Giovanni

by Dominique Butler

  In the midst of us laughing at him, someone knocks at the door " who is it," dad asked, walking to the door. " Friends of Camilla's," said the man's voice. My dad opens the door for me to see Angel and Danny, " hey guys," I tell them." How are you feeling," Angel asks? " I'm doing fine," I tell him. Danny comes in with beautiful flowers, a teddy bear and some get well balloons " these are for you," he said. " Thank you," I said, looking at the flowers.

  Tammy grabs the flowers, placing them on the table in front of me. While Brandi grabs the bear and balloons, " how’s Ricci," I ask, " he's doing fine. He would like to see today," Angel said. " I will soon as Tisha bring me some clothes," I tell him. " He's in room 1750," Danny said.

  " I'll be there sometime today," I tell them before they left. " Who are they," Chris asked, staring me down." They work for Ricci," I understand him, touching the flowers. " You don't need to see him," dad said. " I know, but he was shot, and I was being held hostage, so it's common for people to ask about each other," I said. " Yeah whatever as long as you remember what I said earlier," dad said then went back to eating his food the room fell silent.

  No one really opposes my dad, but me, they cower from him since he's big Rico in the streets, known for drugs, guns, and a little prostitute. My dad might not still run the streets as he did years ago, but his name still rings bells, and he's still heavily connected even if he's not personally the one making the moves.

  Chapter 7

  An hour later, Tisha comes back to my room carrying two duffle bags and food, " thank you, " I tell her as she drops the bags at the end of the bed. I need them to leave. They're working my nerves already, I thought.

  “So where are y'all staying," I asked while digging through the bags.

  “A hotel close by," said Tammy.

  “What time do you have to check in by," I ask.

  “By three," she said. I look at my phone to see that it's about to be two

  " It's about to be two right now you guys can leave since I'm about to take a shower," I say.

  My dad looks at his phone then gets up " yeah, we'll get settled in then be back in a few hours," he said. I shake my head then everyone gives me a hug before they left out the room.

  “How was it while I was gone," Tisha ask.

  “It was fine until Angel and Danny dropped off the flowers and stuff, " I said.

  “Who?" she asks.

  Damn, I never told her about them. “A couple of days ago, I went to the bar after work and ended up bumping into Mike. We talked for a minute, he went to hang with his brother. When I left, these two white dudes followed me to my car. I turned around, and they handed me a phone to talk to Ricci. Basically, they work for Ricci," I said.

  “So what, he got his men following you," she asks.

  “Yea, that basically it," I tell her.

  I pull out some black leggings and a Nike shirt then ring the bell for the nurse to come; I wait for a few minutes until she came in." How can I help you, Miss. Smith," the nurse asked.

  "I want to take a shower," I told her.

  "Okay," she said, walking to the side of my bed.

  She helps me out of my bed we walk into the bathroom across the room she made sure that all my bandages were covered and help me in the shower. She helps me dress after I go out then took me back into the room to see that Tisha had pulled out all my hair care stuff and lays them out on the bed with a chair next to the bed. The nurse helps me to the chair then left.

  "So what are you about to do to my hair," I ask.

  “Braids," she said.

  “Don’t be making them extra tight you know you're heavy-handed. You be pulling all my little edges," I tell her.

  “Shut up, crybaby," she tells me, laughing parting my hair.

  “Are you gonna go see Ricci," she asks.

  "Yes, with my set it off, braids," I tell her laughing.

  "Shut up. They'll be cute," she said, laughing.

  “How’s your little boo," I ask her.

  “He’s fine," she said in a low voice.

  "When are y'all going on that date," I ask her while she grips my hair tight as hell. I try to move away.

  “Stay still," she said, gripping my hair again. Please let this girl just do two braids in my hair, I thought.

  "We were going to go out Friday, but we switched it to Saturday," she tells me I was clenching my teeth from how hard she was braiding my hair.

  "Where is y'all going," I ask after she was off my scalp.

  "To that new Italian restaurant," she said.

  "Tell me how the food is," I asked as she finishes braiding the side of my head.

  " I'm done," she said, handing me a mirror.

  I look to see that she gave me two braids " thank you," I say to her.

  " Come on, let's go see Ricci," she said. “Let me get a wheelchair," she said before leaving the room.

  I wait a couple of minutes before she came back I stand up then turn around and sit in the wheelchair. “What’s his room number," she asks.

  " I think it's 1750, " I tell her we leave the room heading to the elevator. I look around, seeing doctors and nurses walking around. We get on the elevator to see Amy holding two bouquets.

  " Camille, how are you," she asks in a high pitched voice, I cringe when she said my name.

  " I'm good, Amy," I said.

  She hands me one of the bouquets " these are for you," she said. I grab them.

  "Thank you, they are pretty," I said.

  "Who's the other ones for," Tisha ask.

  “They’re for Ricci," she said with a smile on her face.

  I know this bitch has something to do with Mike, I thought.

  All of us get off the elevator Amy walks to the nurse's station, “excuse me, can you tell me which room Giovanni Ricci is in," she asked.

  The nurse looks at her “he can’t have any personal visitors unless they are family or an officer," said the nurse. Amy looks a bit taken back from the nurse's comment; she pulls her badge from her pocket, showing the nurse. " He's in room 1750 on the right side," the nurse said.

  “Thank you," said Amy, then started walking in the direction the nurse said we walk for a couple of minutes until we saw Alex standing outside the room.

  “Hey Alex," I said, waving at him.

  "Hey, Officer Smith, how are you doing," he asks.

  “I’m good is it okay if we come in," I ask.

  " Yes, he'll be happy to see you," he said, opening the door for us.

  Amy walks in first, being dramatic as hell. "Giovanni, how are your wounds," she asks, walking to his bedside.

  “They’re fine," he said.

  I look around the room to see that both Angel and Danny are sitting in chairs across from him. They have the TV on sports center.

  “These are for you," Amy said, handing Ricci the flowers.

  “Thank you. They’re pretty," he said, putting them on the table next to him. Giovanni looks over from Amy to see Tisha and I. " Hey Officer Smith and Officer Butler," he said to Tisha and me.

  " Hey, " we both say in unison.

  "How are you feeling, Officer Smith," ask Ricci.

  " I'm doing fine," I tell him.

  "What about your wounds," I ask.

  "They hurt like a bitch, but I'll live," he said.

  Out of nowhere, boo thang started playing. " I'll be back," said Tisha grabbing her phone from her pocket.

  “So Giovanni, how long will it take you to recover," ask Amy, placing her hand on his arm. I just roll my eyes; she doesn't need to be doing all that I thought. I hear someone laughing. I turn to the side of the room to see Angel laughing.

  "What's funny," I ask.

  “You," he said.

  I look at him, then roll my ass over to him and use my finger for the come here sign. He moves in close to me, “now repeat it," I said, gripping his shirt.

  “Nothing Officer Smith," he laughs as I fold my arms under my chest and poke my lips out.

  "It’s not funny. I'm
tough," I said to him, making both Angel and Danny laughed.

  “What are y'all laughing at," Giovanni asks.

  “Nothing, boss," Danny said.

  Giovanni looks between the both of us. “Come here, Officer Smith," Giovanni said. I turn my body to look at him.

  " Do I look like some type of lap dog to you," I ask giving some attitude.

  "Yes, you do," Giovanni said, smirking at me.

  I turn back to him. I grab the magazine out of the table. I throw it at Ricci, but it hit Amy in the face causing everyone to laugh her face turned beet red color. " I'm sorry, Amy," I said, trying not to laugh. She grits her teeth then stomps her feet in my direction until someone knocks on the door. Danny gets up out of his chair and opens the door to an Asian man letting himself into the room.

  “Good afternoon everyone," he says we all reply with a pleasant afternoon to him as well. “Can everyone leave the room for a minute," he asked us. Angel gets up and pushes me out the door with Amy following behind us. I look around, not seeing Danny.

  "Where’s Danny," I ask Angel.

  "He’s still in the room since he and Giovanni are cousins," Angel said. The phone starts ringing. Angel pulls his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll be right back," he said to me before walking away, answering his phone.

  Amy approaches me. “I told you that dealing with Ricci would put you in a dangerous position," Amy said to me, smiling.

  I look at her " you must think that I'm slow or something," I tell her folding my arms under my chest.

  “Whatever do you mean, Camille," said Amy trying to put on this innocent facade.

  " I know that you sent Mike to my house the other night," I said to her. Catching her off guard a little from my comment.

  “Don’t know what you're talking about," she said, looking away from me.

  “We all know that you need Giovanni to marry into the Ferrari family. You must be in debt or something," I say.

  She looks at me for a minute, not knowing what to say, “if you don't want what happened to get much worse, then you'll need to stop being Giovanni's CO," said Amy.

  She walks away from me at the same time, Tisha and Angel both head into my direction.

  “Why are you in the hall," Tisha ask.

  “The doctor is seeing Ricci right now," I tell her. She shakes her head.

  " Where did Amy go," Angel asked.

  “She had an emergency, " I tell him.

  Angel makes a face at me then gets back on his phone. “He’s cute," Tisha whisper to me.

  " Yea, he is," I tell her.

  “How did your talk with your date go," I ask. She makes noise. "What's wrong," I ask.

  “He has to go visit a friend out of town," Tisha said with air quotes.

  “This will only be your second date; give him the benefit of the doubt," I tell her. The doctor walks out of the room, and Tisha went to push me. “I’ll push her. You don't need to be exerting your strength when there's a man around," Angel said to Tisha.

  " Is that right," Tisha said, smiling with a look at Angel.

  " Yes," he said she walks in front of us going into the room. “Damn," he said while pushing me into the room.

  " I know right, my girl looks good," I said, making Angel laugh. Angel pushes me to the bed.

  “What did the doctor say," I ask when I got to the side of the bed.

  “That I'm a lucky man, and I'll be on antibiotics for a minute," he said.

  “You are a lucky man," I said, laughing. I look around to see Angel and Tisha sitting next to each other, talking and giggling.

  “So love, how are you feeling," Giovanni asks.

  “I’m fine, just in a little pain," I tell him.

  "You need me to get a doctor," he said in a worried voice.

  “No, it's not that bad," I tell him.

  “So officer Smith why did you become a CO," he asks me.

  Out of any other question, he asks me this one, I thought. “After getting my degree in criminal justice, I wanted actually to be a DEA agent, but that didn't happen. Then Tisha was telling me about the open position at the jail," I tell him.

  “What type of work do you do," I ask.

  "I own a couple of business in New York and in New Orleans," he said.

  “What type of business," I ask him since he's being very vague with me.

  “I own two nightclubs, a clothing store, and the family restaurant," he said.

  “Accomplished, I see," I tell him.

  “Not accomplished, just working hard," he said to me.

  “Where did Danny go," I ask him.

  “To get us something to eat and to pick up somebody I haven't seen in a while," Giovanni said.

  We talk for a good thirty minutes getting to know each other and asking random questions before Danny comes back. Danny walks into the room, holding containers and bags. Angel got up, helping him set the bags down. Before the door closes, one more person walks in, I look up to see that it was Mrs. Lilly walking in with a smile on her face. “Hey, nonna," Giovanni said. When he saw Mrs. Lilly enter the room. “What have you gotten yourself into," she said to him while walking to the bed. She set her purse on the end of the bed walk up to Giovanni, giving him a hug. "My Vonnie," she said, kissing him all over his head. They break apart; she looks around the room.

  “Hey, sugar," said Mrs. Lilly. She walks around the bed, giving me a hug.

  “What happened to both of you," she asks, looking between the both of us.

  " Camille is my CO. When the other CO shot me, she was with me, and he tried to use her to escape," Giovanni said. She has the look of shock on her face

  " What happened with the guy," she asks.

  " He didn't make it," I told her in the nicest way I could.

  " Good, he needed to die for hurting my babies," Mrs. Lilly said, shocking me.

  " Hey grandma," Angel said, walking over to Mrs. Lilly to get a hug.

  " Hey, baby," she said back.

  " Mrs. Lilly, this is Tisha, my coworker I always talking about," I tell Mrs. Lilly. Tisha gets up out of the chair about to shake Mrs. Lilly’s hand.

  " Sweetie, if you’re a friend of Camille's, then you're family," she said, giving Tisha a hug.

  " Thank you," Tisha said, smiling while hugging Mrs. Lilly.

  " Danny, help me pass out this food said,” Mrs. Lilly said. Tisha walks over with Mrs. Lilly helping dish up plates.

  " Is that the chocolate cake," Tisha squeal going through the bags.

  "Yes, you must have heard of it," Mrs. Lilly said.

  " I just not heard of it, but I tasted that wonderful delicious cake," Tisha said, being all dramatic. I just sit back and laugh at her.

  " So how you know my nonna," Giovanni asks.

  " Your grandmother is my neighbor. I've known her for two years," I tell him.

  " So you're the one that my nonna wanted me to meet," he said.

  " Yeah, you're the grandson that I'm supposed to get with," I tell him. Giovanni looks at me like he's dazed from me mentioning being together.

  " Here," Danny said, handing me a plate.

  " Thank you," I said, grabbing the plate. I look at the plate. It has spaghetti and giant meatballs I lick my lips when I heard a low moan. I stop looking at my food. I turn to see Giovanni giving me a heated stare.

  "Stop staring. It's not polite," I tell him he just chuckles at me.

  " You’re just so beautiful, my love I can't stop looking at you," he tells me. I didn't know what to say, so I just start eating my food since I don't know what to say.

  " Vonnie leave that girl alone," Mrs. Lilly said, handing Giovanni his plate.

  " Thank you, nonna, and I'm not bothering Camille," he said. We talk through our meal while Mrs. Lilly tells us stories about the boys growing up and the trouble they got into.

  Chapter 8

  After eating the cake, I became tired, I start slouching in the chair. I look over at Tisha to see that she was the same way too. " What time is it,"
I ask.

  " It’s 6," Angel said. Damn, we have been up here for 3 hours. I hope they didn't come back already, I thought.

  "You ready to go," Tisha asks.

  " Yea, they should be on their way back from the hotel," I told her.

  " Bye everybody," Tisha and I said before we left the room.

  She pushes me to the elevator " what are you doing tonight," I ask Tisha.

  " Don't know since my date got canceled," she said, getting on the elevator.

  " What about going out with Angel," I said.

  "He's cool, but nothing is going on, " she replies fast.

  " Yes, there is, " I tease her making both of us laugh going down the hall. The door to my room was open, and the lights were on. I wonder how long they were waiting, I thought as we enter the room.

  "Hey guys," I said, looking around the room to see Chris and dad here." Where's everyone else, "I ask.

  Tisha place me by the bed. " I 'm going home I'll see you tomorrow," Tisha said, giving me a hug.

  " They went to get some food," Chris said.

  " Bye," Tisha tells my brother and dad before she leaves the room.

  " We've been here for an hour waiting for you thinking you were with the doctor. But you weren't since the doctor came in and told us you'll be released tomorrow. So where were you," dad yell?

  I look at him " last time I checked, I'm an adult, and I don't live in your house. I don't need to tell you where I went, and if you don't like it, then go back to Atlanta," I tell him. He walks up to me, stomping his feet, but was stopped by Chris getting in between us.

  " Stop, dad," Chris said.

  " No, I don't know why her ass thinks she gonna talk to me like that," dad said, trying to push Chris out the way. I ignore him going through my bags, pulling out my laptop. Chris finally calm down dad by the time Tammy and the twins came back with the food.

  "Hey baby, where were you," she asks, passing out food.

  " Talking to a friend," I tell her.