⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀THE BLANCO, MEDICAL van drove below speed limit across the roadway. Night had fallen as Bebe held herself tight in her arms, watching through the windshield where the driver took her. A young Caucasian nurse sat across from her, the same one who'd directed her to the transportation from the hospital. Her mink lashes looked downward behind her glass frames, brushing over her pink tinted cheeks due to her blush. Her contoured makeup defined her already pretty features. She peered up, her brown eyes piercing into Bebe's soul. Her red lips stretched into a smile before they parted, asking, "You doing alright?" Her voice was angelic, slipping from her voice box with ease. Bebe nodded, looking over her frame then back to her face. Her eyes studied her badge, reading the name Madeline Whitehead.
She felt a streak of envy run through her bones. Here she was, feeling out of place as some ghetto bitch ready to kill herself because of depression. Her tattoos roaming down the side of her arm, thankfully her scrubs hiding the rest. The nose ring pierced in her wide nose above her full lips. Her extended lashes were beginning to look stiff and her new growth escaping her weeks old braids. Here she sat next to a white girl on the medical field who probably hadn't faced a traumatic situation in her life. Bebe rolled her eyes, placing her back flat against the seat and folding her arms loosely. Madeline accepted the response as it was, giving her her space for that moment until they parked next to behavioral center. "Thanks Sam."
Madeline thanked the driver, pushing her bra length auburn hair behind her shoulders. "Are you ready?" She questioned Bebe. Bebe stood with an attitude and walked forward to the van, stepping off as Madeline followed slowly. Soon, she took the lead due to her badge being the key into the building the rest of the way. Bebe now examined her body, that streak getting deeper at the sight of her petite frame. Her curves were small, but cute for her pretty face. The scrubs she wore hugged her body comfortably.
"So as the other nurses probably mentioned you'll be here for a couple of days just because we're a bit nervous of the fact you're suicidal. We don't wanna send you home and. .something happens again but worse." Madeline explains as she trots down the dim halls, Bebe following slowly behind.
Bebe eyes rolled as she motioned them up then down. "What if I wanna go home before a couple of days?" She emphasized, awaiting the answer. Madeline stepped into a closed off room, delaying patiently for her to enter as well. Once she did, she took a seat in the roller chair and pulled out a sheet. "If you feel like you wanna go home and have no reason of being here, you can appeal against doctor's orders but it hardly ever is granted especially because of your attempt of taking your life." Madeline explained, pressing out the pen's ink bud.
"May I have that bag for a moment?" She asked additionally, referring to the bag that had Bebe's few belongings along with her purse. Hesitantly, she handed it over to her.
"We have to make note of everything you have, make sure there's nothing sharp or flammable and when you are able to leave, you get all that's yours." She smiled small, making eye contact before removing the clothing from the plastic concealment, jotting each item onto the list.
Bebe watched her intently, growing tired of the long day. Wherever she was being taken, she hoped there was a shower and a bed, what she needed right about now. Then her siblings well being crossed her mind and she begin to worry again. She fiddled in the place she stood then opened her mouth to ask, "Can I make a call?"
Madeline nodded. "Yes. When we leave here, I'll take you to unit two and you can make as many phone calls as you like between seven o'clock a.m. and ten o'clock p.m. I guess I could go over everything else with you. You being in here does not make you crazy or abnormal, mental instability in that way is unit one. Everyone in here in unit two are here for depression or anxiety of some sort. You'll get the hang of everything quick." Madeline paused, sticking Bebe's hospital identification sticker similar to the one on her wrist across her purse and sat in a storage cubby next to many of others.
She opened the door for her and walked out behind her as she begin to point to the different rooms inside the large area. "These are the day rooms, both have tv's you can watch in either room since there aren't tv's in your room. Here are the phones." She adverted her finger to the wall in two locations. "As I said, you can use them at any time. There out in the open near the nurse desk because some patients are homicidal or may be victims of being threatened so calls can be subtly monitored from here. A nurse is always at the desk for your assistance if you need. Soap and towels will be restocked here at the edge of the desk. Um, breakfast, lunch, and snack is served in this day room while the other is where groups are held. We turn off phones during every group to encourage everyone to go. They really help." Madeline conversed before drifting off down the spacious hall.
Bebe eyes glanced around, most of the other patients being older. One being loud and ratchet on the phone line, a few sitting at small desk putting together puzzles or drawing while a few walked about or ventured off into the day rooms.
Madeline pulled open the door two thousand and eight, flipping on the light. "Here is your room. Every hour someone comes by just to check on you guys, make sure you're okay, whether in your room or day room, keeping up with your daily activities which sometimes effect how we feel you're doing or progress you're making. But don't feel like you're just being watched uncomfortably, we try not to make it that way." Bebe looked around the bland room--nothing but a bed, a bookshelf, a desk underneath a window with a chair and a bathroom. Literally nothing else. Madeline clasped her hands together. "Yeah, that's about it. If you have anymore questions, you could ask me or any of the other nurses at the desk and we'll be sure to assist. You can go ahead and make your call and ima fetch you a quick snack." She glanced down at her wristwatch.
"Okay." Bebe said and Madeline exited, leaving the door cracked open. She left out as well but slowly, not believing where she'd ended up. Everything had happened so fast, she thought. She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She drew attention to the hanging clock above the nurse's station, ten minutes until ten o'clock. She walked over to the phone and picked it up off the line. The set up really did remind her of prison. She tapped the memorized number in and listened as it rung. She took a seat in the chair that was sat under the phone line, holding her body close with one arm. Tatiana answered, "Hello?"
"Where the hell did you bring me? W-why?" Bebe cried, those pending tears falling immediately. She wiped her face with the back of her hand and tucked her lips into her mouth to silent her whimpers. She faced the wall to not forecast her breakdown. She sniffled, the mucus hitting her nostrils hard.
"Bebe calm down boo, please. They're going to help you, maybe even give you some medicine to make you feel good just so you can get back to your old self. I ain't set you up, girl. I w-"
"Medicine? I don't need fucking medicine!" Bebe snarled. She glanced back at the nurses who were into the computer screens in front of them, seeming to not pay her any mind. She turned back forward and lowered her voice, swiping the back of her hand across her eyes again. "You think I'm crazy?"
"No. I don't. Medicine doesn't mean you're crazy okay. You been going through a load of shit Bebe, any damn body would be ready to give up too. Any motherfucka who calls themselves looking down on you couldn't walk a day in yo' shoes. Ian' sayin' you crazy but I do want my bitch back. And that's that so I got you the help you deserve and if anybody mistreat you in that bitch, all hell will break loose. Okay!" Bebe chuckled between her sniffles, the wind chilling her cheeks from it's wetness due to her recent crying. It was crazy to her how Tatiana had stepped up to be such a good friend to her out of nowhere in her time of need, something she definitely did need. She decided then to really look at this situation as help and relaxed some.
She needed to ask a few more questions though to really ease her mind, "My brothers and sisters okay? How's pooh? Who's gonna watch them?" She bombarded in one breath. "Slow down boo, yes they're okay. I explained what was going on without making them scared and she's fine, she's sleep on my lap right now. Goddamn, you did say this girl was clingy and I saw that today. Whewf'. But I'm gonna be here to watch over them, cook, clean, take them to school and allat'. And when I gotta work, I told my big head ass brother to. They're covered girl, we all want the same thing and that's for you to get well soon." Bebe smiled, feeling genuine relief.
"Okay." She agreed. Tatiana asked again and she repeated herself for reassurance. She looked back to the clock and noticed it'd just struck ten o'clock. "Well I gotta go. Tell them goodnight and that I love them. I'll call in the morning." Tatiana giggled.
"I figured, it's cool. I will though girl. Get you some sleep, and relax. See if you can hookup with a fine ass fix in there." Bebe rolled her eyes and shook her head, the thought of being touched in any way by a man right now far from her mind. Her job in itself was beginning to sicken her to her stomach at the thought. "But goodnight." Tatiana finished and Bebe ended the call by hanging it back up. She stood to her feet, her scrubs rustling at her slightest move. One of the nurses took her eyes from the screen and made eye contact before giving her a warm smile. She pointed over to an orange and cereal with a pint of milk that sat on the counter. "Madeline says that's for you." Bebe took the snack and thanked her, walking off in the direction of her room in a content state.
As she opened the door to her temporary room, in Mexico, Eron opened the door to where Amos laid to rest during his stay. "His ass gone?" He asked Carleo who stood far on the other side, his attention on the news that flashed across the television screen. Carleo rubbed his palms together, his eyebrows close together as he watched the night before's murder be broadcasted with no suspects or additional information able to be given. "Si."
Eron walked further into the room, bopping slowly with each step he took with his broad back straight upward. He caught sight of a few stacks of cash left on the nightstand. He scratched his head, bewildered for walking over towards it and snatching the sticky note from off the top stack. It read: You got heart too bro, real can't be changed. He licked over his lips, meditating over the words before peering at the money. He fanned the money by pulling it back with his thumb then smacked it against his hand in thought. " Estás listo?" Carleo asked if he was ready, coming in the doorway. Eron pushed the money into both of his front pants pockets and nodded slowly. "Yeah." He answered. He shook himself from his trance and looked up to him, repeating himself.