Kiara
After Lucinda is checked into the hospital, I settle in the waiting room while they work on her. I told them I was visiting my boyfriend's aunt and found her passed out in the bed with blood everywhere. Lucinda told her that she doesn't live with anyone else, so she must've gotten high, hit her head, and managed to crawl into bed. I'm not sure how much the nurses believed our story, but so far everything seems okay.
I still can't believe I'm covering for an abuser. Every part of me is screaming to tell them the truth, but I'd be betraying both Trey and Lucinda. What can I do when the woman being abused doesn't want to turn in her abuser because as fucked up as the situation is, she loves him?

It has to be codependence or something that tethers her to him. There has to be a way to get her away from him, at least for a while, to show her that she can survive without him. I refuse to turn a blind eye.
Everything okay, Cupcake?
I smile at the text message that pops up on my phone.
It's kinda creepy how he got my number from Jeremiah, but honestly, I'm secretly relieved he has it. Asking for his number would have made me look desperate.
I program him in my phone as "Chef." Those memories of our first night together, when he insisted on being called that, come rushing back, and I can feel my cheeks burning with heat. It would be so embarrassing if someone caught me blushing at my phone like this!
Yeah. They're stitching her up now. Are you close? I text back.

I'm still shocked by the way he kissed me in the car. The taste of his lips lingers on my tongue, sweet and addictive. Every time he kisses me, it's like a firework exploding in my mouth!
I wasn't even upset about him initiating it this time. Shit, if we weren't for the emergency situation, I would have let him finish what we started earlier.
"Why? Did you miss me?"
My heart skips a beat as I lock eyes with him, and he flashes me a sly grin. Sweat beads on his hair and face, and he's got the same visitor sticker on his shirt as I do. He must have already checked in at the front desk.

I playfully roll my eyes. "Why'd you text me if you were already here?"
Leaning against the wall, he casually slips his hands into his sweatpants. "So, you have my number," he says, his hazel eyes locked on my face.
His gaze is so intense that it makes me blush and quickly avert my eyes. "So what exactly did you tell them?" I murmur.
"That I was here to see my aunt, and to my surprise, they told me my girlfriend was already back here."
I bury my face in my hands. "Fuck, sorry. That was the first excuse I could think of to explain how I found her."
My cheeks are actually hurting from blushing so much in the past few minutes.
"You know a few weeks ago I would've freaked out, but I liked the sound of that...you being my girlfriend."I can hear the smirk in his voice.
His girlfriend.
Heat swirls in my belly, but I force myself to ignore it. Fucking him again needs to be at the bottom of my current priorities.
Trey bursts into laughter. "You know, I don't think either of us is nailing this whole friend thing."
"Yeah," I mutter in agreement.
The doctor and nurse stroll into the waiting room, barely acknowledging my presence. The doctor clears her throat and says, "We've stitched up your aunt and given her meds to ease the withdrawal symptoms. She'll stay here for detox, since she had a dangerous mixture of Xanax and alcohol in her system. After, she can choose to move to an inpatient treatment center." Her tone suggest that if I weren't in the room, they'd do more than stare at him like he's something to eat.
Or maybe I'm just imagining it.
I don't know, I'm just fucking jealous right now, and I can't be mad at them because I'm not really his girlfriend.
Trey forces a smile, his voice filled with gratitude. "I can't thank you enough. Knowing she's okay means everything to me."
"Aww, that's so sweet," one of the nurses whisper.
The doctor gives him a sultry smile. "She's very lucky to have you as a nephew."
Uh, did she forget that I'm the one who found her and brought her in? Shouldn't she be lucky to have me?
She walks out, leaving the nurse to eye-fuck him. "Is there anything you need while I'm here?" she asks, batting her lashes.
"No, thank you. I just want to see my aunt."
She pouts like she was hoping he'd say something like, "let's go fuck in the supply closet".
She's still checking him out, but his eyes are trained on me so intensely, it's like I'm the only person in the world. "Well, let me know if you need anything, 'kay? I'll go see if your aunt is in the mood for visitors." She sashays her hips, giving a ridiculously exaggerated sway as she exits the room.
After a quiet moment, I finally speak, jealousy gnawing at me. "Is it normal for women to flirt with you so aggressively?" I ask, bitterness seeping into my voice.
He casually shrugs and responds, "They're not you, so it doesn't bother me. Did it make you jealous?"
I quickly stand up, my hands raised in a defensive gesture. "Wait, no! I didn't mean it like that. I just thought it was unprofessional and disrespectful if I were actually your...you know, girlfriend," I stumble over the last word.
He angles his head, studying me. "It's alright to say you were jealous. I'd feel the same if some guy was hitting on you."
I let out a frustrated sigh. "I already said I wasn't jealous-"
He urgently kisses me, trapping me against the wall. His kiss is fervent, as if assuring me that I'm his and there's no need to worry. The way he's kissing me, if I wanted to run around this hospital screaming my claim on him, he would only welcome it.
Someone clears their throat, catching our attention. Oops, it's the slutty nurse again! Her eyes are filled with hidden anger, but she remains professional. "Ms. Jones wants to see you both. Visiting hours are almost over, but you can quickly say goodnight."
I give her a sly smile as we breeze past her and make our way down the hallway to Lucinda's room.
That's right. He's mine!
The hospital room carries a potent aroma of rubbing alcohol, tainted with a hint of vomit. The rhythmic beeping of the monitor fills the space.
Lucinda is laying in a gurney, gauze wrapped around her head. The life is drained from her eyes, but I don't know whether it's because she's detoxing or she realized just how badly her situation with William is.
Lucinda is watching Jeopardy, but smiles subtly when she sees us. "Y'all didn't have to stick around," she mumbles.
I give a small smile and say, "I told you we'd stay." I take a seat next to her bed while Trey settles across the room. "The doctor said you'll be here a few days for detox."
She hums, then pivots to face me. "I know y'all think I should've reported William, but he's all I have. My kin don't care about me, and my daughter overdosed five years back. William's decent, he's just wrestling with demons like the rest of us."
Damn. It makes me wonder if losing her daughter is what triggered her addiction. I have to find a way to convince her that she deserves better than this.
I feel the desperation welling up inside me. I purse my lips and lean in, gently taking hold of Lucinda's hand. "Lucinda, this isn't love. Love isn't supposed to hurt." I give her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I know it's tough, but you can find a way out. When you leave this hospital, you don't have to go back to him."
She pulls her hand away forcefully, her eyes filled with fury as she shakes her head. "No. I'm getting out of this damn hospital and going back to Willy. That man can barely take care of himself, he needs me!"
She wants to be his rock, but who's got her back? Who's going to take care of her every time he cracks her damn head open like an egg?
He hasn't even texted Trey to check on her. Who knows, he's probably fleeing the state like the coward he is thinking the police will show up and arrest him.
"Why won't you accept my help? I can help you escape from him!" I say, my body trembling with frustration and tears welling up in my eyes.
"Baby, I'm a grown ass woman and this is my decision. Don't worry about me, you're young with your whole life ahead of you. Go home and love on your man instead of trying to save someone who didn't ask to be saved," she says firmly.
My man. Ugh, I don't need anyone assuming that whenever Candy returns.
Wherever she is.
I don't correct her. Instead, I spend the next ten minutes holding her hair up as she loudly retches into a bucket.
The nurse I officially despise barges in just as I'm wiping her mouth with a cloth. "Ms. Jones, you called for assistance?"
She must've pressed the button while I wasn't looking.
She nods, giving me a guilty glance. "Yes, I would like to get some rest now." She squeezes my hand. "Baby, I don't want you coming back here. I'll be fine."
My throat constricts. Why is she pushing me away? Is it because I remind her of her daughter?
"Visiting hours are over anyway. It's time that you two leave," the nurse coldly, aiming most of that towards me.
Just as I'm about to give her a piece of my mind, Trey pulls me close and plants a kiss on my head. My stomach flutters with butterflies, leaving me speechless. "Come on, Cupcake. Time to go home."
I glance back at Lucinda, who's turned her attention back to the tv. She looks so lonely and sad. If she forbids us from coming back here, nobody will visit her. Not even the worthless piece of shit she's protecting. I feel so bad for her, but I guess there's really nothing I can do if she doesn't want me to.
I see why Trey felt so helpless about his mother. I just hope she chooses to go to the impatient treatment center, and it makes her see the light.
My heart feels like it's about to burst. I barely make it outside before the tears start flowing uncontrollably and I bury my face in Trey's chest.