to coming in here saying this?" Aaliyah wasn't convinced. "Was it Dr. Shakur?"

"Don't nobody make me do nothing ion wanna," Kadafi said sincerely.

Her smile faded. "Well, I'll take that into consideration."

"You do that." He said right as he was leaving out.

A nurse watched from the other room with suspicion in her eyes as he left.

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