Different

11

Ta'Leah Jackson

My phone started ring so I paused the movie I was watching and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Leah! Please come to the hospital!" Sherhonda yelled into the phone. I pulled the phone from my ear before replying.

"Why? What happened?" I slid on my Nike slippers and made my way towards my truck.

"I'll tell you when you get here." She said.

"Alright what hospital is it again?"

"Memorial Hermann." She said before hanging up.

"Well okay." I mumbled to my self and drove out the drive way.

~

I walked into the waiting room to see Kendell, Sherhonda, and my mother all sitting down together in the same area.

I walked towards them and sat next to Kendell.

"Hey y'all." I smiled at them. Everyone said hey to me before engaging back into their conversation.

I tapped Kendell shoulder and asked me what happened.

"Kentrell got shot." He whispered.

"What!" I yelled gaining everyone attention.

"You told her?" Sherhonda looked over at Kendell and he nodded his head.

"This gotta be a joke." I shook my head.

"It's not. That's why we're here." Mama mumbled, "Use you're brain."

I could feel the tears coming so I held my head down so nobody could see.

"It's gone be aight." Kendell rubbed my back.

"Family of Kentrell Gaulden." Somebody said loudly. Everyone got up and walked towards the double doors where the doctor was standing.

"Is my baby alright?" Sherhonda looked up at the doctor.

"Kentrell was shot three times. Once in his stomach-"

Everyone gasped but me. I just continued to cry even harder. Kendell pulled me in a hug to try to calm me down.

"Once in his chest and in his left shoulder." The doctor continued, "Kentrell is a very lucky man. One of the bullets barely missed his heart. He must've had a lot of people praying for him. But he's awake now. He'll probably be staying in the hospital for a good two weeks."

"I'm so glad he's ok." My mother whispered.

"What room number is he in?" Sherhonda asked.

"He's in room 614 or the third floor." He looked at his clip board before adding, "He might be still under the influence of drugs."

"Alright thanks sir." Sherhonda smiled at him before we all ran towards the elevator.

As we got out the elevator and started walking towards his room. I tried to straighten my face so it doesn't look like I was crying.

Kendell barged into the hospital room leaving us behind. I opened the door and walked in to see Kentrell laying down with a whole bunch of wire connected to him.

"Is that Leah fine ass?" Kentrell pushed Kendell out of the way so he could see me.

"Watch ya mouf boy." Sherhonda slapped the back of his head.

"Ouch." He rubbed his head, "Hittin' me with them fuckin' man hands."

Me and Kendell laughed at him while my mama and Sherhonda shook their heads.

"How you doing Kentrell?" My mama smiled at him.

"I'm feel good." He tried to sing.

Mama phone dinged so she pulled it out her purse and looked at the screen.

"I'm sorry but we have to leave early." Mama looked over at Sherhonda.

"But y'all just got here." I scrunched my eyebrows at them as they started walking towards the door.

"We have to go back to work. It's very important." She grabbed the door handle getting ready to go.

"But-"

"Here." She dug in her purse and through me a stack of money, "Go out to eat or go shopping with Kendell."

She left out the door before I could say anything else.

"Damn I wish my mama was like that." Kentrell pouted and poke his lip out.

"So how'd you get shot?" Kendell looked over at him.

"With a gun duh." Kentrell rolled his eyes.

~

"No don't leave me!" Kentrell held on to my arm.

"But visiting hours are almost over." I looked over at Kendell who was asleep on the chair.

"Then stay the night with me." He pouted poking his bottom lip out.

"No go tell Jania to stay with you." I mumbled rolling my eyes.

"What you say?" He raised his eyebrows sitting up in the bed.

"Nothing." I smiled batting my eyelashes.

"No you said something bout Jania."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"Yes you did." Kendell stood up out the chair to take a stretch.

"Ok and? Ain't she your girlfriend?" I looked over Kentrell waiting on him to answer.

I guess this is a filler idek🤷🏾‍♀️

Pineapples or Kiwi?