Fast Life (29 page)

Several paramedics hurriedly lifted Justin's body onto a stretcher, rolling him past Kyra toward one of the medical vans.

“Justin? Justin? Please say somethin'. Please.” Kyra tried to pull at him as the paramedics went to work on him. Between their bursts of EMT lingo, she was able to make out that he was still alive, and to her that was all that mattered.

“Sorry, but you can't come in here.” A paramedic pushed her back as he went to close the door.

“I need to be with him. You don't understand.” She pleaded to accompany him to the hospital as she held the door open.

“Sorry,” the paramedic apologized before yanking the doors shut.

“Dammit! Fuck you!” Kyra yelled at the vehicle.

“Ma'am, please come with me…. Ma'am…” A police officer tried to escort her to another on-scene ambulance to receive medical attention.

“You don't understand. I can't lose him. He's all I got left…. He's all I got left….”

Kyra calmed herself as she watched the ambulance roar down the road and listened as its sirens echoed through the night. She was on the verge of losing what little control she had left. Her plan had gone horribly awry, and now she faced the possibility of losing yet another man she loved to the Chicago streets. She was unstable and was unsure she could stomach another loss.

A
fter Kyra endured a lengthy interrogation by the police in one of the hospital staff rooms, a woman's voice on an officer's radio interrupted their conversation. The officers were needed somewhere else immediately, and that meant Kyra was free to go. What with her fidgeting, trembling and incoherent mumbling for hours, Kyra seemed to be losing her mind and was unable to give them any valuable information.

Once the police left, Kyra didn't waste any time. She had to find Justin. She had to know if he was all right. The uncertainty was killing her inside.

As Kyra sat in an uncomfortable chair in the waiting room, she entertained herself by flipping through month-old magazines left on the end tables and watching the syndicated television program.

She watched the clock. She had been there for only three hours, but it felt like an eternity. She remained a fixture in the waiting room as other families came and went. Some left with grave news, screaming and crying. Others left with good news. Kyra prayed to God she would be one of the lucky ones.

After buying a snack from the vending machine, Kyra couldn't sit any longer. She began to quietly pace the hall, her hands shaking and her face sullen. In the middle of her pacing, the opening of the hospital doors grabbed her attention. She watched as a middle-aged doctor strode toward her. His scrubs were bloodied, and under his full beard his face seemed heavy.

“Excuse me…? Excuse me?” she called out to get the attention of the passing doctor.

“Yes? May I help you?”

Kyra fainted before she could get the words out of her mouth.

“Nurse! Nurse!” The doctor, who had just finished surgery, held her limp body in his arms until a nurse came to his aid.

 

Birds chirped outside the hospital window as Kyra came to her senses. It was morning and the sun shone between the clouds scattered throughout the sky.

She sat up to yawn when an unexpected voice spoke to her.

“Good morning, baby.”

Kyra flew from her chair to where Justin was sitting up in bed. He was hooked up to several machines, and a regular beep disturbed the silence. His voice was hoarse and an IV was inserted into his arm. Her eyes welled up when she saw his condition.

“What are you crying for? I'm okay.”

“That's why I'm cryin'.” She gave a weak smile and gently kissed his forehead.

“Girl, you better give me a kiss.”

She let out a short laugh and gave in to his demand, kissing him on the lips.

“Okay, I'm better now.”

“Stop playin'.”

He grew serious before speaking again.

“Are you okay?”

“I just had a few cuts and bruises, no big deal. What did the doctors tell you?”

“I have two broken ribs and I've fractured my hand in three places. They said I got lucky, though—the bullets went right through.”

“Did they hit anything?”

“My spleen. They had to remove it.” He began to cough.

“Here, have some water.”

“Thank you.”

“You really got lucky, then. At least you can live without that.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Kyra sensitively laid her head on him from where she sat beside his bed.

“God, I was so scared. You have no idea. I thought I'd lost you.”

“But I pulled through, so no more crying, a'ight?” He twirled a strand of her hair in his fingers.

“So now what? What are we gonna do?” Kyra asked.

“I don't know. Where's the money?”

“Forget the money. We don't need it. All it does is cause problems, and the last thing we need right now is more problems. You just need to focus on gettin' better for me, okay?”

“So you're content with it being just us two, huh? What are we going to do? Live off our love?”

“It's a start.”

“Just me and you, huh? You sure you know what you're getting yourself into?”

“Just me and you. That's all I need.” She chuckled and flashed Justin a smile.

“Just me and you.”

Justin repeated those words and then closed his eyes as he inhaled her sweet perfume. His medication was taking effect and he was becoming drowsy. As he drifted off, Kyra tenderly held and caressed his hand. As she felt his chest heave up and down, she stared out the window. The wind rustled through the trees. She watched as a leaf soared through the air, carefully descending toward the ground. Fall was approaching. The season was changing and Kyra was hopeful that everything was behind them. She closed her eyes, and her body relaxed. She was just where she wanted to be, and for once life seemed to slow down enough for her to truly rest. Living the fast life had left her exhausted. Now as she drifted off to sleep, she was ready for a new and peaceful life.