Custody War

Chapter 39

 

 
L

ucas
 

Knocking on the door of the hotel room waiting for someone to open it.  
 
A few seconds later the door open revealing my mom. Steeping inside the room quickly embracing my mom, hugging her tightly.
 
“My baby boy. How are you?” My mom asks.
 
Unable to speak, resting my head on my mom’s shoulder.
 
“I got you, Lucas. Everything is going to be alright.”
 
“Daddy” Kendric yells through the room as he runs up to me. Releasing the embrace from my mom I picked him up.
 
“What are you doing here?” I question smiling holding my son.
 
Lifting himself looking at me, he responded, “I miss you daddy, and I miss Ms. Essence. Is she feeling better can I go see her?”
 
Putting Kendric down, kneeling to his level, “Ms. Essence is still sick, and you can’t go see her right now, but really soon you can.”
 
“Can I make her card please daddy?”
 
“I know she would love a card from you. Since you are here, we will go out in a little bit and order her some flowers and balloons. I think that will help her feel better too.”
 
“Yes,” He says with a big grin on his face then continues, “Can I start on Ms. Essence's card now?”
 
“Yeah, go ahead and I will go over and check on you in a little bit okay.”
 
“Okay, daddy. Are you going to make Ms. Essence a card too?”
 
“I am. Go get started and I will be over in a little bit. Let me talk to grandma and grandaddy for a few minutes.”
 
Nodding his head, Kendric went to the other side of the room.
 
“What are yall doing here, and why didn’t they tell me yall were here with Kendric?” Asking my parents.
 
“Your siblings and Vita got in yesterday, they went to see you today, we just got in and Kendric was eager to see his dad.” My dad spoke.
 
“Son, what happened to Essence?” My mom asks with concern in her voice.
 
“Let me call to check in on Essence and I will tell everybody at once.”
 
Taking out my phone making Kendric was out of earshot while calling Eden.
 
Answering in the middle of the third ring, “Hello,” she spoke softly.
 
“Hey, how is Essence?”
 
“No, change, a nurse came in a little bit ago to check on her. Are you coming soon?”
 
“Momma and dad brought Kendric here. He wants to see Essence, but he doesn’t need to see her in this condition. I’m coming back after he goes to sleep. Eden, put your phone on speaker, I am going to tell yall that happened now.”
 
A few seconds later she responded, “phone is on speaker and we are all here Lucas.”
 
Looking over to make sure Kendric was still making his card, take a deep breath I begin to speak, “Me and Mrs. Mylers initially thought Essence was with some gut and he got her pregnant, but that was not the case.”
 
Taking another deep breath, I continue, “Essence’s father friend had been beating, molesting, and raping her since she was young. Her parents took Kendric so no one would be able to find out about what he did. I left going to see her, and.”
 
Stopping gathering my thoughts while trying to push the memories away of what I saw out my head.
 
“Lucas. He was there wasn’t he?” Vita asks in a broken tone.
 
“It wasn’t just him; Ivy was there and her real mother.”
 
“Wait, did you say her real mother?” My mom questions with confusion lace in her voice.
 
“I don’t know the whole story behind that, all I know is when I walked into the room where they were, they were holding her while that the sick bastard was raping her saying he was going to give her another baby, and this one he would let her keep and some other sick shit.”
 
Evan chime in stating, “You better tell me you beat his ass.”
 
“Essence needed emergency surgery and I signed off on it. I still haven’t been able to get in touch with her brother. Wait, can one of yall find the teacher Mr. Perez for me.”
 
“Daddy look,” Kendric says happily as he holds up his picture. As he speaks again, “I’m sorry I didn’t know you are on the phone daddy.”
 
“It’s okay, I’ll be over in a second and I will make one.”
 
“Yes sir.” He says walking back to the table.
 
“Can someone find Mr. Perez? He can get in touch with Andre and her lawyer. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before.”
 
“Lucas, you are taking on so much. Son, you need to slow down. More than Essence needs you. You have a son to think about.” My dad tells me.
 
“Dad, she is my son’s mother, if I don’t help her and protect her who will? I don’t want Kendric to find out about this in a few years and ask why I didn’t help. I want our son to know I was here taking care of his mom because that is part of taking care of him.”
 
“Do you plan on being with her?” My mom asks inquisitively.
 
“Why does everybody keep asking me this?” I state in an annoying voice.
 
“You can tell them no because I saw Essence in a bathing suit, I’m going to wife her,” Evan says.
 
“Please Evan, as if she would even have you?” Vita tells him.
 
“Aw, Vita are you mad cause I don’t you baby girl?”
 
“Evan, your hand doesn’t even want you.”
“Yall continue with that conversation, I am going to spend time with my son and take him out. If there is any change in Essence let me know immediately.”
 
“We will. Tell Kendric he can stay with me next week if he wants unless Essence is better.”
 
“Thank you, thank you for being here for me, Kendric, and Essence. I will see yall in a few, I am going to spend some time with Kendric.”
 
After saying bye’s and hanging up the phone. Looking at Kendric walking over to him I take a seat in front of him.
 
“I started another card for Ms. Essence, daddy. Which one do you think she will like about you do both and I will begin on a card for her. When we get done, we will go out spend some time together.”
 
“Just me and you daddy?”
 
“Just me and you,” I say to Kendric as his smile grows bigger.
 
 
After picking out some flowers for Essence and eating dinner Kendric and I were back at the hotel.
 
“Daddy, I know you said I can’t see Ms. Essence, but I think it will make her feel better if she sees me.”
 
“Come here,” I say to Kendric as I pick him up then continue.
 
“Will you see Ms. Essence make her feel better or make you feel better?”
 
Resting his head on my chest he speaks softly, “It will make me feel better. I’m scared, daddy.”
 
“What are you scared of Kendric?”
 
“I already don’t have a mom and I don’t want to lose Ms. Essence,” he states with tears streaming down his face.
 
“You are not going to lose Ms. Essence, I promise Kendric.”
 
“How do you know daddy? She has been sick for a long time.”
 
“I know because she cannot wait to see you and get a hug from you that makes everything better.”
 
“Then why can’t I go see her hug her to make her better?”
 
“Right now, her body is resting, healing up. When the doctors say it is safe you will be able to see her.”
 
“Is it because I am not big enough yet?”
 
Laughing at him, “Something like that son. When Ms. Essence gets better, we will need to sit down and talk to you about something especially important.”
 
“Daddy, are you and Ms. Essence getting married?”
 
“You too huh? No, we are not; however, we do need to speak to you Kendric.”
 
“Did I do something bad, am I in trouble?” He asks with worry display on his face.”
 
“Have you done something to be in trouble for?”
 
“No, sir.”
 
“You are not in trouble. You do need to get ready for bed. You have to leave tomorrow.”
 
“I know daddy, I just,” Stopping talking, Kendric drops his head.
 
“Just what?” I question lifting his head.
 
“I just want us to go home with and Ms. Essence to be okay,” Kendric says as he turns and hugs me tight.
 
While hugging Kendric back I talk to him, “Kendric, I need for you to understand I am not choosing Ms. Essence over you. You are too young to fully understand why I need to stay with Ms. Essence, but right now you need to know you are the most important person in my life. I will always protect you, one of the ways of protecting you is to stay here with Ms. Essence and make sure she gets better soon.”
 
“I love you, daddy.”
 
“I love you more than you will ever know Kendric.”
 
Laying Kendric down in the bed watching as he fell asleep, walking out of the room, going to talk to my parents.
 
My dad spoke, “is Kendric sleep?”
 
“Yeah, he has been sleeping for about 20 minutes now. He is so scared he is going to Essence. He told me he doesn’t want to lose her because he already lost his mom, not knowing his mom is alive.”
 
“Are you going to tell him?” My mom asks.
 
“Essence and I are going to tell him together. There is a lot Kendric is not going to understand. He is six years old. We will just have to help him through this transition. I am going to bed. Goodnight.” I say walking off.
 
Stopping in my tracks “Thank you for bringing Kendric here. I see what you mean, parents know what you and always find a way to make it happen. Thank you.”
 
Leaving the airport, stopping at the florist to pick up the flowers, I go to the hospital.
 
Entering Essence’s room, Wyatt sitting beside Essence with Eden on the other side of her. Vita and Evan on the couch watching tv.
 
“Was it any change?”
 
“No, it wasn’t. Her vitals took a small turn.”
 
“What do you mean a small turn, Eden?”
 
“She is stable now. Her heart rate and blood pressure dropped.”
 
“Why didn’t you call me?”
 
“Kendric needed you. If it would have got worse, we would have called. I know you want to take care of Everything Lucas.”
 
“I know Evan.”
 
“I was able to find Mr. Perez. He is getting in touch with Andre, they will both be here soon as possible.” Vita says walking over to me hugging me.”
 
“We have to leave to catch our flight tonight. We will be back Thursday. Let us know if there is any change and I will be back.”  Eden says to me.
 
Saying goodbyes, they left out the room. Sitting in the chair beside Essence watching her when a blonde nurse came in the room.
 
“Excuse me, sir, I didn’t mean to disrupt you. I just came to get her vitals.” She says as she examines Essence.
 
“Is she your wife or girlfriend? I notice you have been here since she was brought in.”
 
“She is not either,” I tell her in an annoyed tone.
 
“If you would like, we can go grab a coffee in the cafeteria in about 30 minutes when I have my break.”
 
“Please tell me why in the hell would I do that? Just because she is not my girlfriend or my wife doesn’t mean we don’t have some type of relationship, and you don’t need to know. Please do your job and stop trying to get a date with me, it’s not happening.”
 
“I wasn’t trying to date you, just thought you could use a friendly ear or shoulder. Nothing more sir.”
 
“I bet.”
 
A few moments she left out the room as my phone ping. Check my phone to see Wyatt text me saying they were on the plane.
 
“Sweetheart, Kendric misses you. He fears he is going to lose you. Please wake up so our son can have both of his parents. It’s not just Kendric who misses you.” I tell Essence placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
 
While laying down on Essence's legs holding her hand watching television as I felt movement under me.
 
Sitting up, “Essence”
 
“Come, wake up for me, you don’t have to be scared anymore. Open your brown eyes. Wake up for Kendric, our son needs his mom.”
 
“Kendric,” She says barely audible.
 
“Wake up for us, we need you, Essence.”
 
Watching as she slowly tries to open her eyes, “Lucas” she says.
 
“Yeah, it's me. I’ve been so worried about you.”
 
“Is Ken-“  She begins coughing hard.
 
Stepping in the hallway yelling, “she is awake, comes quick.”
 
 
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