Stripping Asjiah II by Sa'Rese Thompson. Page A

some rest.” She walked over to the IV bag and began checking Keyshia‟s fluids.
Ms. Livingston knelt down besides her and whispered in herear, “I thought I taught you better than this.” She kissed her on the cheek, zipped her leather jacket and disappeared into the hallway.
Danielle waited until the chime to the elevator sounded before she spoke.
“So that‟s Keyshia‟s mom huh?”
“Yeah that‟s her, in all her sluttastic glory.”
“Do we really have to leave?” Danielle watched as the nurse continued to check Keyshia‟s vitals.
“No, you two can stay. I could hear you arguing from down the hall and it seemed like things were getting pretty heated in here so I stepped in.” Ashley looked at the monitor, wrote some things down on the chart then turned back to us.
“If you two need anything just let me know, there‟s some blankets in the closet if you get cold.”
“Okay, thank you.”
I was beginning to feelnauseous, I hadn‟t eaten since yesterday and aside from a few sips of water nothing had touched my stomach. I got up and barely made it to the bathroom as I began to cough up the lining of my intestines.
“Are you okay?”
I started to dry heave as my insides convulsed in an effort to regurgitate anything it could. I had to remember that I was no longer eating for just myself anymore.
“Yeah…I‟m fine.”
Danielle held my hair behind my head and rubbed my back. “Are you hungry? Would you like me to run and getyou something?”
I lifted my head, wiped my mouth and leaned against the wall. “You look like you need some food too.”
As if on cue her stomach began to growl. “Yeah I guess I do.”
“I could use some fresh air why don‟t we go to the Chicago Deli over on Euclid.”
“Sounds good,”
“Where‟d you park?” I grabbed my navy Polo jacket off the chair and waited for her to get her things.
“I didn‟t drive. I rode in the ambulance with Keyshia.” The sliding doors opened, prompting her to rub her arms vigorously.
“Here.” I handed her my jacket, zipped my sweatshirt and placed my hood over my head.
“Thanks.”
“Don‟t worry about it.”
    “S irhave you been helped yet?” The nurse signed off on her charts and placed them in the appropriate bin before turning to face him, “Sir?”
    “I‟m looking for a girl; brown skin, maybe around 5‟5”. I think she was brought to this hospital earlier.” His eyes darted nervously around the ER.
    “Do you know her name?”
“Uh…,” He was uneasy, jittery. He was taking a huge risk being out in public but he needed to know if she was still alive.
“Her name Sir,”
“Just tell me what room she‟s in.”
“Due to patient safety, we can‟t let you any further than the lobby if you don‟t know her name.”
“But I‟m family.”
The nurse was beginning to get suspicious; his presence made her nervous. “All the more reason you should know her name.”
She managed to make eye contact with a passing security guard who seemed to sense her discomfort.
“Is there a problem here Ash?”
He turned around to face the young man who was standing behind him with his chest poked out tapping on his gun.
“No problem at all,” Glancing down at his badge he smirked. “Officer Bailey, I was just trying to see if my sister was here, but I guess she isn‟t.” He winked at the nurse before stepping away from the desk.
“If you want I can look at that scar for you.” He had forgotten that his wound was exposed as he ran his hand across his throat.
“I‟m good.” Brushing by the officer he disappeared out the exit before she could say anything else.
“What was that about?”
“I don‟t know, he was asking about a girl that he thought had been admitted here but he couldn‟t give me any information on her.”
“Yeah that‟s weird.”
“Weird isn‟t the word, he was down right creepy.”
We took our seats at the Chicago Deli and waited for the waitress to return as we looked over the menu.
“I‟m sorry I was such a