A Little Bit of Crazy (Little Bits) (16 page)

ROAR
!

Yes libido. Thank you for your input.

     “Sylvia,” I smile and air kiss her cheeks. A man comes over and pulls my chair out for me as I sit beside her and she begins with the introductions, I hardly pay attention. In reality I should be at the end of the table as I’m the wealthiest but I don’t contest it. I just avoid the twenty pairs of eyes on me. “How are you?”

     “Fabulous my dear. And yourself? James says you’ve been under the weather.” She raises an eyebrow thinking I’m fibbing like the many other times I’ve rejected an invitation due to many illnesses.

     I smile sheepishly, “Definitely the truth this time. I’m ok now.”

     “You look a little peaky dear. You aren’t on one of those ridiculous celebrity diets are you? My granddaughter insists on starving herself. It’s ridiculous.”

     I shake my head and smile at the brown eyed woman opposite me as the chatter of the table restarts. “No, I don’t diet. I eat healthily but I love chocolate and pastries too much to diet.”

     “James tells me you run every morning,” Sylvia says with a proud smile. “It’s good to see young people caring about their health.”

     “Yes, I enjoy running. I run about eleven miles daily. It’s a fantastic way to escape the reality of life. Wouldn’t you agree?” Although I’m pretty sure none of them can run anymore. Being old and all.

     There’s a chorus of agreements as a tea cup and scone is placed before me. I’ve never been one for scones so I ignore that and sip my tea wishing it was coffee. The table has a wide range of foods, fancy foods, caviar and finger sandwiches and what not. I choose not to eat for fear of vomiting. That would be disastrous. It’s bad enough the pain in my stomach has come back with a vengeance.

     “I threatened to cut him off,” my ears perk up at the sound of the old hag Charlene Petal who is sitting at the end of the table looking regal with her dyed black hair pulled into a bun so tight her wrinkles stretch across her face. Her pink suit dress is rather similar to my own. “It’s ridiculous. A daughter who marries out of our circle and now a grandson who’s so confused he thinks he’s gay.” I roll my eyes. Then she targets Sylvia. “Of course, Sylvia knows the feeling. Her nephew is a homosexual isn’t he?”

     Sylvia nods, “Yes and he and his life partner have just adopted a gorgeous little Ethiopian boy. They have named him Clayton. Stunning little boy.”

     I snort and Sylvia winks at me. “James showed me pictures in his attempt to convince me to open my womb.” I say quietly. Sylvia chuckles and pats my hand, “I’m sure you’ll be ready when you’re ready.”

     “Are you planning a family?” Charlene asks me, a conspirator gleam in her almost black eyes.

     I shake my head and sip my tea, “Not yet. Plenty of time for that. I’m far too busy with my business.”

     “And partying in Vegas,” Charlene’s friend to her right mumbles but the entire table hears her.

     I smirk, “Yes, that was a fun trip. Vegas is an amazing place.”

     “Was it your honeymoon?” Charlene asks, she seems polite but she’s not. She’s a crow.

     I change the subject, “Oh I forgot. James and I just purchased the penthouse apartment in the Preston building and it is divine.”

     Sylvia beams and clasps my face in her hands, “That sounds fabulous. Charlene, you had your eye on an apartment there didn’t you? Such a beautiful building. Not like some of the awful high rises that are going up all over the city.”

     Charlene scowls a little before nodding, “Yes. We were going for an apartment on the seventh floor. We decided on something a little less high maintenance.”

     “Yes, can’t be easy riding elevators and climbing stairs at your age Charlene. I don’t know how you do it,” I smile and a few people stifle or choke on their laughter. Charlene scowls and harrumphs before turning to her friend and chatting animatedly to her friend about her gay grandson. “Scandal. He’s gay,” I hiss with feigned anger whilst rolling my eyes.

     “It’s vile and disgusting,” Charlene says loudly, giving everyone a pointed look. Most of them roll their eyes, the rest nod in agreement. “It shouldn’t be allowed.”

     As normal I voice my opinion, “I think it’s wonderful. In all honesty why are you complaining? It is the twenty first century. The majority of the world agreed with letting them marry, letting them be. There are clubs specifically for gay people. There are parades, fashion shows, parties, lunches, and high end fashion all supporting gay people. There’s gay pride and so many other things. Why can’t you accept it? What is so vile about two men or two women falling in love?” I clear my throat and continue. “Did you know there are fifteen hundred species of animals that display homosexual behavior? Tell me honestly what’s more natural? The fifteen hundred species or the few humans who can’t be open minded enough to give them a shot. I don’t see a group of whale’s gay bashing their fellow gay whales. Now that is something to think about.”

     I don’t realize I have the entire table’s attention until I’m finished with my rant. Charlene is gaping at me, rather un-lady like with her mouth hanging open. “Well said,” the woman
opposite me smiles. “I completely agree. It’s not like they can’t have a normal life now adoption and marriage is on the table. It is time for change.”

     “Agreed,” a younger woman a few years older than me smiles from the other end of the table. I recognize her to be Charlene’s daughter. The one that married the black person. “Don’t you mother? Equality is important in this day and age. What with racism being so high and crime rates are through the roof.”

     “What is with that?” I scoff. “I visited a school a few months ago for this ‘behold your future event’ and there was security at the doors, like airport security terminals. I had to walk through a bloody metal detector and have my bag searched even though I was a guest speaker. It was horrendous.”

     “That’s because so many kids are in gangs these days and too many are getting shot or stabbed on the playground. It’s awful,” Sylvia says beside me. “When we adopted my James…” she shudders a little. “The house he came from. I had no idea people lived like that.”

     “Me too,” Charlene says with a wave of her hand. “It’s frightening how bad things are getting. Just last month our neighbors were mugged in the street only two blocks from their home. That’s the main reason we are moving. These gangs are targeting the nicer areas.”

     The conversation stays on crime and people’s experiences yet none of them, myself included have actually experienced the true crime which I’m grateful for. Yet how many people out there rely on the welfare, send their kids to run down schools, for fear their kids will get mugged, shot, stabbed or even raped because they said boo to the wrong person. Just thinking about it makes me sad.

     The pain in my stomach intensifies to an alarming rate and the nausea returns. We still have forty minutes left but I don’t feel like I can make it. “Sylvia,” I whisper and clutch my stomach. She pulls herself to look at me mid conversation. “I think I need to go to a doctor.” I groan a little as the throbbing flares and my nausea builds.

     She gasps and presses her hand to my forehead, someone asks if I’m ok but I can barely hear anything over the buzzing in my ears. “Hospital,” I say and double over panting, ouch it hurts so damn bad, and it’s come on so suddenly. There’s a scuffle of movement and a set of strong arms are lifting me from my chair. “Ouch,” I whimper as my stomach convulses.

     Sweat beads on my forehead and my skin feels like it’s on fire. I vaguely hear Sylvia shouting for James as I’m laid back on a comfier seat. Everything seems surreal, like I’m looking at my life through a lens not through my own eyes. I feel distant, like the ground is pulling me to its core yet pushing me out at the same time. And god the pain, it’s unbearable.

     I don’t care if I’m embarrassing myself I curl into the fetal position on the soft couch as people crowd me and a damp cloth is pressed to my forehead. There’s a popping feeling in my stomach, I cry out and the world goes black.

     “What’s wrong with her?” James… my James. He’s here. Wait, where’s here? So much pain.

     “She was fine one minute, the next she just dropped,” Sylvia sounds sad. Why’s she sad. Where’s my James?

     “Surgery now,” I hear someone demand and I feel my body vibrating as it moves. I’m on something soft and I can’t open my eyes. Using sheer will I peek them open a little, my eyelids flutter. James is running beside me, his hand gripping mine. He looks down and I see his green eyes brimming with tears. “You’re going to be ok,” he croaks and squeezes my hand. “I’m so sorry.” Why’s he sorry?

     “Mr. Freeman, wait out here,” the male voice from before shouts. I must have blacked out again.

     “Please, don’t let her die,” I hear James beg, his voice breaking around a sob as I’m wheeled away and darkness consumes me again.

     “Her appendix burst. Luckily we got to it in time but the poison spread. It’s going to be touch and go for a while,” a female says softly. “The poison caused an infection called peritonitis. We got it all we hope. Now all we can do is wait.”

     I can hear, I hear James. His hand is gripping mine. “Baby, please don’t leave me. Please.”

     “She’ll make it,” Marie says. I hear a sob that can only be Jessica. I want to comfort them, tell them I’m here but my body won’t move. “She’ll make it.”

     The pain, my stomach burns. My entire body burns. Yet I feel detached from my body. Like I’m not there yet I am. “Baby,” James says and I feel his forehead rest against mine. “I love you. Damn, I’m so sorry. So sorry.”

     “She’ll get through this,” I hear Sylvia say soothingly. “You know she will.”

     Darkness claims me.

     “NURSE!” I hear and there’s a bustle in the room. Something is pulled from my throat, I gag and choke, wanting to open my eyes. “Is she ok?”

     “Yes, she’s waking up. This is normal.” A female voice says. “She’s going to be ok Mr. Freeman. Her vitals are fine, her fever has broken and she’s responding well to treatment.”

     There’s a whimper of relief and James lips are pressed against my forehead. It takes me a few minutes that feel like hours but I manage to open my eyes. The room is dark, only a lamp above my bed lighting the room. My eyes find James immediately.

     “Oh, Maya,” he sighs and a tear falls down his cheek. “Maya. God I…”

     “Hey,” I say softly and touch his hand with what little energy I have. “I’m going back to sleep now.”

     He nods and kisses my nose, “I love you. So much.”

     “I know,” I give him a small smile and fall back into darkness.

     Light causes my eyelids to glow pink. There’s a light breeze on my face and the sound of a fan humming somewhere to my left. I peek my eyes open and smile. The entire room has flowers and cards and gifts on every surface, it smells divine, a little like Febreze actually. The sunlight pours through the open blinds. I’m in a private room, I know this because it’s similar to the room my father was in.

     “Hey,” James soft voice caresses my ears. I smile weakly and look at him. He’s disheveled and still in his suit from the morning before this incident. A shadow of a beard is across his face, it suits him. “I missed you baby.”

     “I missed you too,” I say and grip his hand. My voice sounds croaky from lack of use. “Are you ok?” He lets out a laugh, a genuine smile showing, “Am I ok? Are you crazy?”

     I nod a little, “I think we’ve established the fact that I am.”

     “How do you feel?”

     “Like I’ve travelled through hell and back,” I groan and blink the sleep from my eyes. “How long have I been out?”

     “It’s Thursday, you’ve been out three long torturous days,” he says and his eyes shine. I never want to see him cry again,
its heart breaking. “God. We lost you baby.” His shoulders shake and his head rests on my hand. “You died, for two fucking minutes. They took you into surgery and then you… your heart… you started having a fit and then you just…” I run my fingers through his hair, barely able to hold up my own hand.

      “I was probably just keeping them on their toes, you know how much of a prankster I am.” I say and he rolls his eyes. “So how long until we can have sex again?”

     He grins a wide sexy ass grin and peppers my face with wet kisses. I grin with him and watch as Sylvia comes into the room with two coffees in hand. She sags with relief, places the drinks on the desk and comes straight to me. Her eyes are tired and sad, I wonder if she’s been here the entire time.

     “Maya,” she says and kisses my forehead. “This is a classic case of the boy who cries wolf.”

     “Mother,” James hisses but I laugh twice. It’s painful to laugh but god I need it. “You’re right. Definitely Karma as well. What are the chances? I lie to get out of the lunches by saying I’m too sick to get out of bed and the one time I go I actually end up so sick my heart stops.” I turn to James. “I wonder if I’ll be able to see dead people now!”