𝐖𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐔 ৎ୭

XLVI

Dequavince Demaro Harris
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

"What happened!?" Don storms in, holding a crying Tareaca and a sleeping Toya in his arms.

"Alcohol poisoning." I sigh.

"What?" Tareaca looks at me in shock.

"Does she... have a drinking problem?" She asks.

"Yea. Everyone knew." I shrug.

"Is she d-" Keke cries.

"No." I cut her off.

I hear sounds of relief from them. Moonshine runs in the hospital straight towards us, wearing sum mickey mouse pajama set.

"What happened?" She asks immediately.

"She got alcohol poisoning."

"How'd you find her?" She asks.

"She texted me our code for help." I show my phone and they shake their heads slowly.

"She was shaking and throwing up, her eyes were rolled back in her head..." I try to explain.

Moonshine cries, sitting down in a chair. Keke sits on my knee and hugs me as I pat her back.

Toya wakes up crying on her daddy's shoulder and Tareaca cries even harder. I wanna cry too, hell even Don eyes glistening.

We wait about 40 minutes until someone comes out.

"Family of Mercedes April Porter." The male nurse calls out.

"You may now go in. She's currently conscious." He smiles.

We rush in and my stomach turns at the sight of her.

She looks sick. Her skin isn't as vibrant and healthy, she's having fluids pumped through her, her eyes look so empty and dull... She looks miserable and nothing like herself.

She closes her eyes and holds her head, not even acknowledging our presence.

"Mercedes?" Tareaca says cautiously.

"Heyy." She whispers slowly.

"Girls, go outside." She ushers Keke and Toya out of the room.

"How are you doing princess?" Don asks.

"Uhhhh, fine." She shrugs.

"You want us to visit you later and let you rest up?" He asks, she nods.

"Bye sweetie." He holds her hand before leaving.

"How are you really?" Moonshine asks.

"I'm so tired, everything hurts." She cries lowly.

I rush over and hold her hand while Moonshine holds the other.

"I don't remember what I did to get this fucking sick." She frowns.

"You need rest love." Moonshine soothes her.

She bends down to hug her before leaving the room, leaving just Mercedes and I.

"Do you hate me?" She asks quietly.

"Nah, I could neva hate you." I squeeze her hand.

"You know, they giving me pamphlets and shit to read about g-getting help? I'm not an alcoholic D... or a drug abuser." She shakes her head.

"What did you take?" I ask calmly.

"What do you mean?" She plays dumb.

"Other than the liquor, did you take any pills?"