Chapter Text
AJ's Story
How is it that this morning I woke up to having the most beautiful woman in my bed... but tonight we are apart because of a stupid fight? Mina had wanted and succeeded in calling Cain out on the fact that he purposefully and illegally put false information on a patient’s records which led to the person having unnecessary surgery. And due to that surgery, there were many repercussions: the patient acquired COVID, which caused thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, which then led to a stroke, and the caused his brain to hemorrhage while in the OR. It was a terrible and unpredictable situation...and it all could’ve been prevented if Cain hadn’t scheduled that stupid surgery last year.
I sat in my home office, drinking a glass of whisky while staring at a picture of Mina completely covered in paint. Three nights...I had told her we’d need a two night break and she upped it to three. I’ve never been so pissed and in love all at the same time. Mina always sticks up for her patients and does what is morally correct no matter the cost, and that is one of the qualities that I admire the most about her. Her passion, devotion, her skill...she’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman and then some.
But at the same time...it really wasn’t Cain’s fault for choosing to do what he did. I mean, yes, the Brotha made his choice. But, because he wasn’t taught to work in a different way, to help bring people up instead of down, to be above the melanin in his skin, he was taught to survive no matter the odds. And his choice in survival is to hurt others and to play the game which includes greed and power. No, that is not a great strategy...in fact, it’s the dumbest strategy there is-as everything that he does will come back to us people of color. We are paid less in every job, treated with inferiority, discriminated against repeatedly, and yet, Cain doesn’t see that he is a man of great position...and that every mistake he makes will cause consequences upon all of us of color, especially in this line of work.
I know that Mina is right, but the Brotha needs another chance at redemption. But how? How does one obtain redemption?
I really wanted to talk to someone, to bounce off my ideas. And normally this wasn’t something I did, but this dilemma was bigger than myself. The first person I thought of was Mina, but we really did need a physical break. Then I thought about calling Mom and then I realized that this fight was with my...girlfriend and that I shouldn’t bring my mother into this. But perhaps I could just briefly talk to her solely in regards to redemption and never mention my new relationship.
I unlocked my phone, found her number under my “favorites,” and then pressed the green call button.
It rang for a few seconds and then Mom's smooth and relaxing voice popped up in my ears.
“Hey Baby. How are you?” she asked.
“Hey Mom. I’m doing well. How are you? And Pops?,” I answered.
“We’re doing well, Gussie. When will you be coming by?”
“Perhaps this weekend, Mom. I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something important.”
“Oh...Gussie, did you and Mina finally get together?”
“Well, we’ll discuss the important information when I go see you. Okay Mom?”
“See, I told you Yee,” she yelled in the distance, “I told you he’d get with Mina!”
“Mom. Mom…”
“Oh hey, Baby, I was just telling your Father something important.”
“Ok, Mom.”
“So, why are you really calling, AJ? I know when you call to know how we are and then how you call when something is bothering you.”
“Well...I have a question about redemption.”
“What about redemption?”
”I need to know about it.”
“You want me to give you the scientific version? Or you want me to explain to you how it really works?”
“Explain it Mom...please. I can Google the scientific terms on my own.”
She took a second to think and then said, “well, Son, in order to receive redemption, one must feel some type of remorse for their actions.”
“What if that person did something, well a few things, that hurt others and got away with it repeatedly?”
“Well, morally, there also needs to be a consequence for this person. No one can truly repent for something if they did not feel a consequence or have a revelation of some sort. If that person were to obtain redemption there needs to be some repentance.”
“Ok. And what if they were raised in the womb of systemic racism? And they think that because of it, they have to rise above it and play the game of those not of color? A game that's greatly run by money and greed.”
“Well, Son, knowing you...you already gave them a piece of your mind. You’re not their parent...I hope. It’s not up to you to open their eyes.... that duty doesn’t fall upon you. If they don’t listen, and they keep on making those same mistakes, then do what you need to do, especially if they're hurting others or themselves... I know that you’re a surgeon, Baby, but it’s not your job to fix the way that person thinks…No matter what the color of our skin is, we all have a moral compass, and we should ideally, abide by it.” And her words made me think of Mina-who also had said those same words to me many times.
“Ok…” Odd that she added the last sentence, but then again, she knows me better than anyone.
“Son, please tell me this person isn’t you. Because I know I raised you better than that.”
“No, Mom. I just have a few big decisions to make...ones that can alter the life of another fellow, black surgeon.”
“Son...I hope it’s not about Mina and that’s why you don’t want to speak about her today.”
“No, Mom. It’s definitely not her. Stop egging me on, I want to talk to you about her in person...not over the phone.”
“But, Son…”
“I love you, Mom. Thank you for your help. I really do appreciate it.”
“I love you too, Baby. Tell Mina I send my love.” And then I hesitated, remembering the three-day pause we had just taken.
“Uhh-yeah. I will.” And Mom noticed my delay.
“August Jeremiah Austin, you better have not already screwed up your relationship with that beautiful and skillful Nigerian Queen of yours .”
“Ummm...it’s complicated.”
“Nothing is too complicated. You better go on your knees and beg for forgiveness for whatever stupid thing you did.”
“What makes you think I did anything, Mom?”
“Because I know you...your heart is huge, but your mouth is bigger. You cause trouble wherever you go. Don’t be troubling that poor woman’s heart. I promise that nobody is a saint, but you’ve broken a lot of hearts. This woman is your match...I know you know it. I know it. Don’t screw it up.”
“Honey...are you meddling in AJ’s love life again?” I heard Pops say to Mom.
“I’m just giving him some advice, Yee. I feel like he’s so close to finally having happiness.”
“Well, let him find it on his own terms,” he answered.
“Yes...but if he’s screwing it up-”
“If he’s screwing it up, Carol, then he’ll repent and receive consequences on his own accord...yes I was listening to your conversation. He’s my Son too.”
“Yee, you eavesdropper,” Mom stated.
“Mom. Mom. I’m going to go…”
“Yeah? Ok, Gussie. We’ll see you on the weekend, right? Your Father and I have a very long conversation planned.” I heard Pops sigh, causing me to chuckle.
“I’ll be there. I love you. Bye.”
“Love you too, Son. Bye.”
Well, every conversation with my parents is nothing but interesting. They bicker all the time,and yet they always made up. And she was right...how could Cain hurt so many people and not receive any consequences? I was essentially letting him off the hook by not reporting him. What if he never reached redemption of remorse because no one ever did or said anything about his doings? I mean, he put so many people on vents, almost killed many due to that super bug, Kit’s son in law had almost died as a result, and then Cain did that unnecessary surgery on Mullins, and who knows how many more nonessential surgeries he performed… risking more lives.
I took another sip of my whisky and decided to call Mina. I owed her an apology for not taking her advice into complete consideration, as I was soley trying to save Cain and the job that he worked so hard to obtain and maintain. He was representing what so many of our skin color could one day become-highly skilled and well-known surgeons. As was I, and Mina included-we were also under the microscopes of the people-we, too were that example. How could we keep letting Cain taint all the good that took us Brothers and Sisters years to acquire?
How was it that the first chance I had to do something right with her...I blew it up because I wanted to stick together with a Brother who never had my back to begin with? But Mina always had mine...she always went above and beyond any of my expectations. If I had to choose between right and wrong, Cain and Mina, Mina is and always will be my only answer.