Trevon Carter

I had only been in the room holding Arthur's hand for about five minutes when I got a text from Mark.

Mark: Come back out for a minute, please.

I sighed, but went out.

"Socks," Mark said and handed me a pair of plain white socks. They had the hospital's logo on them.

"He went to the hospital gift shop just to buy those for you," Brittany said. She hooked an arm through Mark's.

"Thanks," I said. I started to walk back, but Brittany grabbed my wrist.

"Put them on now," she said. "I don't trust that you will put them on later."

I sat in a chair and quickly pulled my shoes off and the socks on. Once the shoes were back on my feet, I tried to go back, but Mark said, "You should go wash your hands now. The hospital is a sanitary place and you were just touching your feet."

I wanted to protest, but couldn't because he was right. I went into the men's bathroom and washed my hands. When I went back out Kylie asked, "Did you call the concierge desk to let them know about us?"

"Not yet," I said.

"Do it soon," she said. None of them stopped me this time as I went back to Arthur.

I sat in the chair next to him. I took out my phone and called the concierge desk. As I held the phone up to my ear with one hand, I held Arthur's hand with the other.

"Hello, sir," the same concierge who helped me earlier that night answered the call. "Is the young man alright?"

"He's stable," I said. "Thank you for your help."

"That's what we are here for."

"My two sisters and their fiances came into town. I told them they could stay at my apartment. I'm not sure when they will get there, but when they do, can you let them into my apartment?"

"Of course, sir. What are their names?"

"Brittany, Kylie, Mark and Leo."

"I'll see to it, sir."

"Thank you," I said again and I meant more than just letting my sisters into my apartment.

"You are welcome, sir," he said.

About ten minutes after I hung up with him, a nurse came into the room. "We are getting ready to move him to ICU," the nurse said. "I just need to confirm a few things with you."

He asked me to confirm Arthur's name and date of birth which I did. I sent a quick text to Brittany just letting her know Arthur was being moved and I would tell her where once I knew. I followed the nurse as he wheeled Arthur's bed out of the room. We walked down several corridors until we came to a large set of elevators. We went up four floors and then Arthur was wheeled around some more. We went past more nurses stations and ended up in another room. I noted the room number as we went inside. 4011. The nurse set Arthur back up to the machines that told his heart rate and a bunch of other stuff I hadn't ever learned. He double checked the I.V.s and then he left. I was alone with Arthur again. I pulled up the nearby chair so I could sit next to him.

I sent a text to Brittany telling her we were now settled into the ICU. She sent me a message saying they had moved to the waiting room of ICU. And before I could finish typing to her that she needed to be quiet and respectful, she sent me a second text telling me not to worry because they wouldn't cause any trouble.

I sent Eva a message to let them know he had been moved to the ICU. A new nurse came in to check up on Arthur and then I was left alone with him once again.

It wasn't too much later that Mark sent me a text.

Mark: I think Arthur's family just walked in.

I left the room and went past the nurses station to the waiting area. Brittany was hugging Arthur's mother while Kylie was hugging Eva. Arthur's father saw me first.

"Trevon," he said. He rushed the distance between us and wrapped me in a tight hug. "How is he?" he asked as he pulled away. Arthur's mother and sister were now by his side. They all stared at me eagerly.

"The same," I said. "He hasn't woken up."

"I want to see him," Mrs. Sakho said.

I nodded and led them to the nurses desk because I figured they'd need to check in or something first. We went through the formalities of identifying Arthur's parents and sister. Then the nurse said, "Only two of you are allowed back at a time."

"You two should go in," I said. "I'll wait out here with Eva."

Eva nodded her agreement.

"Okay," Mrs. Sakho said. "Thank you." She took my hand and squeezed it lightly before she and Mr. Sakho followed the nurse back.

"You should go to my apartment," I told Brittany and Kylie. "I called and told them to let you in."

"Do you want to come with us? Get some rest?" Kylie asked.

I shook my head. "I can't leave him," I said.

"Then why don't we go down to the cafeteria first and get you some food," Leo said.

"I don't think I can keep anything down right now," I said, "but thank you."

"Then we'll go to your apartment and make sure everything is in order," Brittany said. She and Kylie reached out for my hands at the same time. They each took one and squeezed.

"Let us know if you need anything," Kylie said.

I nodded. The four of them gave me one last lingering look before they left. I collapsed in the seat next to Eva. "It must have been awful to see," she whispered.

"It was," I said. She took my hand in hers and we sat in silence. After about a half hour, her head landed on my shoulder. She had fallen asleep with her hand still clasped in mine. I let her sleep. But I knew I couldn't. I was tired, especially now that Arthur seemed stable, but whenever I closed my eyes, I saw Arthur convulsing with blood coming from his nose and lips. If it was Alice who did this to him, I didn't trust myself not to kill her. And that was a frightening thought.

Time passed slowly. My thoughts were consumed with Arthur, of all the time we had spent together, of his dance, of his bright no nonsense personality, of just him. Eva woke with a start. She looked around the waiting room before her eyes landed on me. "He's alright, right? Nothing has gone wrong?"

"Did you have a bad dream?" I asked her. She nodded. "Nothing has changed," I told her because I assumed if it had, the nurse or her parents would have told me.

She nodded and settled back beside me. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her social media. We waited more.

A police officer came in and asked me questions about what happened, if anyone would want to hurt Arthur, etc. I was surprised because I wasn't expecting them until daylight hours. I answered his questions as best I could. I told him all about the incidents with Alice and how Arthur said the water in his water bottle tasted funny. I told him Arthr left the water bottle at his apartment. I gave him the names of Sam and Danny to talk with because they were better witnesses than I was as to what was happening in dance. He left and Eva and I waited out the time in silence.

Arthur's parents came back out. "Why don't you go sit with him for awhile," Mrs. Sakho said to us.

I nodded and led Eva into the room. As soon as we got inside, Eva let out a little whine and rushed to her brother. She sat in the chair closest to him and took his hand in hers. "Please be okay, Arty," she whispered with her head bent down over his hand.

I sat in the chair on the other side of the bed so I could hold his other hand. The sky through the window began to lighten as morning came. More time passed and there was no change in Arthur. Eva went back to scrolling through her social media. I was sure it was a coping mechanism to help her deal with what happened to Arthur. The morning grew later. Morning classes were probably starting.

Eva's brows furrowed together in puzzlement as she stared down at her phone. She looked around the room and saw the plastic bag with his clothes. She went to it and began to rummage through it.

"What's wrong?" I asked her.

"I don't see his phone," she said.

"It was left on the end table by my bed. I didn't think to bring it. Why?"

"Something was just posted on his social media," she said.

I brought out my phone and found his account. Several things had just been posted. Some were videos, some were pictures of texts. I opened the first video. It was my breakup with Alice. Not the entire thing, just her refusing to break up with me and then trying to claw my face. Her threatening to go to the police because I wouldn't be believed as a black man was there too.

"Where's this video from?" Eva asked as she looked over my shoulder.

"It has to be from the black box in my car," I said in disbelief. It could only be my sisters.

The next video was security camera footage from the school of dance building. It was in the hallway just outside of the dance studio.

"Don't think you've won," Alice said to Arthur. "He's just experimenting with you. He'll come back to me. I'll give him time." She spun and walked back into the studio while Arthur stood there with a stunned expression.

The next post was a picture of texts. The names of the exchange were Alice and Arthur's boyfriend.

Alice: How R U

Alice: Things ok w Arthur?

Arthur's boyfriend: Things are great with Arthur. I love him.

Alice: Don't u ever think about me

Arthur's boyfriend: No.

Alice: I think about u. I pleasure myself every night remembering your touch, your body, your voice.

Arthur's boyfriend: Stop. I don't want you to use me like that. We're not together. Find someone else. I never think of you anymore. I have Arthur.

Alice: We could still sleep together. Arthur never has to know. I can keep it a secret.

Arthur's boyfriend: No. I don't want you. I only want Arthur. I've been together with him longer than I ever was with you. Stop this or I'm going to block your number.

The next post was a picture of texts between Alice and her sister. I didn't even know she had a sister.

Alice: He teased me last night by saying he was breaking up with me.

Sister: That's funny. Who would break up with you? Your like a goddess.

Alice: I'm going to take him breakfast this morning.

Sister: Good luck.

And a set of texts between her and her sister a month later. My name had been removed, but it was clear she was talking about me.

Alice: Arthur ruined everything. I'm sure ** would still be with me if it wasn't for Arthur.

Sister: So get rid of him. Make him look bad or something.

Alice: I tried. It didn't work.

Sister: Try harder. Don't give up. ** is the love of your life right? Go for it.

The next was security footage from a store where Alice was buying rat poison. Everything inside me froze. Goosebumps formed on my arms. My teeth grinded together.

"I'll kill her," Eva practically growled. I didn't realize she was still looking over my shoulder seeing everything I was seeing.

The next video was security footage looking into the dance studio. It showed Alice slipping something into Arthur's water bottle while his back was turned to her. He stood in a way that blocked Sam's and Danny's view of Alice.

The last post said:

Arthur is currently in the hospital after being poisoned. This is not a joke. It's serious. We don't want to sully our future brother-in-law's account further so if you want Alice's phone #, address and that of her family's business go look at our accounts.

And my sisters left links to their social medias.

"I can't believe all this is happening," I mumbled.

My phone buzzed with notifications that people were messaging me on my social media accounts. I opened the first one.

It's Danny. The police were just here. Is it true? Is Arthur okay?

I opened the second one.

This is Sam. Is Arthur okay? Do you know about Alice? I told the police all that I know.

The third one was from Ryan.

Are you okay? Is Arthur okay? Is it true your ex-girlfriend tried to kill him? This is crazy.

I replied to all of them with the same answer.

Arthur is in the hospital. He's stable. And I left it at that. I ignored every other message that came in. I couldn't handle anymore than that at the moment.

Eva went back to her seat on the other side of Arthur. "I love your sisters," she said. "They've practically done the police's job for them."

I hoped it was that easy because Alice needed to be locked away forever. My eyes settled on Arthur. I had no idea what he would think of all this when he woke up. I slid my hand over his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

His eyes fluttered open and my heart stopped beating. My breath caught in my throat.

"Where am I?" he asked. His voice was gravely. "What happened?"

A sob escaped me and I buried my head in his shoulder as I hugged him.