by Yoshe
“Oh, my God!” Brandi shouted. “My baby! What is going on in there?”
“Brandi, he’s okay!” Vanita appeased. “He held his own. He came out wih a few scrapes and bumps. He went to the clinic and they sent him back to his housing area. He’s still in Four South, the Bing. The officer is in a lot of trouble, though, and everyone is tryin’ to figure out who called up there for him to bring Wallace for a visit in the first place.”
Brandi felt as if she was going to hyperventilate and her voice was quivering. “Vanita, he’s okay, right?”
Vanita smiled. She felt a lump in her throat, imagining what Brandi must be going through as a mother.
“He’s fine, Brandi. Trust me. Even though I’m a CO, I have compassion for some of these guys in here. He is back upstairs in his cell and he is fine.”
“Can I ask you another question? Between me and you, how is Daniels? He’s been on my mind and I haven’t heard from him in a few days. I was just wondering if everything was all right with him.”
Vanita sighed. “Brandi, it’s some shit goin’ on with Sean. I know that you and him are dealin’ with each other, which I’m gonna keep it real, is against the rules. On the other hand, I don’t get caught up with jail politics.” Vanita paused. “Wait. You don’t know?”
“Know what?” Brandi asked.
“Sean is in the hospital.” There was silence on the other end. Vanita waited for Brandi to let the news to sink in.
“Hospital? For what?” Brandi inquired.
“Well, someone came into his house two nights ago with a key and bashed him upside the head, while he was in the shower. He was semi-unconscious when they took him to the hospital, but I heard that he’s been up since then. They don’t have any suspects, yet.”
“Oh, my goodness! Do you know what hospital?”
“He’s in Kings County Hospital. Brandi, do you think that I could meet with you in person? There’s a few things I have to talk about with you, and no, I’m not like the woman you are thinkin’ about!”
Vanita must have been reading Brandi’s mind. She was skeptical about the meeting but from Vanita’s tone, she knew that it was something very important that she couldn’t discuss at work. In addition, Brandi was sure Vanita was curious to meet the woman Sean was seeing and the woman Yadi was hating on.
“Um, okay. Where did you want to meet?” Brandi asked.
“Can we meet in front of Kings County? We can go see Sean together. Say, like around 5:30?”
Brandi really wanted to see Sean by herself but she reluctantly agreed to the arrangement. “Okay, Vanita, that’s cool. But how will you know it’s me?”
“Trust me, Brandi, I’ll know you when I see you!”
Brandi hung up the phone and wondered what Vanita meant by that statement.
At 5:30 P.M., on the dot, Brandi was waiting in front of Kings County. She looked around, searching for Vanita in the crowds of people entering and exiting the hospital. She smiled as she saw Vanita approach her. Vanita was a pretty, petite woman with a chocolate complexion and a chin-length bob. Vanita walked up to Brandi with a smile on her face, as well.
“Hey, Brandi. I told you I would know who you were!”
Brandi smiled. “Yeah, now that I see you, I remember you from the visit area. You’re always in the control room.”
They walked into the hospital and Vanita looked around, like she was afraid of running into someone she knew. “Yeah, I kinda play it cool at work. I don’t really socialize with too many people there. Me and Yadira Cruz were real good friends until recently.”
Brandi frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I know you know Yadi and I know all about the runin y’all had. Well, she was a good person. Over the years, she had a lot of issues in her relationship with her daughter’s father and so on. She had never been much of a social person; she keeps to herself a lot. After things went sour with her daughter’s father, she kind of leaned on Sean. They both were crushin’ on each other for a minute but after she decided to finally get with Sean, he met you and he was open.”
“Open? On me?” Brandi asked with a confident smirk on her face.
“Yeah, open on you. Yadi lived with me for a little while and we used to talk about it. After she found out that Sean was dealin’ with you, she just became obsessed with you and Sean, period. Yadi always suffered from low self-esteem and she looked at you as competition.”
“I don’t see why. She’s a beautiful woman, a little nutty, but she’s gorgeous. I have to give her that.”
Vanita shrugged. “Brandi, you know as well as I do bein’ beautiful on the outside, sometimes it’s not enough. To look at Yadira, someone would think that she had it all together but she doesn’t. She’s all messed up inside.”
“But, Vanita, I’m confused. Why are you telling me all of this?” Brandi asked.
“Because after hearin’ about what happened to Sean and how she approached you about him, I think that she had somethin’ to do with Sean’s incident. Now that I think about it, she may have had somethin’ to do with your son’s incident, too.”
Brandi frowned as she tried to piece everything together. Vanita might have had a point.
“I love Yadi but right is right and wrong is wrong. And you know, Brandi, I’m not tryin’ ta be foul and talk about this woman behind her back. I’ve been nothin’ but a friend to Yadi and she had the nerve to accuse me of sleepin’ with her daughter’s father. I invited this woman into my home and it just wasn’t enough for her. I been her counselor for all of these years and I’m tired now. Now she went off the deep end with this Sean shit.”
Brandi got very quiet. She knew that Vanita had a point. “Didn’t she have a key to his house before?” Brandi asked.
“Yeah, as I recall. I think she made a copy of the key. Either she came in there herself and did something or someone else came in and did it. Either way, I think that she was involved.”
“Vanita, I’m gonna ask your honest opinion. Do you really believe that she would set my son up to get back at me?”
Vanita held her head down. “Well, to be honest, I do. It was too much of a coincidence that your son was called down to general population visits then got into a physical altercation there. It was no mistake. But it’s just an opinion.”
Brandi put her hand on her head. “This bitch, Yadira, is giving me a headache. I know that’s your friend and all . . .”
“We’re done, Brandi. I can’t be friends with Yadi anymore. She’s outta control. Nothin’ good is gonna come from her behavior and I don’t want to be associated with none of it when the shit hits the fan!”
“Good for you, Vanita. It seems as if you’re a sensible-minded person. Sometimes, misery loves company and you have to separate yourself from it.”
“I know. I’m gonna miss her but I realize that she’s drained me all these years. Now I can get a new lease on life, new friends, new things to do. I’m gonna miss my goddaughter, though.”
“Can’t you see her? Is she with Yadi?”
“Brandi, I don’t know where she is. She could be with her father, which I already know I ain’t seein’ her if she with him or she could be with Yadi’s parents. It’s sad but I have to do what I have to do and move on.”
Brandi smiled. “Look, you keep my number in your phone and we can talk sometimes. I appreciate you going out of your way to tell me all of this. You didn’t have to do what you did.”
Vanita smiled back. “I try, Brandi. I try to be a good person. I would have wanted someone to do those things for me,” she said.
Both women stood in the lobby, hesitant about going to see Sean in the condition he was in. Vanita finally broke the silence.
“Okay, Brandi. Let’s go upstairs and see Sean. You ready?” Brandi shook her head and they walked toward the visitor’s information desk.
Chapter 37
After getting Sean’s room number, Vanita walked in first. She was surprised to see that Sean was alert and eating his dinne
r while watching The Bernie Mac Show on the small twenty-inch TV mounted above his bed.
“Hi, Sean!” Vanita announced.
Sean held out his arms to hug her. He had IV tubes in his arms. “Hey, Nita!” he replied. “What’s up, homegirl?”
“What’s up, Sean? How are you feelin’?” Sean touched his bandaged head.
“I get these bad headaches but after they give me some drugs, I’m good. I should be comin’ home at the end of next week. They still gotta run some tests, to make sure there’s no extensive damage.”
Vanita fixed his sheets. “Good. Take your time comin’ back to work okay?”
Sean agreed. “I know. You know I gotta ride this shit out for a little while. I needed a break. Unfortunately, it had to be like this.”
Vanita looked at the door. “Look, someone is here to see you. I wasn’t sure if you was up to it so I told them to wait outside. Do you mind if they come in?”
Sean swallowed. “It ain’t Yadi, is it?”
Vanita laughed. “Hell no, Sean! I ain’t even fuckin’ with her no more. That bitch is a wrap but I’ll tell you about that when you feel better.”
Sean tried to look past Vanita. “So who’s outside?” he asked.
Vanita walked to the door and opened it. Brandi walked in and Sean’s face lit up. He tried to sit up in the hospital bed and Vanita made him relax.
“Hey, Sean,” Brandi said with a smile. She leaned over and kissed him on the lips. “Are you okay?”
Sean rubbed his head. “Yeah, baby. Thank God I’m alive! I just wanna find out who did this shit to me!” Sean quickly changed the subject before his mood soured. “Did you hear from Shaki?”
Brandi frowned. “Shaki? Did you just call him Shaki?” she asked.
Sean laughed. “Yeah. He told me to call him that.”
“When?” Brandi asked.
Vanita looked at Sean. “Oh, yeah, I told Brandi what happened with her son in visits.”
“The day he had the fight, I went to the intake area to check on him. He was good. We had a nice talk and that’s when he told me to call him by his nickname. He said only his family and close friends call him that.”
Brandi’s eyes lit up and she hugged Sean. She could relax now that Sean had told her that he had seen Shamari and that he was fine. Brandi hugged Sean and he kissed her on the cheek.
“Thank you, Sean. It sounds like you finally made an impression on him. This jail mess is getting to him now. He finally gets that it’s no joke in there.”
“You’re right. He does get it now.” Sean was silent for a moment as he held Brandi’s hand and looked into her eyes. “You know I’m real glad that you’re here, baby. How did you and Vanita hook up?”
“She called the jail lookin’ for you, Sean,” Vanita volunteered. “She hadn’t heard from you or her son and she was worried, of course.”
Sean smiled and put his arm around Brandi’s slim waist. “Aww, you was worried about me? That’s so sweet!” They all laughed.
“Yeah, I was worried about you. Even though that whole Yadira thing had me a little hot under the collar, I just needed to know if you were okay,” Brandi replied.
“I’m just tryin’ to understand what happened to me. One minute, I’m in the shower washin’ my ass, then in the damn hospital the next.”
Brandi and Vanita looked at each other. “I decided to hook up with Brandi so that we could come visit you together. This woman right here is crazy cool. I hope that y’all really get with each other.”
Brandi rolled her eyes. “What about Yadi?”
Sean cut her off. “Brandi, don’t worry about her anymore. Her days are over,” he said.
They continued to talk about Yadira and Sean getting out of the hospital. His spirits were up now that he had the woman he really cared about by his side. Eventually, Vanita left so that they could spend the last moments of the visit alone.
“Vanita is so cool,” Brandi stated.
Sean agreed. “She always has been, I just wanted to tell you somethin’.”
Brandi glared at Sean. “Oh, my goodness! What do you have to tell me now? Is it bad news?”
Sean cut her off and looked Brandi straight in the eyes. “I wanted to tell you that I’m really feelin’ you.”
Brandi froze, not knowing what to say. “Sean, we just really start kicking it and you have a head injury.”
“But I’m not buggin’, I know what I’m sayin’, okay?”
Brandi looked at Sean, who looked so helpless lying there with his bandaged head and IV tubes in his arm. Her heart began to soften and she forgot all about Yadi and her past.
“Sean, I’m feeling for you, too. Let’s just finally make it happen for us,” Brandi said.
Chapter 38
The day after Vanita and Brandi visited Sean, Yadi headed to Kings County. She parked her car a few blocks away and walked down Clarkson Avenue. As she got closer, Yadi felt her heart palpitate. She felt as if she was going to pass out, she was so nervous. She hoped that she would have a positive reception from Sean, considering all of the things they had been through. Yadi felt bad about what she did, but maybe this is what it took to get what she wanted and that was Sean Daniels.
Yadira knew that he was in Kings County Hospital but she was hesitant about going to see him, unable to face his family and friends. She also did not know if her presence would be welcomed, unsure of what negativity Sean had fed his people about her. In order to maintain her appearance of innocence, she would have to suck it up and visit him.
Yadi entered the hospital and walked toward the desk. She asked for Sean’s room and got a visiting pass. She took the elevator upstairs and had to stop to catch her breath. I hope no one is in this room with him she thought as she looked for Sean’s room number.
She walked in the room and, thankfully, Sean was by himself. He looked so peaceful, lying in the bed with the bandages wrapped around his head. His hair was cut on the side where the injury was. Yadi put her hand on his face and Sean opened his eyes. When he did, he jumped as if he had seen a ghost.
“What are you doin’ in here?” Sean asked, with his voice hoarse from sleep.
Yadi smiled and continued to rub his face. “I’m here to see you, baby. How are you feelin’?” she asked.
Sean removed her hand from his face and he grimaced as he attempted to sit up in the bed. Yadi tried to help him and he resisted.
“Look, I don’t need your help!” Sean exclaimed. “I’m good. Why did you come here, Yadi?”
Yadi sighed loudly and pulled up a chair. “I felt bad about all the things that I put you through and I came here to offer my sincere apology to you. It’s just that, I, I love you, Sean and when you started rejectin’ me . . . I dunno, I guess I just bugged out.”
Sean rubbed his head. He didn’t feel like talking to Yadi right now, especially about their imaginary relationship.
“Look, Yadira, I don’t feel like talkin’ about this shit right now. I’m in the fuckin’ hospital, in pain, after some motherfucker walked in my house and clocked me upside the fuckin’ head in the shower. I got bigger shit on my plate than to talk about you and me. As far as I’m concerned, you and me never was and I personally regret the day we had sex. No, I regret the day I let you into my house, ’cause it’s been nothin’ but downhill for me ever since!”
Yadi held back tears. “I didn’t come here for this shit, Sean! I just came to pay a visit to a friend and this is how you treat me?”
Sean sat up. “Bitch, you . . .” he began, grimacing from the pain in his head. He looked up at the ceiling. “God, forgive me because I don’t like callin’ women bitches but—“ Sean looked at Yadi. “But bitch, are you fuckin’ crazy? What am I sayin’? You are fuckin’ crazy! You think I dunno what’s goin’ on?”
Yadi stopped crying. “What’s goin’ on? What do you mean?”
“I been livin’ in Bed-Stuy all my life and nobody has ever ran up in my house like that! Now all of a sudden, as soon as I s
tart goin’ through the bullshit with you, I end up in the hospital. I remembered you havin’ keys to my house, Yadi! I know you made a copy and somebody came in my house with a key!”
Yadi tried to look surprised. “What the fuck are you talkin’ about, Sean?” She stood up. “Are you sayin’ that I had somethin’ to do with this shit?”
Sean looked in Yadi’s eyes. “I’m not tryin’ to say it, I done said it.” There was an eerie silence in the hospital room. The only noise that could be heard was the TV.
Yadi began to get on the defensive. “Who’s feedin’ you these lies, Sean? Is it that ho, Brandi? I shoulda fucked the bitch up when I had a chance!”
Sean frowned. “You see, Yadi, you underestimate people, walkin’ around here playin’ with people’s lives and shit. After what you did to her son, I think Brandi is the last person you wanna see! Stay the fuck away from her! ”
Yadi paced around the room. Sean watched as Yadi began to unfold right before his eyes. He knew then that Yadi was more than just a woman in love with him; she was a bonafide mental patient obsessed with him. At this point, Yadi’s eyes were bulging out of her head and she began to wave her hands over her head.
Yadi couldn’t believe that Sean would accuse of her of all these things. Everything that she did was for her and Sean’s benefit. She wanted him to see that they should be together. Why was Sean making her out to be the bad guy?
“Sean, I didn’t do anything to her son! Why would you say that about me? You know that I am not that type of person—”
Sean cut her off. “Damn! You’re a compulsive liar, too, huh? What else is wrong with you, Yadira? You walk around lookin’ like you just hopped off the cover of somebody’s magazine and in reality, you ain’t nothin’ but a fuckin’ head case! I see why Devin didn’t want to be with you anymore!”
