Chapter 15|
After explaining and talking to my mom and calming her down the guys returned. They brought me some cookies from the cafe across the street even though I'm not supposed to have them. While they were here I actually got time to converse with Tony and get to know him. He's a really nice guy and I'm glad that him and my mom are together. He's really good for her. I haven't seen her this giddy and ebullient......ever. I'm thankful for my conversation with my mom though because she helped open my eyes to a lot. Things that I hadn't discerned before or that I just hadn't looked into. I've realized that David is not good for me. It's time to let him go. It's sad because even though I know this, I still don't want to. I know I need to but things are easier said then done.
"Okay Mrs. Miller it's time for your medication." A nurse tells me as she enters my room. "How are you feeling today?" she questions handing me the medication and some water.
"Honestly, I am in some very intense pain." I tell her wincing while taking my medication. When people are around I paint on this smile pretending to be fine so that they won't worry about me. But in reality I'm in excruciating pain; internally and externally. "This medication doesn't seem to be helping much anymore."
"Okay, well how about I give you this for now and then I will go talk to Dr. Whitfield about changing your prescription?" she asks while handing me some water. I nod agreeing as I take my medicine. After she changes my dressings and jots down some notes she leaves. Finally I'm able to rest a little better for now.
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A few months later...
I'm finally out of the hospital and I'm recovering surprisingly well. My mom convinced- well made me come live with her for a while so she can watch over me and make sure I heal properly. At least until I get strong enough to do everything on my own again, but I know she's going to want me to stay longer. Little does she know, I have other intentions.
As I lay in my old room at my mom's house I feel myself staring off into space. Honestly I'm getting tired of sitting in this room. I'm tired of sitting period. If I have to sit around one more day I swear I'm going to scream. I decide to take matters into my own hands and get myself up and move around. My mom is going to kill me.
I make my way down the stairs slowly. It's take me a while to get completely down but once I do I feel a sense of accomplishment. I take a second to catch my breath and prepare myself to continue. After a moment I make my way into the kitchen. It's very quiet in here so hopefully no one is here and I won't have to hear my mother's mouth.
"Gloria, what hell you doin'?!" I jump from hearing my mom shout from behind me. I guess my luck has yet to get better.
"Ma I'm hungry and I didn't think anyone was here so I came to get it myself." I half way tell the truth.
"Gloria did you forget that I carried you in my uterus for 9 months and pushed you out of my vagina after 14 hours and 27 minutes of labor?" She ask with her hand on her hip and that face that I know all too well. That face that says 'uh huh lil' girl you ain't slick'.
"Eww, no ma I didn't forget. Unfortunately, you have a habit of reminding me." I tell her with my face scrunched with an evident look of disgust.
"And ima keep reminding you until y'all stop trying to lie to me." She says with a chuckle. I can't help but to laugh myself.
"Okay ma, honestly I got tired of sitting up there in that room. If I have to stare at those cluttered, adolescent 'prepped' walls for one more day I swear I'm going to go nuts ma." I tell her slowly taking a seat at the table.
"Eww why you talking to ma 'bout nuts Lo Lo? That's just nasty." X says walking into the kitchen, grabbing a Gatorade out of the fridge.
"Obviously you walked in on the wrong part of the conversation X. I wasn't talking to mom about nuts. I said if I have to sit in that room another day then I'm going to GO nuts." I tell him as I take his Gatorade and drink some of it.
"Fool..." My ma says to X after slapping him in the back of the head.
"Ma........................I love you." He tells her knowing that if he says anything else he's bound to get hit again. "& Lo Lo don't be putting your mouth on my drink! I don't know what you be doing in that room when ain't nobody here.." He says laughing and running, knowing that I can't chase after him.
"I swear I'm gone hurt that boy one day." I tell my mom.
"Please do." She says looking through the fridge. "You want me to fix you something to eat baby?"
"Yes ma'am."
When I was in the hospital after my mom found out, I asked if she could tell my brother's what happened for me. I didn't really know what to say to them or how to say it. After a few visits with my mom and once my swelling went down, I allowed them to come visit. X was pretty pissed and Tre didn't really say much of anything. The better I got the more X started coming to see me by himself. He would even stay some nights so that Mikey could go and get some things done. Once I started feeling better I told Mikey that he didn't have to stay with me any longer. But he refused to leave me there alone. I'm so thankful for my brothers. They always somehow seem to keep my head above water. Even when I unknowingly do everything in my power to drown myself. I'll have to remember to figure out a way to show them my appreciation.
While sitting in the kitchen with my mom waiting for my food to be done, we hear a knock on the door and then the chime of the doorbell. My mom starts toward the door but I stop her and tell her to continue cooking. I make my way to the door thinking that it's probably just Tony. He's here so much; I'm surprised my mom hasn't given him a key yet. But then again she probably has. Especially with their late night creeping when they think everyone is sleeping. Eventually I reach the door as the knocking continues. Instead of bothering to ask who was there I just open it. To my surprise there's a sexy caramel brotha' standing there grinning at me. Whom, might I add, is too fine for his own good!
I take a moment to compose myself and then finally I speak. "Brian? What are you doing?"
"Well hello to you too." He says with that charming smile of his.
" I apologize." I say looking down. "How are you?"
He chuckles at my slight nervousness "I was only joking Gloria; I'm fine. Thanks for asking..finally." This causes me to look away from him. "Aww I'm kidding again. Lighten up." He tells me while rubbing my arm.
I just shake my head as he continues to stand there. "Uh okay. Well come on in." I tell him as I step aside to let him in.
"Sure. This is a beautiful home your mother has." He compliments as he looks around, taking in the house.
"Gloria!" I hear my mom call from the kitchen. "Who is that at the door?"
I almost burst into laughter from Brian's facial expression after he hears my mom's voice. It's quite comical. It's almost like the face you make when you get caught doing something or if you're surprised. The 'Ohhhh' face. Let's just say over the time that I was in the hospital, my mom and Brian have built an risible relationship.
"I didn't know your mom was here." He sort of whispers. I laugh at his sudden timidness.
"Well I guess that's what happens when you pop up unannounced to someone's home." I tell him leaning against the wall. "What are you doing here anyway? Not to be rude or anything, I'm just asking."
"Well, first off, let me apologize for that. Secondly, I came to check up on you,"
"Why?"
"What do you mean why?" He says taking a few steps closer to me."Let's not forget that even though you 'persuaded' me to release you from the hospital early. You are still my patient for a few more months."
"Well I didn't know you made 'house calls' Doctor." I say with slight attitude.
"Hmmmm, and I didn't I was meant to inform you about that Ms. Feisty." He says while stepping a little closer. "I guess we both just learned something new huh?"
I use my hand to cover my smile "Yeah, I guess we did."
"Gloria! Girl I know you heard me talking to you." I hear my mom coming into the foyer. She stops and smiles once she spots Brian. "Oh nooow I see why you wasn't responding. Hey Honey Dew!" She waves to Brian with one of her many names for him. "Yes GAWD you is fine!" She tells him and I just shake my head watching him blush.
"Hello Ms. Regina, how are you?" He asks her still blushing.
"Uh uhhh what I tell you about all that formal stuff? I thought we got through this phase a long time ago Peaches n Cream! I see you might be a little slow. What did I tell you to call me?"
He puts his head down and starts laughing "I apologize. How you doin' Stella?" When I hear him say that I burst into laughter.
"Wow... You did not tell him to call you that ma." I look at her shaking my head.
"Yasssssss and he said it with the deep voice!" She says smiling.
"I can't with you two; I'm going to eat. Brian you can join me in the kitchen if you'd like. I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind showing you the way. I need to sit down." I tell them walking away.
"Uh I think I'll just follow you." I hear him trailing not to far behind me. Once he catches up to me he whispers in my ear "Why would you leave me alone with your mom? You see what she does when you're around. I don't even want to think about what she might do if I was by myself." He says laughing until he see's me wincing in the pain.
I'm feeling better, but I'm not all the way there yet. "Are you okay?" He gently wraps his arms around my waist and stops me from walking any further.
"Yeah, my ribs are just sore and this is my first day out of bed. So I'm just in a little pain. I'm okay though."
He starts to nod and then stops and looks at me "Wait, this is your first day out of bed?!"
"Yes."
"You should have been up at least a month ago."
"I know but super mom, slash, Stella wouldn't allow me to get up."
"Wow, you should have called me. I would have told her it was doctor's orders." He says smirking.
"You're right." I chuckle. "I didn't even think of that. Next time I'll remember. But like I said I'm okay."
"Are you sure? I could carry you wherever you need to go if you'd like."
"I bet you would like that! But no thank you. I can manage." I tell him chuckling. Trying not to ponder on the fact that we're still standing in the hall with his hands holding me at my waist.
"Okay well is there anything else that I could do for you or anything that you would like to discuss with me while I'm here?" He asks while watching my face attentively.
"Um as far as discussing, we can do that when we get to the kitchen. But you could start by letting me go now." I say looking back at him.
He looks down to where his hands are "Oh," and releases me."I apologize."
"It's okay. Come on." I say leading him to the kitchen. "Here we are now let's see what mom made." I head over to stove to see what she cooked for me and I smile at the perfect omelet sitting in the pan. "Awww see this is why I'm gaining weight. Mom knows she can't be cooking like this." I said more to myself than to anyone else.
"Gloria you're fine. You look beautiful.."
"You're just being polite." I tell him trying to reach for a plate in the cabinet.
"Yeah and I'm being honest." He says close to ear. I jump because I wasn't aware that he had moved from the table. Reaching around my body he grabs the hand I was using to reach with and places it down. He uses his other hand to grab the plate I was reaching for. "Go sit down. I'll fix this for you." For some reason I don't feel the need to protest. I just go sit and wait on him. This surprises me because usually I wouldn't have allowed someone to do that. As I sit back down I see my mom peeking around the corner, pointing and snickering. Once she see's me looking she quickly moves back around the corner.
Brian brings me my food and immediately I start to chow down. For a second I forget that he's even here. When I look up from my food he's staring at me in amusement. I start to laugh at myself "I apologize, would you like some?" I offer him some but he refuses.
"I would but it looks like if I even dare you might bite my hand off." He says laughing with me.
"Ah hush. Seriously though taste it. My mom be throwing down in the kitchen for-real though." I tell him absent-mindedly offering him some on my fork. At first he looks hesitant, but then he carefully takes his teeth and pulls the egg off of the fork. Making sure that his teeth don't touch the metal, he slightly lets his lips slide off the rest of the fork.
Seeing this instantly causes the pit of me to throb like never before. I cross my legs under the table in hopes of calming myself down. Then he has the nerve to lick his lips afterwards.
"Mmmm that tastes delicious." He says dabbing his mouth with a napkin.
"Uhh yeah. I told you." I respond, sort of awkwardly. I finish my food and start to get up to put the dishes in the sink but Brian takes them.
"I got it."
"Brian I am fully capable of doing things for myself."
"I don't doubt that you are." He says taking a seat in front of me. "But I enjoy doing things for you. So what is it that you would like to discuss?"
I hesitate to ask at first. "What's the real reason for you coming here?"
I can tell that he was caught off guard by my question because it took him a moment to respond.
"What do you mean? I told you I came to check up on you."
"Okay, but if you wanted to check on me then you could have just called. You didn't drive an hour and a half just to 'check' on me Brian. Let's be realistic here." I tell him.
"Okay Gloria look." He stands from his chair and walks over to me. He pulls my chair from the table and then the next thing I know he has me lifted into the air. One of his arms brace my back while the other is hooked behind my knees.
"Brian what are you doing? Put me down!"
"I told you I would carry you wherever you need to go."
"I didn't need to go anywhere. I was just fine sitting at the table." He continues to ignore me.
"Where's the most private and comfortable place for you here in the house?" He asks still walking.
"What?" I ask confused.
"What room is the most comfortable for you? I need to examine you, ask some questions and I need you to be comfortable."
"Umm upstairs. There's a sitting room that's closed off."
"Okay, lead the way." He says still carrying me. Once we make it to the end of the staircase I get nervous.
"Brian please don't drop me." I beg while looking scaredly at the stairs.
"Trust me Gloria. I will not drop you. Okay?" He gives the most sincerest look I could ask for.
"Okay."
As he carries me up the stairs I can feel his muscles flexing underneath his shirt. I clench my thighs together tightly trying to restrain from doing anything that my hormones are telling me to. We make it to the top of the stairs and I direct him to the sitting room. He sits me down on a chair stool thats sits sort of high from the ground. When I look up I'm almost face to face with him. I sit still with my head down, biting the inside of my cheek, and my legs still clenched tighgly together.
"Umm Gloria you're seated now. You can relax." He tells me.
I just shake my head 'no'.
"No?" He asks.
I shake my head again.
"Ooookay, well can you tell me why?"
I shake my head again.
"Why not? Are you in pain?"
"N-" I take a deep breath and clear my throat. "No, I'm fine." Which is not the truth at all. "Uh, Brian could do me a favor please?"
"Sure! What do you need?" He says standing close to me.
"Oh lord don't ask that." I say more quietly to myself. "Uh, I need you to turn around and walk about 10 steps that way. Stay there and count to 60 in your head."
At first he gives me a weird look. Then he looks over and smirks. Then he slowly turns around and starts to walk. But he doesn't just walk away normally. He does this slow model stroll while taking exactly 10 steps. I figure he's done with his show so I start to try and relax and cool myself down. But then he starts to whisper and count. The sound of his voice is doing the opposite of what I want it to do. The whole purpose of this was for him to be unheard and unseen so that I could get my hormones together. Looks like that attempt was shot straight to hell. All I could do was put my head down and shake it,
"You know what. Just go ahead and come on back." I say laughing. He knows exactly what he's doing.
"You sure?" He says chuckling.
"See you ain't right. You know exactly what you're doing." I tell him.
"What exactly am I doing?" He asks, pretending to be oblivious to what's going on.
"Nothing Brian, nothing at all." I put my head down. "Let's just get on with this."
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(A/N: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I'm going to be working hard to get this book finished up. Please remember to Vote/Comment!
If you have any ideas or suggestions on how you think the book should go feel free to drop me a message.
- Vonnie