only stare. I dropped the kids off and decided to go home, change, and head over to Dave’s Gym to shoot some hoops.
Kyra had been calling me, but I wouldn’t answer, because if I did, I wasn’t sure what I would say. All I knew was I wanted them both. So I was caught with my dick in my hand and didn’t know where to put it. The thought had even occurred about going back to Georgia. But when I spoke to Trae, he told me that running wasn’t gonna do shit but change the atmosphere. The problem was still going to be there. He asked me to do him a favor and call Kyra, because she was hurt, confused, and driving him nuts. Just as I turned the corner from the school, a limo pulled up, and to my surprise, out she jumped.
TRAE
I walked into Kaylin’s office building around lunchtime. The guard at the front desk was acting as if he didn’t want to let me up. So I got Kaylin on the phone, and he told me to stay put, he’d be right down. He said he needed to take a break and wanted to go to the deli next door.
After about five minutes, he got off the elevator, came over to me, and gave me some dap. “You made it, huh? If you know like I know, you’ll take ya Hollywood ass back out to Cali.” He said the same thing to me every time he saw me.
“Whatever, nigga. Hurry up and order your shit. We got business. I’ll wait here. I need to call Tasha.”
“You don’t want anything?”
“Get me the same thing you gettin’ for yourself.”
“Aiight bet.” He turned and left the building.
I found a corner so I could call and speak to my wife. “Where are you?” That was the first thing she asked me.
“You know where I am.”
“Kyra has been gone now for almost eighteen hours.”
“Gone? What do you mean, gone?”
“Gone. No phone calls. No text messages. Not here. I even went to the Vons where I found her preaching with her Bible. Aunt Marva thought I was lying about that until she caught her going up and down the block knocking on doors. I can’t do this, Trae. We might have to have her evaluated. She’s fuckin’ bananas right now.”
“Have her evaluated for what?”
“I think she’s fuckin’ . . . nuts. I can’t raise our children, babysit a crazy patient, and run this house at the same time.”
I had to chuckle. “A crazy patient?”
“I’m serious, Trae. I’m worried about her.”
“Well, don’t go back combing the streets for her. She’s grown, and when she’s ready to come to the house or check in, she will.” When Tasha didn’t respond, I said, “She will, Tasha.”
“Hurry back home, please. And you’re coming back when?”
“As soon as I take care of this.”
“How soon is that? A few hours? A day?”
“Tasha, I’ll call you when I finish. Here comes Kaylin now.”
“Whatever.”
“Love you, too.” I hung up and turned my attention to Kay. “So what you get me? A hot dog off the cart?”
“Hell, no! Them muthafuckas don’t have toilets or sinks to wash their hands. I got you what’s called ‘get a nigga whatever you got, because as soon as they see yo shit, they want it.’ Here.” He handed me my bags, and I peeked inside the container, saw some lamb over yellow rice, and smiled. “I got this, nigga,” he said, walking onto the elevator with me right on his heels. We rode in silence until we reached his floor. When the doors opened, he moved fast, and I was right behind him.
“C’mon. Let’s go into the conference room.” As soon as he shut the door, he asked me, “So what’s up?”
I sat my food on the table and immediately started pacing back and forth, anxious to get it all out. “I get this call from Charli, saying that her father wants to meet with me. I hang up on her, thinking she on some bullshit, and toss her and her conversation out of my mind. But then a couple of days go by, and I’m out gettin’ my walk on and trying to clear my head, when this limo pulls up. I’m thinking all kinds of shit. Mainly, the fact that I wasn’t strapped. Bottom line, it was the man himself, Charlie Li. The rear window came down, just like in the movies. He asks if he can speak to me. I get in, and