by LadyJ
“I’m in here.” Roshel said from her bedroom. Carmen opened up the door to find her calmly lying flat on her stomach with her arms folded and propped underneath her head. She saw the blood dripping from her bottom lip and ran back down the hallway, into the bathroom, and grabbed a wash cloth. She turned on the warm water and wet the cloth before running back to Ro’s bedroom.
“Are you okay?” Carmen asked as she sat next to Roshel and placed the warm towel to her lip. She lifted her head up from the floor and laid it down in her lap. Carmen lightly stroked Ro’s back with her other hand.
“Just another day. I’m as good as I’ll ever be, C.” Roshel replied dryly.
Carmen sat her up and leaned her up against the dresser, then she went to get her chair. She rolled it over, locked the back wheels, and then helped her from the ground and into the wheelchair. She picked up the items Roshel had knocked over from the dresser top pulling the phone down and turned to Ro who was sitting in the dresser mirror staring at her busted lip. “Ima go in the kitchen and fix you something to eat.” She said looking down on Ro. “What do you have a taste for?” She asked.
“Anything.” Roshel answered nonchalantly. She didn’t care what she fixed, she didn’t plan on being there to eat it anyway.
“Okay, Ima’ go check on Kira, then I’ll cook us some eggs and bacon.” Carmen ran off to the living room to check on her daughter.
In the bedroom Roshel couldn’t take looking at the empty shell of a person staring back at her in the mirror. She wanted it to all be over. The hurt, the pain, the stressing, and the worthlessness she felt all had to end. “C! Will you please bring me a glass of water?” She yelled out. “I’m thirsty.” Carmen came into the room and placed the cool glass of water on the dresser in front of her. “Thank you.” She said politely. Right before Carmen walked out she stopped her. “Carmen, I love you, friend.” She smiled sweetly at her one last time.
“I love you too, Ro, always will.” Carmen replied before returning to the kitchen to finish cooking.
Roshel took a moment to replay her most precious moments in her head. She thought about all of the good times she had with her girls, and all the special moments she shared with her mother. She didn’t even try to hold back her tears as she popped the top on one of the pill bottles sitting on the dresser. Roshel emptied the bottle into the palm of her hand then tossed them all into her mouth. She crewed them up then downed the glass of water after. As she sat there waiting for the effects to start she said one last prayer. “Dear Lord, please forgive me.” Suddenly her heart rate slowed down and her eyes began to close shut.
In the kitchen, Carmen finished cooking and piled the bacon and eggs onto a plate. She poured Roshel a glass of orange juice then walked back to her room to deliver her meal. As soon as she stepped into the bedroom she lost it. The plate and glass she was carrying fell from her shaking hands as she ran over to Roshel’s limp body. “Roooo, please wake up, Ro, please wake up!” She screamed while shaking her body. Carmen picked up the empty pill bottle from the floor and realized just what was going on. She dived for the phone and call for help. When she hung up she called Moenisha. “Moe, Get here now!” she screamed. “Something is wrong with Ro.”
Twenty-one
The end was near and Nino could feel it in the air. He was paranoid and constantly looking over his shoulder everywhere he went. He didn’t tell a soul where he was hiding out at but still he felt as though someone, somewhere was watching his every move. He peeped out of his hotel window before he snuck out of the door and ran down to his car. He had been posted up in the same room for two days and was hungry as hell. He thought about ordering in but even that could’ve been too risky. He quickly started his car and left the hotel. It was twelve o’clock in the afternoon and all he wanted to do was get some good food, a couple of snacks, some cigars, and go back to his room.
He pulled up at the Popeye’s Chicken and ordered himself a three piece chicken dinner from the drive thru. As he sat in the long line waiting for his food, he didn’t take his eyes off of his rearview mirror and he kept his hand on the loaded .40 in his lap. When he got his food, he made his way to the nearest gas station. Nino tucked his pistol down the front of his True Religion jeans, pulled his shirt over it, and then hopped out of his car. Inside the store he picked out his favorite bag of lays potato chip, a pack of Sour Skittles, and two packs of White Owl Green Sweets cigars. He paid the clerk and left the store. He drove back to his hotel and sat in the parking lot observing the scene before he made a run for his room. When he didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary, he dashed from his car to his hotel room. Nino was so nervous he almost dropped his food and snacks trying to stick the key card in the door. He let out a deep sigh a frustration as he flopped down on the bed. Nino ate his food then pigged out on his snacks. He rolled himself up two fat blunts and smoked them both to head. It wasn’t long before he laid across the bed and fell asleep. Two hours later he was awoken by the loud banging at his hotel room door. Nino popped up off the bed and snatched his .40 up from the nightstand. “Who is it?” He yelled.
“Housekeeping.” The Spanish lady said on the other side of the door.
“I’m good.” He replied. “Come back later.”
“Sir, do you have any dirty towels inside?” She asked. Nino got up from the bed and picked up the two towels he’d used since he been there. He opened up the door without even checking the peephole first. When the door swung open, the man standing behind the woman holding her by the neck tossed her to the floor. She jumped up screaming as she ran for her life.
Nino dropped the towels and tried to pull his gun but it was too late. The guy fired, hitting him in the center of his chest twice. Nino staggered back into the room and collasped onto the floor gripping his chest. Blood spilled from his body and choked him as it came up through his mouth. His entire life flashed before him as the guy stood over him and emptied the clip.
*****
“Mr. Brown, will you please come with me. There’s someone on the line who says it’s very important.” The counselor of the rehab center pulled Meek away from his game of mini golf he was enjoying. They walked in silence to her office as all kinds of ill thoughts crossed his mind. He walked into the room and she handed him the phone.
“Hello.” Meek answered.
“Nino’s been shot!” Trent’s voice rang out in his ear. As he went on to explain to Meek what happened, Meek went into shock. The phone slipped from his hand as his body got weak and he fell to the floor.
“Mr. Brown, Mr. Brown, are you okay?” The counselor asked rushing to his aide.
Meek stared at the floor blankly. All he heard ringing in his head was, Nino’s been shot, Nino’s been shot, Nino’s been shot …
Part 2 Coming Soon…
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