my boo - jamal turner

Hospital

Oscar pov

Oscar had raced to the hospital as soon as he got word that Lani had fallen into a coma due to the involvement of social services. Panic and desperation fueled his sprint through the hospital corridors.

"Where's Lani Diaz?" he urgently asked the lady at the desk. "3B, go up the stairs and take a left, sir," she directed. Oscar sprinted towards the designated room.

The sight that greeted him was heartbreaking. Lani lay in the hospital bed, surrounded by wires and monitors. Oscar sat down next to Cesar and couldn't contain his tears. He heard the distinct sound of heels approaching and knew it was Lani's biological mother. Anger surged within him. "Where's my baby?" she inquired casually.

"Are you happy?" Oscar yelled, causing a stir in the room. "Calm down, Oscar. I'm doing what's best for her," she retorted with a smirk. Oscar couldn't hold back. "You're a crackhead. You didn't even know she existed. You don't care about her; you just want the child support money for you to buy more crack," he accused.

"I've changed, Oscar," she claimed, rolling her eyes. Oscar stood up and confronted her. "I raised that girl as soon as she came out. I don't know what part of you thinks she'd ever want to be with you. You don't know anything about her. You weren't there when the boys tried to assault her at school, or when she had boy drama. Heck, you weren't even there for girl drama. You weren't there for any birthdays. You just messed around with all of us, and I'm not letting you hurt her."

Oscar walked towards the window, gazing at Lani. The desire to replace her in that bed with himself overwhelmed him. "Oz," Mariposa's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He fell into her arms, seeking comfort. "I'm not gonna lose her, am I?" he asked, tears streaming down his face. Mariposa kissed his head reassuringly. "Not on my watch."

A call echoed through the hospital, summoning those there for Lani Diaz. The guardian verification had Oscar and his mother standing up. Mariposa, protective as ever, snapped at Oscar's mother to sit down, and she complied.

The hospital staff granted Oscar permission to see Lani. He rushed into the room, finding her in a lifeless state. Overwhelmed with emotion, he murmured, "Lani, I miss you, bubs. I'm sorry I didn't try harder to save you. I can't sleep without you. You're my world. I just want you back in my arms. You're my baby sister, and I can't run this world without you."

Oscar smiled at her, gently pushing her hair back. "Everyone misses you. Cesar can't sleep and is always paranoid. Ruby has been coming to see me every day with him and his mom, making sure I'm doing okay. Monse has been looking after Cesar, making sure he doesn't go off the rails."Oscar squeezed Lani's hand, wiping away his tears. "Jamal, he's been a mess. He was the first one here. He's missing you, but he only wanted to keep you safe, Lani. You've got to understand that. He's hurting just as much as me. Trust me; he doesn't want to lose you. He'd be losing his world."

Oscar kissed her hand and reluctantly left the room, whispering, "I love you." As he stepped out, the weight of the situation crashed upon him, and he leaned against the wall, consumed by a whirlwind of emotions—fear, anger, and a deep longing for his sister's recovery.