The Realest Ever - By Keith Thomas Walker Page 0,24
– not just because Donovan would’ve seen it, but Kyra looked around and noticed that her whole family had joined her in the living room. Her face flushed with crimson.
“Hey, Donovan,” Kyra said as if she’d just opened the door. “This is my Aunt Ruth and my two kids, Katavia and Quinell.” She turned to introduce them.
“Nice to meet you,” Donovan said to the children. “Good afternoon,” he told Kyra’s aunt.
Kyra’s kids were more shy than usual. Quinell had only taken one step into the room. Kat sought shelter behind Aunt Ruth.
“Come on, ya’ll. Come say hi,” Kyra implored. “Donovan’s a good friend of mine. I’ve known him since I was your age,” she told Quinell.
Q stepped forward out of obedience, but Kat was still unsure about this hulk of a man who somehow squeezed through their front door.
“Girl, get over here,” Kyra said with a chuckle.
She went to retrieve her daughter. Donovan struggled to keep his eyes off Kyra’s derriere when she turned away. She filled out that skirt like nobody’s business. Donovan had been with Brianna for so long, he nearly forgot what a real, southern woman looked like – one who didn’t eat rice cakes or pull out a calorie counter before she ordered at a restaurant.
Donovan knew he’d never place his hands on Kyra’s lusciousness, but he had a sudden craving for a woman her size. Definitely not Kyra, he told himself, but if he was lucky enough to meet a totally different woman built exactly like her, Donovan might have to trade-in his Skinny Minnie.
“Hi.”
Donovan looked down and saw a young boy standing there. Donovan squatted so he could look the child in the eyes.
“Hello. My name is Donovan.”
His voice was deep and rich, creating a roll of bass that seemed to bounce off every wall before dissipating. He stuck out a hand to shake, and Quinell obliged. Kyra watched her son’s mitt get totally swallowed up in Donovan’s paw. She smiled. She walked over to them with Katavia in her arms.
“And this is my daughter, Kat,” she said.
Donovan stood and grinned at the baby. “Hello there.”
Kat stared at him for a moment, and then she smiled and buried her face against her mother’s shoulder.
“Oh, stop being shy,” Kyra said. She tried to get the baby facing the right direction, but it was no use. No matter which arm Kyra switched her to, Kat wouldn’t meet Donovan’s eyes. “I’m sorry,” Kyra said. “She’s usually not like this. I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”
“She’s fine,” Donovan said. “I think she’ll like me once she gets to know me.”
Kat looked up at him, and Donovan winked at her, and the baby turned away again giggling. Kyra laughed. Donovan looked up and then crossed the floor to greet the last person in the room. Aunt Ruth eyed him suspiciously, even when Donovan reached to shake her hand.
“Hi, I’m Donovan Mitchell.”
She shook it, but Ruth was clearly guarded.
“You Kyra’s old friend, from when she used to live down here?”
“Yes,” Donovan said. “And she lived with my family once, for a little while, a long time ago.”
“Hmph,” the older woman said. “Y’all have a good time.”
She didn’t look like she meant it. Kyra didn’t know what was going on with her grumpy aunt, and she didn’t care. She deposited her baby on the sofa and went to wait for Donovan at the door.
“We’ll be back in a couple of hours,” he said as he backed away from Aunt Ruth. When he turned to face Kyra, Donovan smiled big and dopey. Kyra did, too. She hadn’t been this excited since the day Donovan’s mom let her move in with them.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
When they got in his truck, Kyra quickly fell in love with the cozy seats and cool air-conditioning. It’s strange, the things people take for granted. Kyra never thought a new truck would be so impressive, but after riding the bus and in her aunt’s ’96 Camry, Donovan’s pickup felt like the lap of luxury.
The childhood friends couldn’t take their eyes off each other as Donovan backed out of the driveway and headed for a restaurant downtown.
“What?” Kyra said after catching a few of his glances.
“I don’t know,” Donovan said. He shook his head and tried to keep his eyes on the road. “You look so different. I’m glad to finally see you again.”
“Different how?” Kyra asked. She couldn’t wipe the smile off her face, either.
“You’re all grown up,” Donovan stated. “You’ve become a beautiful woman, Kyra.”