ATL Hoe

Chapter 5: Life or Death

I woke up to my phone ringing in the middle of the night. I didn't know who it was but I was irritated that they were calling me this late. I reached under my pillow grabbing it and seeing it was an unknown number. I pressed decline and tried to go back to sleep but the same number called again.

"Is this Amora Banks?" a lady said on the other end when I answered. I sat up some when I heard my name.

"Yes, who is this?" I asked, confused.

"This is a nurse at the Atlanta Medical Center Hospital. We have a patient here who's in critical condition and listed you as their emergency contact," I immediately thought it was Jaiya but looked over and saw her sleeping peacefully in her bed. "The patient's name is Derek Streeter. We ask that you come down here as soon as you can," she said and I hung up without replying. Why would Derek list me as his emergency contact and what kind of critical condition was he in. I just saw him at Elias' dorms a few days ago and he was fine. I woke Jaiya up asking if she'd come with me to see what was going on. Both of us got ready as quickly as we could and hopped in Jaiya's car to figure it out.

"I'm here for Derek Streeter," I said to the lady at the front desk when I arrived. A nurse walking by heard and showed me where to go.

"I'm the nurse that called you. Mr. Streeter has a severe heart disease that requires a surgery he hasn't wanted to undergo." As we walked to the right part of the hospital she explained what the disease was and how important the surgery would be for his health. Apparently, he had been in and out of the hospital since he'd been in Atlanta but I was the first local person he'd ever put on his records.

"Without the surgery he will keep ending up back in here or worse. All that we ask is that you talk to him and try to sway him in the right direction," she said as we arrived at the room he was in. She walked away leaving Jaiya and I at the door.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" she asked and I shook my head no. I knew Derek and I knew I would probably get very little out of him but having Jaiya there too would mean I'd get nothing out of him. I walked in slowly and saw him lying in the bed with his eyes closed. He looked so peaceful but almost in a scary way. I sat in the chair next to the bed not really knowing what to do. Eventually I grabbed his hand and began praying. The nurse told me he was in a medically induced coma but should be coming out of it shortly. Basically, one side of his heart wasn't pumping right and there wasn't enough oxygen. Without the procedure his heart would slowly start to deteriorate. I was holding his hand to my face, kissing it softly, when his eyes began fluttering.

"Derek?" I said standing up. He looked drowsy but he was awake. "Nurse!" I called and pressed the button on the remote at the same time. She came rushing in and immediately started checking his vital signs.

"He looks good. I'm going to have the doctor come in in a little bit," she said walking towards the door. "Don't forget what we talked about," she whispered the last part before leaving. I stood over him for a little watching him fully come to. It took a lot in my not to slap him when he looked up with that stupid grin on his face.

"Surprise," he said and tried to laugh but couldn't.

"This shit isn't funny Derek what the fuck is going on. Why am I here?" I asked.

"You care. You're close," he said slowly. I furrowed my brows at him not understanding what he meant.

"I haven't talked to you in months and all of a sudden I get a call saying I'm your emergency contact," I explained as if he didn't know already.

"I put you down a long time ago. I didn't think we'd stop talking so soon," he said coughing some. I decided not to keep pressing this topic since I could tell he didn't feel good.