Heavy Nights Like This

ch, 11

After meeting with her manager, Barbie learned that her album was doing numbers and breaking all kinds of streaming records. She couldn't even be happy about it, because she knew it was all because of Petey's death. Her management team agreed to postpone some promo interviews she had coming up in order to give her grieving time.

          A week passed, the reality of Petey's death started to sink in. Things got more real for Barbie and it seemed like she was doing worse as time went on. She's been diagnosed with ptsd after the raiding of her home but over time, her anxiety attacks and flashbacks lessened. Now, both traumatic event overlapped in her mind every time she heard a loud noise or saw a quick streak of light.

          Barbie was entering a depressed state. On the news it was announced that the officer that shot Petey would not be charged. She didn't answer her phone for anyone and wouldn't get out of bed. Her mother didn't bother her, just made sure she ate and got some sunlight from the window every now and then.

"Sweetie, are you still going to the funeral tomorrow?" Her mom asked, standing in her doorway. "I don't know." She mumbled into her pillow. Barbara sighed deeply, "Well, let me know. Ok?" Barbie didn't reply and Barbara closed her door.

          It was about 2am and Barbie's bedroom door opened, the light from the hallway peaked inside the room and woke her up. After a second, she felt her bed move and very familiar cologne filled her nostril. Big arms wrapped around her and a beard grazed her ear as she received a kiss on the cheek.

"Bird?" She questioned. "Shh, go back to sleep." He whispered. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in New York, right?" She asked, turning her body to look at him. "Yea, I am but me and you are going to the funeral together." "I don't want to. I can't do it."

"Yes, you can. And I'm going to be there with you. Don't you want to say goodbye to Petey?" She shook her head, "I don't want to say goodbye to him. He should still be here and I don't want to see him in a casket." She told him, wiping tears that formed in her eyes. "I understand that, but I think you'll regret it if you don't go."

          She was silent and placed her face on his chest. "Look, go back to sleep and we'll talk about everything in the morning." He gave her another kiss and she closed her eyes, falling asleep on his chest.

When morning came, Barbara brought the two some breakfast. Barbie was still asleep and Bird was up watching ESPN, laying beside her. "She'll be like that until three, and then she'll get up and watch tv, maybe eat, and go right back to sleep." She told him. "The funeral is at noon." He said, then grabbed the plate from her and thanked her. She looked at her watch and saw that it was 8:30am.

"I don't know if it's right to force her to go." Her mother said. Bird agreed, "I'll wake her up and see what she wants to do." Barbara left out of the room and he softly shook Barbie's arm. She mumbled something and slowly opened her eyes. "You're here? I thought I was dreaming..." she yawned. Bird smiled and shook his head, "Nope, it's me in the flesh."

          After a little talking and reasoning, she agreed to go to the funeral as long as she could sit in the back and not go to the burial. They both got dressed and met her mom downstairs at the front door. She had on her darkest shades and a marengo grey Chanel pantsuit.

The home-going service was beautiful. His parents spoke and they had a preacher who talked about strength and how God never fails us even when the justice system does. Petey's cousin sang Tears In Heaven and his grandma sang an old hymn from her seat.

Bird held Barbie's hand the entire time and never let go. Gabby and Cam sat close to the front, but Georgia and Aaron were nowhere to be found. After the funeral, they headed back to Barbie's place.

"Pack your suitcase." Bird instructed Barbie as they entered her bedroom. "Why?" She asked, taking off the suit jacket. "You're coming to New York with me." He said, loosening his tie. She gave him a strange look, "what?"

"I'm not going to let you mope around here. Your mama gotta her back to her life and I'm not leaving you alone, so get packed." She paused for a second, then sighed and did what he said.