delirium (sequel to apathy)

03

                 03

"If you could just wait out in the waiting room for a moment, I'll get right back to you after I finish with my son?" 

Her patient shook her head, "I have to go pick up my daughter, we'll resume next time?" Mom nodded, and her patient got up, walking past me. I stepped into the room, Romelo coming in as well. He closed the door, and I took a seat on Mom's couch, while he sat at her desk. I couldn't stop shaking my leg, reading the letter over and over. Someone knows that Dad's in the hospital. It made me nervous. He was in a coma, hooked up to tubes to help him breathe, unable to defend himself if someone tried to hurt him. 

"Amir, what's wrong with you?" she asked me, to which I handed the letter, and the photo to her. Mom looked over the photo, and read the letter. She looked at me, then back at the sheet of paper. It was silent in the room, and you could hear a pin drop. Looking at Mom's face, I could see tears start to fill her eyes. She sighed, and looked at Grandpa. "Why does this always happen to us?" She placed the paper and photo onto the table, standing up. "Princess, I promise you, won't no one mess with Dante while he's in the hospital." She sighed once more, beginning to pace the floor, "I know..I know..I just can't but be worried." 

"I understand..but if you get another note like this, we'll have to find out who's behind it.." 

The drive home was silent, only the music from the radio being heard. I tapped my fingers along to the beat of the song, glancing at Mom now and then. She was focused, her eyes locked onto the road. I could tell she was thinking, as she was never ever this quiet. I wanted to say something about earlier, but I wasn't sure how she would react. She had been through a lot in the past, and she's sacrificed a lot of things for me, just so I could be safe. I really couldn't believe that she was still here, taking care of me. 

I don't think I would've survived being abused and raped like that. 

I noticed that she pulled up into the drive thru at McDonald's, stopping behind a black Lexus. Something must be really bothering her, as she'd never let me have fast food, two times in one day, no matter how much I begged and pleaded. I decided to ask the nagging question I had. I couldn't hold it in any longer. 

"Momma..do you have any idea who might have sent you that letter?"

She looked at me, giving me a sad smile. Mom shook her head, leaning over and kissing my temple. "And that's what scares me, baby." I nodded, biting my lip. There was noticable amount of fear in her voice, and I could tell that she was afraid of losing me. With her not knowing, it gave me an unnerving feeling. There was no way of knowing, and it really could be anybody. It all started with Grandpa, and Great Uncle Lorenzo, then it was kind of a combination of Uncle Ramiro and Dad. Hopefully it would end and never start up again with me. 

I promised to find out who put Dad in the hospital, and when I found them, they would be getting a good ass beating. I don't care if I ended up breaking all my damn knuckles, someone was going to pay for it. 

Mom finally made it up to order, and she ordered my favorites, not even needing to ask me what I wanted. 

"Your total is twelve, twenty-four." 

Pulling out my wallet, I handed her a twenty. "King, you don't have to pay," she told me, to which I shook my head. "Momma, I want to." She shrugged, and took the twenty from me, handing it to the cashier at the window. She waited to get my change back, and once she did, she handed it to me. I didn't feel like pulling out my wallet, so I just stuffed it into my pants pocket. Mom drove up to the next window, getting my food. She handed the bag to me, and once again, we were back on the road. 

It didn't take us long to get home, and when we did, there was a SUV in the driveway, with the license plate that read, Double R. I started to laugh, and Mom sighed. "Are you serious," she mumbled. Pulling up in the garage, she turned the car off, handing me the key to go inside. Upon opening the door, a small body collided with my legs, jumping up and down. I couldn't help but smile, looking down at the little girl who was happy to see me. 

"Hi there, Nala!"

Picking her up, she hugged me tightly, smiling at me. Nala was Uncle Ramiro and Aunt Diana's child, who was three years old and looked just like her Mommy and Daddy. She was their second child, after having a miscarriage with the first child. Nala was always so happy to see me, and couldn't contain her excitement whenever I was around. It seems like Diana wasn't here..she must be at work. "Mir Mir!" She squealed, tugging on my shirt. I kissed her cheek, and watched as Ramiro walked in, a smirk on his face.

"You barely get inside for five minutes and you've already stolen my daughter," he laughed. He must've just got off from work, as he was still in his police uniform. "Now where's my baby sister?"

"Right here!" I heard Mom giggle. Ramiro hugged her tightly, wrapping his arms around her as he picked her up off the ground. Once he let her down, she kissed Nala's forehead, handing me my bag. "You need to stop breaking into my house, one day, you're going to get your own people called on you," Mom said, pushing his shoulder slightly. It was true, I don't have a clue how he does it, but sometimes we come home and Ramiro is already inside. Either he has a key, or him being a police officer has something to do with it. Ramiro rolled his eyes, and we all went into the living room. 

I started to take my fries out of the bag, Nala reaching for them. She whined, reaching her hands out. "Don't give her nothing, she gotta learn to ask and to stop whining," Ramiro said, Nala fidgeting in my lap. She was beginning to cry, until I handed her the fries. "Here you go, you big baby." She looked up at me, a big grin on her face. Nala and I ate our food, her enjoying the fries. For a while, we sat there, watching tv, Nala eventually falling asleep. 

"Now, what's up with this note Dad told me about?" 

Ramiro asked Mom, following her into the living room. I sat up, suddenly becoming interested in their conversation. "Ramiro, it's nothing to worry about.." Mom sighed, Ramiro's eyes nearly falling out of his head. "Are you fucking serious? Someone sends you a letter - without a return address, saying that it was sad that the bullet used to hurt Dante didn't do what it was intended, and you say it's nothing serious? Do you know who you're talking to?" Ramiro was very..very protective of Mom, something you could tell by the way he spoke to her. I would be concerned about something like this too, if I had a sister. 

"Ramiro.." 

She sat down on the couch, sighing. Ramiro continued his rant, standing in front of her, "Don't, Monae. You know how I get. And if you get kidnapped again, I swear, I'm going to lose my damn mind." 

Just as Mom was going to say something back, the doorbell rang. She got up to go get it, and Ramiro followed her. I decided to follow as well, leaving Nala on the couch, where she curled up. Mom opened the door, and strangely, there wasn't anybody standing there. 

"The hell?" Ramiro huffed. 

"What's this?" Mom questioned, and I watched as she bent down to pick up the rose that was placed on the doormat. It was red in color, and had a note attached to the stem by a string of ribbon. Uncle Ramiro and I looked at each other crazy, while Mom began to read the note. 

"When I wake up, you're the first thing on my mind. You consume my thoughts..and I'm determined to have you, all to myself..I'm there, all the time. When you go to bed..when you wake up..I even watch you while you-" 

Ramiro snatched the card from Mom's hand, beginning to read it for himself. He began to twitch, though, and I backed away from him a bit. 

"What's wrong?" Mom asked, softly. 

"It's signed by M."

"But..but he's dead." 

an: photo of Nala provided. 

Who do think sent Monae the letter? Could it possibly be M..or someone else?