Grace

16

Destinny looked down at the hospital gown then at the equipment in the room. A tear slipped from her eye, falling into the edges of her hair. She remembered everything perfectly, from waking up in tremendous pain to falling on her bedroom floor. And it hurt to see that her stomach no longer carried what she thought would bring her happiness.

She moved her hand to remove the covers. To her dissatisfaction, her stomach was not as swollen. Destinny felt her tears rush down her face. Jeremy wasn't exactly who she planned to have a baby by but things happened. Regardless of the father, Destinny knew she could love her child to pieces. It would've made her happy to wake up to her own child running around her house.

"You're up," Grace said, walking out of the bathroom. "How do you feel?"

Destinny spat, "I lost my fucking child, how do you think I feel, little girl?"

Grace nodded. She was able to take Destinny's bitter mood. Not anyone was going to be fine with miscarrying their first child. Grace understood that it was too soon to ask the question. Although, it sort of hurt her feelings, she aimed to inform Destinny on Jeremy's cruel plan.

"He put it in your drink. You're not supposed to take aspirin but he put it in there, anyway. Those are threatening to a woman's pregnancy." Grace took a deep breath.

Destinny stared at Grace. She didn't realize how selfish her friend's daughter was until then. She never felt so angry at a person. Des could care less about what Jeremy did. She had just lost her baby! Who gave a good fuck about what Jeremy did? Definitely not me, Destinny thought.

"You think I give a flying fuck?! You and Jeremy make me sick! Y'all go back and forth for my attention! You're so selfish and ungrateful. Jeremy isn't the best but he looks after us! He was my child's father! As careless as he is, he would never do anything to harm our child. He wanted this baby more than me!"

Grace defended herself. "I found the medicine in the bathroom and the doctors found it in your system. The only person who would give it to you is him, unless you were abusing drugs without telling anyone."

Destinny kicked the covers off. "You're just like London! You care about yourself and only yourself! Even when people have done for you continuously, you still don't appreciate! You always want more! If I wasn't mistaken, I'd think you were jealous because I have Jeremy? Are you going to be just like your mama and sleep around with someone else's boyfriend?"

Without thinking, Grace mushed Destinny's face, and Destinny grabbed her wrist. The two of them fell back onto the bed. Destinny threw the first punch which triggered Grace to begin beating her ass. They were swinging back and forth, Destinny's nose leaking blood, until the doctors came rushing in. Grace held onto Destinny's hair pulling her onto the cold floor with her as the doctors ordered them to stop.

Grace walked the streets, holding her phone. After escaping from the hospital, she began making calls. She pulled her phone up to her eyes then dialed his number. She wasn't completely on good terms with Dominic, nor did she want to make this call. It was needed in order for her to have a place to lay her head.

She took a seat on the curb, crying silently. Her shirt had blood stained onto it, along with her hands which were aching. She didn't realize the damage she had done to Destinny, who was back at the hospital making major calls while cleaning her nose and mouth.

Dominic answered, "Hello?"

"Can you please come get me? I'm over here by the hospital. My aunt and me got into a fight, and I'm just... Can you come, please?"

She didn't have to say anything else. He was already off of his couch and hopping into his car in less than five minutes. The sun was going down and he was still tired from working a 8-hour shift. Still, he was going to get his girl. And she was so grateful that she was speechless when he arrived.

"Come on, let's go, Grace." Dominic helped her to the car, opening the passenger door. She got inside then he shut the door behind her.

Dominic listened as Grace explained the full story simultaneously crying. He grabbed her hand and she clutched his. She continued to cry lowly. He didn't know what to say. He was saved once her phone lit up, and a text message from Destinny displayed.

"Bitch get all of ur shit out my house and neva come back .. U better off dead den coming around me and my home!! Have a nice life bumming off of ppl just like your dead ass mama and you are not apart of my family!!!!"

Grace cried even harder, punching the dashboard. Dominic stopped the car a few houses down from her old home. He grabbed her fists, then pinned them to her chest, staring at her. Her entire face was wet from the tears. Beads of perspiration fell just between her eyes, and covered her forehead.

"It's all right, Grace, you cool. You can stay with me until you can reach your family. Don't cry please because she ain't shit. She missing out on you for some dude and that ain't cool. You're too good of a person to be treated 'dis way and getting all upset. People are cruel, man, but it's life. I promise things will get better."

"I don't have any family!"

"Well, you can stay with me until you ready to go. I don't care, I love you."

He removed his hands from her arms. Grace sighed heavily, taking in his words. She nodded her head. "Let's get my stuff."