Page 31 of And Everything In Between

“Yeah,” she confirmed, tucking the phone between her ear and shoulder as she locked up her apartment. “His BPdropped during breakfast. They’re keeping him overnight for observation. But he will be okay.”

“You need me to come through?”

Paige hesitated going back and forth how much she would say.

“I’m good for now,” she said finally. “Got someone with him while I grab some things.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. “Someone Paige?”

Paige could hear the question in Brooks’s voice, the curiosity. He could be so nosey. An he always thought he was someone’s dad. “Marriage sure makes you niggas nosey. You bout as bad as your wife and sister. I swear.”

“Fuck that don’t try and dodge me. JT weak ass got out or something?”

“Giovanni,” she said simply, knowing Brooks would connect the dots. “Giovanni is someone.”

Another pause, longer this time. “G? Emon’s cousin?”

“Yes,” she confirmed.

“Huh,” Brooks said, the single syllable. “So, we all mixing and mingling.”

“He’s... he’s good people, Brooks.”

“I know,” Brooks replied, his tone carefully neutral. “You know I trust your judgment. Most of the time.”

The joke landed as intended, easing some of the tension in her chest. “I’m heading back to the hospital now. I’ll text you with any updates.”

“You’d better,” he warned. “And Paige?”

“Yeah?”

“It’s good you’re not alone,” Brooks said, his voice softening. “Been worried about you carrying all this by yourself.”

“I’m fine,” she said automatically. “Everybody worrying is stressing me even more.”

Brooks’s snort carried clearly through the phone. “Sure you are. Like you were fine when you broke your arm in third grade and didn’t tell nobody for two days. Crazy.”

The memory made her wince. She’d always been this way, swallowing pain, handling things, proving she was strong enough, capable enough, enough.

“I’ll call you later,” she promised, deflecting and ending the call.

As she was about to leave, her eyes caught on the silver-framed photo on her dresser. One of her, Perry, and PJ. Before everything fell apart. Before prison and dialysis, and funeral arrangements.

She picked it up, running her thumb over the glass. They’d been happy then. Not perfect, never that, but happy in their own chaotic way. A family.

Her phone buzzed with a text message.

Giovanni:He’s still sleeping. A nurse came by to check vitals. All good. Take your time.

Paige:On my way back. Need anything?

His response came immediately.

Giovanni:Just you.

Paige tucked the phone into her pocket, gathered her bags, and headed back to the hospital. When she stepped back into the room, Giovanni was still in the chair, watching ESPN, oblivious to him doing the most thoughtful thing a man had ever done for her. She watched as Perry joked.

“She only got one daddy, nigga. Who the hell are you?”

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