Drama Queen Saga

by La Jill Hunt

  Toby walked away to give him some privacy and continued the search. He reached behind some tables that were stacked near the bar and found that what he thought was a paper plate was Stanley’s hat. He tried to smooth it out as best he could. “Yo, Stan. I found it, but it’s a little messed up.”

  Stanley was sitting on one of the picnic tables, rocking back and forth. Toby eased up to him, noticing something was very wrong.

  “You okay, Stan? What did Meeko say?” he asked.

  “It wasn’t Meeko. It was the police. Someone set my house on fire,” Stan mumbled.

  “What? When?” Toby was stunned.

  “A little while ago. I have to get to the hospital.”

  “The hospital? For what?”

  “My brother was inside when the fire was set. He’s pretty messed up.” Stan continued to rock. Toby could see that he was in shock and in no condition to drive. He pulled him up and led him to his car, which was parked behind Toby’s.

  “Where are your keys?” Toby asked him.

  “On your kitchen counter.”

  Toby ran to the door and turned the knob. It was locked. He ran around to the back of the house and went through the door that was still slightly ajar. While inside, he grabbed a We Secure U T-shirt and threw it on. He found the keys and rushed back outside. Stanley was leaning up against the truck. He unlocked the doors and commanded him to get in.

  “What hospital, Stan?”

  “Mercy.”

  Toby kicked the truck into gear and high-tailed it to Mercy Memorial.

  “My brother is all I got in this world, Toby. You know that? We don’t have any parents. It’s just me and him. If he dies, what am I gonna do?” Stanley asked.

  Toby’s heart went out to him. He knew exactly how Stan felt. With the exception of Uncle Jay, Terry was all Toby had for family. He couldn’t imagine life without his younger brother. “Don’t worry, Stan. Your brother is going to be all right. You have to stay positive, though.”

  Stanley wasn’t in any better shape when they made it to the emergency room. Toby had to ask for Sean, because Stan couldn’t even say his name, he was so broke down. The nurse had to practically carry him to the back so he could see Sean. Toby told him he would be waiting for him when he came out.

  He was leaving a message for Roni, letting her know that he had an emergency and wouldn’t be home if she stopped by, when another call came in. Recognizing the number, he answered.

  “Yo. You a’ight? I was worried about you,” Toby said as he paced down the hall.

  “I’m cool, man, but have I got some stuff to tell you. I had a hell of a night,” Terrell replied.

  “Naw, I bet it don’t compare to what I gotta tell you. You’re not gonna believe where I’m at.”

  “You ain’t gonna believe where I’m at. Nicole has been in labor since last night. We’re at the hospital now.”

  “Stop playing. I’m at the hospital too!”

  Toby heard Nicole let out a yell for Terrell to get off the phone before she threw it across the room, and his brother told him he had to go.

  “Let me know what happens. And Terry?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you, bro. Congrats.”

  “Love you too, Uncle T.”

  “You’re talking to Toby? I’m dying over here and you’re talking to Toby of all people?” he heard Nicole squeal.

  “I had to call him and tell him we were at the hospital, baby.”

  The phone went dead and Toby walked back down to the waiting area. He had just taken a seat when he saw Ms. Ernestine coming in, wiping tears from her eyes.

  “Ms. Ernestine,” he called to her.

  “Oh, Toby,” she cried as she embraced him. “I’m so glad you made it. I knew you’d be here soon enough. I just knew it.”

  “Ms. Ernestine, what’s wrong? What are you doing here?” He was confused.

  “What do you mean what am I doing here? This is where they brought Roni.”

  “Roni? What happened? Where is she?” Toby was distraught.

  “She was in an accident, Toby. No one called you? I’m so sorry.” Ms. Ernestine began crying harder.

  “Accident? Where?” Tears began to form in his eyes now. He knew she was upset, but he needed to know what happened.

  A few moments later, Kayla, Geno, Tia, and Yvonne all arrived. They began to comfort Ms. Ernestine and he slipped out to the receptionist to see if he could find out some more information.

  “Excuse me. I’m Veronica Black’s fiancé. Is there anyone that can give me an idea of what happened to her and how she is?” he asked.

  The nurse recognized him from earlier and nodded. She told him to stand there and wait a few moments while she found someone to talk to him. He stood, expecting a doctor rather than the police officer who approached him.

  “You’re here for Veronica Black?” the man asked.

  “Yes, I am. I’m Tobias Sims, her fiancé. I understand she was in an accident, but no one is giving me any information. Where was she driving?”

  “Driving? She wasn’t driving. Your fiancée was in a fire in a home located in Wheatland Heights. She’s received some serious burns and she’s in stable condition. All in all, she’s lucky to be alive. So is the friend she was with.”

  “Roni?” Toby called her name softly. She looked so fragile, lying in bed with all the tubes and monitors attached to her. He walked a little closer. “Roni?”

  There was a nurse at the foot of her bed, writing something on her chart. She looked at Toby and told him, “She’s pretty out of it because of the drugs, but she can hear you. Just talk to her.”

  “Ron, can you hear me? It’s me, baby. Open your eyes for me.”

  Her face was dark and bruised. The doctors said that she had suffered several first- and second-degree burns, but she would be fine. He had spent all day at the hospital along with everyone else, waiting to see her. Her mother told him he could go in first, alone. He thought seeing her would be hard, but it wasn’t. He needed to see her; he wanted her to be awake so she could explain why she was inside Stanley’s house, asleep with Sean when the fire was set. There had to be a reasonable explanation for it. Just hours before, she had assured him that she loved him and he could trust her.

  God, just let her wake up and tell me something, anything to make me understand how she could do this to me. Could she really betray me like this again?

  “Can I kiss her?” he asked the nurse.

  “Gently, just on her forehead.”

  He leaned over and kissed her lightly, whispering her name again. “Roni, I love you.”

  Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked. He smiled at her, elated that she was finally conscious. The feeling of anger with her seemed to subside when he saw that she was alive.

  “Hey, sweetie.” He grinned. An overwhelming feeling of love came over him as the fear of losing her gripped his heart.

  “Sean?” was the name that escaped from her lips. Her eyes closed once again and she drifted back to sleep.

  Devastated, Toby looked down at her hand, which he was holding. As he slipped the ring off her finger, a tear rolled down his cheek.

  66

  Tyler Alexander Sims was born at five minutes after 7:00 on the fifth day of the seventh month. He only weighed five pounds, seven ounces, and although he was born premature, he was healthy. For that reason, his father felt he should be named Seven Cinque Sims, which would be a tight name should his son want to embark on a future career in hip-hop. His mother, who already had plans for her son to be either a biochemist or a heart surgeon, instinctively said no to such a ridiculous name. They did, however, agree that he was the most adorable baby they had ever seen.

  Not only was Terrell present for the delivery, he even cut the cord. And when he looked into his son’s eyes for the first time, he wept like he had never done before. He looked over at Nicole, who was crying as well, and told her, “Thank you. You have always been a remarkable woman, but this is the most re
markable thing I have ever seen. Thank you for letting me be here with you.”

  “You were there with me the entire time, Terrell. I love and appreciate everything you’ve done over the past few months. Now you’re ready to be a father and my husband.”

  He took his son into his arms and carried him over to his mother. He had never felt so complete in all of his life. He was glad that he had made the changes he did, because having Nicole and his son in his life made it well worth it.

  The nurse came in and said that she was going to take Tyler and let Nicole get some rest. Terrell kissed Nicole and told her he would be back by the time she woke up, then followed his son, making sure he got to the nursery safely.

  “You did good, Terrell,” Arianna said as she walked up to him.

  “You did good too, Ari. You held it down for my girl, and we have a healthy son. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.” He hugged her.

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ll think of something. How about something big and expensive, like oh, let’s say a Benz?” she laughed.

  “Sure. After my son’s first album goes platinum, I got you.” He nodded. “Where’s Gary? I’m surprised he hasn’t shown up yet to regulate.”

  “Well, you know we’re not together since he can’t regulate what time to come home at night. He thought that just because I was staying with Nicole he could go out and do whatever.”

  “Take it from someone that knows firsthand, that’s the easiest way to lose your woman,” Terrell told her.

  She went inside to see Nicole and he went off to find Toby, who hadn’t shown up yet.

  As he was headed to his car, Terrell found his brother sitting outside the front of the hospital.

  “What are you doing out here, Toby? I thought you would’ve been up to check out your new nephew.”

  Toby nodded. There was something about the way he looked that worried Terrell.

  He walked over and sat beside Toby on the curb. “What’s going on?” he asked.

  “Too much to tell. Where do I even begin?” Toby shrugged and looked down.

  “You been here all day?”

  “Yep.” Toby nodded. He picked up a pebble that was next to his foot and threw it.

  “Come on. You can treat me to breakfast and tell me all about what happened.”

  Terrell held his hand out. Toby looked at him then grabbed it, pulling himself up. They went into the hospital cafeteria and each got a cup of coffee. Finding a table in the far corner, they sat and Terrell listened as his brother recounted everything that happened after he left the cookout. At the end of his story, he reached into his beat up sneaker and pulled out the ring he took back from Roni. It was then that Terrell truly saw how hurt his brother was.

  “I’m sorry about all of this, Toby. I’ll be the first one to tell you that what happened last night was messed up. I mean, I never would’ve thought that Roni would even cheat on you.”

  “Join the club. But she did—not only once, but twice, and with the same guy, at that. I guess I must be real stupid, huh? I wonder what he had that I ain’t have.”

  “Don’t be stupid. That’s Roni’s loss, not yours. You have a lot. She just threw it away. Just like I did with Nicole, but I was blessed enough to get it back, and I am not losing it again. I think when you lose it, it makes you appreciate it more, because then you realize how you really fucked up after it’s too late. And then, if you’re ever given that second chance, you’ll do whatever you can to make it even better than when you first got it, if it’s true love.”

  “Terry, what the hell are you talking about?” Toby asked with a frown.

  “Man, who cares? All I know is that I been up all night, my girl took me back, I got a new son, and life is good. Yesterday my life was at the worst possible point I thought it could be, but today it’s at its best. What a difference a day makes, huh? Come on. Let’s go buy some It’s a Boy stuff for little Seven.”

  “You named him Seven?”

  “No, Nicole made me name him Tyler Alexander Sims, but Seven would’ve been a tight name, huh?”

  “You gave him my middle name?” Toby beamed.

  “Yeah, I wanted the middle name to be Cinque, but let me explain why . . .” Terrell put his arm around his brother as they walked out of the cafeteria and he explained the method to his madness.

  67

  Toby stepped out of his truck and looked at the mirrored glass building. He looked down at the card and made sure he was at the right address. The sign on the front door confirmed that he was. It looked more like a finely decorated doctor’s office than the atmosphere he expected. There were several women sitting in the lobby, chatting softly as they waited.

  “Can I help you?” a beautiful Puerto Rican woman asked him. She was dressed in what he thought was a lab coat, but he could see she had on a dress underneath.

  “Um, yes. I’d like to get a massage,” he told her.

  She stared at him with a look that let him know that a massage would be all that he was getting. “Full body?”

  “Uh, yes.” He nodded.

  “Let me see if we have anything available. Weekends are always busy, and it’s the holiday weekend, which makes it even worse.” She looked down at her schedule. “I think I can squeeze you in. Marguerite can take you if you can wait twenty minutes.”

  “No, I want Isis to do it,” he said quickly.

  “Excuse me?” She frowned.

  “I prefer Isis. That’s who I need an appointment with.”

  “I’m sorry, sir. Isis is our busiest masseuse. She’s been booked up for months. I can get you in with Marguerite today, and then let you have Isis’s next available, which is two weeks from Thursday. How about that?”

  “That won’t work. I need to see her today. I’ll pay double.”

  She gave Toby a startled look. The women who were waiting became silent as he waited for her answer.

  “That’s very generous of you, sir, but I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do. She’s really booked up.”

  “Please, ma’am. I have had the worst night of my life. I am tense to the point that if I don’t get a massage by the best in the business, I am going to snap. There has to be something that can be done.” Toby threw his hands up in exasperation.

  “Lisa, let him have my appointment with Isis and I’ll go to Marguerite,” a woman approached and said.

  “Why, Mrs. Taylor, that’s very generous of you,” she said. “You should thank her, sir.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Taylor. I appreciate it.” Toby nodded.

  “You’re welcome.” The woman went back and took her seat.

  “Let’s see. That one hour with Isis, that’ll be $300.”

  “What?” he shrieked.

  “You said you’d pay double, and you know we’re gonna have to compensate Mrs. Taylor, as well.”

  Toby took out his credit card and passed it to her. After giving him his receipt, she told him to follow her, and led him further into the office.

  There was soothing jazz playing and the aroma of lavender in the air. He found himself relaxing with each step. She opened a door and gave him a robe, a towel and some slippers, telling him to get undressed and lie on the table. “Isis will be here momentarily.”

  He obliged, and after fighting the sudden wave of sleep that overcame him when he lay face down on the table, he heard the door open. He buried his head into his arms, which were crossed in front of him.

  “Hello, I’m Isis. I heard you requested me personally. I’m flattered. Did someone recommend me?” she asked him softly. He could hear her moving around.

  “Yes. A friend of mine,” he said without lifting his head.

  “Well, you be sure to thank your friend for me. Is this your first time?”

  “Yes,” he told her. He moaned as her hands began to knead into his back.

  “Then I’ll have to keep that in mind and be gentle.” Isis laughed, and he giggled along with her.

  She remained fairly quiet as she pushed and
rubbed his shoulders and then his legs. Her stroke was strong yet her touch was light, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. He was grateful that his tattoo was on the front of his chest and she couldn’t see it.

  “It’s okay if you fall asleep. That happens quite a bit. But I can always wake you up with a hand job—I mean a manicure.”

  He lifted his head and looked at her. “You knew it was me!”

  “Of course! How could I not? You think guys come in here every day and pay three hundred dollars for me?” She slapped him on his shoulder.

  “I would’ve paid more, believe that,” he confessed, noticing that she was still wearing the chain and charm he gave her.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Meeko told me you had to work all day, and I had to see you. Your cell isn’t on.”

  “Because I’m at work.” She sighed.

  “So, I figured I’d buy an hour of your time. Didn’t know it would be three hundred dollars, though.”

  “You would’ve paid more, though. What’s going on, Toby?”

  He sat up and told her about Stanley and his house being burned down, and Roni getting caught in the blaze with Sean. She climbed on the table next to him and laid her head on his shoulder as he confided everything.

  “You’re gonna be okay,” she told him when he finished. “I know you will. You’re a strong man.”

  “Ice, please don’t. Just let me say something before you go off on one of these encouraging tangents, please. I know that I’m gonna be fine. I found true love and someone I can love unconditionally. I didn’t know that before, but I have.”

  “I know what I said earlier, but Toby, don’t be stupid. I mean, unless she has a really good excuse, which I’m not saying she can’t have, then I think it’s time to let it go. I like Roni and all, but—”

  “I’m not talking about Roni, Ice. I’m talking about you. I love you. You are my true love.”

  “Toby, you’re talking out of hurt and anger because of what happened.”

  “No, I’m not. I’m talking out of frustration of being in love with you, but you won’t forgive yourself for what happened that night and just allow me to love you. Loving someone is not beating yourself up over something you had no control over. You’ve got to love yourself enough, Ice, to let someone love you. And that someone is me, baby.”