10. Keyoni #2
She didn’t talk a lot about her family. When she did, I paid attention, because I wanted to know everything she was willing to share.
“My sister said the same thing.”
Ivory called me dumb for not telling Captain Rory yes on the spot. She also offered to help with Keturah if I needed it.
“Smart woman.”
“I wouldn’t say all that.” Ivory gave good advice…sometimes. “But she did tell me I should accept the offer.”
“I think you should too. It’s a promotion…and you said yourself that it gets you closer to your ultimate career goal. Go for it.”
I started the car again after glancing at my watch. We both needed to get back to work.
“I’m thinking about it. Seriously thinking about it.”
She fastened her seatbelt. “Just say yes to the man, Keyoni. You know you want to.”
I pulled out of the parking space, following the path to the exit. “Just say yes to being my roommate Sage,” I said, mimicking her voice. “You know you want to.”
I thought she’d find what I said funny. She did, briefly. She also had no problem giving a straight answer.
“You’re right. And yes…I’ll be your roommate.”
SAGE
“What?” BJ huffed into the phone.
“Damn, what I do to you?”
“Nothing,” he snapped. “Just like you don’t want nothing either.” My clapback wasn’t as quick as I wanted it to be since we both knew the real reason I was calling. When the silence between us lingered too long, BJ continued, asking, “What do you want, Sage?”
“How’re you doing?”
“Fine. Just like always.”
“You don’t sound fine.”
“Yeah, well…even if you’re not, you gotta be.”
“No, you don’t. It’s okay to not be okay.”
The anniversary of our father’s death hit hard for all his kids, but BJ—who was there when it happened—always took it the hardest. Because his emotions flip flopped over the years, I never knew what to expect until I heard his voice.
It was full of sadness.
“I gotta get back to work.”
“You didn’t go to work. I already called. And before you try to come up with another lie, I know you’re home…and your car’s outside…and the blinds in the living room are up. You can see right into your house.”
“Who’d you send over here?”
He started listing off our siblings one by one. I cackled.
“How you know I didn’t pull up myself?”
“You ain’t gonna come all the way home just to ride by. You would’ve stopped.”
He was right. He would’ve been my first stop.
A long bout of silence prompted me to ask again, “How’re you doing, BJ?” This time, with more concern. “Really?”
“I’m getting through it, Sage.”
Something in the atmosphere told me my brother needed me. I was supposed to be prepping for surgery but stepped to the side to place the call.
“What can I do?” I wanted to help in any way I could, even from hundreds of miles away.
“Stop talking about it. I don’t want to think about what this day represents. I need a distraction.”
“I’m about to remove some bladder stones,” I blurted out. “Wanna watch?”
“Sounds disgusting.”
“Wait until I pull the bladder out and you see how many stones come out.”
The door to my hideout opened. “Sage, we’re ready for you,” Sandera said.
“Here I come,” I replied. “Actually, can you do me a favor?”
Sandera nodded. “Of course.”
“Will you set my phone up while I scrub in?” She nodded again while I sent a request to add video to the call. BJ appeared, sitting on his porch. “Give me like five minutes, okay?”
I gave Sandera my phone. “Oh…” She smiled. “This ain’t the police officer. Sage, who’s this?”
“Her brother,” BJ answered for me. “What police officer?”
“The one that’s none of your business,” I said as Sandera walked off.
Faintly, I heard BJ ask about the police officer again.
The overwhelming need to relieve myself prevented me from going on. Halfway into my drive home, I pulled over at a gas station. I used the bathroom before grabbing a drink and some candy, then walked through the door someone held open for me.
“Thank you,” I told the man, following the walkway to the side where I parked.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” someone said behind me when I reached for my door.
I turned around, seeing the wheelchair first, a cast on an arm and the opposite leg, followed by a cardboard sign requesting monetary compensation for a disabled vet. Then, when his eyes got big, I was drawn to the man’s face, immediately remembering our last encounter.
Tez .
Something, or maybe someone, fucked him up.
“I know you ain’t about to ask me for money.”
“Nope. I ain’t asking you for shit.” His arms moved rapidly, trying to steer the wheelchair around. “I don’t want no more fucking problems.”
I did though, reliving the emotions I felt with a gun pointed at me. I sat my items on top of the car and lunged forward to grab one of the push handles on the back of Tez’s wheelchair.
“Where you going?”
“I said I didn’t want no more problems,” he repeated frantically.
“You should’ve thought about that before you pulled a gun on me.”
I spun him around, facing him toward a block retaining wall.
“Wait!” He held his hands up like that was going to stop me. “You already got your lick back. That’s why I’m in these fucking casts.”
The only person I could think of was Cauvey. Maybe he got to him, maybe he didn’t. Either way, it didn’t matter.
I didn’t get my lick back.
“Shut up.”
I pushed him forward, right into the dual-purpose barrier.
His extended leg hit it first and the momentum of the rest of his body connecting lifted him out the chair and over the wall.
He went flying, calling for God’s help before flipping onto the sidewalk.
His cries could be heard over the bustling of cars.
I was in my car and almost out of the exit when a passerby stopped to assist. Continuing, I didn’t care about how the rest played out since Tez had gotten off easy in my opinion. I wasn’t a violent person, but didn’t like to be played with. Doing so would almost guarantee I’d retaliate.
Even if Cauvey did it first.
He was outside the building standing with a group of dudes when I pulled up. He spoke while his friends stared. To him, I spoke back. Everybody else got the same treatment they gave me, silence.
Upstairs, Lanique had all her cichlids in a bowl while she drained the water from their tank. I asked what she was doing, even though I clearly saw, surprised she had started the process so soon.
“Somebody reached out about buying the tank. Actually, they want the whole setup, fish and all. They’re on their way in about an hour, so…I’m getting everything set up.”
“Do you need any help?”
“Not with the fish tank. It’s basically done.” She looked back at her progress. “Now I just gotta wait.” Her hands dropped from her waist. “But I do need help finding homes for everybody. Except for my cats. I can’t let my girls go.”
“Can I take Cara?”
“Yeah…if you have somewhere for her to go while you find a place.”
“I’ve already found a place,” I said nonchalantly. “I’m moving in with Keyoni.”
“Moving in with who?” Her brows furrowed.
“You heard me, Keyoni.”
Cauvey arrived, catching the end of what I had to say. “What about Keyoni?”
“Sage is moving in with Keyoni.”
“Good. I get to have my game room back. When you leaving?” His tone was playful.
“Soon. We haven’t decided on a date yet.”
“When you do, let me know if you need help moving anything.” Cauvey fell back on the couch. “I’d love to see Keyoni’s face when me and some of my niggas show up at his house.”
I wanted to see it too. “I might just have to take you up on that offer.”
“Like I said, just let me know.”