—
Eight of the ten peers aligned themselves outside, just in front of the resort's entrance. While Blair was at his wife's side in their suite, the other couples decided it'd be best for them to await the ambulance's arrival.
Angela held onto Idris as all she could get herself to do was pray. She wasn't exactly sure as to what was really going on with Mariah, but seeing the woman the way she was reminded her of her own health. She was fighting a sickness that still rang as undisclosed to her closest friends and family. And loathing the idea of them finding her just as they had found Mariah, she began to think that maybe it was time to make everyone aware.
Holding onto her chest, Toni incessantly moved her head from side to side. It had definitely scared her seeing her dear friend laid upon that bed, almost lifeless. "What y'all think even happened?"
She looked over at her other friends, also seeing how shaken up they appeared to be.
"I don't know," Janet said back, shrugging her shoulders. She wanted her focus to be on Mariah's situation—but truthfully—she could only think about her own. There was no denying that her marriage was in shambles and needed immediate fixing. "Shit just been happening left from right since we been here."
Her eyes traveled to Boris, who had been conversing off to the side with Shemar and Bobby. She could only hope the man wasn't notifying his friends about the state of their union.
"That's true," Toni said, moving her body in a fashion that agreed with what was spoken. "Y'all wonder if she been sick? And I don't mean no cold, I mean like really sick?" She was verily concerned. "Wouldn't she tell us?"
Instantly, Angela and Idris eyed one another. If their friends had those expectations for Mariah then of course they'd have the same ones for Angela.
She needed to tell them about her health, and needed to do so immediately.
"Chile, please," Whitney intervened, who had been standing nearby, holding a Newport's cigarette between her fingers. "Mariah's ass ain't been no sick." She waved her peers off. When she realized they'd all been looking at her, she looked at them sideways. "It's something else going on that she ain't said shit about. Ain't no sickness."
The others wondered of what she could've been speaking about. But, before either of them could ask her to further elaborate, nearby sirens grew closer as the ambulance pulled into the lot of the resort.
Once the truck reached the front door, the paramedics vastly got out of the vehicle, pulled out a gurney, then entered through the lobby.
After about fifteen minutes, Mariah was carried out of the building and placed into the ambulance. The friends stood by and watched, taken aback by how dreary the woman was. They had never seen her in such setting, not ever.
Blair, on the other hand, tried to put forth an act of obvious hurt. He wanted it to seem as though he knew nothing of what occurred with his wife, and that he wanted her to be okay. But, if anybody could break through his act, it was Whitney. And she did. She knew he definitely had something to do with the reason the woman was being rushed for an emergency.
Walking through the parking lot to get into their own vehicles, the couples decided to trail the ambulance to whichever hospital they were headed to.
Janet didn't want to cause any further speculation of her marriage—especially after the embarrassment at breakfast—so she followed behind Boris, entering the car like he had.
There was nothing but silence as the two wouldn't allow their mouths to speak. Even though they knew they had a handful to talk about, neither knew how to establish what needed discussing.
Realizing the ride to the hospital would be a hushed one, Boris turned the radio's volume up a bit. Patti Labelle's If Only You Knew sounded, causing the man to sing along. But, Janet was not in some sing-along-marathon kind of mood. So, she used her index and thumb fingers of her left hand to turn the volume back down.
"What the—I was listening to that!" Boris said, eyeing his wife as if she had blatantly disrespected not only him but also Patti Labelle. "The hell you do that for?"
"Listen, I ain't got nothin' against Patti," the woman began, pointing toward her husband. "But I do got a bone to pick with you!" She looked at him with complete rage.
The man smacked his teeth, waving her off. He attempted to turn the radio back up, but she smacked his hand down. "Damn, Janet, what's your problem?!"
"Don't sit over there and act like you don't know!" Janet said back, raising her voice. "You were wrong for leaving me in that suite by myself last night, Boris!" She allowed curiosity to cover her, incessantly thinking of where he had gone off to. "Where the hell were you anyways?"
For a second time, Boris waved his wife off. "I needed to clear my damn head, okay?" He felt that after finding what he had in the woman's phone, he needed his space. Of all people, he hadn't expected Janet to hurt him how she did. "I ain't never thought you'd step out me, Jan."
Rolling her eyes, the woman crossed her arms above her chest. She didn't feel ashamed for the affair she led; she loved Toni undeniably. And she wasn't at all surprised that Boris felt his heart break a bit. That was the thing about men who cheated, then ended up being cheated on. They could dish it out but couldn't take it.
"Oh, so you can fuck around on me but when it's done to you, you don't like it?!" Janet moved her head in an up and down fashion. "I see how it is."
"I'm not about to keep going on about this shit, alright?!" Boris rose his voice a bit, trying to focus on the road. They were nearing the hospital, and the last thing he wanted was for their disagreement to continue on once they had finally reached it.
"The thing is men cheat for sex and sex only. But you women? Y'all do that shit with feelings involved. I bet any money you feel something for whoever it is you foolin' around with."
The wife instantly felt a sudden confidence swarm over her. She did feel for Toni. She felt more for her than what she felt for her own husband. "Okay, and? Maybe I do! What the hell difference does it make?!"
"If you wanting to be with somebody else, then we can kiss this shit goodbye." Boris's face held a serious expression, an indication that he had meant every word he spoke. "Ain't got no business being together if we really ain't together."
"Look, Boris," Janet sat up a bit in her seat, facing her husband. "When we get home, we can settle this shit however we want. But, while we here—on this trip—we gon' pull it together." She then pointed her index finger within his direction. "Because you already left once and had me looking embarrassed in front of our friends. And if you pull that shit again, it's gon' get real ugly, you hear me?"
Pulling into the lot of the hospital, the man looked at his wife sideways.
"Now what you gotta go all crazy for?" He laughed a bit, shaking his head from one side to the other.
The two then exited their vehicle and began walking toward the entrance of the hospital. Their other friends did as well, watching as the paramedics led Mariah in.
Once inside, the couples were instructed to occupy the nearest waiting area whilst their dear friend would receive all the medical attention necessary.
"You are more than welcome to stay in here," a receptionist said to the group, as she showed them to the area provided. She waited for everyone to take a seat then continued on with, "We also have a separate room full of complimentary drinks and snacks. Such as Starbucks coffee and other things." The woman pointed toward another part of the hospital. "The room is just down this hallway to your right. Please, help yourselves to whatever you'd like."
After she exited the room, Blair rose from where he had placed himself. He knew that everyone around him would only discuss what was happening with his wife, and he didn't want to hear it. He felt they'd speak on something they knew nothing about, something that was far from their business. So, he slowly stepped out of the supplied room, making his way down the hallway the receptionist informed him and the others about.
For as discreet as he tried to be, he was fooling everyone else but Whitney. As stated before, there were things about him that she just didn't trust. She was a judge, after all. She could definitely smell a criminal miles away. Gaining the urge, she too got up from where she was seated and began to follow behind him.
Watching the man enter into the room of which the complimentary refreshments rested, Whitney also graced the room with her presence. With her hands, she formed a clapping sound, congratulating Blair on the act he tried to put forth.
"Is there something I can do for you, Whitney?" The man asked, rolling his pupils in a circular motion. He stood before the coffee maker, beginning to start a fresh brew.
"Ain't shit you can do for me." She moved her head back and forth, showing disgust within her body. "You've done enough, Blair The Beater." The woman then strolled around the room, examining the goodies provided.
Blair turned toward her, still keeping his hands on the device in front of him. "Excuse me? My wife was just found barely breathing. You really think now is a good time to show yo' ass?"
Whitney's shoulders shrugged. "Hey, sometimes I act a fool. But, I ain't no damn fool." She positioned her index finger in the direction of his face. "If you been putting your hands on Mariah, you need to cut that shit out."
The man grabbed a nearby, plastic coffee container from a rack it was stored upon. "Look, bitch," he then began to pour the heated beverage into the cup. "Ain't shit you can come in here and say to me about some shit you know nothing about. Get the hell outta here."
"Oh no, sweetheart," Whitney stopped roaming the room and began to grow closer to Blair's presence. "Watch your fucking mouth. I ain't gon' be too many bitches." She continued to place her finger into his face. "You know what? You's a sorry excuse of a man to ever think that putting your hands on a woman is okay."
"What the hell do you care?" The man eyed the woman sideways, applying sugars and flavor to his coffee. "Last I checked, you don't give a rat's ass about my wife." He then began to stir the beverage in circular fashions.
"Oh, but you do?" Whitney's head jerked back a bit, taken a bit back by what was stated. She believed there was no way in hell a man cared about nor loved his wife if he could so effortlessly beat her. Being mistreated was not love, being beaten was not love. And frankly, Mariah needed to get away from him rather sooner than later.
"Whitney, I don't give a fuck about nothing you saying," Blair took a sip of his drink, making sure it was just as he had preferred it to be. "What goes on between me and my wife ain't got a damn thing to do with you or anybody else. Just let shit be, mind your business. Can't you do that?"
Growing even closer to the him, Whitney used her right hand to smack the man's beverage out of his own hands. It fell upon the floor, also spilling onto the clothing he had worn.
She saw how astonished he appeared to be, but wanted to make it clear that she was not yet done.
"See, you keep talking to me crazy and I don't like that," The woman reached for the remaining coffee that had not been used, the portion that was still heating upon the machine. "I already told you once to watch your goddamn mouth." She poured the liquid down the man's shirt, laughing in pleasure as he balled in pain.
Instant screams fell from Blair's mouth, feeling the burning sensation hurriedly run down his backside.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" He then shouted, holding onto himself for strength.
A|N: thoughts? 👀
not edited.
stay tuned, pls 😎