Page 71 of Love Me Carefully
“No, because you’d let that go to your head.”
Jeff had left a car to take them to the hospital so they climbed in and rode hand in hand to see Ms. Rosie and Donald.
* * *
At the hospital Rosie sat in the small waiting room alone. So much had happened today she didn’t know whether she was coming or going. Terrell and Leah were here. Donald had been shot. Her heart was still pounding in her chest. Waves of mild relief washed over her when she saw her son approaching.
She stood, and Terrell instantly hugged her tightly. “Mama, I owe you such an apology,” he began immediately.
Over his shoulder Rosie saw Leah look away, but not before noticing the emotion in the young lady’s eyes as Leah had looked at her son. “I’d say you owe me an explanation first,” Rosie told him, then motioned for him to take a seat next to her. “We need to get this straight before I call Donald’s daughters down here. I’m not sure how to reach them, but I know their names so maybe one of those agents can find them.”
“I can call Jeff and ask him. And I’ll find us some drinks too,” Leah said hastily. This was a private moment between mother and son. Besides, it was hot as all get out in this tiny building, and she wanted to find some sort of relief.
“No.” Terrell reached for her hand, pulled her to sit on the other side of him. “You said you couldn’t let me do this alone. Don’t leave me now.”
He was right, she had told him that, but she hadn’t really thought he’d want her to hear what he said to his mother. Still, she found herself sitting down, placing a hand on his knee and offering him a consoling smile.
The exchange was not lost on Rosie.
“It’s like this, Mama. When you told me you were getting married I wasn’t overjoyed,” Terrell began.
“That’s an understatement,” Rosie huffed.
“I couldn’t readily accept that another man was gonna take Daddy’s place and so, even though Donald was really cordial with me and tried to assure me that he was good for you, I still resisted.”
“Even after I told you he made me happy. You know, Terrell, you were always such a good boy, but there were times when you tried my patience with your stubbornness,” Rosie interrupted again.
Terrell almost smiled—Rosie talked just as much as Leah did. It seemed the two women never wanted to allow him a word. He covered her hands with his. “I know, Mama. Can you let me finish?”
“Well, go ahead, I’m not stopping you,” she said with a flustered look.
“I had Donald investigated.”
“You did what?” Rosie’s voice was so loud that two young ladies at the front desk looked over at them in concern.
Terrell sighed in exasperation. “I had a friend of mine look into Donald’s past. I know it was wrong, but at the time I felt obligated to do something. I found out things that I didn’t like, and then I followed him.”
“Wefollowed him,” Leah chimed in.
Rosie’s eyes went to her suspiciously. “But you’re planning our wedding. How did you get involved?”
Terrell looked at Leah, then back to his mother. “I got her involved. I went to Leah because she was working closely with you and Donald and I wanted her thoughts on your relationship. To her credit, she stood up for you two the entire time.”
That wasn’t exactly true, Leah thought, but wisely kept her mouth shut.
“At any rate, we ended up at Donald’s house in Baltimore with the FBI and then we figured out where you two had gone. I was worried out of my mind that you were in danger, so I came here to save you.”
“And I tagged along to save him,” Leah added.
Rosie looked at both of them, then gave in and giggled. “The two of you sure are a sight, I’ll tell you that much. I didn’t need any saving, but Leah, I reckon my son did.”
Leah smiled, feeling a bit more comfortable about being included in this conversation. “Actually, he’s done his share of saving this time around.” She was thinking of how Terrell had gotten that basement door open, but mostly how he’d saved her from a lonely life with her four-step plan.
“Baby, I know all about Donald’s past,” Rosie said to Terrell. “But that’s just what it is, his past. Donald was very up front with me when we started dating. Now, I know to you it must’ve looked pretty bad, but you should’ve just come to me. I would have told you everything was alright.”
“You’re right, Mama. I should’ve come to you first. Anyway, I wanted to apologize for not supporting you immediately.”
Before Rosie could answer him, the doctor came through the swinging double doors. “Are you the family here with Donald Douglas?”
Rosie stood first, Terrell standing right behind her and Leah behind him. “Yes, we are,” they replied in unison.
The doctor with the shiny bronze skin smiled. “He’s going to be just fine. The bullet went straight through his shoulder. There was a lot of bleeding, but we’ve managed to stop it, and he’s resting quietly now. You can go in and see him, but don’t stay too long.”
Rosie moved first, while Terrell and Leah stayed behind. Then she turned. “Come on you two, you owe Donald an apology as well.”
Terrell groaned and Leah poked him in the ribs. “You’re a good man, remember.”
With his hand on the small of her back he let her go through the doors ahead of him, then leaned down to whisper in her ear, “And as soon as we get back to the hotel, you’re going to show me how good.”
