Capricorn
Chapter 45

Lunar Years Of The Dragon
* 1928 (Jan. 23, 1928 - Feb. 9, 1929)
* 1940 (Feb. 8, 1940 - Jan. 26, 1941)
* 1952 (Jan. 27, 1952 - Feb. 13, 1953)
* 1964 (Feb. 13, 1964 - Feb. 1, 1965)
* 1976 (Jan. 31, 1976 - Feb. 16, 1977)
* 1988 (Feb. 17, 1988 - Feb. 5, 1989)
* 2000 (Feb. 6, 2000 - Jan. 23, 2001)
* 2012 (Jan. 24, 2012 - Feb. 6, 2013)
* 2024 (Feb. 7, 2024 - Jan. 26, 2025)
*2036 (Jan. 27, 2036 - Feb. 13, 2037)
* 2048 (Feb. 12, 2048 - Jan. 31, 2049)

*

"I feel like I'm going to fucking throw up," Adena said as she and Missy left the police station. After waiting for who knows how long, they were told that he was moved from central booking to a hospital once they could ask about Craig. 

When Missy came to her door that morning, close to tears, she never imagined it would involve Craig, that he would get hurt or get in trouble. He was too strong and too smart for that. 

However, Craig was also human, like the rest of us. 

Her already heavy stomach dropped to the floor, making it feel twice as worse, and it must have upset the baby because they were kicking and tossing a lot more today. She tried to stay calm, but there was no way that she could be. 

Around 1 am, the club Craig was working at got shot up. No casualties, just injuries, now, one of them being Craig. He was taken to jail, which is a big mystery, he had one call, but since he couldn't reach her all night, he called Ron instead around 5 am. Luckily Ron answered. He told him where he was and to get in contact with Adena. All she knew was that Craig had called her repeatedly the night before; unfortunately, her phone was dead. He and Missy tried blowing her up, but no one could reach her until 7 am. 

On Missy's way there, Craig got another phone call and called her. She asked what was going on, but he didn't say much, but he also said, 'I don't feel all too good, and I can't reach Adena, and that makes me feel worse. Did something happen to her? Have you heard from her?' Luckily she was already on her way, and now she had two besties to worry about. Missy was relieved when Adena answered the door. Instead of going to work, she had to go with Missy and find out what had happened to Craig. Lloyd freaked out because he couldn't manage the gallery by himself. She lied, saying she would be there in no time, she had to deal with a family emergency, and he accepted that. She was only a phone call away. However, her phone was barely charged. Now they were in a cab on the way to the closest hospital.

Luckily that hospital was the same one Ron worked at. 

"They said he's here?!" Ron asked once Missy called him back. 

"Yeah, he sat in booking for hours, and of course, once we finally get to talk to someone, they tell us he's been transferred - to a hospital. Luckily it's yours."

"He didn't say he was hurt at all...maybe it was another panic attack, like the other day?"

"Maybe..." Missy looked at Adena and sighed, glad that Adena couldn't hear their conversation. She was already a nervous wreck.

"I'll be on the lookout for him. Call me as soon as you get here. If you can't reach me, keep trying."

Missy hung up. She was spaced out. She looked at Adena and noticed that she had a wad of tissues in her hand and was ripping them to pieces. Missy grabbed her hand. She knew that was one of Adena's 'things.' "Don't worry. Ron's looking for him now." Adena only nodded.

Once they arrived at the hospital, it was like pulling teeth to find where he was. They were even told that there was no record of him. However, Ron came to the rescue with a text:

heard a police officer brought in an inmate, they're on the 5th floor

"The county hospital doesn't have any record of him either. Thank God because that hospital is a real trailer park but still..." Adena said anxiously.

"Follow me," Missy said calmly, grabbing her hand, and they walked to the elevators. Once they were inside, Missy showed her Ron's text. Adena sighed with relief, but another distressing thought instantly replaced it. Ok, he was here, but why? How bad was it??

They walked around the 5th floor and saw a police officer guarding a room. He was talking to a nurse, and the nurse then rushed off. The two walked faster toward them but not fast enough. "Is there an inmate in there? Name's Craig David," Adena asked immediately. 

"Who's asking?" the officer asked, barely looking at them.

Adena rolled her eyes, "Two perfect strangers," she said sarcastically. The officer looked at her. "We're family. The precinct told us he was here."

"What's your relation to him? It's family only."

"Did you hear what I just said?"

"What is your relation, ma'am?"

"I'M HIS WIFE!" Adena said frustratingly on the fly, paused, and did an inner woo-sah. So many emotions ran through her at once. 

"You?" the officer asked Missy.

"Cousin. First cousin?" Missy said.

"Alright," the officer said. "Only one visitor at a time, 30 minutes."

"Great," Adena said and walked toward the door. However, the officer reached their arm out to block the entrance. She looked down at their arm and then back at them. They almost touched her belly.

And we know what happened last time...

"I need to search you, ma'am. We have an inmate in there. If you are caught with contraband, you will be prosecuted. Arms out to your side," they said to her, and Adena sighed and lifted her arms so they could pat her down. They paused and looked at her stomach.

"It's not contraband; I'm pregnant," Adena said with a roll of her eyes. "Do you have to pat there?"

"Do you want to see your husband?" they said to her. She hesitated and then only nodded. They patted around her stomach, and she cringed as they did. It felt weird, and she was disgusted. 

"See? It's just a baby."

"Your purse?" the officer said. She handed it to him and tried to shrug off the feeling. She rubbed her stomach protectively, almost petting it, while her other wrapped around it at her belly button.

"Ok," the officer said, and then they smiled at someone behind Adena, "Just in time. I'm escorting a family member in cover the door." Adena turned and saw another officer holding two coffees in a tray and eating a donut. Geesh, could they be any more cliche? Officer 2 handed Officer 1 their coffee. "Follow me," the officer said to her and opened the door. The officer was so tall that she couldn't see much of the room, but once they stepped to the side. Her eyes widened. The officer closed the door and stood against the wall next to it. "Just to let you know, an officer needs to be present for the full duration of your visit."

She barely paid attention to them because Craig was in a hospital bed - handcuffed to it.

*

The typical image of a snake is one basking in the sun doing nothing. Some say it's because they're lazy. Far from it, snake personalities are very efficient; they do their work quickly so that they can relax.

*

"Craig?" she said in the smallest voice possible it sounded like. 

He opened his eyes, blinked, and when he turned his head, there was Adena. He sat up quickly, "You're ok," he said with relief. Tears rolled down her face as she ran to his side and hugged him close. "I was going crazy not hearing from you. You're ok."

"Me? Are you?" she asked as she rubbed up and down his arms, but he hissed. She jumped back. "What?"

"It's nothing. They said I need stitches."

"It's anything but nothing if you need stitches."

"I've been through worse, babe," he said as he pulled up his sleeve to show a large bandage. "See?"

"Craig, I need to know what the fuck is going on. What is that?"

Craig glanced at the officer, the officer was texting on their phone and sipping their coffee, but it didn't mean they weren't listening. "It's a flesh wound."

"A flesh wound from what?" Adena said as her wrists made fast and impatient circles, telling him to get on with it. "I only get 30 minutes with you, Craig."

"Babe, please, I'm getting to that," he said as he grabbed her hand, she was making him dizzy. "Sit down." She sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "I was at the club last night. Everything is going fine. A large group comes in, and I'm watching them from time to time. Anyway, as I predicted, they were up to no good, and the next thing you know, guns were going off. I was lucky I was only grazed."

"What kind of club is this where people with guns can get inside?!"

"People sneak in shit all the time."

"Officer Pat Down here could have found their gun better than whoever was working your security," Adena said, nodding at the officer. They almost thanked her, but you don't want to egg on a hormonal pregnant woman who just found out their husband was shot and handcuffed to a hospital bed. They just smirked a little instead. "Thought my baby was contraband too," she said, looking down at his hands, noticing bandages around his fingers and knuckles. "What's with your hands?" she asked him.

Craig looked down at them and shrugged it off, "Got pretty scratched up in there, almost getting shot and all."

Adena slanted her eyes at him, "If you were just an innocent bystander, then why are you handcuffed to a hospital bed?" she asked. A bad feeling came over her. It all didn't make sense. She then huffed uncomfortably as the baby sensed their mother was upset. It kicked.

"What's wrong?" Craig asked. 

Adena groaned, "They're..." She then grabbed his hand and put it on her stomach. They sat there in silence, but nothing happened. He tried to move his hand, but she kept it there by holding onto it tighter. Luckily this was the hand that didn't have the brass knuckles on them last night. Then it happened. 

"Holy shit," he said, looking down and back up at her. "It...they kicked?!"

"Yeah," Adena said, smiling for the first time that day. "They've been doing it since we returned from the Hamptons," she said, and they both paused. "I guess they sense that the two people closest to them are stressed out."

"Which isn't good for them, I know. Adena, I'm sorry. I'm not intentionally trying to worry you sick-"

"I'm sorry too, about everything dumb I've done the past couple of days, upsetting Karen, not answering my phone, working myself to death, letting my phone die-"

"You did nothing wrong, Adena. You don't have to apologize to me," he said as he caressed her cheek. She smiled and closed her eyes, it's only been 24 hours since she's seen him, but it felt longer.

When the officer later said, "Time's up, Mrs. David," as they put their cell phone in their pocket, Adena looked at her watch in shock. They both looked at the officer, Craig being more surprised than she was, but he went along with it. Time flew by. 

Adena sighed, "Ok, how long do I have to wait to get another 30 minutes with him?"

"That's it. The nurse just informed me that his blood pressure is down, he needs stitches, and his spell at the precinct wasn't a heart attack but a panic attack. So he'll be discharged today and taken back to his cell."

Adena looked at Craig. Why did she have more questions after talking to him? Another panic attack? Back to his cell? "Taken back for what?"

"Assault," the officer said plainly. 

She looked at him with wide eyes, and he couldn't look at her. He could only look down at his bandaged hands. "Assault? What the fuck Craig?!"

"I got caught up in all the craziness. I was only defending...myself. I promise."

"I don't want to leave you here," she said with a sigh, her tiny voice coming back, her lip trembling. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Keep your phone charged, answer the phone, and pray for a miracle."

"How much is bail? I know nothing!" she said to him. 

"I'll call you. Call the precinct. Everything's going to be ok."

"Alright, Mrs. David, time's up," the officer said again. Adena sighed and wrapped her arms around him, and held him close. Being handcuffed, he couldn't hold her like he wanted to.

"Baby, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. It was a mistake, ok? I couldn't think straight, but all I could think about the whole time was you. Does that make sense?" he said and then kissed her. "Ok?" Adena nodded, trying to hold back her tears. She slowly stood up. She took his bandaged hand in hers and kissed it, leaving a lipgloss stain on the bandage as usual. She turned to walk away, and then he said, "Whole time I was thinking about you, Adena, ok? Whatever happens." She nodded.

Before the officer could open the door for her, the officer outside walked in. "What the hell is she doing here?"

It was Beverly.

*

Snakes and Dragons are karmic signs. Karma is a person's destiny. Each action affects the next. The Chinese believe snakes must deal with all karmic problems before they leave Earth to achieve balance.

*

Adena sighed, "I have every right to be here as you," she replied to Beverly's comment—the audacity.

"Excuse me, who is this?" the officer asked their partner. 

"I'm his sister," Beverly said, then looked at Adena. "I'm family. Blood."

"How did you even hear-"

"Missy called me at the ass crack of dawn because she couldn't contact you! What kind of girlfriend leaves her boyfriend high and dry like that? I dropped everything and got here as fast as I could."

Once they heard she was just a girlfriend, the officer slit their eyes at her. Oops. "Come on, Mrs. David-"

"Mrs. David?" Beverly said with a laugh. "I'm the only Miss David in this room. If she told you that, she's lying," she said snarkily, walking around them and over to Craig. "Big bro, what happened to you?" she said as she hugged him. He was torn between Adena and her. Again.

"Come on, Miss, whoever you are," the officer said, and Adena obediently followed them out of the room. The other officer closed the door quickly behind them before she could say another goodbye. She looked around, and Missy was nowhere in sight. "Your friend went to visit her boyfriend," the officer said and returned to texting on their phone. Adena sighed. 

What the hell was she supposed to do with herself now? She felt more lost now than when she got here. 

"Keep your phone charged, answer the phone, and pray for a miracle."

She took her phone out of her purse and saw it was nearly dead again. Her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten all day. She texted Missy and then went in search of a gift shop. They had overpriced chargers there, and she had a late breakfast in the cafeteria. After scarfing her food down, she texted Missy again to see where she was. She downed her juice and immediately needed to use the restroom. As she left the bathroom, she heard a familiar voice and paused. 

"Thank you for bringing his prescriptions. He refuses to take them, and it makes it worse."

"I know it's a lot for him to get used to, but admitting he has an issue is the first step."

Adena's eyes widened.

"I'm just grateful you're an expert about all this mental health mumbo jumbo, Kim. Sorry, I mean...not mumbo jumbo..."

"I know, Ms. Houghton. That's what I'm here for."

"I'm thankful you are. Finding out about his condition and now this? All in the same month? It's a lot. I feel like it's my-"

"No. Don't. Don't blame yourself. You can't even blame Taye sometimes. He's sick." Adena stayed out of sight as she eavesdropped. Taye was sick? He seemed just fine last night, if fine meant being an evil troll. Now Kim was her ex-mother -in-law's therapist and bestie? "With therapy and regular medication, we can get Taye back to how he was."

"This bipolar stuff is so confusing. When you're sick, you medicate it, and it goes away," Taye's mother said with a sniffle. "Why isn't that happening?"

"Mental health is a different animal than physical health. I know it seems hopeless, but he can get back up again and be his best self," Kim said soothingly. Even though Kim was a whore, she had that way of calming you down by simply talking. "Ok, I got to run. I got to get back to work."

"No, you go ahead. You've been a big help."

"I'm just a phone call away. Everything will be ok," Kim assured her. 

Adena exited the bathroom and walked away, trying not to look suspicious. She dug through her purse and put on her shades, picked up a hospital magazine, and held it in front of her face. She saw Kim leave the bathroom, and she walked right past her. Adena watched her go. More confusing emotions were going through her. It was bad enough just learning that she and Taye lied to her for five years, but now Taye has been diagnosed as bipolar?! 

Explained his behavior yesterday and every day she felt he wasn't himself. She tossed the magazine back on the table and took off her shades. Was that the whole problem in their marriage? Taye was just sick, and she didn't notice. How did she not see??

"Adena?"

Adena paused and then looked to her left. Ms. Houghton looked at her with surprise. Adena gave her a small smile.

"Why look at you? Pregnant. As ever," she said. Her reaction was the opposite of Taye's; she was happy, excited even.

"Yes, I am," Adena said as she rubbed her stomach. 

"I heard you're at six months?"

Adena nodded. "Almost."

She nodded and sighed, "This situation you two got yourselves into is very complicated. Are you taking care of yourself? What are you doing here, by the way? Are you ok?"

"I'm alright. Just a checkup," Adena made up on the fly.

"Good, baby and mommy are alright?"

"Yeah, right now."

"Despite what happened between you two, I still care about you, Adena. You were like a, not exactly a daughter but a younger version of myself...or what I wanted myself to be at your age. You got Taye on the right track. He wouldn't have graduated without you."

Adena smiled and nodded. She always said that. She and Taye's mother had a great relationship. They got along just fine. When Taye introduced her, she felt reunited with a family member she hadn't met yet. It was unsettling that she and Beverly didn't connect like that. Ms. Houghton was just as upset as Adena when they broke up.

"I don't know if Taye has talked to you yet. If he hasn't, he's been going through a lot besides the divorce. I know you have gone through a lot too. You're ok right?"

"Trying to be. Doing this on my own."

"That's what he said?" she asked with disappointment.

"Wait, you...you believe me? That it's..."

"My first grandchild? Yes, Adena. I'm a woman. I've had kids, and I can do the math. You know that wasn't Taye's best subject," she said, and they laughed. "Besides, you aren't one of those girls. Never could be."

Adena smiled; she wished her son had the same confidence. They stood there in silence. 

"Well, feel free to reach out. Taye won't even have to know. If you need anything-"

"Ma, can we go?" another familiar voice asked. Adena knew exactly who it was, and the hairs on her arms, the back of her neck, and all over, stood up. She turned around and was even more shocked at what she saw.

Taye was on crutches. His left leg is in a big cast. His face was covered in bandages and bruises. He even had an eye patch. And a neck brace. What the hell happened to him?!

"Yes, sweetheart, let me get you a wheelchair, don't move," she said and rushed off. 

The two exes stared at each other awkwardly. Their last interaction was pretty traumatizing for them both. 

Yeah, it was time to go.

Not knowing what to say, she started to walk in the other direction.

"Adena," he said, and something told her to stop. She turned, and he hobbled over on his crutches, looking pathetic as hell. 

"Taye, what happened to you?"

He scoffed, "Really? That's rich coming from you."

"Really, Taye? I ask with genuine concern how you are, and you assume the worst."

"You don't have to fake it with me, Adena. You know what happened. We both know what happened. We ALL know what happened."

"I'm not faking anything, Taye, but fine forget I asked," she said as she attempted to walk away.

"Ok...I'm sorry..." he said, sighing, "I'm just in a lot of pain, but can I ask you one thing?"

"As long as it's a nice question..."

"Hmmm, well, how can I say this nicely..." he said, adjusting his arms over his crutches and thinking. 

She waited impatiently, "If it's gotta take you that long to ask me something nice-"

"I want a paternity test. Please. For two reasons."

"Seriously?"

"One, you claim it's mine. Everyone says the math adds up, it isn't "math-ing" for me, but no one cares. Two, it will help keep your man out of trouble."

The hairs on Adena's neck, arms, all over, stood up at alert again. "Keep my man out of trouble?!"

"You really don't know, do you?" he asked with realization. "Hmmm, well, the last thing I remember from last night was seeing your DJ Boy thrown into the back of a cop car. Do you know where your man is?"

"He got into an altercation, yes. I'm dealing with that as we speak."

"Same here."

"Ok, now this...what you're talking about? Isn't 'mathing' for me," she said mockingly, then stopped. "How did you know..."

"You wanna know what happened? Your man happened. I don't know what you told him, or maybe he's just a fucking psycho, but how could you know after moving in with him after only knowing him for 10 minutes."

"Ok, I don't have time for this-"

"I went to a strip club last night. GRL XXX. You never wanted to go, so you have never been. But your man has. I saw him there last night." Adena froze where she stood. "Yeah, not only was he there, he was working there. It's not fair. I couldn't even look at a strip club when we were together, but he gets to live there practically? Anyway, I'm having the time of my life, minding my own business, and guess who sucker punches me. Your boyfriend."

"What? Taye, that's ridic-"

"Of course, you don't believe me. You always see the good in people. But your man isn't a good person. He put me in crutches. I'm practically blind in my right eye. Every bone in my body hurts, and somehow I got shot in the leg too! Only a few hours after our 'chat.' Now I can put that two and two together. That math adds up. He beat my ass for you. Congratulations."

Adena was speechless because now the numbers were adding up for her too.

"So that's where the paternity test comes in. I don't believe in snitching, but you gotta draw a line somewhere. He tried to kill me. However, if you can get me a paternity test in...how about a week? A week or so. Then we can all move on with our lives."

"And what if it's yours? Because it is."

"Ok. Anyway, once we see it's HIS. You'll be happy I didn't say a word because the father of your child wouldn't be locked up. No matter our differences Dena, you don't deserve that. Being a single mother, I know how hard it is growing up with one."

Adena scoffed, "I don't? Because that's what you're doing, denying this child. If I don't deserve that, Taye, what happens when it says I'm right? We're going to magically get un-divorced?"

Taye stood there and looked down at the floor. His whole mood changed. The mood change was so abrupt that it even threw her off. "Maybe not in those words, but we'll have to have a few conversations because, like I said, you don't deserve that. Everything I've done, you didn't deserve, and if this is...my fault. I need to fix that. Accept the things I cannot change," he said as his mother returned with a wheelchair. When Taye saw it, he rolled his eyes, it was embarrassing sitting in this fucking thing, but as soon as she helped him sit, he sighed with relief. "See you around, Dena," he said to her, and his mother said the same, and they left.

Leaving Adena in complete and utter shock. What was the truth??

*

A determined Capricorn and the ambitious Snake unite to make highly materialistic and status-seeking people.

*

https://youtu.be/ado_MVi1MB4