Bodies

trente-deux

Walking out to her car, Milan saw that Marcus had arrived and was scrolling through his phone in between line rushes. She walked up to him and tapped him on the back. 

He was the only person who didn't flinch when his eyes took in the shiner on her face. Instead, he looked deeply disappointed. Marcus gave her a quick side hug as a greeting which Milan returned. 

"How are you?" 

He had the nerve to ask. 

Milan couldn't help, but laugh a little at the question. 

"I... am doing better." She answered, and that was true. Although she did have a bruised face, her ego wasn't. Marcus nodded thoughtfully at her answer. "I'm guessing the person who gave you that looks worse then huh?"

Now that question caused Milan to grin. "Hell yeah."

Marcus laughed. "Then that's all that matters. You always gon' be fine as hell. Beat up or not."

Milan's heart fluttered at the compliment. Although she knew it was a bold-faced lie, it helped a lot. She patted Marcus's back, walking away backwards towards her parked car. "As long as I got you, bae!"

She hollered as her goodbye as she got in her car.

As Milan got on the road to go home, her phone started ringing through her car. Effectively cutting off her Summer Walker playlist, which she had to admit already pissed her off. 

"Hello?" She answered the phone, attitude dripping through her tone. 

"Damn, that's how you gon' greet a n*gga after all this time?"

Milan almost crashed her car into the vehicle in front of her.

"Ramses?!" She asked like she was speaking to someone from beyond the grave.

"Who else finna be calling you from the pen, Mi?"

Milan was in absolute disbelief. She glanced at the number being displayed on her car radio screen. It was a real number and she didn't get a jail call announcement when she answered. 

"So, who's phone are you using?" 

All Ramses did was laugh in response to that. It was so good to hear his voice, and he sounded well. 

"I'm really missin' yo' ass, Mi. I'm calling to say I'm sorry. Being up in here gives you a lot of time to think..."

"Yeah, that's what it's supposed to do." Milan butt in. Ramses smacked his lips in response. 

"We gon' have to handle that smart ass mouth when I get out too. But like I was saying," Ramses continued on, dismissing Milan's comment.

"...I was pissed when you said your life ain't been normal since you saved me, but you were right. You ain't never ask to be in this shit with me. Shit, the streets barely even knew Devon had a sister before that night." Ramses spoke like he'd taken a lot of time to mull this thought over.

Milan resisted the urge to add anymore snide remarks. 

She knew all this already though, and she was ready for him to get to the actual apology.

"I'm sorry for putting you in the mix. As soon as I decided I wanted yo' ass, and returned that lil ass Sonata you got, you been a target."

The mention of her car while she was driving home made her giggle. Her "lil" Hyundai Sonata was bought in cash though. 

Lil that.

But, Milan didn't say all of this. She still let him talk.

"But I don't regret that." Ramses continued on, "Getting to know you again, spending time with you, hell, living with you has been the best life has been for me for a long minute. You ain't ask to ride, but you been riding for me like a muh'fucker.

I'm callin' to say I'm sorry... and I appreciate you helping me out while I'm in here." 

Milan fought the urge to swerve her car off the road again because of the shock she felt. It was different when he acknowledged what she was doing. She knew she was doing it out of the kindness of her heart, for her friend, and for the man who saved her brother.

But when he said it, it reminded her how much she loved being with him as well. 

And how, at the core of it all, she was doing it because she was falling in love with him.

It made her tear up. Milan thanked God that he wasn't able to see her right now.

"Well... you're welcome," Milan started with a sniffle.

"I know yo' ass ain't crying." Ramses teased, with a laugh in his voice.

Milan nodded, "You did this to me!" She squealed out, laughing as well. "I know I been giving you shit for it, but I don't regret saving you one bit. I just wish yo' ass didn't get locked up. That's what's been pissing me off." 

Ramses sighed audibly over the phone, "I heard. You don't think Nicki ass told me how you gave her the run around? Having Daya ass calling her all types of bitches and hoes."

Snickering, Milan had to admit she was cheesing very hard behind the wheel. 

So much so, as she was just about to turn into the parking lot of her hotel, she didn't notice the car speeding towards her almost at the speed of light. 

A pistol being held out the window of the car. 

Shots rang out quickly, one striking the wheel of Milan's car. Pressing the gas instead of the brakes, Milan's car began to spin out of control and across the street. 

The screech of tires against the concrete as Milan tried her best to slow and stop her spinout sounded like a banshee screaming.

Milan didn't even register that she was screaming her head off as well. 

All she could feel was how her head suddenly felt wet and warm.

Immediately another oncoming car crashes into her with a sickening boom that sounded like an atomic bomb detonating.

"Aye! Milan?!" Ramses's voice reverberated through the speakers of the car. His voice anxious and full of worry.

Milan was conscious, but she could not speak. She couldn't even hear Ramses voice through the speakers. The only noise was the blood wooshing in her ears. 

"Bro, y'all think we killed her ass?!" A man shouted in the distance. A couple of more male voices chimed in. 

"They just said to scare her ass. Rico, you did too much shooting at her for real!"

The horn of Milan's car was a constant blaring noise. Police sirens could be heard in the distance. Milan's eyes were wide open, but she was not responsive. All she could focus on was how every breath she took felt like a million pins and needles stabbing her heart. 

"Milan, g. You gotta answer me." Ramses begged. He sounded close to tears.

And if she could've answered, she would've.