Page 91 of Any Given Day, Every F*cking Night

“God, please help me, help him through this. I don’t know what to do.”

Charlie was trembling as she walked back out to the waiting room. Lauren and Demi had returned.

“Get the fuck out, Charlie,” Lauren said.

“Lauren-” Demi piped up.

“No! I want her out of this fucking hospital! My son started cutting himself because you chose her over your family! If you had never met her, my baby would still be alive! Are you happy now? You got him all to yourself! You homewrecking-ass bitch!”

Charlie was like a deer in headlights. She knew Lauren was hurting, so she refrained from saying anything, but when Demi didn’t say anything in her defense, her eyes prickled.

“Lo, emotions are high right now,” Nyair said. “Let’s take a breath.”

“You’re out of line, Lo,” Demi stated.

“You can leave with that bitch, too,” Lauren said.

“I’m not going nowhere as long as my son is laid up in this fucking hospital, so quit making the shit worse, Lo. We on the same team.”

“I want her gone. I can’t stand to look at her face,” Lauren said.

Demi was in between a rock and a hard place. He swiped a hand down his face, dragging it slowly as he suppressed the urge to scream. He shared Lo’s pain, but he could see Charlie’s pieces falling all around her. She was hurt, and he didn’t know who to console. He crossed the room and stood in front of Charlie.

“She’s upset,” Demi said.

Charlie nodded. “I know. Demi, I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so…so…sorry,” she cried.

“Demi, I want to be here for you,” Charlie said sadly. “Who’s going to take care of you?”

“My son’s dead, Charlie. Can’t nobody make that go away. Come on.” Charlie followed Demi down the hall and to the exit, where a black car was waiting.

“Mr. Sky. Where to?”

It was the company driver. He was there waiting.

“You wanted to send me home? He was already here?” She asked.

“Lo and I talked about it before we came out. She’s raw. It’s just the best move for everybody, right now, Bird.”

“You don’t want me here,” Charlie scoffed. She knew on the priority scale her feelings were the least important right now but that didn’t stop her from hurting.

“My son is dead, Bird. Wants are a thing of the past. I have to stay here with Lo and handle this. I need to know you’re safe at home. Okay?”

“Okay,” she replied softly. She was trying her hardest to be strong. The last thing she wanted to do was make this about her.

“Demi I know a lot of emotions are swirling through you right now. I know your pain matches Lauren’s right now and I’m so sorry for you both. I’m so sorry about DJ, baby. I need you to still be mine after all this. I live with the thought that any given day you could leave me, but then you ease that worry when you lay next to me every night.”

“I can’t do this right now, Bird. I can’t even think straight,” Demi said.

“Every fucking night,” Charlie insisted. “I need you to promise me that you’re going to come home to me every fucking night, because it feels like this is the moment that I lose you.”

Demi swiped a hand down his head in distress. He couldn’t promise her that because he knew he wouldn’t be home tonight, maybe not for a few nights. He needed to process his grief and she couldn’t be apart of that.

“We’ll talk later, Bird,” he said as he delivered a kiss to her forehead. He opened the back door and ushered her inside. He focused his attention on the driver. “Get my lady home safe.”

When he closed the door and sauntered away, Charlie felt like she was being shut out, like she had been handed her walking papers. She broke down in the back of that SUV as it pulled away from the hospital. The loss was overwhelming, and Charlie had a feeling that she and Demi would never be the same again.