Page 21 of Bern and Isley (D-Ville Projects #5)

Bern

I paced the hall of the emergency room at Highland Regional Hospital.

My nerves were bad as fuck as I waited to get an update on Isley.

After the initial shock of seeing the totaled vehicle dissipated, I headed straight to the hospital.

My hope was that they survived. Well, my hope was that Isley and the baby survived.

I put the thoughts of anything else in the back of my mind.

A nigga couldn’t handle the alternative.

Isley had to make it. Because if she didn’t and that nigga Marshall did, he was good as dead.

“Claybern, come over here and sit by me,” my mother insisted. The worry lines cascaded across her mocha toned forehead. “You need to be calm for whenever they let us back there to see her.”

“I’m okay,” I assured her. The truth was, I was scared if I sat still I might lose it.

We had no idea of the status of Isley, the baby, or the sperm donor. A couple of my homies in DP had stopped by to see if there were any updates and offer support. They didn’t stick around too long, but I appreciated them for stopping by. Everybody in the hood knew how I stepped behind Isley.

“I’m about to lose my damn mind,” Snow groaned, covering her face with her hands. “They need to hurry the hell up!”

“Calm down, baby,” Ms. Fee encouraged her as she patted her shoulder. “I know my Isley’s going to be just fine.”

Isley’s aunt was trying her best to remain positive. But her facial expressions were betraying her. She was worried about her niece and rightfully so. Isley’s mother and brother were both killed in a car accident so I was sure this reopened old wounds.

The physician came out and provided us with an update on Isley. She was banged up but expected to be just fine.

“Me and Bern will go in first,” Snow announced as she pulled me toward the direction the doctor was leading us.

The hallway leading to Isley was long. The white tiled floor seemed to go on forever.

After entering the automatic doors of the unit, we passed a room where the patient was moaning and groaning loudly.

We neared the nurse’s station where there was a lady with a scrub cap on her head texting on her phone.

“Here you go,” the doctor announced.

My stomach churned and my feet felt like lead as I entered the hospital room.

Isley was laid back in the bed with her eyes closed.

She had a huge knot on her head and her lip was busted.

Her face was battered and bruised. A single tear escaped my eye and I quickly wiped my face and willed myself to hold it together.

I had to be strong for her. But seeing her laid up like that really fucked a nigga up.

Snow beat me to the bedside as she gently laid against Isley. Isley struggled to open her swollen eyes.

“How are you feeling?” Snow asked out of instinct because it was clear as day that Isley was in some pain.

“I’m okay.” She winced as she attempted to adjust herself in the hospital bed.

My feet finally propelled me toward the other side of the bed. I reached out to grab Isley’s hand. “I’m glad to see you’re still with us,” I managed to blurt out.

She squeezed my hand gently in response. I felt so much vulnerability in her touch. I wished that I could take away every ounce of her pain and discomfort.

Snow and I visited with her for twenty minutes in comfortable silence.

I pulled up a chair beside her bed because Isley didn’t want to let my hand go.

I didn’t mind because I wanted to continue to hold hers.

And I was glad she found comfort in my presence.

Snow eventually left so my mom and Isley’s aunt could visit as well.

After a couple of hours, everyone left, then it was just me and Isley.

We didn’t say much. The television played in the background to break up the silence. She was weak and I didn’t want her to use her energy trying to converse when she should be resting. She didn’t have any major injuries, but she would be sore for a while.

“Isley, I know the timing is fucked up, but I have something I need to tell you.”

“Okay.”

“You probably don’t remember. But the day that I came over for a retwist, I told you that I needed to tell you something. But when you started vomiting, I lost my train of thought.”

“I do remember that.”

I took a deep breath. All of a sudden I regretted bringing the topic up. “Never mind.”

“Spit it out, Bernie,” she urged, giving my hand a hard squeeze.

“I love you, Isley.”

She smiled weakly. “I love you too… but what do you need to tell me?”

“I’m telling you. I love you. And I’m not just talking about a friendly type of love. I’m in love with you, Isley. I know we’ve been best friends for many years and that you probably don’t see me in that way, but I’ve been fighting this feeling for a while.”

Isley didn’t respond. I wasn’t too surprised by that. I knew it was a lot to drop on her, especially at this moment. But the fact that she could’ve died without even knowing my true feelings about her made me feel better about finally speaking my truth.

“And I’m going to be there for you, helping as you recover from your injuries. My mama has agreed to come over every day to help with your aunt too. So that’s one less thing you have to worry about. Your top priority is just getting rest and continuing to bake that little bun in the oven.”

Isley’s shoulders began heaving as a sob escaped her lips. “There is no bun. I lost my baby.”