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

with the same woman. I know he’s hurting because I see it in his eyes and in the way he rubs at his chest. I don’t hate him anymore, if anything I’m fucking grateful that he kept my family safe when I couldn’t. I give him a head nod, and he gives one right back. We don’t need words. We have to respect each other because we love her.

“I love you Rino” she cries. He smiles but it’s a sad one.

“I love you too,” he says. I see tears in his eyes but he wipes them away before she notices. He takes a few steps backwards and looks at us one last time then he’s gone.

I take a deep breath and say “All the pieces of me that are left belong to you. If it’s the only way you can be whole again, then they all belong to you.” That night as she sleeps, I promise her brother and father that I’m going to do right by her. Then I asked them if they can watch over my son. That night the hole in my heart starts to heal.

I’m not sure how long I’ve been laying here holding her, but I know she's out of it because she’s snoring and has a little bit of drool on the side of her mouth. But it didn’t gross me out or anything, it just makes me smile. I climb out of the bed and stand there watching her sleep for a few minutes longer and can’t ignore the ache I feel. I reach for the blanket so I can cover her because she’s shivering and I move the strands of loose hair that are in her face behind her ear, running my fingers down her face. I lean down, kiss her lips and rest my forehead on hers with my eyes closed. “I love you” I whisper. I grab my phone and wallet before I walk out. I stop at the nurse’s station to speak to Annie.

“Hey Annie. Sina’s sleeping right now. I’m going to go talk to our families about the baby then I’ll be back.”

She smiles and says “I’ll let her know that you stepped out for a quick minute if she wakes up.”

I start walking but Annie stops me and says, “Hey Mr. Hunter.”I look over my shoulder at her and she walks around the counter so she can be closer to me and says, “Dr. Powell wanted me to let you know that Sina can leave tomorrow, but he wants you to keep a close eye on her.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

She looks at me and says “We’re not sure how she’ll be when she leaves here, so make sure to not leave her by herself. Don’t smother her, but make sure you don’t leave her alone long enough for the negative thoughts to start playing in her head. Every mother deals with their loss differently, and in Sina’s case she didn’t lose just your son, but she also lost her brother. And I’m sure you have people who will help her through this.” Before she walks away she adds, “Take good care of her.” I don’t respond back because she’s already walking away. I already planned on taking care of Sina after she leaves here tomorrow anyway.

I’m not comfortable with being the one to update everyone, but I have to do it. I walk past the guys and head straight to Miss Rita. I feel my heart beating hard so I take a deep breath before I say anything.

“How are they doing?” she asks.

I sit down next to her with my head down and say, “He didn’t make it.” She takes a deep breath of her own. She reaches for my hands then leans her forehead on them and she starts crying. Mona, Lei, June-Bug and Becca are on the other side of me crying. The guys don’t say anything but I can see the hurt written all over their faces.

“Will my baby brother be in the same heaven with Uncle Micah?” asks Emma. I feel my heart crack when I hear her little voice. Miss Rita moves her hands so I can talk to Emma. I stand up and walk closer to her. I move down so she doesn’t have to look up.

I gently grab her hands and say, “Yes sweetheart.”

Emma has tears running down her face, “Mama always says that everything happens for a reason, and when the people we love die it’s ‘cause God needs them more in heaven. Do you think my baby brother knows that I will always love him? “

I nod, “Yes.”

She tries to wipe her tears away but they continue to fall down her sweet little face, “Then I will make sure to talk to him everyday so he doesn’t forget me. I don’t want him to forget about me.” She looks at me and asks, “Is Mama okay?” She is a miniature version of Sina, always making sure that someone else is okay before anything else. Too young to know heartache but wise enough to know more about life than most of us adults.

I pull her in for a hug and say, “She’s okay. She’s just tired.” I’m not sure if she knows that I was her brother’s father but I don’t ask.

She moves a little so she can hold my face in her tiny hands and says “Baby Elijah would have had your blue eyes and Mama’s black curly hair and our nose.”

I can’t breathe and I feel the back of my eyes stinging. “How did you know his name?” I ask her.

“Because Mama named him after we found out that I was having a baby brother.” She kisses me on my forehead and I swear I feel my heart flip. I pull her in for a hug and hold on to her for a few seconds. I let her go and she walks over to her grandmother. I stand up and see Megan crying. I walk