Page 77 of Pieces of Us

I heard Nehemiah’s voice and rushed in his direction.

“Hemi, what happened to my baby?”

He shook his head and took my hand, leading me down the hall to Mariah’s room.

When I entered, I immediately hurried to my baby’s bedside.

“Honey Bee, mommy’s here.”

She opened her eyes and tossed her little arms around me. I picked her up and cradled her in my arms.

“Mommy, I not feel good.”

“I know, baby. Do you know what made you sick?”

She shook her head as my mom rubbed her back. My eyes went to Josephine as she wiped her tears. Before I could speak, Drue was standing in her face.

“What happened to my niece, Josephine?”

“I don’t know what happened. All I know is that Justin called me, telling me that he needed me to come sit with Mariah. Hedidn’t tell me much, and Mariah doesn’t know much. All she kept saying was that her stomach, arm, and back hurts.”

I looked down at my baby and lifted the arm of her gown and instantly became irate.

“What the fuck happened to my baby’s arm, Josephine!” I screamed, now lifting the bottom of her gown, seeing bruises on her back.

“Oh, hell fucking no!”

“Morgan, calm down,” my mom said, standing in my way because I was about to catch a case.

“Baby, you gotta keep it down,” Nehemiah said.

“My daughter has bruises on her and saying she’s sick! Jo, you better start talking, or my hands are going to start talking to your fucking face!”

“Why are you saying this to me when I’m just as clueless as you!” she yelled back.

“Somebody get that nigga on the phone right the fuck now. Josephine, I need you to get out, because the way I’m feeling, you’re going to get all this rage I’m feeling right now.”

“He didn’t do this, Morgan,” she tried to say.

“If he didn’t, then he let it happen!”

“Lady, you need to listen to my sister and leave.”

“Hey, you all are going to have to keep it down or you’re going to have to leave,” the nurse said, coming into the room.

“Get Justin’s ass here right now.”

Just as the words left my mouth, a woman walked in with a briefcase as two officers flanked her side. I knew then that this had to be CPS.

“Unh uh. This isn’t on me so you can walk right back out of that door,” I told her.

“Can we have a moment with the parent or guardian and the doctor please?” she asked, looking at everyone in the room.

“Come on, Megan and Drue,” my mom said, leading them out of the room.

Tears streamed down my face as I held on to my baby tightly. Nehemiah stood at my side, rubbing my back to calm me.

“I’m Felisha Durham from Child Protective Services.”

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