Melted & Shattered Read Online Free Page A

went down.”
    “What about the other guy with Fernie?”
    “Skinny handled that.”
    “Skinny? Who’s Skinny? And what did he handle?”
    “He’s J’s boy and I didn’t ask what handled meant. I didn’t want to know.”
    I guess she was right. I didn’t really want to know either. I mean I did, but at the same time, ignorance is bliss.
    “So finish up with the Wandra story.”
    “Yeah, so Larry and some of your cooks were here, so I took the time to go get some coffee. I’d been with you for days and barely ate. Folks kept shoving food at me, but I couldn’t manage to eat any of it. Wandra found me in the cafeteria with my coffee. She sat down and said a pretty girl like you should be crying in her beer not her coffee . She’d heard about the scenes J and I made. I guess it had become hospital gossip. She told me to let her know if I needed anything, so I told her once your parents came I’d need help. She’s a really nice lady.”
    “Who charges?”
    Chris laughed half-heartedly. “I said she was nice, not that she wasn’t a hustler as well.”
    “Was she serious that I’m getting out soon?”
    Chris stretched out on the bed. “Not sure. I think she made that up. You know I ain’t letting your parents take you home. Shit, have a 'lil faith in me, girl.” She yawned. “It looks like you’ll be paying me back that twenty bucks though if J really did pay off your bills.”
    “Damn, bitch. Hustlin’ a girl in a hospital bed?”
    “You know it.”
    “That’s why I love you.” I winced. All the action was making my side hurt. “I’m ‘bout to hit this magical morphine button. You gonna pass out?”
    “Just for a sec. I can move.” She went to get up, but I held her back.
    “ Nah. Lay with me ‘til I fall asleep.” I knew she’d be out about the same time as me. Plus, I was lonely. Despite all the people that had been coming though, I was the only one inside my head, and it was an overwhelming place to be alone. Although Chris couldn’t crawl in my mind and help me sort things out, I could at least feel better having her by my side.
    “No prob. I love you.”
    “I love you too, Chris.”
    And with that we both drifted off.

Chapter 4
    It was another four days before they let me go home. I’d been in the hospital almost two weeks. As promised, it was Chris who took me home, not my crazy parents. We owed Wandra big time for that one. Larry and Jesse were there when we pulled up to my apartment, like there as in inside my place, not waiting on the steps. I had to find out how Larry was getting in my apartment.
    The guys came outside and took my bags, while Chris helped me inside. I still had sti tches in my side. The doctor said I’d have to go back in a month to get the stitches out, and for now to just keep my scar covered with ointment and a dressing as much as possible so the wound would continue to heal properly. He said this would also reduce the scarring, which to be honest, I didn’t give a fuck about. The scar inside of me was much deeper and would never heal right. At least, that’s how I was feeling as Chris helped me onto the couch.
    “Jesse and I stocked your fridge,” Larry told me once we were all settled in my living room passing a joint. I was on the couch with Chris, Larry was in the recliner, and Jesse sat on the floor.
    “What’d you stock it with? I can’t drink alcohol while I’m on the antibiotics.”
    “Give us some credit. We got TV dinners, frozen pizzas, crackers, and chips.”
    “So guy food?”
    “Whatever,” Larry huffed.
    “Sorry. I appreciate you hookin’ it up. And this too.” I held up the joint. Larry managed to get a half ounce of nuggs for me.
    “You can thank everyone when you come back to work. We all pitched in and José had the connection.”
    I realized I hadn’t seen José around yet. I tucked that away to ask Chris about once Larry and Jesse were gone. There was no reason for them to know I’d noticed José’s absence. Fuck,