Page 44 of Pieces of Us

I saw where this was going. She was trying to use this as a tool to weasel her way back into my space. I could smell her bullshit from a mile away. The crazy thing was she did everything she could to push me away, and now that she was in danger of losing her only living parent, she tried to tactfully find a way to make this a thing.

Not fucking happening.Not when I finally had the chance to get my love back.

“…your ex son-in-law to see what is going on with you.”

“You’re paranoid. Nothing is wrong with me.”

“Let me check you out, Vic. Just to ease your daughter’s mind.”

He sighed deeply as I reached in my medical bag, retrieving my stethoscope. I moved closer and placed it under his left breastplate while looking at my watch. The slow strumming of his heart let me know that something was indeed wrong with him.

“Take a deep breath for me.”

He did and started coughing profusely.

“Daddy!” Diana yelled, and he waved her off.

“I’m okay, Diana.”

She stomped her foot and whined, “No, you’re not, Daddy! Nehemiah…”

“Vic, you don’t sound too good. While a low heart rate is good, yours is beating at forty beats per minute, and your breaths are short. I’m not a heart specialist, but D has a right to be concerned. You need to go to the hospital, man.”

“No! Them motherfuckas killed my wife—”

“Mama died giving birth to me, Daddy. That wasn’t the hospital’s fault!”

“Because they made her lose all that blood! She said she didn’t feel well, and them motherfuckas ignored it. I’m not trusting them assholes to tell me shit. I’ll take me out before I let another motherfucka do it!”

“So, you gonna leave me here alone? You’re just going to die on me?”

“I’m—Diana!”

She was out of the room before he could finish his sentence. He sighed deeply as I looked at him.

“Don’t look at me like that, Hem. She doesn’t understand how hard it’s been without her mother here. They killed her, and she just expects me to trust they ass to fix me?”

“I don’t know what happened on that table, but what I do know is that you got someone to live for. Your wife’s family is all the way in Bermuda. We all know they can’t come here, and she’s not going there. Don’t make her an orphan because you want to be stubborn.”

We were quiet as he shook his head. I didn’t understand this man’s thought process. Why would he want to hurt the one person that needed him by slowly fading away?

“Hemi,” he called out to me, taking my hand. “I know what me and your father did was wrong, but don’t be mad at your pops. It was me who told him to put his foot down and make you marry my daughter. I knew something was wrong with me back then, but I didn’t want to alert Diana. Only your father knew.

“I pressed y’all because Diana would need someone when I’m gone. I wanted you all to have children and start a family because I know I’m not going to be here much longer. Nehemiah…I need you, son. I need you to give my daughter something to look forward to.”

I shook my head. “It’s over, Vic—”

“It doesn’t have to be. You don’t have to remarry her, but please, please give her some offspring.”

“Come on, man. Don’t do this. Diana doesn’t even want kids. She hates them.”

“She doesn’t. She was just afraid because of the story I told her about her moms. She was thinking what happened to her would be her story, so she tried to prevent that from happening. Nehemiah, you’re the only one I trust with my daughter. I hate how shit ended between y’all, but she loved you.”

“You’re asking for a lot right now, Vic. I can’t be that man. She elected to opt out of this marriage and the possibility of us creating a legacy the moment she began showing disinterest and sleeping around with different men. I’m sorry, but I can’t help with this. Go to the hospital, old man. Don’t break your daughter’s heart just because you don’t care about yours.”

I stood, placed my items back in my bag, and exited the room. As soon as I closed the door, Diana was standing in the hall, leaning against the wall, smoking a pre-roll.

I didn’t speak, only nodded at her then trekked down the hall.

---