Page 14 of Tell Me You Love Me Again

“Look, Daddy. Gabe is her husband, and right now, he’s the best person who can help her. It’s not like we won’t be able to visit her,” my sister stated. I looked at her and Gabriel again and concluded that they were just close, and both had my best interest at heart.

“He’s the reason she’s here in the first place and you want me to be okay with her going home with him?”

“What do you mean, it’s his fault?” I looked at Gabriel. “Did you hit me?” I asked.

“No,” he rushed out quickly. “I was home when the hospital called. We live almost two hours away in New Grove,” he stated. I looked back at my father, and he still had a look of disdain on his face, but my head was starting to hurt from the testosterone match that was going on in here.

“Okay. I need a nap. This is too much, and my head is starting to hurt. Can y’all try to keep it down and be nice while I take a nap?” I asked sincerely.

“It’s whatever you want, Snook. I’ll be right here when you wake back up.” Gabriel leaned over and kissed my forehead as I closed my eyes and forced myself to sleep. I needed to calm down and focus on getting my memory back, and them arguing back and forth wasn’t going to help it.

Gabe

I walked out of the room to get my head together before I slammed James’ head through the nearest fuckin’ wall. He never thought I was good enough for Chiara since I was a felon. Doesn’t matter that I was reformed. The nigga still hated my guts and trust and believe the feelings were mutual. As I paced the hall back and forth, I heard Chi’s room door open and saw Quita come out.

“Hey. How you holding up?” she asked. I stared at her for a few minutes before I opened my mouth to speak.

“How am I holding up? How do you think I’m holding up, Quita? My fuckin’ wife is laid up in a hospital bed and doesn’t remember who the fuck I am! How the fuck do you think I feel? On top of that, all this happened because I told her spoiled ass ‘no’,” I chuckled.

“Don’t you dare blame her,” her bitch ass father came out of the room and inserted his self into our conversation.

“I’m not blaming her. I’m blaming myself. All I wanted to do was make my fuckin’ wife happy, since she sacrificed so much being with me. All I ever wanted to do was make her happy, but that shit seems to be in vain because by me wanting to give her everything she ever wanted, it caused her to feel neglected now she doesn’t even remember who the fuck I am, or how much I fuckin’ love her.” I mugged his stupid ass.

“You can still work and be there for your wife. I told you if you weren’t ready to be a husband, to leave her alone and I would take care of her. I knew I shouldn’t have handed my baby over to you.”

“Nig—,”

“Aye, Gabe!” I heard my name and turned to see my brother and Shannon approaching us. “You good?” he asked, eyeing James.

“I’m straight.” I took the bag from his hand. “I appreciate y’all for coming.”

“Don’t thank us. How is Chi doing?” Shannon asked.

“She’s sleeping right now,” I informed.

“Look, I know tensions are high, but y’all need to calm all that other shit down for the sake of Chi. She doesn’t need the two most important men in her life arguing and going at each other’s heads right now,” Gary spoke.

“I’m her father. I’m going to always make sure that my baby girl is okay, unlike you,” he snarled, and I charged at his ass.

“James!”

“Daddy!” Sharon and Chiquita called out at the same time.

“Now, listen. None of us wants to see Chiara laid up there and with no recollection of what happened. Instead of the two of you going back and forth pointing fingers, you need to get it together…for Chiara. And James, just to enlighten you, your baby girl left to go on a trip alone because her husband told her he couldn’t take her on one since she planned it at the lastminute, but promised to make it up to her. She was being the spoiled brat you created.” I listened to her mother defend me. I didn’t need her too, but it was appreciated.

“So, you’re on his side?” Her father asked.

“Daddy, nobody’s taking sides, but I told Chi not to go and just wait. Gabe didn’t even know she was gone.”

“I didn’t even know she had left town because I was home too busy making reservations and arrangements since I told her to cancel the trip. So before you sit and look me in my face and tell me I don’t care about my fuckin’ wife and her feelings, watch ya fuckin’ mouth. You ain’t my daddy, so I won’t hesitate to go in ya shit. Don’t forget that shit. Just because I’m not in the streets anymore doesn’t mean that they ain’t in me.” I was done talking to his ass. He was either going to shut the fuck up or do something about the shit.

I started to walk off and when I heard footsteps behind me, I knew it was Gary.

“Hold up, bro. I’m coming with you.” I stopped in front of the elevator and waited for him to get close before I pressed the button.

“Don’t let that nigga get to you. His ass has always been a hater. He’ll be the fuck alright.”

“Or he’ll get beat the fuck up. Don’t matter to me.” I watched the numbers light up on the elevator as we descended to the first floor. When we stepped off, he started the conversation back up.

---