Page 83 of Whatever It Takes
“I wanna thank everybody for showing up for me tonight. This shit means everything to me. First, I wanna thank God. Shout out to my nigga Moo for encouraging me to follow my dreams. I love you nigga. Messiah and Rome, thank you for believing in me. Last but not least, my love. Chanel, I love yo—” before he could finish his sentence, the door swung open.
My stomach dropped. Adonis stood in the doorway with his gun aimed at me. Saint immediately shoved me behind him. Everything happened so fast. Gunshots rang throughout the room. Screams erupted, and my body hit the floor. Saint’s body was on top of mine, protectively. The sound of a body dropping caused a sob to escape my lips. So many of my loved ones were in this room, and all I could do was pray that we all left safely. Moments later, the gunshots stopped.
A wail sounded throughout the room. A voice I knew too well. Saint jumped from the floor and rushed to the other side of the room. Against my better judgment, I followed behind him. Nothing prepared me for the sight in front of me. Chanel was kneeling beside Dru with her hand pressed to his bleeding chest.
“Dru, please. Please don’t die, baby, I need you!” She cried.
“Fuck. Fuck. FUCK!” Saint yelled, pressing his hand on top of hers.
Blood dripped from the side of Dru’s mouth as he stared up at the two people who meant the most to him. “I-I love y’all.” He mumbled as his breathing slowed. I could hear sirens in the distance.
“EVERYBODY OUT THE WAY!” The paramedics yelled as they rushed into the room. “One dead. One injured. Critical condition. Get a stretcher in here.” One said into their walkie. I knew the dead body was Adonis.
“I need both of you out of the way.” The female paramedic said.
“No!” Chanel cried as Saint tried to pull her away. “No! Please, I can’t lose him. Please!” She sobbed as Dru was lifted onto a stretcher.
“Ma’am, we got him. I need you to move so we can do our job!”
“Come on, Chanel,” Messiah said, lifting her. She fought against him. He tightened his grip on her as she thrashed in his arms.
“LET ME GO! DRU! DRU BABY I’M RIGHT HERE.” She cried, reaching out to him as the paramedics rushed him outside to the ambulance. My chest was so tight I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“Saint…” I whispered, tugging his arm. He didn’t respond. His eyes were locked on the paramedics. His jaw clenched so tight I thought his teeth were going to crack.
“Saint,” I called again. His eyes snapped to me.
“Fuck Bless!” His eyes filled with tears as he examined me. “Yo’!” He called out to the paramedics. “My wife is pregnant! She needs to get looked at NOW!” He yelled.
Across the room, Chanel dropped to her knees the second Messiah loosened his grip.
“He can’t die.” She sobbed, rocking back and forth. “He can’t fucking leave me like this!”
Taryn rushed over to Chanel, pulling her into her arms. Rome was right beside her.
Hours Later..
The hospital was cold. Being here reminded me of the night Seven was killed. Life had a funny way of coming around full circle. After the doctor checked the twins, I was discharged and joined everyone in the waiting room. Hours passed. Miss Jackie had joined us, and she hadn’t stopped praying since she setfoot inside the hospital. Dru didn’t have any relatives. His pops was still in prison. His mom ran off when he was a kid. His grandmother died years ago. We were his only family.
Saint’s hands caressed my stomach as he stared off into space. I couldn’t even form words to comfort him because deep down inside, all this shit was my fucking fault. The realization caused my eyes to leak.
The doctor didn’t even have to speak when he stepped into the waiting room. The solemn look on his face told us everything. My stomach dropped. Chanel’s cries filled the air before he could even open his mouth.
“No…no…no, no,no…” She chanted, shaking her head as she backed away from him. “You’re lying! He can’t be gone!”
“Ms. — I’m so sorry. We did everything we could?—”
Her scream cut him off. The sound sent daggers to my heart. It shattered with hers. I felt Saint begin to tremble next to me. Taryn wrapped her arms around Chanel in an attempt to comfort her, but I knew nothing would help.
Rome ran a hand down his wet face. Messiah slammed his hand against the wall. Saint pulled me against his chest and wrapped his arms around me. His hand immediately went to my stomach.
My chest caved in as guilt wrapped around my throat.
I should’ve told Messiah. I shouldn’t have tried to handle Seven on my own. If I didn’t involve Rell. Symone would still be here, and Dru wouldn’t be dead. Everything was my fucking fault. All this blood was on my hands.
A sob spilled from my lips. “Saint…” I cried softly, gripping his shirt.
He pulled back and looked at me, his own eyes filled with pain. His face softened. I knew he could sense me blaming myself.
