Page 22 of Quasim III: King Inferno

I nodded my head yes. “He knows. I think I fucked him up… he always asks me if he’s too rough with me. When I shower, he stays near.”

Alaia hugged me tightly. “I’m sorry, Blair… his day is coming, and I know you’ll be the one to do it. There is nothing like having that power in your hands. Having them stare at you in fear.” I could tell Alaia was disassociating while thinking of her own trauma she had with her brother and shitty ex-husband, if she could even call him that.

“Yeah.”

She fixed the towel that was sliding down my shoulders. “We don’t want to stress my baby girl out… so how about we wash up at the sink like good ol hoes?”

“Alaia! And why do you keep saying it’s a girl?” I snorted, and a smile emerged.

She pointed. “I see a smile. With Quasim, you always keep one on your face. Reminds me so much of my Roy. That man saved me and still makes room for me to come into my own as a woman. I’ve learned so much about myself because of him, and I know it’s the same with Sim. He will wake up, and you will have the life that you deserve with him. You both waited so long, it’s time for you to get the happiness that’s owed to you.”

More tears fell down my face. “Thank you, Joy.”

She smiled. “Anytime… we’re family.”

“Family.” We both hugged one another, and she sat by the sink as I washed up, never leaving my side.

Witnessing him with all those tubes coming from his body was a bitter pill to swallow. He was my strength when I needed it, and now it was time for me to be his strength. Standing on my toes, I kissed his forehead a few times.

Missing when he did the same to me. In the mornings, when I rolled over with my hair sticking straight up, he admired me. It was like he couldn’t process that I was his wife, and I was all his. He would pull me into his arms, kissing my forehead a few times before patting my ass, and then getting up to pray.

We both would pray together before he went to take his morning shit, and I went to make his coffee. Despite us not having a permanent place to live yet, we had settled into a small routine when we came back from Barbados.

All that was missing was Elijah, and once he was back with us, all three of us would settle into a routine before the baby came. It was all I had ever wanted and prayed for when it came to loving Simmy.

“I know you’re in there, baby… I’m waiting for you to come back to us. Kiss Harley for me,” I kissed his hand, and fixed his blanket while staring at him.

The sound of the machines breathing for him made me sick to my stomach. How was this my reality right now? I remember when I dreamed about becoming pregnant again and being married, and this wasn’t what I had dreamed about.

Watching my husband in a bed with a million tubes coming from him is not how I imagined our newlywed phase to go. I hated to see him this way and just wanted him to wake up. It had been a week since he came out of surgery, and the doctors told us everything was touch and go. He was shot three times in his chest, and once in his shoulder. They were able to remove the bullets, and the damage wasn’t as bad as they thought. It was up to him to wake up.

Hassan was right there and had removed two of the bullets. He took personal leave from the hospital, and had been here around the clock, even sleeping in the room that was reserved for the doctors and nurses.

Capone thought of everything when it came to this private hospital, and it was something that I was appreciative of. I didn’t have to have a ton of strangers around my husband when I couldn’t be here. Every doctor, nurse, or staff member had been carefully vetted, and were trustworthy.

Capone had them make up the bedroom that was connected to this room for me, so that’s where I slept. Capri slept with me at night and held me because sleep didn’t come without tears. She spent her time between being here with me and then back at the compound with Meer. I told her she didn’t need to be here; she needed to be with her husband, but she refused.

She was my sister.

We may have had different parents, but she was as close to a sister that I would ever get. Capri Inferno was too good for this world and put everything and everyone before herself. Here she was, worried about me when she had children and a recovering husband at home.

“You ready, B?” I turned to look at the doorway and Cappadonna was standing there. He was leaned in the doorway and then abandoned it and came over toward the opposite side of Sim. He leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. “I want my money, nigga… go on and get your nap in, but I need my bread, and I only want it from your hands, Q.”

I smiled. “Capp, really?”

Capp smiled and held his arms out and I went and hugged him. He gave me a tight squeeze and then kissed me on the head. “He’s strong, B… I’m not worried. Nigga been running for so long that he need a little nap. Prayed for him last night and Allah told me he’s straight… I believe that. I’m gonna look at his scansand paperwork and make sure shit is right… they don’t call me Dr. Delgato for nothing, feel me?”

My head snapped up and I looked at him. “Cappadonna, nobody calls you Dr. Delgato.”

“B, just because I’m a dentist doesn’t mean that I’m not skilled in any of this… Hassan ain’t the only doctor around this bitch.”

Even in a moment when I was sad beyond relief, I couldn’t help but to laugh at him. “When the hell did you become a dentist, Cappadonna?”

“Long story… just know your husband is well aware. I’ll put you on over sparkling lemonade, since you pregnant and I don’t drink.”

I hugged him again and sighed. “Thanks, Capp. I really did need that laugh. Feels like I’ve been holding my breath since everything happened.”

“Aye, you are family, Blair. I went from having one baby sister to having two. Like I’m there for Baby Doll, I’m here for you, too. One call and I’m blowing through lights for you, too… We’re family, Michael. I love you, B.” He kissed the top of my head. “You ready?”

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