by Deja King
"Into the hospital?"
"Yes, and park right over there." Arnez pointed towards a somewhat discreet area.
"What are we doing at the hospital?"
"Remember I said you would be well compensated for your help."
"Yeah, but what help do you need from me at the hospital?" Arnez pulled out a small piece of paper from his pants pocket and unfolded it.
"I want you to go inside and ask what room," he glanced back down at the paper, "that Devon McNeil is in. Tell them you're his sister and he was shot last night." I couldn't believe that Arnez had led me right to my enemy. If he only knew I would gladly try to find out this information for free.
"I can do that. Hopefully whoever is at the front desk won't put me through a bunch of changes to get the information."
"Just go in there and be convincing. If you get it, it'll be some of the easiest money you've ever made."
"Who is this Devon guy to you...is he a friend of yours?" I already knew the answer to that was hell no but I wanted to see what Arnez would reveal.
"No, he's one of Delondo's men, the one that survived the shooting. I need to know his condition." So do I, I said to myself.
"Okay, I'll try to find out everything I can. I'll be back."
As I walked towards the hospital entrance I peeped a few people ogling me strangely and I was trying to figure out what the fuck was wrong with them. Then I looked down and I don't know how I could forget that I had on my fuckem' dress. This bright red shit was hot for a night of seduction but for a daylight hospital visit, it was a tad inappropriate. I could either feel like a fool coming up in the hospital looking like a high priced hooker or I could use the outfit to my advantage.
When I walked in, I stood to the side for a minute and observed the staff. I sized everybody up and saw a younger woman who seemed to be about to start her shift. I waited a couple more minutes for her to get a little situated and for some of the other staff who had probably been there for awhile to get out her face. Once the traffic seemed to be dispersing I made my move.
"Excuse me Miss."
"Yes, can I help you," she said trying not to noticeably stare me up in my outfit.
"I hope so. I've been here all night. I haven't even had a chance to go home. My brother was brought in here last night because he got shot. I was trying to find out if his condition had improved. The woman who I spoke to earlier told me to come back and she would see if there were any updates."
"He came in last night. .you said he is your brother?" I nodded my head yes, trying to give off a real gloomy mood. "What's his name?"
"Devon McNeil."'
"And what's your name?"
"Tawana McNeil."
"He's still in critical condition."
"Have they moved him to another room?"
"I don't know, I just got here but he's in room 302. Is that the same room?"
"Yes, I was checking because they said they might have to move him."
"That was probably if his condition had changed."
"Yeah, that makes sense. Well, thank you for your help."
"No problem."
I turned around and a huge grin crossed my face. Critical condition was good but I needed Devon to be dead and I had a feeling Arnez wanted the same thing. I left the hospital anxious to share the inside scoop with him. I knew he would be pleased and I couldn't wait to find out how he planned on utilizing the information.
As I got closer to the car, I realized Arnez wasn't inside. I looked around but didn't see him. "Where did he go?" I asked out loud. I kept walking towards the car and halfway there shit seemed to come to a halt and then transition to a movie scene clip.
"Get doooooown!" I heard what sounded like Arnez's voice yell out. I turned around towards the sound of his voice and that's when I locked eyes with my worst nightmare. She was a few hundred feet away but even from the long distance, it was no doubt the image of Precious Cummings speeding towards me with her gun already raised. I was in complete shock, to the point that I couldn't move. My feet were cemented to the ground. I could hear the pop-pop-pop and if it wasn't for Arnez throwing me down to the ground. At least one of those bullets would've ripped through me.
"Come on... come on... come on..." he screamed in my ear, trying to snap me out my daze. He damned near dragged me to the car and threw me in. Precious was getting closer and closer and I couldn't tell if the sound of her gun blasting off was louder, or my heart thumping. One thing I did know though was Arnez was a pro. We were in broad daylight being shot at but the nigga was completely focused. After tossing me in the car his hands didn't shake once as he put the keys in the ignition. The closer Precious got the calmer he seemed to get. Once he started the engine he put it in drive and slammed down on the gas, making a beeline straight towards Precious. She busted off a couple more shots before jumping out the way to avoid being ran over by Arnez. Before the car was out of view, I turned to face her and our eyes met one final time. Precious' fierce glare said it all. The bitch was back and out for my blood.
"Yo, are you fuckin' crazy! Get in the car!" Nico, yelled out as he pulled up beside me. I jumped inside and slammed the door. "I can't believe your crazy ass is busting bullets in the fuckin' parking lot of a hospital! You better be lucky there weren't any cops around or we would both be in jail," Nico barked, speeding off and checking in his mirror making sure no cops were on his back.
"I was this close to getting that heffa," I said, pounding my fist in the palm of my hand. That low-life ho is in Philly... ain't that some shit. I bet you she was coming to the hospital to see Devon. But how the fuck she know he was here?" I was running off at the mouth extra amped up. Seeing Maya for the first time in so long had my adrenaline pumping.
"We can't even go inside the hospital and try to speak with Devon now! Them motherfuckers probably got that shit on camera."
"What the fuck was I supposed to do, let her get away?"
"I understand you pumped and seeing Maya got you all riled up but you can't do sloppy shit like that. You got a child to think about. We got the evidence we need to make sure she spends the rest of her life in jail. If we can take her out and get away wit' it cool... otherwise we do it the legal way and make sure she get locked up. But running `round here playing vigilante in broad daylight is not the move."
I knew Nico was right but I let my emotions get the best of me. When CoCo gave us the information on Devon I couldn't get to the hospital fast enough. Learning he wasn't dead and there was a chance that he could deliver some much needed 411 on Maya had me excited. Nico and I decided I should go in first and try to maneuver my way in Devon's room. So when I got out the car and noticed a woman in a bright red dress coming out the hospital, even from the far distance I knew it was Maya. All reasonable thinking escaped me within seconds.
"I wonder who that dude was with her. I guess one good thing, it damn sure wasn't Supreme. Do you think Maya is up here with Devon?"
"I don't know. All this shit is getting more and more confusing. The only person that can probably give us some answers is Devon. Maybe I can go back to the hospital by myself and try to speak with him."
"That probably would be best. Because you're right, we don't know if anybody saw me turning that parking lot out and we def' don't need the drama."
"Okay, so I'ma drop you back off at the hotel and then head back to the hospital. But Precious I want you to stay in your hotel room and wait for me. Please don't just start lurking the streets in search of Maya."
"I'm not, plus her scared ass probably someplace hiding right now. I can't believe how close I was to ending her life."
"You need to be thanking God that you didn't because if you had, on everything, you would be in handcuffs right now facing murder charges."
As much as I wanted Maya dead spending the rest of my life behind bars wasn't worth it. Aaliyah would grow up without her mother so my revenge would be in vain. I had to be smart about this shit. If I could murder her ass on the low and get away with
it then that was mos def' option number one. But anything short of that meant all I could do was give her a good old fashion ass whooping before I let the authorities toss her in jail.
"You're right and I'ma act accordingly. Getting Maya off the streets and out of my life is what's most important."
"I hope you mean that, Precious, because we talking about not only your life but that of your daughter. This shit..." Right when Nico sounded as if he was about to go into a full fledge lecture I heard his cell phone ringing. I was ecstatic because I respected that he was kicking real shit but I didn't want to hear it. The hatred I had for Maya ran so deep that it was almost blinding. If I didn't have my daughter to live for there was a very good chance I would be willing to spend the rest of my life in jail just for the pleasure of killing her myself and watching as she begged to live.
"We're on our way right now," I caught Nico say before getting off the phone.
"You're not about to drop me off at the hotel so you can go to the hospital?"
"No, that was CoCo and she told us to meet her at the warehouse now"
"I wonder what the fuck done happened now. This shit need to be quick because you need to go speak with Devon."
"CoCo said it's important. And she understands the magnitude of shit that's going down right now, so if she's telling us to come, it's must be some serious shit."
When Nico pulled up to the warehouse I saw the white Range Rover, which I knew belonged to CoCo but there was also a cream Bentley but I had no idea who owned that. When we got inside the first person we saw was Genesis so I assumed that Bentley was his shit. I didn't tell Nico about the breakfast I had with Genesis earlier this morning and I still had no desire to. Mainly because I felt he was purposely trying to play me out and I until I figured out why I was going to keep my feelings to myself, especially since it seemed Nico actually liked the nigga.
"What's up man," Nico said, shaking Genesis' hand. "Good to see you again."
"Likewise, and how are you, Precious?" he asked in an almost condescending tone but I was sure that shit went right over Nico's head.
"The same."
"Where's CoCo, she called and told me it was important we get right over here."
"She's in the back on the phone. I actually just got here myself."
"I don't mean to rush her, but I'm trying to get over to the hospital and see if I can get any information from Devon about Maya. We actually ran into her at the hospital."
"You ran into Maya?" Genesis questioned.
"Yeah, but I'm sure you would have no interest in that since you don't even know who Maya is," I cut in and said, taking a jab at Genesis, letting him know I knew he was full of shit. But he didn't flinch instead he carried on with his conversation with Nico until CoCo came out.
"Sorry I kept you waiting but I was trying to get all the details together before you got here."
"What details?" Nico wanted to know and so did I.
"Devon is dead."
"What!" I swung passed Genesis' wanting to knock him out my way. "We just left the hospital less than an hour ago."
"Well whoever killed him must've done it around that time or close to it because he's dead."
"What do you mean whoever killed him?" Nico took the words right out of my mouth, because I was perplexed by that statement.
"There was supposed to be a guard in front of Devon's room door but somebody got to him. They came in, put a pillow over his head and popped one bullet through his face. By the time the nurses came in the perpetrator was long gone. My sources are telling me Arnez is behind the hit. You know, sending a message to Delondo that you took my man now I've taken both of yours."
"This is too fuckin' much! Devon was supposed to tell us where Maya might be or where she had been so I could find my husband and daughter! Now that motherfucker is dead and I had that hussy within my reach and lost her ass. This shit is beyond fucked up!"
"Your husband. .1 had no idea you were married," CoCo made known. I glanced at Nico and then at Genesis because for some reason I assumed that at least one of them had told her, but apparently I was wrong.
"Yes, my husband is Supreme, and Maya has damn near single-handedly destroyed my marriage."
"Supreme. .is that like a street name or are you talking about The Supreme"', CoCo stressed wanting clarification.
"She's talking about The Supreme"', Genesis said, taking it upon himself to answer for me.
"Rapper turned music mogul Supreme," she continued as if she needed further confirmation.
"What, you know the nigga...yes that Supreme!" I was already in a foul fuckin' mood and this chick triple asking me the same question wasn't helping my cause.
"No, I don't know him," she snapped. "I'm surprised that's all. I mean it seems somebody would've told me that you were his wife."
"Well now you know but it don't change shit. Devon is still dead and Maya is still missing. We back at the starting point but I don't even know where the finish line is anymore."
"Precious, I know shit seems a bit bleak right now, but I promised you I would get you home to your daughter and I Will." Nico's words were so sincere but I needed more than that to get back to my family. I saw him pull CoCo to the side and I figured he was picking her brain trying to get all the details on what went down with Devon, hoping it could help locate Maya. But I was stuck on the fact that Maya was almost mine but I let her get away. I know I didn't technically let her get away but no matter which way I flipped it she was gone and I was no closer to finding Supreme and Aaliyah.
"Precious, can I speak with you?" I heard Genesis but wasn't in the mood to lift my head up and acknowledge his request. I wasn't mentally up to partake in the game I was for sure he wanted to play. But being the relentless nigga that he is, he chose to ignore my stay-the-fuck away-from-me body language. "I think you'll want to hear what I have to say."
"I doubt it, but umm, you're not giving me much of a choice are you?"
"Your husband and daughter are in Miami. I have their last known address and I believe it's still good." My mouth dropped when I heard those words come out of Genesis' mouth. This man continued to shock me and now I was speechless which was a rarity for me. I almost wanted to believe he was playing a sick joke on me because to find out Genesis was telling the truth would bring me happiness, a feeling that I had been deprived of for so long.
"Is this real? I mean is what you're saying to me true?" I knew Genesis could see the pleading in my eyes of putting all my hope in what he said.
"It is true. I'ma give you the address to where they are living in Miami and I hope you can work things out with your husband."
"Why... why are you giving me this information now?"
"My wife was taken out of my life and my son will grow up without ever knowing what an incredible woman his mother was. There's nothing I can do to change that but I can change this. Go get your daughter, love her and be the best mother you can possibly be."
"I'll never forget that you did this for me ... thank you." As Genesis wrote down the address instead of rejoicing my mind speculated on what this man's agenda was. I didn't doubt he genuinely wanted me to reconnect with my daughter but I was absolutely positive he was hiding a huge piece of the puzzle from me and I needed answers. But for now it would have to wait. I was booking a one-way flight to Miami determined to be reunited with my family.
"Who was that woman and why was she trying to kill you?" When Arnez asked me that question we had reached a fork in the road. My choice was to either come clean or lie. So I decided to do what I do best.
"I made the mistake of getting involved with this man and he lied to me. He never told me he was married. I only found out recently and that's why I came to Philly so I could end it once and for all. He was the friend that I told you I was supposed to meet at the restaurant. But somehow his wife got my cell number and she called threatening me, it got crazy. We decided it was best he didn't come."
"So how do you think she knew you were going
to be at the hospital?"
"That's what I'm tryna figure out, unless it was just crazy coincidence."
"It's a possibility but she came prepared."
"You ain't lying. If you hadn't been there I would be dead right now"
"Saving your life was the least I could do because you did save mine."
"Now we're even. You don't owe me anything."
"If it wasn't for me making you go to the hospital and get that information for me then that man's wife would've never had the opportunity to try and kill you."
"You didn't make me do anything. I wanted to help you.
"And you did, more than you know"
"Where are we going?" We had been driving for awhile but playing out the episode that had went down with Precious over and over again in my head had made me oblivious that I didn't know where the fuck we were going.
"Why, are you ready to go back home?"
"No, I really don't have anything to go back home to. But if you don't need me anymore, you can take me back to my hotel."
"What if I told you that I wanted you to stay?"
"I would ask you why?"
"Because I think you have a lot of heart. When you heard that conversation about what was about to happen you didn't have to warn me, you could've walked out and went about your life. Then I asked you to go in the hospital and get that information for me. You did it with no problem. Most females would be too scared to do what you did but like I said you showed a lot of heart. I appreciate that quality in a woman."
"I'm surprised a man like you doesn't already have a woman like that."
"I did and she was a true soldier."
"Was it that woman you mentioned earlier?"
"Yes, Chanel."
"What happened?"
"Life ...life happened. As you know by now danger surrounds me and it seems to surround you too," he remarked, glancing over at me. "It's different circumstances but danger is danger. Unfortunately the danger finally caught up to Chanel."