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After days of staying at the hospital, Carmen had managed to make up a lie about Karter being family. Getting to see Miguel was suppose to be reliving, it was suppose to maybe let her sleep after being awake for so long, make her appetite come back, stop the ache in her heart. But, it didn't. In reality, seeing him with wires connected to his body and stuck in a coma made it worse.
So, so much worse.
"Migeul." Karter spoke, sitting next to him as she grabbed his hand. She was never a cryer, it was never her thing, always a lot stronger. But, this hurt. This was different, and her voice was breaking. "Please wake up."
She brought his hand to her cheek, her tears and heated cheeks giving a form of cold and warmth all at once. She wondered if he even knew it was her, he'd never heard her cry. Karter liked to imagine that he could actually hear her, that he could know she was there, despite it all. She placed a kiss to the top of his hand. "I don't wanna be here all by myself. You're the only person that likes me enough to stick around long."
She brought her sleeve up and rubbed her eyes, sniffling. "I don't mean to make this all about me....but who am I suppose to talk to? What am I suppose to do if there's no you? I need you. We're suppose to talk everyday, even in Arizona. You're all I feel like I have anymore, man."
Karter looks back, seeing Carmen and Yaya waiting outside. She didn't want to make them stay away from him too long, but they were kind enough to give her a second alone. Karter sniffled, squeezing his hand a second longer. "Okay, I gotta get out of here soon."
She stood up, her fingers dancing up his arm before laying a kiss to his forehead. "I miss you, Somalia."
Karter took one more look at him, nodding her head as she turned and went to the door. Carmen hugged her outside, and Karter cried again. Being close to Carmen felt like Migeul, being wrapped in her arms was too similar to being in his. She couldn't decide if the feeling was heartbreaking or comforting.
"Baby, I really don't like leaving you here." Rebecca spoke as she got Karter set up at the hotel. After refusing to leave The Valley after Miguel, it was clear that Karter couldn't continue to live with her cousin any longer. "Maybe I can see if your aunt will take rent and you can stay with them again?"
"They need the extra space, mom." Karter unpacked some of her clothes into the dresser. "I'll be okay here. It's the best hotel in The Valley, a city view, it's close to the hospital. And, online school will be good for me."
Rebecca looked toward her computer, the online school Karter had enrolled in for the time being. "Are you sure you don't want to come home? I know you're worried about Miguel, so am I. But, we can always come back when he wakes up."
"That'll take too long." Karter shook her head, exhaling as her curls started to feel heavy. Or it was her lack of appetite that was starting to make her feel like she had a pounding headache. "I wanna be here for him, mom."
