Pieces of Me by Pua Ramona (small books to read txt) 📕

all I want to do is hold my baby brother. I don’t acknowledge anyone, not even Mama. I make it to the side of his bed and he says, “Can you tell me a story?” All I can do is shake my head yes, take my shoes off and make sure to wash my hands before I climb onto the bed. Micah makes room for me and I lay my head on his chest and everything inside of me shatters. “Shh. Aua ke kagi.” Don’t you cry he whispers. And I just cried harder.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Eli

They moved Micah to the Hospice because they said there was nothing else they could do but keep him comfortable until it was his time. No one knew what to say so we all kept quiet. Miss Rita and Mama were probably the only ones who were strong enough to push through their emotions. They held everyone together. After the doctor explained how Hospice worked, he transferred Micah yesterday after everyone visited with him.  Most of their families went home, while we stayed and helped Miss Rita get things ready for Micah.

While Mama, Miss Rita and the girls left to grab some things for him, me and the guys stayed and kept him company. Becca wanted to stay, but I sent her home to rest and because I felt like this wasn’t her place right now. Things weren’t awkward at all; we just didn’t know how to be anymore. So we just sat in his room and watched whatever was on tv. Micah couldn’t keep up with our conversations most of the time so he just slept. When he woke up late last night he looked around like he was looking for someone. Luka, Daniel, and Reese were asleep so I went to see if he was okay. I got to the side of his bed and all I could hear was him calling out for his sister and it killed me. I wasn’t sure if he was dreaming or not so I quietly asked “Micah, are you okay?” At first he slowly opened his eyes then he had this look on his face like he didn’t know where he was. I put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed “Bro, are you okay?” I asked again.

He slowly looked at me with tears running down his face and on his pillow. “I want Sina. I can’t go without saying bye” he cries. I felt my own tears running down my face, I tried not to but I was slowly breaking for this family. He reaches for my hand and says “I need my sister to be here when I take my last breath.”

I hold his hand in both of mine and say, “She’ll be here soon.” And I look up to check the clock on the wall.

I hear him take a deep breath then he says something that threw not only me off, but the rest of the guys. “The baby isn’t yours Eli” Micah says.

I’m not sure if I heard him right so I lean in and ask, “What was that?” He starts coughing so I give him some water. When his coughing calms down, I ask him again “Can you repeat what you just said?”

He clears his throat and says “Becca’s baby isn’t yours.”

I feel like I’ve been kicked in the fucking chest. I see Luka walking over to the other side of his bed with a sour look on his face and I hear Daniel and Reese stand behind me. I take a deep breath and rub my face with my hands.

Luka looks at me, then looks at his brother, “How do you know that it’s not E’s baby, bro?” he asks. Micah starts dozing off from the meds they have been giving him. Luka leans a little and asks “If E’s not the father, then who is it?”

Micah has his eyes half way open as he says, “The baby is mine.”

Luka’s face pales and I hear both Reese and Daniel say “What the fuck?” under their breath.

“How do you know this?” Luka asks.

Micah coughs a little bit then answers, “Because Becca told me.”

The air leaves my lungs and all I see is fucking red. I know I have no right to be mad at Micah because Becca wasn’t mine. But the fact that she knew this whole time and didn’t say shit pissed me the fuck off. Micah grabs my hand and says,“Don’t be mad at her Eli, talk to her.” And his eyes flutter shut as the meds kick in, pulling him under.

No one says anything else until we’re sure Micah’s asleep. I can’t breathe and I have to step out of the room. I can’t believe she fucking played me like that. I keep repeating it in my head. My legs feel like jello, and I lean my back against the wall before sliding to the floor with my head tilted to the heavens.

“How are you holding up bro?” Luka asks.

I blow out a hard breath and say, “I’m fucking pissed.”

“Are you pissed ‘cause you’re not the father, or is it something else?” Luka asks.

I look at him and say “I’m fucking pissed ‘cause she fucking lied, I’m fucking pissed ‘cause I’ve been busting my ass off for a baby that’s not even fucking mine. I’m fucking pissed ‘cause I’ve wasted five fucking months taking care of this bitch when I could have been working on shit between me and Sina.” I feel my body shaking with rage.

“Breathe man” Reese says.

“Man, I don’t even know what to fucking say E” Daniel says.

We sit there lost in our thoughts ‘til Reese says, “You should ask Becca man. I mean, I know Micah’s on his meds but why would he say some shit like that out of nowhere?”

I’m not worried if Micah is the father, I didn’t question it because I know he was telling the fucking truth. I’m fucking pissed because Becca’s been stringing