Page 154 of Falling Into Gravity

Then—lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub.

A tiny thumping filled the room.

And Malik’s chest lifted slightly - not by choice…by instinct.

He felt it…felt the fight return.

A knock at the door.

He couldn’t open his eyes to see it, but he felt it. The shift in the room, a new presence…boots on hardwood.

“You still sleepin’?” Bu joked, voice low. “You got shit to do, bro.”

There was a chuckle…another voice.

This Jay, the nigga I told you about. Jay this Malik.

“This the tech genius I heard about?”

“Yea,” Bu said. “This him. Don’t let the tubes fool you.”

Business. Deals. Words like “equity” and “ownership” floated around, but Malik couldn’t hold onto them. He tried to speak, but his body wouldn’t cooperate.

Another wave came, pain sharpened in his side. His lips cracked. His chest felt like it was giving up again.

He smelled feminine perfume, but it wasn’t Aku’s. Heard her feet shuffling around the room.

He heard her shaking something liquid - checking his drip. He heard a pen scratching paper - taking notes. He heard her adjusting something, then, he felt a cold wipe across his forehead.

“He’s stabilizing,” she said to Aku. “We’re not out the woods, but…he’s strong.”

Malik heard that.

And for the first time, he believed it.

His eyes finally fluttered open. He no longer needed his senses to get a feel for what was going on around him. The next time he woke up, it was still dark.

Just him and Aku in the room.

She was half-asleep on his arm, her hand splayed across his ribs like she was guarding him.

What he didn’t know, though he could hear beeping was that the Doppler sitting beside them. The monitor beeped slow and steady.

He tried again.

“Aku…” he croaked. “The baby…”

Aku jumped out the bed and ran out the room to get the nurse. She’d been staying in the guest room on the main floor. After her talk with her parents, French didn’t give her much pushback when it came to Malik’s care. She’d been showered with support from the whole family.

Aku and the nurse came rushing back, with Solar on their heels.

“Baby…” Aku smiled at him.

Malik groaned.

“He’s gonna be foggy,” the nurse said softly. “That chest wound’s serious. His lung partially collapsed and the swelling was bad. He’s lucky to be up this soon.”

Aku nodded. She didn’t take her eyes off him. His gaze was glassy but searching, like he needed proof he hadn’t crossed over…like her face was the only anchor he had left.

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