Page 73 of Love U Down II

“Why you crying, Berlin?” he repeated after several long seconds.

I scoffed, sniffled, and looked at him.

“Because you deserve more than this world has given you, man.”

He smiled and shrugged.

“I mean, I don’t think that.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. I got your mom and you and Chandler and Rome and my precious grandbabies and some pretty good kid-in-laws.” He exhaled. “The world gave me a lot, and ay, I’m hurting but I ain’t tired of fighting just yet. As long as I’m breathing…” He paused while he waited for me to fill in the blank.

“There’s a chance for shit to get better.”

“And it will.”

“And if it don’t?”

“Then I know I raised my kids well enough to stand on their own and take care of their mother until we’re reunited.”

“Right.” I sniffled but just let my few stray tears slide down my face. “I don’t like how at peace you sound about this shit, Hendrix.”

He chuckled at me calling him by his name and the sound made me smile.

“Nobody lives forever, Berlin.”

“But you should.”

“But I won’t.”

“Yeah. I know.” I cleared my throat. “I’m going for a walk.”

“Okay.”

I pushed myself up, opened my mouth, before closing and opening it again. Then I shook my head, slammed it shut, and left the room.

I walked around outside for a minute before heading home. I smoked, took a shower, changed, and drove back to the hospital.

My pops was still awake when I got back but we didn’t talk. We just sat in silence and watched television together.

The nurse came in and checked his blood pressure about an hour in and noted it was doing great. When she left, we glanced at each other.

“No matter what they say in the morning, you know I’ll be right here, right?” I checked.

“Yeah. I know.”

He lifted his fist toward me and I bumped mine against it.

Then I settled into my seat and leaned my head back so I could mentally prepare for the worst… which ended up being two strokes and a heart attack.

He’d apparently had a few strokes based on the way his brain scan looked and had never noticed. The tingling was normal and could potentially stay that way forever. He’d need rehab and was lucky to even be alive.

My mom and Chandler fell apart the more the doctors spoke. I was frozen where I stood. Lee consoled his wife while Myome rubbed a hand up and down my mother’s back and I did my best to listen to every single word.

The second the doctor left, I pulled out my phone to call Rome.

CHAPTER 18