Page 41 of Session 25

“Marcel, you made it like that. Now hurry up because I don’t have all day to entertain you and your nonsense.”

“Bet.” I ran my hand down my face. “What is it gonna take for us to work? I fucked up, I get that shit. I hurt you, Koi, but I didn’t mean for that to happen. I was drunk, and shit just went left.”

“And you expect me to believe that? You never even told me. You tried to sweep it under the rug, but since there is a baby, you had to come clean.” She shook her head. “I can take a lot of shit, but my cousin! My cousin?” Her voice rose an octave. “Of any chick, you chose her.”

“I didn’t choose her, Koi. You think I would deliberately fuck her? C’mon now.”

“I think you will stick your dick in any willing participant.”

“I will not.” I reached for her forearm. Koi moved back as if I was a stranger. “Do you need time? Will therapy help? What can I do?”

“Right about now, Marcel, you can leave me alone. I can’t stand the sight of you. Deep down inside, I hate you. You once were someone I loved and thought I could spend the rest of my life with, but now, no.” She folded her arms over her chest. Her feelings were valid, but I wasn’t trying to hear that shit.

The more she spoke, the more I realized she was slowly slipping away, and I refused to lose her.

“You can have the condo. I just want to stop fighting with you.”

“I don’t want that condo. I have my own place.” She rolled her eyes. “Goodbye, Marcel.”

I watched her walk away with an extra pep in her step. Koi had that I just got fucked good walk. My jaw clenched when I thought about her being fucked. Shit was wicked, but now I saw how she felt.

I looked at her annoyed as fuck. My dick was hard, and my mind continued to replay the last conversation I had with Koi. The fuck she meant by she had her own place? That wasn't what I expected. She went from hurt to leveling up quickly, all the while Rika was still lying up in a coma, not even knowing the drama she had caused.

I looked down at the rise in my boxers, sucked my teeth, and got up. Rika needed to get well so she could tell her cousin exactly what happened. Koi wasn’t believing shit I had to say, but I couldn’t blame her. My track record wasn’t the best, yet I needed her to have a little more faith in me. Rika wasn’t someone I willingly was lying down with. She had to know and feel that deep down inside. I was crazy, but I wasn’t slime.

“Yo,” I answered my phone when I saw Belinda’s name pop up on my phone.

“You are just a rude muthafucka, anyway can come back in the hospital? I can’t stay.”

“Yea whatever.” I wanted to get her off the line and out of my sight. It was the weekend, and I didn’t want to spend my day at the hospital, but a quick check-in to make sure Rika was good was gonna have to do. She was lucky I had a heart. Rika was up but she was still in and out of it. Part of me felt like she was milking it, but I didn’t need my karma to come bite me in the ass more than it already was.

“Why you always doing that?” She tried to question me.

“I ain’t got time for the shit. I said Ima go check on her. Now leave me alone.” I ended the call without warning. Belinda needed to understand that I didn’t fuck with her. I tolerated her off the strength of Koi in the past, but now I had no choice but to be in communication with her until Rika woke up.

I had no respect for her, and that was never gonna change. Belinda was the problem, and that ultimately trickled down to her kids.

I got dressed and was out of the house within the hour. I stopped by the Cuchifrito’s for a plate of baked chicken, rice and peas, and yuca. It was the least I could do; hospital food was disgusting.

“Good afternoon, she has a guest inside now.” I furrowed my brows when the nurse I had come acquainted with stopped me.

“Who?”

“I’m not sure. But it is a female.” Now my interest piqued. If Belinda wasn’t there, then I figured it may have been Koi’s mother. She couldn’t stand her niece, but she did pop in and out.

I rushed to the room, stopping in my tracks when I heard Koi’s voice through the open door.

“See, I could very well get rid of you right here and right now, but it’s not worth it.” She paused. “You’re not worth it.” From the reflection of the bed, I could see Rika staring right at Koi. Koi stood by her bedside, arms folded, tapping her foot against the tiled floor.

“I,”

“No, no. Don’t speak. I don’t want to hear what you have to say. See, none of that matters. You’re a bitch, always have and always will be. You’re gonna get everything you deserve, and this is just the beginning,” she shrugged. “See, if I were like you, I’d go get my man back and tell him to leave you and the kid stranded, but I’m not like you. I’m better.” Rika sniffed back. “I’m gonna give him to you and be happy. Because you two will never be happy, and that’s a fact. Starting with today.” Koi moved swiftly, pressing down on the button on the side of the bed. Rika’s bed flopped down swiftly, almost making her fall off.

I stepped into the room.

“Koi.”

“Oh, look who it is. Your baby father here to save you.” She grabbed her purse from the chair before leaving the room.