Tough Love

Chapter 17

Akim

I done put enough money in Mya's trust fund for her to go to college wherever she please.

Started a trust fund for my girl's son, 1k a month until he 18. She don't know that yet, but shit, she finna find out at some point.

Despite bein shot many times a couple days ago, I feel better than I ever felt In my whole life. A new typa hope and vision for life come wit love, it's crazy.

I done called up the interview man, because I wanna do another video wit him before I move out. I'm seeing him in a hour. Luna don't know, and if she did, she'd be mad as all hell.

But she at her grandmas right now taking care of some things, talking her grandma into moving, packing shit up and imma take my crutch and leave.

***

He start recording.

"Okay," the man say "this is the third video you'll be doing with me Virgil, how are you?"

"I'm good, and yourself?"

He nods. "I see you've been injured."

I nod.

"What happened?"

"Got a few shots in the back," I smile "what can I say, the people of these streets love revenge."

"What did you do?"

I shake my head and take a toke of my joint. "Can't say."

"How is Venus doing?" He asks.

It feel strange when someone mention her. Cuz sometimes I feel like she too good to be true, like she just some typa dream and I'm finna wake up. But das why I love when they say her name; confirming she my reality, my everything.

"The last time you were here, it seemed like a case of that hopeless love you mentioned the first time." He says, that white man accent too clean, and I laugh about it to myself.

I shake my head. "I regret sayin that."

"Why?"

"Cuz..." I sigh "it may seem hopeless from the outside, but I didn't realise how it feels when you on the inside of it," I blow out the smoke "ain't nothin but hope, and promise. And this new thing, new concept, that I ain't never felt, of like...this shits forever."

He nods and smiles. "That's love for you."

I smirk and smoke "sure is."

"What are your plans for the future?"

"Her." I state.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well...due to these opps being on my ass all the time, I can't give all the details, all I'll say is my future is her, and it's real special. Ain't no more of what there was."

"I'm very happy for you," he says in his monotonous voice "when I first met you, it didn't seem you would be living for much longer, let alone with the optimism you have now."

I look down. And think about his words. "Yeah," I whisper "back then I was hopin I wouldn't even have to live much longer," I take a toke of my joint and smile and look at him "that's crazy. Like I really thought, any day now, I'm finna die, and I can't wait. But I gotta say, I been shot before in my life, been stabbed, been a close friend to death since I was a child, and the other day when I was shot in front of my girl, was the first ever damn time I prayed that I'd survive. Other times, it was like, just put me out my damn misery. But, this time, I fuckin prayed. I looked at her cryin face, and I prayed I wouldn't die."

"And it worked." He says with a smile and I laugh.

"It's the least God could do," I joke "after all these years of torture."

***

When I get back to my hospital room, she's standing there wit her arms crossed, lookin at me all angry. And I just smile.

"Explain yourself." She states as I walk slowly towards her. I hug her and she's hesitant but she hugs me back, bein real careful not to hurt me.

"Where did you go?" She ask in that soft voice.

"I went out to get you somethin," I whisper, she looks at me "I know I shoulda told ya."

"Well, that would've ruined the surprise." She jokes.

I sigh and smile. "Exactly."

"What you get me then?"

"Lemme show you." I say and unlocks my phone and go into YouTube and look for the video.

We sit on the bed and watch it, and she smilin the entire time. The sun is setting from the hospital room windows, and she looks perfect, as she always does.

"Imma just get some snacks from the vending machine," I say "you carry on watchin."

I walk slowly wit my crutch to get us some stuff to eat. And I make sure to get the stuff she likes.

I open the door to the room and she's crying and looking at me wit the phone on the bed.

"What's wrong?" I ask, she smile at me through the tears and I smile back "you got to the part?"

She nods and I sit next to her.

"Damn I wanted to see that." I mutter.

She kisses me suddenly and holds me real tight. "My answer is yes," she whispers and then looks at me wit them pretty ass eyes "my answer is yes, I wanna marry you."

I pull the ring box out my pocket. "Then this, Luna, belongs to you."