Will You Stay? (Urban)

19

Domonique

The smell of antiseptic filled my nose, making me realize where I was. As the cloud of haziness lifted, the pain rushed in. Sharp stinging radiated from my right thigh and left side. That's where I was stabbed.

I slowly opened my eyes, squinting at the seemingly bright lights. My throat was raw and burned almost as much as my leg did. "She's awake."

My heart pounded in my chest hearing the unfamiliar accent. That voice hadn't changed but the dialect was definitely different. All these years...

And my brother was still the same.

"Get a nurse, Rah," Jordan instructed. I could see him walk up closer to my bed. He went back and scooted the chair closer so he could sit.

"Domonique?" He took my hand in his. My head was still facing the ceiling; I faced the pain of the lights head on, gritting my teeth. I didn't want to look at him. I didn't want all of my tears to come flooding out. I didn't want to be reminded of all the pain we caused each other.

I heard Raheem come in with a female nurse. She had long, black, silky hair, almond eyes and pale skin. She loomed over me, checking my breathing and the dressing on the wounds. I looked down and noticed the small red patch on where the gauze wrapped around my thigh. She placed the covers back on me, done with her inspection.

"Water," I said dryly.

Jordan poured water from a pitcher into a small pink cup, giving it to the nurse to give to me. He knew I wouldn't take it coming from him. She pressed some buttons on the side of the bed which caused me to sit up. The nurse held the cup in front of my mouth and tilted it so that the water would reach me. My first sip felt like heaven, though she urged me to go slow.

Behind her, Rah bit his bottom lip, a nervous habit of his. "I'm your nurse, Lin. How's the pain?" I cleared my throat to speak, feeling the eyes of two strangers I hadn't seen in forever beating down on me. Nurse Lin told me she would tell the doctor to prescribe me some pain meds. Then she left me alone.

With them.

Jordan looked to Rah to say something. He was always better at making me feel good when I was down. I avoided eye contact with the both of them, and as Rah tried to grab my hand I yanked it away. "Why are you here?"

"Domonique don't start no shit. You in the hospital. You hurt. This ain't no time for you to be picking fights," Jordan spat harshly.

I smacked. I was the one being stubborn, yes. But they were the ones that left. They were the ones that didn't make me go with them. They ruined lives for a living. Including mine.

"You're mad at us D? But think about it. Nobody else is in this room for you. Take a look around," Rah waved around the room. He spoke to me softly with emotions behind his words. He was right. Jay was nowhere to be found. Wrenden and Flora the same.

Jaylen. Maybe if he was with me this wouldn't have happened. If he wasn't out fucking some other girl, no one would have had time to find me alone on the porch.

Where was he when I needed him? Maybe I needed him too much. I was becoming dependent. This is what happens when you let people in. Someone always gets hurt. I always get hurt.

"Domonique, your brother missed you so much. I mean look, a nigga cryin' seeing you inna hospital like this," Rah chuckled and wiped away some tears. I had only seen him cry one other time in my life.

I tried fighting the smile that was trying to make its way across my lips. Seeing him absolutely warmed my heart, though Jordan's face still held the hard expression it always had. "So when you gon tell us what happened?"