Bottom of Form
Lainey gave me one of her trademark looks; the one that said everything. “And be good to Domino. I’m not saying let him stress you out,” she added quickly, holding her hands up in a gesture of caution, “but don’t be playing games either. That man doesn’t look like he’s built for confusion.”
I chuckled, knowing all too well how true that was. “He’s not.”
“Exactly. And neither are you. So either love that man right or leave him alone before you both end up needing therapy and prayer circles.”
Lainey paused at the door, looking back one last time, the weight of the moment hanging in the air between us.
“I love you,” she expressed, her voice tinged with sincerity.
My chest tightened just a little with emotion. “I love you too. Call me when you land.”
After she left, I stood there for a second longer than I meant to, my hand still resting on the door like I hadn’t fully accepted that she was gone yet.
I exhaled slowly.
And then I remembered Domino was outside waiting for me.
I pulled myself together and turned away from the door and headed to my room. The moment I stepped inside, I didn’t give myself time to think too hard about anything. I just started moving. I pulled open drawers, grabbing whatever I thought I might need to take back to the hospital. My hands worked faster than my thoughts, folding things halfway neat, halfway rushed, before tossing them into the bag. I zipped the bag halfway, reaching for something else when the door flew open.
“Ajori, we need to get to the hospital now!” Domino urged.
I turned fast. “What happened?! Is it Kyrin?!” I panicked.
“No. He’s good. It’s your father. He collapsed, but he’s stable.”
My heart dropped anyway.
He grabbed my bags before I could even process it fully. “Come on. I just need to get you there.”
“O-Okay.”
I followed him out, my thoughts already spiraling.
The ride there felt like it took hours… even though it was barely ten minutes.
My hands stayed clasped in my lap, fingers tight, and my mind running in circles, I couldn’t slow down.
He was fine when I left.
That’s what I kept telling myself.
He was talking, standing, and acting like nothing was wrong.
The words repeated so much that they stopped making sense.
By the time we arrived at the hospital, a gripping tightness had settled heavily in my chest, and my breath came in uneven gasps. We hurried inside, and I didn’t stop until I reached his room. As I pushed the door open, time seemed to freeze.
The room was reminiscent of Kyrin’s. There were fewer machines beeping and blinking, but enough to instill a sense of seriousness that sent chills down my spine.
My eyes found him instantly.
For the first time, the man who had always appeared so invincible and so untouchable seemed fragile, anchored to the bed by the weight of his pain.
“Daddy…” I barely recognized my own voice as it slipped out, unbidden.
His eyes homed in on me. "Ajori,” he replied, his voice a rasp, weakened but undeniably still him.