Thug Matrimony (18 page)

She kissed him on the corner of his mouth again. “Remember when I went into labor with the twins? You left home to make a run to the club even though you didn’t want to. But I kept telling you to go handle your business, that I would be all right. It wasn’t time yet. We already had, what, three or four alarms?” She giggled. “You could tell we were new at this. So when I called you, you was like, Tasha, stop playing. I said, ‘Baby, my water broke.’ And you stayed on the phone with me during your entire ride back from the club. You were sweating and everything when you came in. I think you were more nervous than I was. And, oh, when they both came out, you should have seen your face, you were beaming with pride. Remember that, baby?” She kissed his forehead. “Then you made that stupid comment about how your
dick wasn’t shootin’ bullets but grenades. That’s how you made two babies at once. The doctor and staff looked at you like you was crazy.

“And when we took them home from the hospital, you couldn’t tell us nothing. The nurses acted like they didn’t want us to leave. But when I got home that was the kicker. You had everyone there: your parents, Jaz, Faheem, Marvin, Kyra, and Angel. Kay got there later on that night. Stephon, you even sent for my sister and brother.” She started crying again. “That was so beautiful, baby. You and our children are my everything. I love you so much.” She hugged him tight, keeping her face nuzzled into his neck. “Hug me back, baby. I need you to hold me, baby. I miss you holding me.” She sobbed quietly. “You know what else I miss? Your smile. How you smile at me with that look in your eyes that says I’m the only woman in the world for you.” She continued for the next few minutes sobbing quietly and wanting him and anticipating him waking up right then, right now, her emotions and hormones going up, coming down. She felt as if she was losing her mind as she started grinning.

“I thought that after the nigga who shot you got what I wanted him to get, I’d be fine. But you know what? I don’t feel any different.” She ran her hands over his chest. “For real, if you were up and about, you would have been on the warpath. And who knows? Instead of lying here, you could be gone from me forever. So don’t be mad at me for doing what I considered the best thing for our family.”

She pressed her lips to his ear and whispered, “I need you, baby. I need you now. Don’t keep making me go through this. I know you hear me, Trae. Your family needs you. Damn you, Trae!” She let out a gut-wrenching scream.

No more than a minute later, the head nurse came busting into the room. Tasha was standing in front of the window looking out and crying. She was hugging herself and mumbling something.

“Mrs. Macklin, are you okay?” The head nurse came over and hugged her.

“No … I’m not … okay,” she heaved.

“Baby, you really need a break. Why don’t you go home for the evening? I swear you’re gonna have a nervous breakdown. You’re pregnant, you’ve been here day and night for three months. That is not good for your physical or mental health, Mrs. Macklin.”

“I know it’s not good. And today I’m really feeling all the pressure. I can’t leave him.” She shook her head no. “I’ll be okay. I just need a few minutes to pull myself together.”

“We’ll take good care of Mr. Macklin for you. Go home and get some rest, you need a break, chile,” the nurse persisted.

“I can’t. I can’t leave him here. I won’t leave him here. What if he wakes up and I’m not here? I’m not leaving my husband here. I’ll be fine. I just miss him, that’s all.”

The nurse sighed as she went and grabbed some tissue off the table. She dabbed at Tasha’s eyes and cheeks. She smiled at her. “He’s lucky to have you, young lady. You are under a lot of stress, especially being pregnant. Since you’re not going to leave, at least promise me you’ll get a good night’s sleep. I’ll make a note for the duty nurse to change his drainage tube.”

“I’ll be okay. My body has grown accustomed to waking up every three hours. I’ll be fine. But if I feel the need I’ll tell them to come do it.”

“You are a stubborn one, aren’t you?”

“My husband says the same thing, so I guess I am.” She let out a forced chuckle.

“Okay, then. I’ll see you tomorrow, but I will check on you again before I leave tonight.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Tasha watched the nurse as she left the room. She let down the blinds and went over to his bed. She puffed up her pillow, adjusted the blanket in the chair before getting comfortable in it. She locked her fingers in between his, laid her head on his forearm, and cried herself to sleep.

Kaylin left his mother’s house driving like a bat out of hell across town, ignoring speed limits, stop signs, and police vehicles.

When he pulled into his driveway, Don Carlos and his bodyguard were just leaving.

“Ah, here he is.” Don Carlos came down the steps and greeted Kaylin with a hearty hug. Kaylin’s glance met with Angel, who was standing in the doorway. “We were just leaving. We have another appointment. Come. Take a ride.”

Kaylin looked up at Angel. “Baby, I’ll be back. Do you need anything? Are you all right?”

“Of course she is all right! We wouldn’t let nothing happen to her. Same old Kaylin.” He laughed and looked back at Angel.

The smile she had faded from her face. “I’m okay.” Then she looked at Juan. “Juan, have him back for dinner.”

“Don’t worry, Angel. I will. If I can make it back myself, I would be delighted to taste your cooking.” They watched her close the front door and then they headed for the limo.

Kaylin got seated in the backseat of the limo with Don Carlos and his bodyguard, Jorge. He knew Angel was wondering what was really going on.

“Kaylin,” Juan drawled in his Mexican accent. “You have a beautiful wife, beautiful home, growing business, you’ve done quite well for yourself. We are so proud of you. And Don Alexjandro sends his love. He always talks about you and Trae. How loyal you two are and of course, how rich you made us.” He let out his signature deep, hearty laugh and Jorge joined in.

“Give Don Alexjandro my regards. And thank him for the very generous wedding gifts. And please, I mean no disrespect. Please get to the heart of the matter and answer the million-dollar question. What brings you to my home? Why do you take pictures of me and my family and send them to my home? What have I done to deserve such disrespect? If Don Alexjandro needed me, all he had to do was call.” Kaylin wanted some answers and was obviously pissed off.

“The don knows that, Kaylin. That’s why he sent me. You know the don. The pictures were just a … reminder. No big thing. You understand, Kaylin?”

“No, I don’t understand. I received threats, and why? When all—”

Don Carlos held up his hand in protest, interrupting Kaylin. “It’s nothing, Kaylin. No need to be alarmed. Just a friendly reminder. And you know we don’t deliver threats, we deliver bodies.” He burst into that signature laugh again.

Don Carlos quickly turned serious. “We have everyone praying to the saints for Trae’s immediate recovery. He is a very good man. Loyal just like you. That is hard to find these days, even amongst family. Again, that is why I’m here. Don Alexjandro needs a huge favor.”

“We’re not in the game anymore, Don Carlos. We’re trying to be good businessmen and even better family men. No disrespect, but do you understand?”

“Of course. Of course. But let me remind you that it was Don Alexjandro who made it possible for you to be legit businessmen and good family men. It was Don Alexjandro, not your attorneys, not your money, who got you out of Mexico with your lives and your freedom. You have no prison sentence, no parole, no nothing. You are both free to live life. You understand?” Don Carlos spat. “And you have gold, which you took from one of our people. You didn’t get permission. We understand that things got crazy and you had to do what you had to do, no? But lucky the fat fuck was no good. He was bad for business, family or not. So with everything comes a price. You understand, Kaylin?”

Kaylin didn’t respond. He allowed a huge sigh to escape his lungs.

“Good.” Don Carlos pulled out a pipe filled with rich strawberry tobacco and lit it. He closed his eyes as he put his lips around the ivory pipe and pulled. “Now … this is good.” He held it out for Kaylin, who declined. He allowed the rich smoke to ease through his lungs. “Smells heavenly, doesn’t it?”

“Smells rich,” Kaylin had to agree.

“I told my wife, Graciela, that when I die, bury me with my pipe and fill it up.” He then locked eyes with Kaylin. “We need a matter handled. Don Alexjandro’s unloyal nephew, Mickey Reyes. He’s tarnishing the family’s reputation. It’s no good for business. He’s bringing too much attention our way. The don would appreciate it if you would handle this matter for him. He also knows about your brother, who is doing twenty-seven years in state prison. You know the don always pays his debts.”

“I know the don looks out for his own. But you do understand that we are out. We fulfilled our obligations. Our work is over, it’s behind us. Tell the don if he wants the gold we jacked, he can have it, but we are out.”

Don Carlos took another pull from his pipe, closed his eyes, savored it. “Don Alexjandro is very proud of both of you. He treated you like sons. We need this taken care of.” He leaned up to the edge of the seat and lowered his voice. “Whose life is worth more to you? That of you and your family or a low-life disgrace like Mickey Reyes? I trust you will make the right decision.”

The limo slowed down and then eased to a stop. No words were needed as Kaylin jumped out and flagged down a taxi.

That release of tension Tasha had earlier obviously did her some good. She had heard somewhere that crying heals the soul. Well, she was sleeping like a baby, that is until she felt something in the palm of her hand. When she looked up at Trae his eyes were open and he was writing letters in her hand. She had one hand over her chest, and her mouth was wide open. She was in shock. He was writing
Tasha, I luv u.
The tears fell down her cheeks as she began to shake uncontrollably. He started pointing to the tubes coming out of his nose and mouth. Tasha, still in shock, pressed the nurse station button.

“Is everything all right, Mrs. Macklin?” the voice over the intercom asked.
When she didn’t get a response, she said, “I’ll be right there.”

When the nurse came into the room Tasha was standing there looking down at Trae in tears. Trae was looking at her and wouldn’t let her hand go. She ducked back out of the room and yelled, “Get Dr. Peters, stat!”

“Mr. Macklin, glad you decided to join us,” she beamed. She turned on the light and proceeded to get his vitals. “Can you hear me? Blink your eyes twice if you can.” He blinked twice. “Good, Dr. Peters is on his way.” He raised his hand slowly and pointed to the tubes. “Dr. Peters will be here shortly. I know they are very uncomfortable, but bear with us for a short while, okay?”

She turned to Tasha. “Mrs. Macklin, are you okay?” Tasha nodded up and down and leaned over on Trae’s shoulder. “I love you so much. Oh, God, thank you so much. Oh, baby.” She hugged him.

“Mr. Macklin, you are a very lucky man. Your wife has shown incredible strength. Your vitals are stable. I’ll be right back.”

“Baby, do you have any idea how long you’ve been here?” He slowly shook his head no. “Were you aware of my being here and talking to you?” He slowly nodded yes.

“Mr. Macklin. Mrs. Macklin.” Dr. Peters nodded towards Tasha. He was a small-framed black man who reminded her of the butler on the
Fresh Prince.

He was accompanied by an Indian female, Dr. Gupta. “Mrs. Macklin, Mr. Macklin.” She spoke in a thick accent.

“Can you hear me, Mr. Macklin?” Dr. Peters asked. Trae nodded yes. Dr. Peters picked up Trae’s chart and began to read it.

Dr. Gupta came around to where Tasha was. She tried to break away from Trae’s grip but he wouldn’t let her go. Dr. Gupta smiled at the gesture.

Trae pointed once again at the tubes. Dr. Peters turned off the ventilator and respirator. “I can’t remove the tubes, the anesthesiologist has to remove them. I’ll have the nurse page him.”

Trae had to release Tasha’s hand in order for the doctor to complete his examination. Dr. Gupta was talking into her minirecorder, taking notes as Dr. Peters administered the exam. “Blink if you are in pain.” He pointed to the tubes. Both doctors smiled. Dr. Peters took his vitals, checked his pupils and ears. Dr. Gupta helped turn him over on his side so that he could examine his spine. He stuck a special pin in it. “Blink twice at Dr. Gupta if you can feel it.” He blinked twice. “Good.” They placed him on his back. Dr. Peters stuck the pin in both legs. Trae couldn’t feel the pin penetrate his legs. He shook his head no. “Don’t worry about your legs. In a day or two, you’ll get the sensation back. I was mainly concerned about your spine. But that’s fine. If the sensation doesn’t return in your legs, we’ll do further testing.”

Tasha was still shaken as she picked up the phone and called his parents. “Nana, it’s me. He’s up. Oh God, he’s up.” She swiped at the tears for the hundredth time. Apparently Nana was waking up Mr. Macklin since it was three thirty in the morning. She could hear Nana in the background crying and praising God.

“Tasha, are you still there?” Mr. Macklin grabbed the phone.

“I’m here. He’s up. The doctors are examining him now.”

“Thank you, Lord.” Mr. Macklin sounded as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders. “What is he doing? What is he saying? Tell him we love him and we knew he would come back to us.”

“He wants the tubes out of him. He can’t talk. He’s been nodding up and down, blinking, and writing in my hands. He’s been squeezing my hands.” She was crying once again.

“Oh, glory be to God. We’ll be up there first thing in the morning. Tell my son that, okay?”

“I will, Pop-Pop.” She disconnected the call and stood watching as the doctors continued to probe, prod, press, and examine.

She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer; then she called Kaylin and told him the good news. He said he would spread the word and would be up first thing tomorrow.

“Okay, Mrs. Macklin. He appears to be in stable condition. In layman’s terms, for someone who’s been in a coma for the last three months, he’s doing pretty darn good. Even though he has no energy, which is normal, make sure he stays put. Don’t you dare try to get up.” He glared at Trae. “I will page the anesthesiologist and get these tubes out and then I’ll be back.”