Beautiful

by Kiexiza Rodriquez

  ***

  “It’s a miracle he is doing as well as he is. I know that’s not much news considering he has been unconscious since his arrival. But as fast as that car was going when it hit him…” Doctor Medcafe began, and then stopped. “Your son is a fighter. But I think you already know that. I just need to prepare you for the worse just in case.”

  Mrs. Skeene only nodded her head. She understood the longer her only son remained in his unconscious state, the worse his chances were. His right arm and leg were in a cast, and his bruises were almost faded. But, the I.V. in his arm that kept him hydrated and supplied his pain medication, as well as the monitors that constantly beeped in rhythm with his heart, were constant reminders of his critical condition.

  “Once again you were there when Aquarian needed you,” she said to Tierra, hugging her tightly.

  “Excuse me?” Tierra asked the doctor as he walked out the room. “Can I talk to you?”

  “I’ll be right back,” she said to Mrs. Skeene.

  She followed the doctor out of the room and into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

  “Yes, what can I do for you?”

  “I need you to listen to me ok. I know you have to be all doctorish and speak of things with the certainty your medical profession insists that you do… but, there is no way Qu is going anywhere! You have your medicine, but that can only take him so far. The rest is up to God.”

  Doctor Medcafe was amazed by Tierra’s confession and impressed with the conviction in which she spoke. “Ms. Rodriquez, I’ve seen a lot of miracles in my years as a doctor, but I have to be honest with you. Even with his vitals improving as they are, Mr. Skeene is far from being out of the woods. He still hasn’t regained consciousness and unless he does, things are not looking good.”

  “Listen, we believe in a higher power. You use your powers to heal his body, and we’ll enlist ours to do what you cannot,” she assured him and walked back into the room where Qu’s parents sat on either side of his bed. She closed the sliding glass door, readjusting the sign that was taped to it, while fixating on the doctor.

  “Quiet please, Family in Prayer,” it read.

  Several weeks went by, and everyone slowly began to return to their lives. Vito had to return to the label. Sean had to return to work. Tierra tried to return to work. She called Mr. Baxwell and informed him of what happened. She would go into the office for a few of hours a couple of days a week. But she was no good. Eventually, Mr. Baxwell told her not to worry about the office, and that he would see to it that everything was taken care of. Shireece on the other hand had nothing to do all day, so she was a mainstay. It was a good thing too, because between Tierra and his wife, Mr. Baxwell welcomed the calmly presence of Shireece.

  Each day the black and blue ting to his skin faded more and more. His breathing and vitals also began to improve. Then one day out of the blue he opened his eyes for a brief moment and smiled at Tierra. But when he tried to speak… he started to cough and… his heart stopped. Although once again they were able to revive him, he was now diminishing day by day. The doctor no longer had any hope for recovery and continued to tell the family to prepare for his end. But still Tierra stayed vigilant, and refused to falter in her faith that God would bring him through.

  It had been a month since Qu was admitted into the hospital. In the past week his vitals slowly deteriorated. Tierra decided she needed to enlist the praying power of her church yet again. She and several members prayed hard for Qu and the other sick in the church. Pastor Norwalk asked God to do a wonderful work through their bodies, to show to the doctors that God was mightier than their medicine and pills could ever hope to be. She believed in her heart that God had heard the cries of the congregation and would surely heal her best friend soon.

  When she left the church, there was a bright smile across her lips, and a good feeling in her heart. She knew that Qu would be Ok. As she walked out, a cool breeze blew by her. Before she knew it, she thought, ‘How will I get through this, if he doesn’t make it? ’

  “Hello,” she said into her cell phone.

  “Hey, Baby Girl,” Malcolm sang.

  “Malcolm?”

  “Yea, who else would it be? What’s up?”

  “Oh, nothing, I just left church. I thought maybe it was someone from the hospital.”

  “Oh. How is ya boy doing’?” he asked emotionless.

  “I have faith. Everyone else is giving up hope, and I can’t help them.”

  “What are the doctors saying?”

  “They want us to begin to plan for… he’s been unresponsive this whole time. They don’t think he will make it.”

  “Really?”

  “They are saying it’s not looking good.”

  Malcolm and Tierra had barely spent any time together since he proposed to her close to 6 weeks ago, and especially since Qu was hospitalized. She spent all her time at his bed side. Malcolm wasn’t liking the fact that he was taking second place to another man. Though he felt bad for the guy, Tierra was his woman, and he was upset she hadn’t made any time for him.

  “So, did you eat yet?”

  “I haven’t even been home in the past three days.”

  “What? Come on now baby, you’ve got to take care of yourself. I mean, I’m sure your friend wouldn’t want you spending every moment by his side. Besides, if something happens someone will call you right?”

  “I know. It’s just…”

  “And what about you and me?”

  “Malcolm, I’m sorry. I know we haven’t spent much time together. It’s just… I mean, what if this was a good friend of yours? Wouldn’t you be by their side?”

  “Hell naw. I’d be with you. You would be who I’d want to be with, can’t you see that? If I were hurting, I’d want to be with the one I love. Why, don’t you want to be with me?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “Good. Then go home, and I’ll meet you there. You can shower, change your clothes, and you can tell me what’s going on with Qu. Then I’ll drop you back off over there later, OK?”

  She paused. She wanted to go right back to the hospital. What if the doctors were right and Qu slipped away while she was at home freshening up? But Malcolm was right too, she had been avoiding him since he proposed. Not that Qu being injured was good, but it did give her an excuse to focus on something else.

  “OK,” she said hesitantly, and hung up.

  She called Shireece at the hospital to let her know she was going home to shower and change. She told her if anything happened… anything to call her and she would be right back.

  She hung up, sighed and had her driver take her home.

  Not Ready