Down Chick

Chapter Twenty-One: Reunions & Identification (Part II continued)

I would've done this with the other, but I wanted everyone to be able to see the new added part of the chapter)

Part II (continued)

“C’mere, Keish,” Miguel said to me. “Everything’s going to be alright.”

I stood and instantly he engulfed me in a hug. I glanced up at his face and saw the faint lines of fatigue and stress. His eyes were slightly red-rimmed as if he had been crying. He held me for a moment and ran his hand soothingly over my back.

“What happened?” I asked.

“I’m not sure,” Miguel answered. “Ale and I were back at the apartment. I had just sent a girl off and he called me. He was speaking frantically of someone. I couldn’t hear him too clearly. He was obviously somewhere crowded. He was in the middle of speaking to me when the screams started. I called his name, but he didn’t answer. I knew then that something was wrong. I called around and tried to determine where he was. Nothing came through. I found out he was here when the hospital called. He listed us as he close to kin in emergencies.”

I lowered my head. “Where’s Ale?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I’m not sure, he took it hard. He left not too long ago.”

It was in that instant that the meeting we’d had not too long ago came to mind.  They had been there. We weren’t supposed to go off on our own. Tio had probably done that to clear his head. He had probably been frustrated that I hadn’t been willing to meet up and talk with him for the time. I had told him continuously that I was busy. I had been putting him on hold to be around Angel.

All because I was upset that he had dared to speak to me as if I were a common whore who didn’t know her own mind. I had been upset, but that wasn’t any reason to push him away. I knew that. If I had met up with him and talked to him, he wouldn’t be in that hospital room right now. None of us would be here. I tugged on my bottom lip in frustration.

“I should’ve met up with him like he asked me to…” I started to say.

Miguel looked down at me with his eyes widening. “You can’t mean to be blaming yourself for what’s happening,” he said in surprise. “This isn’t your fault, Keish. The people who shot him are at fault, not you. You can’t control other people’s actions. Tio was upset and a bit hurt that you wouldn’t meet up with him, but he’s a grown man. He makes his own decisions. He made the choice to go out alone, knowing the possibilities of what could happen. He wouldn’t blame you for this.”

I looked at him taking his words in as he spoke with vehemence. I knew logically that it what he was saying was true, but I couldn’t help but feel deep down inside that I had failed Tio. I had put a man before my friend of three years. I had been so enraptured in Angel that I had let anger and pride push my friendship to the curb. I had been thinking with a mind clouded with anger. Tio wasn’t the kind of person that would ever intentionally hurt me. He cared about me. He had spoken out of anger and I had been selfishly pushing him away because he hurt my feelings.

“Thanks, Miguel,” I responded in a soft voice.

He gave me a small smile and then hugged me once more, before releasing me. He grasped my hand in a tight comforting grasp and then headed over to a chair. Just as he sat down his phone started ringing. He answered it and his facial expression change from sadness to complete anger.

“What the fuck do you mean you can’t keep my son?!” he snarled.

I knew then he was talking to his baby mama. That bitch was crazy. I shook my head. Kyra had ruined the best relationship that Miguel had ever had. Well the two of them.