What's Blood Got to Do With It?

by Shelia E. Bell

  “Yes. I understand.”

  ◊

  Carla walked up to the ICU nurses’ station. “I’m here to see my husband.”

  “And who is your husband, ma’am?” one of the nurse’s at the desk asked.

  “John Phillips.”

  Two other nurses plus the woman who addressed Carla all looked at each other. “We don’t have a John Phillips. Are you sure he’s in ICU?”

  For a brief moment, Carla looked dazed. She shook her head. “Oh, uh I mean Kenneth Anniston.”

  The nurses looked at each other again, puzzled. “And who are you to him?” one of them asked.

  “I just told you. I’m his wife,” she snapped. “So, please just tell me where I can find him.”

  “He’s down the hall, to the right. ICU 577.”

  “Thank you,” she said and strode off. With each step she took, she nervously pondered what she would say to John. She hated to admit, even to herself, that she still loved him. No matter how upset she was with what he’d done, she could never do anything like Annalisse had done. Shoot him? Want to see him dead? Never. She arrived at his room, and from outside the glass walls she saw him lying in the bed with IV and tubing. She wanted to cry, but held back her tears.

  She pushed back the glass door and entered the room. “John,” she said in a whisper. “John?” she called his name a second time.

  Slowly, he turned toward her. His eyes were barely open, but she could see a smile form on his face. It was a tiny one, but she was glad for that.

  She walked up to his bed, leaned over it and kissed him gently on his lips. “How do you feel?”

  “I can’t believe you came. How is Caitlin?”

  “Caitlin is slowly improving. Bleak is at the hospital with her. I told him I wouldn’t be gone long. I wanted to check on you. John,” she paused.

  “I’m sorry, Carla,” he said, halting her from saying anything else. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. Believe me. I love you. I love the girls.” A tear, then another one, followed by another one, started rolling down his cheeks.

  Carla reached out and stroked his face, and gently wiped away each tear. She bent down and kissed him on his lips again, this one more lingering than the previous.

  “I know you do. It might sound dumb on my part, but I really believe you love me.”

  He nodded. “I do, Carla. I love you with all my heart. And I’m sorry.”

  “Well, now is not the time to discuss it. I want to know what the doctors are saying.”

  Kenneth was quite groggy from having undergone surgery, but he managed to talk with forced effort. “My ankle is shattered and my thigh, my leg is numb.” He slowly raised his head and opened his eyes as widely as he could manage but his head fell back against the pillow. He closed his eyes, unable to fight against the effects of the anesthesia and the morphine pump.

  Carla placed her hand over her mouth and this time she was the one whose tears began to fall.

  “What are you doing here?” the voice took Carla off guard. She looked toward the glass door. “Haven’t you caused enough trouble?” Adanya yelled as she stepped all the way into the room. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  She had told Bleak she understood if Carla wanted to come and see Kenneth, but now seeing her pushed Adanya over the edge.

  “Don’t, Adanya,” Kenneth said from his drug induced state. His voice was extremely weak and his eyes fluttered. “She…mother… of…my…children.”

  “Oh, so that makes it all right?” It was apparent in the tone of her voice that she was not a happy camper. And she hadn’t seemed to notice that her father was still under the influence of anesthesia. He’d only been out of surgery for a few hours. “You almost lost your life because of her.”

  “I should have killed you,” another familiar voice said. Carla and Adanya looked and saw Annalisse standing just outside the door.

  “Mother, what are you doing here?” Adanya asked with a startled look on her face.

  “Nurse,” Carla called as loudly as she could. “Somebody, get her out of here.”

  “So this is her. A white woman? This is the slut you’ve been seeing?” Annalisse snarled, dismissing Carla’s pleas. “What kind of woman are you? What kind of woman sleeps with another woman’s husband, has children with him, and pretends to be married to him? You’re some piece of work. You’re nothing but a tramp, a home wrecker,” Annalisse cursed and yelled.

  “How dare you show your face up here after you almost killed my husband,” spat Carla. “Nurse.” Nurse,” she called again, then then walked boldly past a suddenly scared looking, but angry Annalisse.

  “Don’t bother. I’m leaving. You can have him.” She huffed as she looked at Kenneth laying helpless on the hospital bed, tubes connected to his body. “And here I was feeling bad about almost killing you. You deserve whatever happens to you.” She bolted out the door and down the corridor leading to the elevators.

  Annalisse stopped shy of the elevator door and turned to face her daughter. Tears flowed from her red eyes.

  Adanya ran up to her and embraced her. She wanted to be angry but for some reason, she could not. She held on to her mother and the both of them cried.

  The sound of the elevator brought them apart. “Come on, let’s get you out of here before security comes. You don’t want to go back to jail.”

  They rushed on to the elevator. When the doors shut, Annalisse exhaled. “Thank you, baby. I don’t know what I was thinking back there. Daddy brought me here so I could see you and momma. I promised him I wasn’t going to try and see Kenneth, and look what I did. I could be put back in jail. What’s wrong with me?” Annalisse folded both arms together.

  “You’re human, and you’re hurt.”

  “Where is Momma?”

  “In the waiting room. She’s fine. She’s been up here with me. But after seeing and hearing what just happened back there, I don’t know why I even bothered staying around this place.” The elevator door opened and the two women stepped out. Mr. Kaplan was standing in the corridor.

  “Adanya, baby, how are you? How’s your daddy? Where’s Eva?”

  “I’m fine, Gramps. And Gram is still upstairs in the waiting room. Daddy, well I’m sure he’s just great now that his other wife is up there.”

  Gramps looked shocked. “His other wife?” he said.

  “Yes. Her name is Carla. Carla Phillips. Isn’t that just dandy?” quipped Adanya. “I can’t go back up there, Gramps. I don’t want to see him anymore. Do you mind going up there and getting Gram? A couple of church members came not too long ago, and they’re in the waiting room with her, but let her know that I won’t be coming back. Ask her to bring my purse down with her.”

  “Sure. And Annalisse, you didn’t do anything did you?” He looked at his daughter like he suspected that something had gone awry when she went upstairs.

  “No, I didn’t.”

  He nodded and walked on to the elevator when it opened to let other people get on and off.

  When Adanya was alone again with Annalisse, she led her to a nearby row of chairs. “Let’s sit down here until Gramps comes back.”

  “Sure. Look, baby, I’m so sorry for everything. I can’t imagine all of what you’re going through.”

  “I have to admit that I was angry when I heard that you’d shot my daddy. I know he was wrong for what he did, but you tried to kill him. You tried to kill my daddy. And that was wrong, mother. I mean, Annalisse.”

  “You were right the first time – I am your mother. I always will be. And yes, I was wrong, and now I will probably have to go to jail for what I’ve done. But you must believe me when I tell you that I didn’t want things to be like this, Adanya. These last few months have been a complete nightmare. And now for me to be in the situation I’m in, and for well,” Annalisse looked up toward the ceiling. “For Kenneth to be laid up in ICU because of me…it’s unforgiveable.”

  “Stop it, it isn’t unforgiveable. You know better than that. A
nd I’m just as wrong. I hated you, and I hated daddy for what you did to me. How you destroyed my life. And then I hated you even more because you tried to take his life. After witnessing that scene upstairs with Carla, I see where my daddy’s heart really lies. And it’s not with me.”

  “And, it’s certainly not with me either,” added Annalisse. “It’s with that white woman. Oh, my God, a white woman. Why did he have to cheat on me, and why, oh, Lord did it have to be with a white woman? I can’t believe he did this.” Annalisse started crying.

  “Don’t cry, he’s not worth it. And as far as Carla being a white woman, it doesn’t matter. That’s not what’s important.”

  Adanya thought of Bleak. What would Annalisse think about him if she met him? Annalisse would probably stroke out on the spot.

  “I want him to be okay,” Adanya said after she shook off the thoughts racing through her mind. “But I can’t have him in my life. Not now. He’s gone too far. Seeing her up there with him, well, it just made me realize that he’s not the man I thought he was. I looked up to him, practically worshipped the ground he walked on.” “I know, honey,” Annalisse sniffled, as she wrapped an arm around Adanya to comfort her.

  Annalisse began to feel a sense of calm washing over her spirit. She hadn’t been able to hold her daughter for months. And now, through a tragic set of circumstances, she was granted a second chance to prove to Adanya that she loved her. She didn’t know what the future held for her, but right now, she reveled in the fact that maybe, just maybe, Adanya would forgive her for the mistakes of the past, and let her back into her life.

  Adanya relaxed in her mother’s arms. She didn’t seem to notice that her mother wasn’t exactly fresh and groomed, not after having spent the night in a jail cell. But Adanya didn’t care. She felt like she was where she belonged, in the comforting arms of her mother. They had a lot to go through, a long way to go, and there was bound to be more pain ahead for their family, but Adanya had determined that some things would have to change. If she was going to be able to move forward with her future, she would have to release the pangs of her past. It would be up to God to deal with the actions of her father.

  “Bleak,” she said for no apparent reason, and her head popped up off her mother’s shoulder.

  “Who? Bleak? What is that?” asked Annalisse.

  “It’s not a what. He’s a who,” Adanya said and grinned. “Well, who is he?”

  “That’s another long story. I’ll tell you all about him after you promise me that you’ll go home, get yourself cleaned up, and try to rest.”

  “Only if you promise to come to the house,” Annalisse said, and looked over Adanya’s shoulder as her parents walked toward them. Annalisse popped up from the chair and raced toward her mother.

  “Momma.”

  Adanya walked up to them and stood next to Gramps.

  “Okay,” Gramps interrupted the emotional reunion after a few seconds. “Let’s get you home, Annalisse; you too, Eva.”

  “I’m going to go home and then I’ll come over to your house a later.”

  “You promise?” Annalisse queried.

  “Yes, I promise. I’ll see you shortly. Gram, Gramps,” she kissed each of them, “I’ll talk to you later. And Gram.”

  “Yes, baby,” answered Gram.

  “Thank you for staying here with me. I couldn’t have gone through his without you by my side. I love you.”

  “I love you too, baby. You be careful going home. Okay?”

  “I will.” Adanya’s phone rang.

  “Hello,” she said as she waved her hand at her family and proceeded to walk ahead of them toward the exit doors.

  “You still at the hospital?” Bleak asked.

  “I’m just leaving,” Her reply was unpleasant.

  “What’s wrong with you?”

  “Your mother.”

  “What about my mother?”

  “She’s here.”

  “Yea, I know. I told you she was probably going to come up there once she heard about him being shot. I’m at the hospital with my sister until she comes back.”

  “Well, before she tells you, let me be the first to let you know that I’m done.”

  “What do you mean, you’re done?”

  “Seeing the two of them together, I realize his blood may be running through my veins, but so what. What’s blood got to do with it anyway? ”

  “Did you see my mother?”

  “Yes, and she saw me. And she saw Annalisse.”

  “Your mother is out of jail?”

  “Yes. Things got a little heated, but it’s all good. I’m leaving the hospital now. So are my grandparents and my mother.”

  “Where is my mom?”

  “I guess she’s still upstairs drooling over that devil,” Adanya spoke with sarcasm.

  “Don’t act like you’re mad at me. My mother is a grown woman, and so is your father. It’s not my fault, not your fault, not anybody’s fault when it comes to them and the decisions they’ve made for their lives. I just don’t want you tripping.”

  “Tripping? Like what?”

  “I told you, Adanya. I want to build something with you. Don’t let the actions of our parents tear us apart. Please.”

  Silence.

  “We’ll talk later, Bleak. I’m tired. I just want to go home and chill for a while.”

  “Can I come by when I get home? I need to see you.”

  “I don’t know. I promised Annalisse that I would be over to her house. So I don’t know about seeing you. It’s probably not such a good idea for us to see each other right now anyway, given the circumstances.” “See, that’s what I’m talking about. You’re making me pay for what your daddy did.”

  “That’s exactly what you’re doing.”

  “Bleak, we’re practically in the same family. And I don’t feel comfortable knowing that my father and your mother are well, they’re together. It’s nasty. Just plain nasty.”

  “Come off it, Adanya. You act like you’re some prude or something. Like you don’t know about life. People do things, Adanya. Some of the things they do, we won’t approve of, but then again some of the things you and I do other folks won’t approve of either. That’s called life and making choices. I can’t help that I happen to fall for a girl who happens to be the daughter of my stepfather. There’s nothing I can do about it. And there’s nothing you can do about it. So, please, don’t penalize me for their actions.”

  “Look, I’ve got to go. I can’t talk about this right now. Good bye.” Adanya hung up the phone, got in her car and drove toward home. She thought about everything Bleak had said. And he was right, but she couldn’t see herself being with him, not now. His mother had the audacity to be up in the room all goo-goo-ga-gaing over her father. How could she? Didn’t the woman have any respect for his real wife? How could she even want to be with a man who was cheating on her ever since they’d been together. If she was like that, maybe Bleak was weak too. And the last thing she wanted was some weak man who couldn’t or wouldn’t stand up for what was right. What was right in her book was for him to tell his mother to back away from her father. What was right was for him to stand up to her father too and let him know that he was no good for his mother, but did he do that? No, all he had to say was that they were two grown people. In Adanya’s book, there was no way she could ever hope to be in a real relationship with Bleak. Not after this.

  She pulled into her garage, got out and went inside. As soon as she stepped foot inside her place, Snoopy bum rushed her.

  “Hey there, boy. Mommy’s home,” she told him while tickling him underneath his chin. “Come on, you wanna go out?” she said in a childlike voice.

  She took Snoopy outside to relieve himself. Once back inside, Adanya peeled off her clothes, went and took a shower and put on some fresh clothes. She sauntered into the kitchen to prepare herself something to eat before she left for Annalisse’s house. The sound of the doorbell jarred her from her meal preparation.

 
“I bet it’s Bleak. Dang, why did he come over here when I told him I couldn’t see him now?” She stood still for several seconds while pondering whether or not she was going to answer the door.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  “Adanya, I know you’re in there. Open the door. We need to talk,” he insisted.

  Adanya remained stationary while Snoopy started barking and bouncing, and turning around and around.

  “Shhh,” she said and put a finger up to her lips but Snoopy continued to bark.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  Adanya made her way to the front door, pausing before she turned the door knob.

  “Bleak─” She flashed him an evil look.

  Without warning, he pushed the door fully open and just as swiftly closed it behind him. Pulling her into his arms, his lips sought hers and he explored the moistness of her mouth. His hands roamed her body like he was searching for hidden treasure.

  Adanya had no desire to back away. There was a bond between them, one she couldn’t fight, didn’t want to fight. His mouth against hers made her tingle. Her heart fluttered, and she couldn’t deny her desire for him.

  Twisting in his arms, she tried to break free, but it only made him pull her closer. With little effort, he swooped her in his arms as she put her arms around his neck.

  “I can’t let you go,” he whispered hoarsely, his hot breath against her ear as he carried her into the bedroom. “I want you, Adanya. I want you so badly.”

  Unable to resist, Adanya allowed him to ease her down onto the bed. His touch aroused her to the point where she screamed in pleasure.

  “Bleak, stop,” she cried out. “I can’t do this. We can’t do this. Not like this,” she managed to say between outcries of pleasure.

  He tumbled over onto the bed, fighting his own battle of personal restraint. He didn’t want to do anything that she wasn’t ready to do. His spiritual and moral convictions began to flood his mind, and he had to agree with Adanya. He didn’t want her to be another conquest. He’d had far too many of them in the past. He wanted something different. Wanted to live a more God like life. Adanya was the kind of woman that he could see himself marrying one day, and he didn’t want to let one night of sexual wantonness ruin what could be a lifetime of pleasure for them if they took things slowly, and did things right.