Show Me You Care (2 page)

We arrived at the hospital and a soon as we got there she was going to the back. My best friend, my rib, was fighting for her life.

Jayden:

I sat in the waiting room trying to figure out how this all happened. I know of the guy who tried to rape my sister. Something told me to go outside and it’s a good thing I did. I called my pops to see if he was going to show up to the hospital or not. He didn’t even have to answer the phone since I’d seen him when he walked in. Jayden “Jay” Thomas Sr., convicted felon, drug lord, and father of three. Big Jay walked in and his presence alone made every worker speed up the process. Big Jay stood at 6’7” with light skin, zero tattoos, one pierced earlobe, dark green eyes, and two dimples. The eyes and dimples were traits that he passed down to his children. I stood as my dad walked over to where Shyla, Trey, and I were once sitting.

“What’s the word on baby girl?” Just as quick as the question was asked the doctor walked out of the double doors.

“Family of Jordyn Brown?” we all walked over to the doctor. “Okay, to make a long story short, Jordyn suffered a concussion. She also lost a tremendous amount of blood. We had to start her on a blood transfusion. Right now she is sleeping off the medication. We would like to keep her over night to monitor her. Right now she is stable and we would like to keep it that way.” Nobody said anything. We all just looked around wondering what the hell happened.

“Aye, can we go up to see her?” I asked as he was walking away.

“In a couple of hours when they move her to pediatrics. Until then you guys should go home get some rest or something to eat. I will have the nurse call as soon as she is moved.” We all looked at each other, then everyone turned to me since I was the one that saved her. I just shook my head and walked out. Not even a week after meeting my sister she was in the hospital over nonsense.

              Chapter 3:

I laid in the hospital bed contemplating my escape. I couldn’t stay there overnight. I didn’t trust my mother not to pick my lock and search for my stash. My stash held close to $5,000 in it and I’d be damned if I’d let her take that. I was saving up for college—at least trying to—but every time I turned around I was stuck paying off her debts to these local ass drug dealers. I didn’t know what I hated more; crack heads or the people that gave them crack. I searched for my phone before I realized I left it at my job, if I still had a job. I watched as the nurse came to check on me for the thousandth time this hour.

“Oh, you’re up. Good, you have a few visitors!” I watched as my best friend and three grown men that I’ve seen at work walked inside my room. I gave Shyla a look that asked what the hell was going on.

“Aye, can y’all give us a minute?” one of the men asked. I prayed he wasn’t a drug dealer looking for his money. He looked at me and smiled. “I ain’t no drug dealer, patna’. I’m just a drug dealer’s seed. You know, like you.” I looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Excuse me? What did you say?”

“I said I’m just a drug dealer’s son, just like you’re a drug dealer’s daughter.” As if on cue, the oldest man walked back into the room. “Ain’t that right, Pops? I’m just a drug dealer’s son,” he stated, a little louder than needed, as if to make a point. The older man just shook his head at his son.

“Look, Jordyn, I know you don’t know who I am but I would like for you to want to get to know me.”

“Excuse me? Listen, I know I fell and bumped my head but I damn sure didn’t hit it that hard. And the only men your age that have ever been around me re my mother’s crack suppliers. Who the hell are you and how do you know my name?”

“Jordyn, I know that you are skeptical but I am your father. I know that I wasn’t active in your life but I always dropped off money for you and ya’ momma. Now what she did with the money was her business but I always looked out for you from afar. This is your older brother Jayden. You also have an older sister named Kayden.” I looked at this man as if he’d lost his damn mind. My father, really? That’s what he wants to call himself? A father doesn’t leave a child out to dry the way he did. Here I am, 16 about to be 17, working triples and doubles to try to pay off my mother’s never-ending debts, only to come face to face with the man who got her hooked on drugs in the first place.

“Jordyn, are you listening to me?”

“I stopped listening after you said you were my father! I’m good, “POPS.” I don’t need you in my life now. Shit, I raised myself. Is you proud? Come in here talking about you’re my father. Nigga, my father is dead. Died a long time ago. Matter of fact, let me think. Yep, it will be 17 years ago on the 19
th
of March. So I guess I should say happy resurrection day to you or maybe I’m talking to a hologram. Talking about you made sure I was good. By doing what? Leaving money with a crack head? The same crack head you strung out, right?” I waited for my answer before continuing my rant. “That’s what I thought. You can go. The both of you. Nice to meet you, “brother.” I hope I don’t see you around.” With that they both walked out, but not before my “father” left an envelope on the counter. Damn, it’s crazy how it took for me to be in the hospital for them to pop out the woodworks.

“Jordyn, you alright?” I looked at Shyla with disgust.

“You knew that was my brother when you sent me to the table?” I could see her trying to form a lie.

“Look Jordyn, yes, I knew Big Jay was your father but it wasn’t my place to tell you. I know you’re mad right now but you have to understand my position. When I sent you over to the table, yes, Jayden’s face was familiar but I didn’t recognize who he was until we got here. I swear.” I just shook my head and pointed to the door before the tears could escape from my face. All these years I went through life wanting a dad to be there to tuck me in or dry my tears when I had a nightmare or when Mommy didn’t give me my way. Instead, my father thought it was smart to leave money for your child with a crack head who stopped being a mother three years after giving birth.
I don’t need anyone. Not Shyla, not Jayden, not Kayden, and I damn sure don’t need my parents
, I thought to myself as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the perfect life that I would never experience.

I woke up to the sounds of monitors and arguing. It was Jayden and a female I took to be Kayden. You could tell we were all related; we had the eyes and dimples, although we were all different shades of brown.

“Jayden, she doesn’t want to get to know us. Don’t you get it? I mean come on, I’m five years older than her, you’re three. Shit, you was here when she went off on Dad, I wasn’t.” I cleared my throat and they both turned their heads to look at me.

“Good morning, Jordyn. I’m your big sister Kayden.” I gave her a head nod. “Umm, the hospital is releasing you in a few minutes. We’re just here to give you a ride where you need to go.”

“Y’all don’t have to worry about me; I could walk or take a cab. Like I said, I’m good. I made it this far, didn’t I?” Just then the cute boy from yesterday walked in.

“Aye, y’all ready to go or nah?”

“Is he my brother, too?” They all started laughing but I was dead ass serious. Next they would be trying to tell me mother was sober and had landed a job.

“Nah, we not related. I’m Trey, Jayden’s right-hand man,” he said, putting his hand out, waiting for me to shake it.

“Jordyn, I don’t usually do handshakes. Too many germs and bacteria.” We all started laughing. I could tell they were trying to lighten up the mood but in all actuality, I was just trying to make it through the day. I looked at the clock. I had to go home and get ready for work.

“I guess I’ll take y’all up on that ride.” As soon as I said that the nurse came with my discharge papers and we were out the door.

              Trey:
I shook my head at this girl, “Jordyn.” Damn she was fine and could get it on any day of the week but that was the bro’s sister. Besides, who would want to get with the same nigga that was selling crack to her mother? I probably wouldn’t be her type if she was anything like Kayden. According to Kayden, I was too hood for an average female. Shit, at 18 I felt like I’d seen the world. I’d been arrested multiple times, went to prison twice, and had a son named Tremaine at 14. My baby mother was a little obsessed with Trey Songz at the time.

I looked over at Jordyn. She hadn’t stopped smiling since we got in the car. I was mesmerized by her beauty. She was stronger than any female I’d ever met.
“Aye, so Jordyn, what school you go to out here?” I asked, attempting to get to know her better.
“I go to Grady. Before you ask, I use my aunt’s address,” she said as she used her fingers to comb through her sandy brown hair.
“You’re lying. I go there and I’ve never seen you before.” She laughed at me then smirked, making her dimple show.
“You don’t remember, I’m the girl whose test you cheated off of in calculus the other day?” I nodded my head at her, remembering the day she was talking about.
“I thought y’all said she was 16 going on 17,” I said to Jayden and Kayden. Jordyn cleared her throat before laughing at my question.
“I am 16 going on 17. My birthday is next month. I am graduating a year early because I have great grades. You should know. I’m pretty sure you got your first 100 after cheating off of me,” she stated sarcastically, as we pulled up in front of her building. "Stop right here. I can walk the rest of the way." We all turned to look at her.
"Nah, sis, you ain't ‘bout to walk down this long block by your damn self," Jayden said as he continued driving down her block. "Tell me when to stop."
"Alright, stop right here. Thank y'all for the ride." As she was getting out, her mother walked out the house.
"So here I am waiting for your dumb ass and you out being a ho. Shit, I need some money. Give me $20."
"Ma, I don't have $20 right now." With that Tinker slapped the shit out of her. We all got out of the car. None of us were just going to sit there and watch her get attacked for nothing.
"Aye, Jordyn, are you good?" Jayden asked. I placed my hand on my tool, ready for whatever.
"I'm good, guys. Y'all can leave. I have to go get ready for work anyway." Tinker turned and looked at us real hard. I know what she was thinking.
"Oh, so I see you meet your brother and sister. That's where you were at?" Jordyn didn't answer. She just looked away. "Answer me. You were out meeting your father, bitch?" Jordyn still didn't answer her. Tinker nodded her head then looked over at me. "Aye, Trey, let me get a dime bag on credit. Jordyn will you give you the money." All eyes fell on me as I reached in my pocket and handed her the dime bag. Jordyn just looked at me with hate and disgust in her eyes before walking into the house, wiping her face.

Chapter 4:
It had been a week since I watched Trey supply my mother with crack. I had been avoiding him and my siblings faithfully since that day. I hadn't talked to anyone all week, not even Shyla. Today was Friday and then we had a week off from school. I had decided to throw on my black high waist jeans from American Eagle and a black crop top. Although it was February it felt like July. I threw on my black Tims since I knew how females acted before break. I let my sandy brown hair that stopped at the middle of my back out and walked to the bus stop. As I was walking a car approached me.
"Jordyn, get in the car. I'll drop you off." I looked over my shoulder to see Trey driving alongside me. I rolled my eyes and kept walking to the bus stop.
"Jordyn, just get ya’ ass in the fucking car, alright? Damn. I've been apologizing all week. What else you want me to do?"
"Can you drop dead? That would be nice. Or maybe you could bring back the old Tinker, the one who didn't do drugs. Yeah, can you do that? No, you can't but you can continue to supply her with the bullshit she smokes, right? That's what I thought, Trey. You can't do shit for me, can you?" I could feel the tears starting to form in my eyes. I'll be damned if I let this nigga see me cry.
"Jordyn, just get in the car. It's about to start raining." Just as he said that the rain started to fall, leaving me no choice but to get in the car.
"Look, Jordyn, I know you’re mad that I gave your mother the drugs but I didn't know that she was your mother. Honestly, I didn't. Yeah, I knew she had a daughter. I just didn't know it was you. I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?" I tried to smile away the tears but I couldn’t hold them in any longer. I shifted my body so that it was facing the window. I didn’t need a stranger seeing me cry. I looked around and didn’t recognize my surroundings anymore.

“Where are we? I know you did not just kidnap my ass!”

“You go to Grady, right? That’s where we going. I just need to make a stop real quick.” A couple minutes later we pulled into the driveway of one of the biggest houses I’d ever seen. I sat in the car, taking in my surroundings.

“Get out the car, ma.” I got out and followed behind him like a lost puppy. He stuck his key in the door.
So this is his place
, I thought.

“Aye, Jay, we here, man.” He walked into the kitchen and grabbed an apple before hugging an older version of Kayden. They had the same smile and voice, the same body shape and all. “Hey, Ma, where’s Big Jay?” She turned and faced me, and then she walked over and hugged me.

“Hello, Jordyn. Oh my goodness, I haven’t seen you in forever. You’re grown now. Last time I seen you your were the size of a tadpole.”

“Star, please leave the girl alone,” Jay said. “Hello, Jordyn.” I rolled my eyes and looked at Trey. Here he was, making us late for nothing.