10-80: Line of Duty Series (12 page)

S
ix Months
since the Breakup

The gang activity had increased significantly in the past few years, but definitely near
The Trap
. My last night with D’asia had opened up the floodgates, probably because I didn’t want to think of losing her. I couldn’t think of it. I fell into work like a man starved. I worked doubles to the point, my supervisor told me not to work them on Fridays and Saturdays.

Every Saturday, I still met with Zee and Reg and we toured all of New York State, traveled and did community service at the local shelters and food pantries. There was no discussion of D’asia, but occasionally I’d hear Zee tell Reg that she was studying or stressed from work. On those rare occasions, I’d send her some flowers or have Edible Arrangements delivered to her apartment. During those times, they were returned. I assumed she did not accept them or they were too scared to enter the vicinity. I couldn’t send anything to the class anymore because the semester was over. Jesse had said he did not have courses with her anymore, but he occasionally saw her around campus. We made a deal, which was the only reason I didn’t contact her.

God knows I wanted to.

During the first month after D’asia and I split, I spent a lot of time working her neighbor’s case. The college age boy did not seem to care much that his mother was missing. D’asia had eventually told me that he barely saw the woman and when she did, it was only on a few occasions. The more I looked into it, the more I realized that the woman did not live there, but he did and apparently those long parties he had on occasion cost a pretty penny and he was in the red with payments. He had been threatened, but the mother was the one to receive the consequences. He was in bed with the same gang that L.A. belonged to. They were known for their cutters. Most of the other gangs had signatures, like a certain type of gun, how they were shot, or cut, but some made it artful, which was how she was sliced.

After I had brought my evidence to the gang unit and the detectives, they included me on the task force to find the murderer. We interviewed the boy again and after explaining my thoughts about how I thought he was in bed with the gang and how he owed them money, he broke down and told all.

Needless to say, both units were impressed with my work and wanted me to join their teams. The first person I wanted to call was D’asia because she had said I would be a good detective. I could collaborate with the gang unit, but I liked to figure out the puzzles of life. Not my own love life, but others people’s drama.

The third month included my promotion to detective came as a surprise to everyone, but Sal. He knew those doubles and extra work would put him back on the list for a new partner. He was proud in his own way, but he liked being a street cop. I enjoyed certain aspects of it, but I really wanted to get out of those ugly shoes.

My mom was surprised as well since it didn’t come from her. We had been cordial, but she knew I did not have much to say to her. Therefore she used my uncles to gauge my thermometer or let her know what was going on in my life. I loved my uncles and they loved their sister to the point that they still babied her. I would not cater to her temper tantrums, especially when it came to controlling my life.

During the fifth month, I finalized the deal. With all of the double shifts I had worked, not only could I afford the down payment on a new house, but I was able to fully furnish the place and put a big chunk in savings. The promotion helped as well, so I was able to live comfortably and not have to rely on anyone. My mom was trying to hold it over my head that she could buy me a new home, co-sign on a loan and all of that, in order to
keep me in
line
. That was not happening and when I bought the house, I did not even tell her. My uncle did. When we finally met up, all she said was, “You and father are so much alike.”

Sometimes she would try to bait me for conversation by bringing him up, but this time, she kept talking. “He would go and do something like that. Get an entire car and then come and tell me about it. Knowing that I could full well help with the process, he didn’t want to hear my mouth, so he did it himself. I appreciated it, but hated it. I was there to help him and he wouldn’t let me. That’s all. I just want to help.” She said her peace and left.

Overall, the past six months had been back-to-back busy and many huge things happened in my life. Things were looking good, except I did not date. Shit, I hadn’t even slept with anyone since D’asia. I got off on a picture that I took of her on our last night together. This was a frequent occurrence as no one peeked my interest enough to make a move. The guys thought I was going through a mid-life crisis at twenty-six years of age. I assured them that I wasn’t, but it was Friday and I planned to tie one on, get a cab home and pass out.

P
resent Time

“I’m out guys,” I slurred my words.

Seven beers will do that. Maybe it was eight.

“Noo, noo,” Sal chimed in. “You ain’t got no one to go home to, might as well stay with us miserable bastards.”

He came along this time, which was shocking because he never came out with the D’s. I came with him and the street cops when they went out, but now I had to make an appearance with my new squad. So I was glad when Sal said he would join. Four hours later, I was ready to go home.

“Man, I’m wiped. I can barely keep my eyes open.” I yawned.

“Yeah, yeah.” He sang.

“Alright, guys.” I held up my hand in an imaginary salute. “Catch y’all next week.”

Various forms of sure, yeah, later and good night were shouted.

As I left the building, I realized that I had Sal’s keys. When I returned they said he was in the restroom. I opened the restroom to see a guy punching Sal in the gut and him falling to his knees.

“What the fuck?” I yelled as I tackled the guy to the ground.

I swore I heard Sal tell me no, but I was mid-tackle. We tussled and turned around a few times, then he pulled his gun. The two of us wrestled with it, until it went off two times. He stopped moving and all I could feel was a hot warm sensation around my stomach area. As I looked around, I saw Sal on his knees staring at me with remorseful eyes. The guy under me, his head was turned and I was falling on the side of him as the darkness took over.

D
’asia was
near me because I smelled her fragrance. She wasn’t smiling and she looked upset. Like she was crying.

What was she crying about?

I looked around to see if there was something that could help me figure it out, but it was just her and her tears felt like the dam had over-flooded. I open my mouth to speak to her, but she just kept staring at the wall, like she did not hear me. She could have been ignoring me, but I wanted to tell her it would be okay. I’d fix whatever it was that had her worried. I hoped it wasn’t Zee. He was doing so well and he’d made a pact with me about alleviating the burden off of D’asia by doing his school work and helping around their place.

I reached for her, but I could not reach. When I tried to get up, something was keeping me down. There were other people in the room, but they weren’t visible.

What was going on? Was I awake?

I tried to talk again, but I could not even hear my own voice.

Was I alive?

Oh God.

Then, I heard the unthinkable. It was D’asia talking.

“You warned me away from him. Remember? You called me a hood bitch and said Ryan was only using me, right Paula.” Her head moved to someone else, then she continued, “You put her up to it. I know you did. So, please don’t sit here and try to act like I’m disrupting something.”

“No, no.” Shit, that was my mother. “He hasn’t been responsive and when he did talk, he was saying your name. I was just trying to ensure Ryan had the best.”

“What!” D’asia exclaimed. “You tried to blackmail me to break up with him in exchange for my brother’s charges to be dropped. This was you trying to ensure Ryan had the best.”

“I did what was necessary.” My mother snapped.

“But now you call me to tell me he’s been shot. I rush down here and you want me to work some magic because I’m some sort of a voodoo witch and wake him up then leave him alone forever. You, bitches, have balls of steel.” D’asia was about to go off.

“Think about what’s best for Ryan. Since you’ve been separated, he’s been promoted, bought a home and has been able to focus. That should tell you something, D’asia.” This was my mother again.

Was this all a dream?

“Are you serious?” D’asia yelled. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Fuck.

“Get out,” I yelled.

I didn’t think anyone could hear me, so I kept yelling and yelling. They turned around to face me. It was D’asia with tears in her eyes, Paula and my mother. They all rushed over to me, but I looked at them and yelled, “Get out.”

“Get the fuck out.”

“Ryan,” My mom tried to interject. “Just…”

“Get the fuck out.” I sneered as my voice was hoarse.

“But…” Paula tried to come around the other side.

I glared at her and repeated, “You especially, get out and never return. You have nothing to say to me.”

It was all making sense now and D’asia did not tell me any of it. She did not say one word to me about any of their meddling.

I looked at her as she was backing out of the room, “No, you stay.” She stopped and looked around. “You, D’asia. Stay.”

“Ry…” My mother tried to interject.

“Mother, I won’t say it again. Get the fuck out and I do not want to see you until I make the move to see you.”

She scoffed and stormed out of the room. Paula followed her. The only person that remained was D’asia.

Her eyes bore into me as tears continued to roll down her beautiful face.

“They both came at you?” I asked as I tried to sit up and clear my throat.

She moved to pass me the water in a cup on the side with the bent straw in the center. Holding it to my face, I took a sip and moved my head back. She replaced the cup back on the countertop next to the hospital bed.

“They both came at you and you didn’t tell me,” I repeated. “Is that why?”

She shook her head at me. “No, that’s not why. Yes, I didn’t tell you. That is your family, right. Blood and blue.”

“I don’t give a fuck,” I yelled. “You should have told me they were filling your head with that toxic shit. I don’t fucking want Paula and my mother does not dictate my life or who I’m with. Ever!”

“I know, Ryan.” She was still crying. “This had nothing to do with what they were saying. I can handle them. You know what that was about. We just were too different.”

“Bullshit.” I was about to tell her fuck all that, but the doctor came in.

“Mr. McFadden, I see you are up and lively this morning. Welcome! I’m Doctor Rashaad.”

“Doctor,” I nodded at him.

“Mrs. McFadden?” He asked D’asia.

“No, no. I was just leaving.”

“She stays.” I interrupted her and grabbed her hand.”

She looked down at me, then nodded. The doctor smiled, then said, “Okay. You were shot in the stomach. That bullet traveled and has took residence near your spinal cord, causing you to have experience temporary paralysis.” He lifted up the covers near my feet. “Can you feel this?”

There was no feeling and panic hit me as my chest grew tight. My entire body seemed to be immersed in a furnace. I could not feel my legs. I was so caught up with everything else, I did not realize that I could not feel my legs. My chest tightened, my lungs felt like they were flooding and I couldn’t breathe.

The doctor continued, “I’m sorry Mr. McFadden, but it’s too early to know how long you will have no feeling, but it is temporary because there is some movement in your toes. My guess would be that it will not last long, but the body is such a weird organism, so you need to be prepared.”

“Prepared?” D’asia asked.

“Yes, he’s going to need someone to help him get around, do basic things and even get him back and forth to therapy.” She laid her hand on my head to wipe off the sweat.

“Okay,” D’asia said. “If you don’t know how long this will last, then how aggressive should his therapy be?”

“Every day.” He responded.

She sighed, “Okay, then. What services does the hospital provide and what does he need to outsource?”

What the hell was going on?

Temporary paralysis?

Therapy?

Everyday?

“What the fuck,” I finally said. “So, I will not be able to move on my own and I’ll need a nurse to help me get around. You have no idea how long this will last, but you’re certain it’s temporary.”

“Yes, Ryan.” He confirmed. “You have little feeling in your left toes. They respond when they’ve been touched, but only slightly. You will need a nurse and some assistance for a while, but I’m very optimistic that it won’t be for more than a few months.”

D’asia found a hand towel and was patting my face, neck and chest. I grabbed her hand and held it. She let me as I thought about my next steps.

“Do you have a traveling nurse service here that can assist him during the day? Me and my brother can help him after that and on the weekends.” D’asia took control.

“No,” I started to say, but she leveled her eyes on me with the look that said more than I was willing to fight.

“Yes, we actually do. You can select your nurse today and set up when to start. The same with physical therapy.”

“Okay.” I squeezed her hand. “Let’s get this going. When can I get out of here?”

“We have to do a few more test, but you should be out of here by tomorrow afternoon.” He smiled.

“Okay, can we start the process of selecting a nurse and physical therapy will be here, correct?” D’asia asked.

“Yes, I’ll send the representative to start the process.”

“Great.”

When the doctor left out, she turned to me and wiped off the new beads of sweat that formed on my head.

“It’s going to be alright, Ryan.” She reassured.

“What happened to the other guy?” I asked, for the first time remembered how I got here. “How is Sal?”