"I'm sorry…we did everything we could." The air inside the hospital was cold and dry. The mood was solemn. Riley Freeman just added tension.

"I'm glad that nigga won't Granddad," he told Huey much louder than intended. The newly grieving family surrounding him glared in his direction. Riley's older brother rolled his eyes and smacked his younger brother upside the head.

"Riley, be considerate of the people around you. You never know, that may be the news they bring us. And since when do you care about Granddad?"

"Man, shut up nigga. I just don't want another nigga in our family to…you know…" Riley stopped short of completing his thought, rubbing his head and glaring at Huey. "I wish that white broad were still here…" Huey spared his brother the embarrassment and left the comment alone. He returned to the bold black text on thin, grayish white page.

"Are you the Freemans?" A doctor asked, approaching the boys.

"We da only black people in here, watchu think?" The doctor examined Riley and cleared his throat nervously.

"Well," Huey started. "How is he?"

The tall white man had a grave expression on his face. "I'm sorry, young men…"

"GRANDDAD'S DEAD?! NO! WHO'M I S'PPOSED TA JOKE NOW?! WHO'M I S'PPOSED TA ANNOY THE HELL OUT OF ALL DAY ERR'DAY?!" The young Freeman screamed, creating the biggest scene the hospital had seen since Gangstalicious was admitted there years ago. He threw magazines every which way, and dropped to his knees, arms stretched toward the ceiling. "WHYY?!"

"…your grandfather is perfectly fine," the doctor finished, smiling.

"Oh, how you gonna do a nigga like that!? Bitch, I should whoop yo' ass for that shit! Makin me look stupid or somethin..." Riley crossed his arms and looked away defiantly. His older brother shook his head.

"Excuse my brother's ignorance," He apologized. Then, turning to his brother ordered, "Nigga, clean this mess up! Actin like a fool, what were you thinkin? You must've lost your mind!" He punctuated each word in the second and third sentence with a smack to the back of the younger boy's head.

"Young Reezy don't take orders from no one!" He protested. "I ain't yo' bitch!"

"Nigga, do you WANT to die?"

"What da hell YOU gonna do?! Not a damn thing, that's…"

The older boy's fist made contact with his younger brother's stomach, knocking all the air out of him. Glaring, Riley regained his composure and put his fists up, bouncing left to right. He sent his right fist whizzing through the air, but his older brother was too quick, and far exceeded his fighting skills. Huey ducked and swung his leg around low, sweeping his brother off of his feet.

Riley hit the white linoleum tile with a thud. Picking up the object nearest to him, he threw a heavy flower vase at Huey's head so hard it gave the elder no time to react. Huey grunted, charging at his brother with no regard to the people watching. He tackled his opponent, pinning him to the ground. He would've continued, had security not pulled him off of his victim.

"White people…" he muttered.

Three hours later, after being brought back to the hospital from holding cells at the jail by Tom, the Freeman brothers made their way to their grandfather's hospital room.

"Tom! What the hell you doin bringin these boys here for? You trynna raise my blood pressure some more?"

"No, Robert! I just thought you might like to know how worried they were about you!"

"If they were so worried, then why the hell didn't they come here themselves? They don't care about their poor, old granddad. I provide, and provide, and provide, and what do I get in return? Desertion. You boys just wait 'till I get outta this damn hospital! I'll show you ungrateful niggas a thing or two about respect." He ranted. Huey rolled his eyes and sat near the window, staring outside it. Riley crossed his arms and harrumphed, sitting down on a comfy looking red chair in the corner. Tom smiled nervously.

"Well, I guess this wouldn't be a good time to tell you that along with your bills for your treatment, you owe the hospital 500, then."

"I WHAT? How the hell do I owe that kind of fine when all I been doin is lyin around in this damn bed all day!?"

"Well..."

"Huey's punk-ass tried to order me around and then attacked me," Riley whined.

"BOY! Is that true?"

"Yes, but I only told him to clean up the mess he made while he was making a scene about you being in the hospital." Replied the afro-headed boy.

"HUEY! What'd I tell you about beatin your brother's- You were worried about me?" Granddad's mood changed from being livid, to disbelief in a second flat.

"Knock, knock," a nurse said cheerily, walking in with Granddad's lunch.

"Well, hello there, cutie pie!" He beamed.

"Hello, Mr. Freeman. Lunch time!" She said, setting the tray of food down on the table. Mr. Freeman made a face at the selection. Soggy looking green stuff, a red apple, carrots, and a small roast beef sandwich.

"Uh, Cutie pie," he started, smiling. "Wouldn't you rather bring me a nice bacon cheeseburger, instead?"

"No can do, Mr. Freeman," she shook her head. "We have to get your blood pressure down again." She left the room before he could protest, or bribe her.

"Held up here in the damn hospital and you can't even get some descent damn food…" he grumbled. "This is some BULL shit. "Shouldn't you boys be in school? Tom! Get them back to school!"

"Robert, school's been out-"

"I DON'T CARE! I AIN'T PAYIN FOR THEIR EDUCATIONS FOR NOTHIN!"

"Granddad, you don't pay for our educations," Huey pointed out. "We go to public school."

"BOY! Don't talk back to me! I'm in the hospital. And don't think you boys'll be stayin home alone. Hell no, not after what happened last time. Can they stay with you, Tom?"

"No can do, Robert. Sarah and I are going out of town," he replied.

"Damn...well...what about those new neighbors? The Pastas? Rastas?"

"I'll try my best, but I can't make any guarantees..."