Chapter 11 #2
“Well, hello, Naryah. It’s been a little while. I was surprised to see your name on my schedule.”
“Only a few months.”
“It’s been more than a few, but from the way you’re glowing, can I assume things are going well?”
“Things are going very well.”
“Why do I hear a but trying to weasel into this conversation?”
“Because things are going well, but I’m afraid.”
She paused and looked at me as if she were reading my mind.
“You know what, before you tell me why you're afraid of things going well, tell me what’s not going so well.”
“Ugh. Co-parenting.”
“Okay. What’s not going well?”
“Victor hasn’t picked up Keelan on the court-appointed days in almost four months.”
“Does that upset Keelan?”
“Not in the least. We’ve had some telling conversations about it, and he doesn’t like going with his father.”
“Why are you letting it bother you?”
“It doesn’t bother me like that.”
“How does it bother you?”
“It’s like, he knows it’s his day or his weekend, and he doesn’t call or show up. What if Keelan was looking forward to spending time with him?”
“But you just said he’s not.”
“Victor doesn’t know that, though.”
“Oh, he knows, and I’m willing to bet that’s why he doesn’t come and get him.
Keelan is intelligent, articulate, and doesn’t have a problem expressing his feelings.
With that comes the inability to hide your feelings.
Excuse my French for a moment. If Keelan don’t fuck with his daddy, his daddy knows Keelan don’t fuck with him. ”
I let her words simmer a bit before responding.
“You think Keelan told him.”
“No, because you’re raising a respectful young man. His body language, energy, and lack of enthusiasm can speak for him. Victor knows his son doesn’t like him, and at first, he probably stopped picking him up as an ‘I’ll show you’ type of thing.”
“Yeah, that sounds like something Victor would do. Today is Keelan’s birthday, and he hasn’t even called.”
“That’s unfortunate. Has Keelan asked about him today?”
“Not even once.”
“Then why do you care more than Keelan cares?”
I pondered her question briefly. “I have no idea.”
“Well, that stops today. You match Keelan’s energy where his father is concerned.”
“Duly noted.”
“Good. Now let’s get to the good part. Tell me why you’re glowing.”
For the next fifteen minutes, I talked about Graham, and she listened intently.
“Naryah, honey. I didn’t hear one reason why you should be afraid. You’re not the same woman you were ten years ago. You know the red flags from a mile away, and it seems you’re looking for signs that aren’t there.”
“Logically, I know, but—”
“No, ma’am. No more buts are allowed. From what you described, Graham is the polar opposite of anyone you’ve ever dated. He’s a different breed.”
“Oh my God! What was that last part you said?”
“He’s a different breed.”
“Wow. He’s told me more than once that he’s a different breed.”
“Boom! There you go. The confirmation you needed. Excuse my French one more time. Get the fuck out of your own way and let that man love you.”
When my appointment ended, Dr. Hart forced me to schedule another appointment in a month because she wanted an update. After putting my leftover food away, I finally poured myself a glass of wine, grabbed my Kindle and Misty, and headed to the porch.
“Come on, boy,” I called out to Que.
I got comfortable and took a few sips of wine. Before I started reading, I reflected on the conversation with Dr. Hart. Something she said shortly before our call ended resonated with me.
“Get the fuck out of your own way and let that man love you.”
“I’m ready to do just that, Dr. Hart.”
Que lifted his head and looked at me, as if I were talking to him.
“I was talking out loud, boy, but I might as well get your thoughts too, since Graham is your bestie. Do you think I should give him a shot?”
He purred and nodded his head.
“He seems like a good man, Que, but so did Victor.”
Que growled at the sound of Victor’s name.
“I know they’re nothing alike, and it’s unfair of me to even allude to them being in the same category. It’s just so hard to trust after you’ve been fucked over by people you loved and who you thought loved you.”
Que’s whimpers made me giggle. I would argue anybody down trying to tell me my boy didn’t understand English. He’d helped me solve many problems since we brought him home.
“I know you like Graham a lot, and I’m wasting time talking to you.”
He barked once, which meant he agreed. That was no surprise since he showed his traitorous ways.
“Okay, I think everyone I love has given Graham their stamp of approval, even my mother, and she hasn’t met him. I’m ready to see where this goes, but if this blows up in my face, I’m putting you down and cutting everybody off.”
Que’s head hopped up, he gave me the evil eye, and readjusted his body so he wasn’t facing me. I guessed he didn’t appreciate my threat, and couldn’t help but giggle at his reaction.
I’d begun reading Beck & Coll by Tracy Gray a few days ago, so I picked up where I left off and got lost in the story about a city girl named Collins and a country boy named Beckham.
Suddenly, Que, who was in his usual spot at the edge of the porch, got on his feet. I wasn’t too alarmed because he sometimes did that when he sensed someone nearing. I looked down the block both ways and didn’t see anyone walking, so I returned my attention to my Kindle.
When he began barking aggressively, I became concerned because he rarely did so unless something or someone put him on high alert. The block was empty, so I thought maybe there was a squirrel or raccoon creeping in the bushes or something.
“What’s wrong, boy?”
He didn’t leave the porch, but he continued barking. Just as I stood to gather my things and take him inside, Victor parked in front of my house.
“Shit! I guess this explains Que’s behavior. My boy can sense that piece of shit a mile away.”
I took Que inside because once Victor left his car, I’d have no control over how Que reacted. I slipped Misty into the pocket of my sweats, although I doubted I’d need her. Victor wasn’t that damn crazy.
“Heel, boy. I’ll be right outside.”
I gave Que a look, warning him not to act a fool. He tried me for a minute but eventually calmed down. When I returned to the porch, Victor was stumbling toward my house.
“Where’s my son?”
I might have heard wrong, but his words sounded slurred.
“He’s not here.”
“Where the fuck is he? I came to tell him happy birthday.”
His words were definitely slurred. I couldn’t believe this nigga showed up to my house drunk on my son’s birthday.
“He’s out with one of his friends celebrating.”
“You pushed him off on someone else on his birthday? I knew you were a shitty mom.”
“Excuse me?”
“Any woman who keeps a son away from his father is a shitty mother.”
I released a deep breath as I remembered what Dr. Hart had told me a few hours ago.
“Get home safe, Victor.”
Before I turned to go inside, Graham turned into my driveway. He damn near hopped out of his truck before it came to a full stop.
“You good, baby?” he asked as he headed toward me.
“I’m fine.”
When Keelan appeared from the other side of Graham’s truck, all hell broke loose. Victor sobered up quick and aggressively stormed toward Keelan.
“You ungrateful bastard. I bust my ass to pay fucking child support, and you spent your birthday with this nigga.”
What happened next felt like it happened in slow motion, and I was mortified as I leaped from the porch to save my son from his father’s wrath. The back of Victor’s hand went across Keelan’s face, knocking him to the ground, just before Graham tackled him, then landed a solid fist to Victor’s face.
I ran to Keelan, pulled him to his feet, and wrapped him in my arms. He buried his face in my chest and hugged my waist as he cried in my arms. Graham joined us, wrapping his strong, long arms around us both.
Que was going crazy inside and could probably be heard on the next block. I knew his senses were going crazy, but not crazy enough for him to jump through my damn screen on my screen door.
“Oh shit!” Graham yelled when Que seemingly came out of nowhere and attacked Victor.
I prayed my dog didn’t get put to sleep, but Victor deserved everything Que gave him. Victor curled himself into a ball for protection, but Que showed him no mercy.
Graham let him rock for about thirty seconds before grabbing Que by the collar.
“Down, boy. Heel!”
He had to repeat himself a few times, but eventually, Que calmed down.
“Come on, baby. Let’s go inside,” I told Keelan.
I couldn’t believe my baby boy’s birthday had ended so horribly.