Needy Little Things(62)
Mama fusses over Josiah, smoothing his blankets, fluffing his pillows. “It’s been a while since we’ve had to do this. Any idea of the trigger?”
“Nothing stood out in our initial workup. How have things been at home? Any stressors? Trouble at school?”
Mama and I lock eyes.
“Why don’t you go take a walk, Sariyah?” Mama suggests. “I’ll catch Dr. Inglewood up on everything.”
I nod and go into the hall, content to leave the adulting to her for the first time in days.
* * *
After watching an hour of Nickelodeon in the waiting room, I get up to take a few laps around the floor, stretch my legs. I’m making my fourth pass by the vending machines when someone shouts at me.
“Excuse me, miss! You’re disrupting patients with those squeaky-ass sneakers.”
I turn around to find Malcolm and Jude giggling like they’re the absolute kings of comedy. They are so dumb, but I can’t help but smile.
“What are y’all doing here? How’d you—”
“Your mother texted me.” Malcolm pulls me into a hug.
“My mom?” I ask into his shoulder. My heart warms just the slightest because Mama thought of me in a moment where I wouldn’t have blamed her for forgetting I existed.
“Yes, your mom. She said he’s stable, but what’s up?”
I wiggle from his grasp so I can breathe and talk normally. “He’s getting a transfusion. It was another pain crisis, but they’re still trying to figure out what led to it. He’d been doing so well with his new medication.”
“Things have been intense lately. It’s probably a lot for him.”
Another wave of shame hits me. The only special thing we did for his spring break was go to the zoo. He loved it and wasn’t expecting fireworks every day or anything, but he’s a kid. I wish I’d made more time for him. “Thank you guys for coming.” I look at Jude, who I’ve yet to acknowledge. “Both of you.”
“Where else would we be?” Malcolm asks.
“I don’t know. You zipped off so quickly after school today. I thought maybe you were upset with me.”
“I’d just got out of my meeting with Huxley is all. I don’t have anything to be upset with you about.”
His expression makes me feel like there’s something he’s not saying, and when his phone dings, I remember. I’ve got to be in the top five worst friends on the planet. “I got your text the other day. I haven’t had a chance to read it.”
“You haven’t had a chance?” he asks, rightfully skeptical, but his eyes are … hopeful?
“I mean, I had the chance, but—well, I was going to and then—”
“Girl, stop.” He rolls his eyes and slips my phone from my pocket. A few quick swipes and he’s in. He memorized my passcode a long time ago.
“Here.” He passes the phone back to me. “The texts no longer exist.”
“Malcolm, why’d you do that? What was it?”
“Hey. We all get overwhelmed by a block text. I was just venting about everything. We can talk about it later, but more importantly—Rincon is off the hook.”
“What? That fast? How’d you hear?”
Again something is off about his expression, but I let it go. He literally just said he has stuff he wants to talk about later.
“My dad got an update from Derrick not too long ago. Rincon was live streaming almost the entire day at the festival with his friends. Apparently there’s even a moment when he spotted the four of us and beelined for the other side of the park.”
“Oh. I’m relieved, I guess. But—”
“But it means we’re not any closer to answers,” Malcolm fills in.
“Ruling someone out is progress,” Jude says. “And maybe that little bit of video Rincon had will be helpful.”
“I feel bad for giving up his name.”
“Don’t,” Malcolm says. “At least you were out here trying to connect some dots. Shouldn’t have to do their job for them.” I swear I hear his teeth grind and a vein pops out in his forehead as he continues to think on it.
“Hey!” Jude says a little too loud and cheerful. “Is Jojo awake? I brought Uno.”
The mention of Jojo calms Malcolm down and the three of us head to his room. He beams when he sees us, then mimes that Mama is asleep.
“No, I’m not,” she says, one eye barely cracked open.
“Mama, why don’t you go find some coffee? The young people want to hang out,” I say, knowing how much Jojo will love it.
He tries to hide his smile. “Yeah, Mama, you seem like you need some coffee.”
“I wasn’t sleeping. I was praying. You all should try it sometime.” She stands, knees popping. “But coffee sounds nice. And I think I’ll stop by the house. Need to pick up a few things.”
She leaves and we play the card game until Josiah can no longer keep his eyes open.
“Hell, I’m wore out, too, and haven’t been through a tenth of what Jojo has. Not today.” Malcolm transitions to the plastic sky-blue love seat under the window and curls up. It’s only a couple of minutes before he’s asleep, too.