"What the fuck do you mean you can't make it! Our sons in hospital, you need to be there for him Bry!" I semi yelled with tears flowing down my face as I paced outside the door where my son was in A&E having an emergency operation. I got a call from his track practice and said that he had an Asthma attack so here I am now in my work trousers and shirt and with my briefcase beyond worried and scared.
He tried to explain himself but I wasn't having it.
"No Bryshere I'm not dealing with your bullshit, I can't keep covering up for you when you disappoint him." I said practically yelling, peoples heads were starting to turn but I didn't care.
"Your such a poor pathetic excuse." I spat.
"Oh shut up, I'm sick and tired of you, just fuck off!" I yelled ending the call, sitting down and running my hands through my hair.
Keith's pov
I was speed walking when I tripped over a woman's briefcase, she sighed and got on her knees as documents spilled across the floor. "I'm so sorry."I said not helping running past her she looked up at me with red tired eyes.
She looked too young to be going through something that seemed to stress her so. I barged into the room where the patient was, putting on gloves over my sterilised hands and putting on my mouth mask.
"6 year old was running when he suffered a severe asthma attack. No signs of health issues, AB blood type. No signs of lung cancer on the patient though it does run through his family,Lungs are closing at rapid speeds." I nodded To the nurse and grabbed the tool.
The breathing machine on the wall was slowing down.
"We're losing him!"
"He's going into cardiac arrest!"
One of the doctors yelled.
"Not on my watch." I said getting to work.
———————————————————————-
"Family of Blake Taylor?"
My head jolted upright and I stood up as fast as a rebound.
"yes?" I questioned warily biting my bottom lip.
The nurse looked at me.
"Follow me ma'am." She said. I nodded my head and picked up my briefcase.
We took an elevator 2 floors up and we stopped outside room 301.
I opened the door and I saw my babyboy hooked up to machines as he slept. When I heard the door close to signal the nurse had left I lost my composure. I cried silently as I kissed his forehead and squeezed his hand.
"Oh my precious baby." I looked at his lips slightly parted as he slept.
"He'll be fine." I heard a deep voice behind me.
I turned around and saw a black tall doctor with freckles looking over at me in his scrubs
"Doctor powers." He walked over to me and held his hand out showing his pearly whites.
I shook it. He went to the machines and started turning them off one by one as he unhooked them.
"I did have to do an emergency surgery as his lungs were caving in quickly. So what I did was slice his chest and move away some Brest tissues that were stiffening the heart. I advise him to be on bed rest for a week and I'll book him a checkup to remove the bandage. He can leave as soon as he wakes up just remember to check out at the front desk." He stood back up straight making eye contact.
"I am sorry about knocking your briefcase back there." He added
"It's ok. You were saving my son." I nodded feeling slightly better smiling a little.
He gave a head nod and walked out the room.
"Thank you, by the way." I said and he turned back around.
"It's what I do." He winked.
Keith's pov
I was walking past a room when I heard arguing. The door was open and I got a glimpse of that woman from earlier. She seemed to be so aggravated with the person on the other end.
"Forget you." She yelled. Putting her phone done and she knelt over bursting into tears.
I knocked on her door. And she dried her eyes before looking at me.
"I need to checkup on Blake." I lied. What am I doing? To be honest I just wanted to be around her, something had me intrigued by her like I wanted to know her story. Sike Nah who am I bullshitting, I'm just nosey.
I walked in and got a thermometer checking his temperature. There was still tears in her eyes when I looked up at her and she looked away quickly fanning them.
"Are you oka-"
"I'm fine." She said.
"Oh okay." I said feeling like an idiot walking back out the door again and mentally punching myself.
———————————————————————————
Blake had just woken up and we was in the car park looking for my car.
"Are you kidding me wheres my-" I stopped when I remembered that I'd left it at work and practically ran down here due to all the traffic there was. I stood There defeated. In an empty car park ,in the dark with a hungry and tired child. I looked down at my phone that was now dead.
"Mommy, I'm hungry." I heard Blake say, as he yawned leaning more into my side whilst rubbing his eyes.
"I know baby, you just gotta wait a little while." I said rubbing his back through his coat. I bit my lip. What do I do now?
The reception at the doctors was closed and I was definitely not walking home.
A black Porsche pulled up and I immediately rolled my eyes.
Out stepped Bryshere.
"Hey lil man." He cheesed to Blake. As he picked him up. He smiled pleased to see his dad.
"Daddy I missed you today, where were you?" He questioned, Bryshere was meant to go to practice with him.
" lilo, had a recital." He said putting Blake down
"Oh." Blake's head dropped at the thought of his snobby step sister.
"But here I'll make up for it." He said pulling out a blue bill.
I scoffed, he can't bribe the kid with money. Blake looked up with a confused look.
"Okay." Bry said awkwardly stuffing his hands in his pockets fiddling. He pulled out a McDonald's coupon and Blake slowly took at it as he eyed the crumpled paper.
"There you go." He smiled patting his back.
"So, get in the car." Bry nodded and opened the back door. Numerous women were all up on each other kissing and fucking, I quickly shielded my sons eyes, horrified.
"No!" I yelled.
"We're not getting in a nasty ass car with your slutty broads."
"Who you raising your voice at!" He yelled getting in my face.
"You nigga." I said as I pushed him. He pushed me back as his face and ears turned red.
"FIND YOUR OWN WAY TO GET HOME THEN, COME ON BLAKE." Bry grabbed Blake's hand and the boy pulled away running back to me with fear in his eyes.
"Fuck yall, you can both find a way to get back because I ain't taking ya ungrateful asses." He spat.
"They will." I heard a voice from behind me say. All three of us turned to see who it was.
"Baby, is this man bothering you?"He said looking at Bryshere whilst he put an arm round me.
Bry chuckled. I was a little off guard but played along.
"Yeah He is." I said snuggling into his warm side.
"This you?" Bryshere said with an amused smirk pointing between us.
"Why you bothered?" I sassed.
"You got a problem? Bryshere?" Keith said.
"Nah Keith, you good."
Wait. They know each other?
Keith was about to say something but I put my hand on his chest signalling for him to stop lowkey feeling his chisled upper body.
"He's not worth it." I said putting my head down.
I grabbed My sleepy baby's hand as Keith led us to his car leaving Bryshere where he was.
He opened the door for Blake and myself before jogging to the other side.
Keith
"You hungry kid?" I asked looking back at him.
He nodded his head sleepily.
"What you want?"
"I don't mind sir."
"Come on, I'm sure there's at least one thing your craving." I asked.
There was a little pause as he stayed in deep thought.
"Red lobster."
I blinked multiple times at the child. I thought he was gone say KFC or Popeyes or summin a kid would eat.
"You got red lobster money?"
"I mean...." he pulled out a hundred dollar bill from his sleeve.
"Where'd you get a hundred bucks?"
"Dad." He shrugged.
"But he didn't even give it to you."
"So."
"How did yo-"
"I learnt from the best." He said as he looked at his mother.
She looked out the window already embarrassed at what her son had just said.
"What about you?" I questioned. She didn't even budge. I tapped her leg and she jumped giving me her full attention, as if she was zoned out.
"I'm sorry I didn't get your name."
"Marnie." She smiled weakly.
"Are you hungry Marnie?"
" I'm good thanks."
"Aight."
I turned back around cranking up the car and driving to the restaurant.
As we pulled up to the red lobster drive through. I asked what Blake wanted and he got a whole live lobster with honey bbq shrimp skewers.
"Thats $85." The lady at the window said.
I turned around to see Blake Looking around frantically.
"Aye kid, where's your money?" I looked back at him.
"I don't know." He said looking in between the seats.
I was growing impatient as the car behind us beeped their horn and the lady held her hand out waiting for the money.
I clenched my teeth bobbing my knee up and down, i can't be patient for shit, it makes me aggy like I'm not getting anything done.
"Your mom like seafood too?"
Blake nodded his head. I ordered her some fried shrimps, steamed snow crab legs and french fries. I ended up using my own money and spent $173 on all of us in total.
I went into the car park and decided to wake up Marnie who's head was resting on the window as she silently napped. I tapped her handing her a takeaway box.
"Got you a little something."
"Thank you." She said rubbing her eyes and sitting up putting the box in her lap.
Her eyes widened.
"Yall went to red lobster."
"Yeah."
"Hmm."
"What does that mean?" I questioned looking at her taking a French fry into my mouth.
"I just thought you was a Popeyes or roscoes type of guy." She said munching on a shrimp.
"i am but he wanted to go red lobster and Blake couldn't find his bill so I had to pay for it." I whined playfully.
"You got ripped." She laughed aloud.
"Scuse me?" I questioned.
"My son ripped you off."
I looked at Blake who quickly looked down playing with the lobster claws.
"What do you mean?"
"I bet you he know exactly where that bill is."
I looked at him and he gave me a awkward smile.
"Oh-uh, looks-Uh like I-Uh found it." He chuckled nervously as he pulled it from his pocket.
"You slick." I said mugging the boy who now seemed to be wide awake.
"Man, why you acting tight on your money?" He questioned sitting forward.
"I gotta pay for more expensive things that cost more and have more value than an overrated and overpriced restaurant." I said.
"But you a doctor so you rich." He sat back shrugging.
"So, I'm not rich."
"Sir, if I'm correct your a cardiologist so you earn on average $512,000 a year. So yeah, I think your rich considering your chilling with more than half a million in your bank account."
"But see it's cost £1000 dollars on my pet giraffes treatment."
"Then I gotta pay my bills which is another $1000"
"I treat my family-
"Wait? Why you treating your giraffe." He questioned.
"He's got cancer."
"Oh...cool.so you actually have a giraffe."
"No. But I feel like your missing the point."
"Yeah ok."
" moving on, do you want me to drop you home?"
"Yes please." Marnie answered nodding her head.
"Put it in my phone." I said passing it to her relating to her address, she typed it in and passed it back to me.
"Damn I see you living uptown." I chuckled
"I mean, I worked hard." She shrugged.
I started the route to her house, on the way 3005 played lowly on the radio as she hummed the lyrics quietly.
"How old are you? If you don't mind me asking." I know random right.
"22,and yourself?"
"24."
"Oh, your old." She said.
We stopped at a red light.
"Girl, I'm not even, your exaggerating." I waved her off.
"Yeah whatever, you remind me of those guys back in the day that used to be captain of the basketball team, had all the chicks and-"
"Well damn"
She laughed "it's a skill." I smiled.
I pulled down her road as she told me to pull over to the side of her house.
"Here we are." I said
"Thanks, you didn't have to do all of this."
"Well maybe in return I can get your number?" I questioned looking at her.
"I-
"Get that damn number sis, ooh and he fine too, and he got got big hands ooh and he got nice teeth. AND he's in scrubs oh my god you got a fine doctor and he feelin you, you need ya get that number girl get it, and get that dick too whilst your at it!" Yelled Tiffany through the window of my house.
I rolled my eyes and I heard Keith chuckle.
"I guess that's a yes."
"I guess so." I smirked, pulling out my phone.
"You got it yet sis?" Tiffany yelled.
"Oh my god Tiffany shut up!" I yelled through gritted teeth to let her know she was embarrassing me. She rolled her eyes and mouthed 'get that dick' before closing the window and disappearing behind the curtains.
We exchanged numbers and Me and Blake walked to the door. We waved one more time before he beeped his horn and drove off.