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•76•

I walked into the room and it went completely silent. All there of my brothers- ..or cousins dropped their conversation and just focused on me. I had called Ms. Heather last night and she had encouraged me to have a sit down with my family. When Mike texted me this morning and told me that daddy–..my uncle had woken up, I decided to get all of this situation straightened out. I had so many questions to ask. So why wait to ask em?

"Hey Lana," Aaron said nervously. "What's up?"

I shrugged then put my purse on the floor next to the hospital bed. My..uncle..and I made eye contact with each other. I could tell he was hurting. Inside and out. His face was pretty banged up. He had a cast going up his entire right arm and one on his left foot. He also had a neck brace on which hindered him from turning his head. "H-hey baby girl." he managed to get out with a smile. I didn't smile though. I wanted to, but I couldn't. I just stood to his side and held his one good hand. I promised myself not to cry so I didn't. "Hey." I said in a weak tone. Then I looked over and saw the woman I was taught to be my aunt this entire time. She was sitting in a chair staring at me. "Does he know that I know?" I asked.

The question wasn't directed to anyone specific. Whoever knew the answer could reply. Then that same lady stood out of her seat. She approached the other side of his bed then shook her head. "Know what?" he asked. "Who?" I looked down at him. "Nothing, it's nothing." I replied. "Oh, okay. I'm s-so happy to see yo-you princess. I-I missed y-you." he was having trouble talking. He was really weak. "Alana, maybe we should talk outside for a minuet." she suggested. I was about to go with her...then I realized this was stupid. I'm not going anywhere. My DAD needed me by his side so that's exactly where I'll stay.

"Maybe later, I just want to stay in here with daddy for a little bit."

She looked a little stunned, but she eventually returned to her seat. Then I felt an arm wrap around my shoulder. "Exactly, I think you and daddy need some time to yourselves." Sean suggested. "C'mon y'all, let's go out in the hall for a minute." I smiled at him then watched as they all exited. "I swear a-all of them are s-so weird," he confessed then chuckled. "Before y-you got in here they w-were sittin' 'round acting l-like they were ex-expecting Obama..real nervous like." I giggled. "Yea, I bet."

"How's everything, ya know w-with O-Odell?" I shrugged.

"I pray he's doing better for himself, I'm not allowed to contact him until the month is up." he sighed. "Damn Lana, I-I'm sorry." I shook my head. "It's okay, I don't really want to talk about him right now," lies. "Let's just focus on you daddy, how do you feel?" he smiled a little then shrugged. "I-I'm hangin' in t-there." I nodded. "That's good, tell me what happened."

"Well, I was d-driving and all of a sudden m-my chest pains started back u-up again. I-I promise I've been e-eating how y-you and t-the doctor told me to. I-I had been feel-feeling fine for weeks. But it ca-caught me again and I just l-lost all control o-of the car."

"I think I should talk to the doctor then, maybe they could do something else to stop with the pains you're having. I can't have you get hurt like this again." he nodded. "I know, I know." I rubbed his shoulder gently. "But uh, I talked to the doctor. He's gon-gonna give me something f-for the pain."

I wanted to talk to my dad about this situation that happened with Aunt Rita the other night, but I couldn't. I know he had no clue that I knew and I didn't want him to stress about anything, especially while he's in this condition. He needs help from all FOUR of his kids and that's exactly what he's going to get. I believe the best decision would be to keep this to ourselves even though he knows the truth. He just doesn't know that I know the real deal.
~
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked while Aunt Rita and I walked along the park pathway. She sighed. "How could I? You grew up with your family. How was I supposed to just tell you that they weren't your actually parents?"

"So you basically just made a mess then had my parents clean it up?" Aunt Rita looked down at her feet then slowly nodded. "I'd understand why you would look at it like that," she admitted. "I'm sorry Alana. I didn't plan on telling you because there was honestly no point." I shook my head. "There was a point though. So many times you've seen me cry about my deceased mother and you knew damn well that my mother wasn't gone. She was here looking me dead in the face. I needed a mother to teach me certain things and I would complain about it to you...and you did nothing."

It hurt me because when I was aging and my body was changing things around me started to happen too. Boys and puberty to be honest. I would tell her how hard it was dealing with my dad and brothers when it came to those things and she would just tell me to get through it and to know that she had me back. But she didn't. She couldn't have. How could you stand there and know how much I needed you, but still refuse to be there?

"Again Lana, I'm sorry. You had already become so close to them. I couldn't just step back in and take you-"

"No you should have never left me. I don't care how in love you were with your ex husband. I was your kid! How could you just leave me like that? And then you move to California with your new man and only decide to come back when it's convenient for you." the both of us stopped walking.

"You're right Lana. And that why I'm going to start coming around more often especially with everything you're going through now." I rolled my eyes.

"Well maybe now isn't convenient for me. I already talked to my brothers and I would appreciate it if you didn't mention to my dad that I know about your lies," she nodded slowly. "I just want to pretend like this had never happened. I want my family to be the way it used to be before you ruined it."

I walked away, but she stayed stuck in her spot. What was I supposed to think now? Who in the hell could I trust? I knew the answer to that, but he was away from me.

A month has never gone slower.
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You think Lana should forgive Aunt Rita?🤔🤔

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