Page 86 of No Remedy for Love

“You gotta be about the dumbest muthafucka on the planet. That’s exactly how you lil niggas get caught. Can’t do shit by yourself.”

“The nigga was trying to make some quick cash, so I let him drive me over there.”

“Where you at, bruh?” Mav got up and headed for the shower. His head felt like somebody was tapdancing on his brain but he had to push through the pain.

“I’m at home. Why? What’s up?”

“The fuck you think is up, dummy. I’m coming pick you up so we can go get this nigga,” Mav replied before he hung up.

As usual, his anger got the best of him and he made a stupid decision. He couldn’t really show it in Ferris’ presence but he was pissed when he saw Blaze driving Remi’s car. Mav paid his cousin to make sure that never happened again. He showed Mike where Remi lived, and the rest was history. If that nigga wanted to drive her car, then he was gonna have to buy her one. Mav knew better than to get Mike to do anything, but he was the only one who would even entertain the thought. It was supposed to be a one-man job, but he couldn’t even get that right. He was known as the family fuck up, and he had yet again fucked up.

Blaze sat there and listened as the doctors gave him some more bad news regarding his grandmother’s health. There were four stages of COPD, and his Nana was in the final one. Bertha was declining rapidly and she was beginning to suffer from delirium due to the low oxygen levels in her blood. They called it End-stage COPD and that’s exactly what it felt like, the end.

“Have you considered putting her in palliative care like we suggested before?” one of the doctors looked at him and asked.

“I’m not putting my Nana in no hospice. That’s like me giving y’all the okay to kill her.” Remi held on to Blaze’s hand and tried her best to comfort him.

“I don’t want you to think of it that way, Blaze. That’s just a way for us to make her as comfortable as we can. As I’ve said before, her condition is not gonna get any better and her age is a contributing factor to that.”

They were all very fond of the young man who gave up so much of himself for his elderly grandmother. Blaze, like so many other loved ones, was having a hard time letting go. He was struggling with accepting the inevitable.

“She’s always asleep so she’s obviously comfortable enough.”

“That, too, is a sign of the progression of this illness.”

Blaze looked like he was battling with himself on what to do. He wanted what was best for his grandmother but he honestly didn’t know what was best. He didn’t know if she was suffering or not because she wasn’t even talking anymore. Before, she could tell him how she was feeling and he would know what to do.

“Can y’all give us a few minutes please?” Remi asked as she looked at the four doctors who had been taking care of Bertha.

“Absolutely, take all the time you need.” The only female doctor of the bunch lightly touched Blaze’s arm before they all walked out of the room.

“What’s on your mind, baby?” Remi asked as she squeezed Blaze’s hand.

“I just don’t feel right about that hospice shit, Remi. Like my Nana always says, God has the final say. I don’t think that’s my job or theirs.”

“Okay, if that’s how you feel, then don’t do it. I’m behind you no matter what decision you make.”

“I love you, baby, and I appreciate you so much. I know this is hard seeing as how you had to go through it with your pops, but you’ve been by my side since we met. I was married to a muthafucka who didn’t care half as much. I just want to thank you for everything.”

Remi gave him life when he felt like giving up. She deserved the world and, as soon as he could, he was gonna tie a bow around it and give it to her.

“No thanks needed, baby. I told you; we’re in this together.”

“Damn, man, I just wish that she could to talk me and tell me what to do. I hate seeing her like this.”

“We just have to pray for God’s will to be done,” Remi replied right as her phone rang, displaying her mother’s number. She walked over to the window to answer it.

“I wish you could talk to me one more time, Nana, just to tell me what to do. I know you’re tired, baby, and I’ll let you go if you’re really ready to go home. I’ve made peace with it already. You don’t have to worry about your baby anymore. I got Remi now, and she’s gonna take good care of me. Just give me a sign.”

Blaze held onto his grandmother’s hand and lowered his head in her bed. His head snapped up in shock when his grandmother squeezed his hand tight. He looked up at her, and her eyes were open. She appeared to be smiling right as the machines started going crazy. Remi ended her call and rushed over to him.

“That’s her heart monitor. It looks like her heat rate is dropping.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, the same team of doctors that just left rushed back into the room. They ushered Remi and Blaze out while they did their job.

“Let’s just pray, baby. Like you just said, God has the final say.” Remi grabbed his hand.

“His will was done. She’s gone.” Blaze felt it, but he was okay. His Nana smiled at him, letting him know that she was okay. He wasn’t gonna cry for the life that was lost. He was gonna celebrate the memories of the life that was lived.

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