RJ I fall back a couple feet just in case I'm being followed. Being in what I'm in it's always a possibility. In about ten minutes I make it to Sugar Hill. I turn off my engine and flash my lights twice to let TJ know nobody followed me. He flashes his lights twice as well. I get out Night Ride (my 2019 Mustang) and walk up to the top of the hill. My cousin links up at the top of the hill with me.

"What's up with you cuh!"

We do our lil secret handshake.

"Nun much how's ya moms?"

"She good she asked about you before I saw ya."

"Imma have to come over there this weekend. TJ what do you need to tell me?"

I study TJ he looks at the grass and avoids eye contact. He then raises his head and speaks.

"You know blood makes you related, but loyalty makes you family. Blood is thicker than water."

"Yeah TJ we been riding for each other since birth. So what the business is?"

"Imma fill you in. A storm is brewing and it's finna be unleashed soon. Now I can answer a few questions, but I don't have that much time before I gotta go back."

"Ight TJ who's behind the storm? How do I stop it or prolong it for as long as possible?"

Jaida "La'Toya you're a strong one. Come on you got this! Don't leave! We have done all that we can do. Now it's left up to you."

I forgot about the team of nurses are still trying to close the incision. I see blood and immediately start feeling lightheaded.

"La'Toya wake up!"

"Nurse are you okay?"

I'm trying to tell him what's going on, but I can't form my words. Through my tunnel vision I can only see the doctor rushing toward me. My knees buckle and my body drops.

Ryan After I dress in a doctor's attire I see Jaida near I'm guessing her friend La'Toya. Anyone can see that they are ride or die for each other. I need a girl who gon do that for me. I might make Jaida my queen. I walk in right when her knees buckle. I catch her in my arms.

"Don't just stand there nurse give me a wheelchair."

"Right away doctor."

I feel her cheeks while I wait on the wheelchair. Her cheeks are warm, but not burning up. I look over at La'Toya's abdomen and see her stitches. I put two and two together. Jaida passed out from the sight of blood. I raise her legs about 12 inches above the heart level. Her eyes flutter open and she sees me so she closes them back real fast. I bend down and whisper.

"I already saw your eyes open. You've been caught."

She holds her head. I pull her up quickly and she faints again. I smack my forehead. I pick her up bridal style and place her in the wheelchair. I take her back into the dressing room area. She groggily gets up.

"Go ahead and change back or we'll get caught." We both turn our backs to each other and change into our regular clothes. Once we are finished Jaida sits back in the wheelchair. I wheel her out of the two doors. I push her until we're by the ice machine. I grab a plastic ziplock bag and fill it up with ice. I set it in her lap.

"Thank you Ryan."

"Don't thank me just get better."

"Ry I wanna thank you. My head is pounding. Are you sure you didn't drop me?"

"I thought about it."

She tries to hit me with her ice bag, but my weave game is too strong. She starts to chase after me in the wheelchair.

"Ry see me rolling he hating!"

Wait why am I running from her? I can flip her outta that wheelchair faster than she can run over me. I turn in her direction and take a few steps toward her.

"Ry what are you doing? Help somebody come get him he tryna hurt the cripple!"

Jaida attempts to roll in peace, but she started this war game. I catch up to her and pick up the whole thing.

"Say I'm sorry."

"Put me down!"

"Say I'm sorry."

"Why didn't they put a seat belt on this thing! I sure could use one right now!"

"Jaida!"

"Alright. Alright Ry. I'm sorry now can you put me down!"

"Gladly. I thought about dropping you, but I'd rather you fall for me."

"That's so cheesy now gimme my ice pack."

I smile and I give her the ice pack.

"Where's my snacks?!"

I jog back to the waiting room and grab the remainder of her snacks. I notice her Kit Kat and Sprite is missing. Who finna look for her missing snacks? I ain't finna be the one to look for them. On my dead granddad grave I ain't. I hand her the remaining snacks.

"I specifically asked for a Kit Kat and Sprite. Out of all the snacks I emphasized on those two specific items."

I try to take her serious, but it's kinda hard when she going off over some snacks. I guess it's true you're not you when you're hungry.

"Had you been still in the waiting room when I got them you would have them."

"How do you expect me not to go after my friend? She's fighting for her life what part of that do you not understand. Oh my god."

"You right. I tell you what I'll buy you a whole package of king-sized Kit Kats and a whole case of Sprite."

"That's a start. Now take me to the waiting room so I can get my discharge papers."

We both start laughing she laughs so hard she snorts. I roll her back to the waiting to make sure we didn't leave anything behind.

"Nurse. Nurse."

"Ry hide me behind the plants."

I roll her behind the plants. The doctor still came over there to Jaida.

"Nurse? Wait a minute you're the one that was running after your friend earlier aren't you?"

"Sure am. Now if you're here to take me to jail lemme get a lawyer right quick."

"Arrest you?"

The doctor throws his head back and chuckles. He wipes a tear from his eye.

"Now that's a good one. Citizen's arrest. No I came to give you some praise.

La'Toya I see a bright light and my favorite aunt is beckoning me to come forth. I fill a light tug holding me back.

"She's allergic to latex."

I'm wondering if that's Jaida. Why would she back in the operation room? Unless she snuck in. Turn up that's my best friend. Go best friend!

"La'Toya you're a strong one. Come on you got this! Don't leave! We have done all that we can do. Now it's left up to you."

She's right what am I doing? I love y'all, but it'd be selfish to go. I can't leave just yet I got people who need me! Alright Jaida imma try to fight back.

"La'Toya wake up!"

I start coming back to my senses.

"Nurse we have a steady heart rate. Send her in the recovery room!"

I feel like I've been hit by a bus.

Jaida "Praise for why though?"

"You're friend La'Toya has a steady heart rate thanks to you and that pep talk."

"Where is she? Can I see her?"

"Slow down. She's in the recovery room right now. She'll be in her room in about one hour or ninety minutes. So then you'll be able to see her. The nurses have to monitor her post-anesthesia care."

I give the doctor my best puppy dog face.

"Aww what the heck come on I'll let you get a quick glance at her. Then you have to go in her room and wait on her."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Hurry up and you can bring your boo too."

I stand up and get out of the wheelchair. Everyone in the waiting room stares at me.

"It's a miracle don't judge me ya sinners!"

Ry shakes his head at me and we follow the doctor.

RJ "TJ you think this plan gon work?"

"It has to RJ. No doubt, but like I said there's many flaws in it. You need to tell the boss about it tho. We wouldn't want any suspicions to rise of you being a double agent."

"For sure."

We do our handshake and bro hug.

"Ight RJ I'll holla at cha later."

"Aight TJ I'll see you this weekend."

We both get in our cars and head in opposite directions. I hope we don't die when we go through the plan. Thank God I manage to make it into the hospital in one piece. I go up to the nurse's station.

"Keisha you need to drop ya dead beat baby daddy. Okay he ain't about it. I'd tell it to his face. Then have my cousins to pull up shur shur and whoop dat ahh. Yeah girl."

She over here legit filing her nails, chewing gum, and talking on her phone.

"Imma call you back. Nah girl ion go on break yet. Ight bye. Love ya too. Welcome to Willis Knight how may I be of service to you today?"

"I'm looking for a patient Orlando Washington."

"Let me see what we got."

She types in his name and frowns.

"I'm sorry sir, but we don't have an Orlando Washington. Are you sure he was admitted into this hospital?"

"Hold on let me call him right quick." He answered after the third ring.

"RJ."

"Orlando where are you at?"

"I told you I'm at Willis Knight in Bossier."

"Which room?"

"3330. Why?"

"Imma catch you in a few."

"He said he's in room 3330."

"Room 3330 is La'Toya Robinson's room. She's been having quite the visitors today. Lemme find out she a celebrity or sum."

"Where the room at?"

"On the third floor."

"Thanks. Don't make me pull up ya friend's baby daddy."

"You welcome. And nah you can pull up on me any time tho."

I press the button and get into the elevator. I push the number three and hold my breath until I get out of the elevator. I find the room and Orlando is sitting in a chair right next to the hospital bed. His phone is on the other side of him.

Orlando Here I am praying for everything to be okay for La'Toya. I can't remember the last time I prayed, but here I am now. A stray tear slips on the rose. I realize that it came from my eye. I look up and see RJ standing in the doorway watching me.

"You good?"

"Yea I'm all good."

"You sure I mean I could give ya a minute."

"Nah come on in here. I can't be left by myself too long or my thoughts will consume me."

"I'm here for you. I've been here for you since day one. Especially at that family reunion."

He laughs and hits my shoulder.

"Family reunion you talking bout in '04?"

"Yeah when our cousin stomped you."

"So it really did happen! My memory kinda fuzzy on that. That means you're my cousin right."

"Yeah thought you would remember that."

"I mean you quit coming around the house, but can you answer a question?"

"Yeah. Whatcha wanna know?"

"How come after that year we quit having family reunions?"

"The adults fell out over something. With our cousin doing you like that was the straw that broke the camel's back. It's like it was built up over the years until the dam finally burst. Since then all of the family hasn't been in the same place at once."

"I think it's time for us to have a well, overdue family reunion."

"Nah O I don't think that would be a good idea. Our parents haven't united for a reason. I think we should leave it alone."

"I hear ya RJ, but it's time."