The Realest Ever - By Keith Thomas Walker Page 0,44
that? Do, doesn’t she know you’re working on her replacement; getting Kyra all fixed up so she can slide right into Brianna’s spot?”
Donovan laughed. “That’s not what’s happening, Mama. I’m, honestly I can’t believe you think so little of me. I’m not the kind of guy who would do something like that. And Brianna’s not that great of a catch. I know you want me to marry her, but you got to believe me when I tell you that girl has issues.”
“I’d have issues too if my man was running around town, flaunting his girlfriend, claiming they just friends.”
“No, Mama. Brianna had issues way before Kyra came back. That’s why I didn’t want to move in with her. She’s insecure and jealous as hell.”
Beverly raised an eyebrow.
“As heck,” Donovan conceded. “But as far as Kyra, don’t think we came to this understanding without a lot of arguing and crying.”
“Donovan, I know you’re not gonna leave Brianna over that, that…”
“Don’t do it.”
“Over Kyra,” Beverly said. “I know you’re not going to leave Brianna over Kyra.”
“If Brianna didn’t stop tripping about her, then yes, I would have. I almost broke up with her twice. But it wasn’t so I could start a relationship with Kyra. Me and Kyra are just friends.”
Beverly was clearly in shock about all of this. Donovan didn’t know why she found it so hard to believe.
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing?” his mother asked. “Brianna has everything you need in a wife. Kyra has absolutely nothing. She ain’t got two dimes to rub against each other.”
“Regardless of what happens with me and Brianna, I’m not interested in Kyra,” Donovan insisted.
“What do you mean regardless of what happens? Are you still thinking about breaking up with her?”
Donovan shrugged. Brianna did tolerate his and Kyra’s friendship, but she did so grudgingly. She was like a ticking time bomb. Donovan sensed they were headed for another meltdown.
“What about the kiss?” Beverly asked. “If you’re so honest with Brianna, then surely you told her about you and Kyra’s kiss...”
Donovan lost half of his confidence in the blink of an eye. “I, well, we uh…”
Beverly shook her head slowly.
“That was a one time thing,” Donovan stated. “And it was a long time ago. It’s in the past, Mama. Let it go.”
“If it’s not a problem, why don’t you tell Brianna?”
“I don’t see the point in that.”
“There’s a reason you won’t do it,” Beverly speculated.
“Is there any chance that if I don’t ask you what the reason is, you won’t tell me?”
Beverly’s eyes narrowed. It was a look that used to incite fear when Donovan was a child. It still scared him a little today.
“Don’t sass me, boy.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Beverly never finished her comment, and she only picked at the rest of her meal. Donovan wished he didn’t have to disappoint his mother, but he didn’t feel too bad when he dropped her off thirty minutes later. As a matter of fact, he felt pretty good about his life.
Donovan already stood up to Brianna in regards to Kyra, and now his mother knew where he stood as well. Beverly responded with her typical drama, but Donovan knew that eventually she would accept his decision and love him anyway. She had no choice. He was her only child, after all.
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
Donovan hadn’t made it home yet when he got a call from his girlfriend. He didn’t think anything of it, although Brianna rarely called him at this time of day. She knew this was when he spent time with his mom.
“Hey, baby.” Donovan answered the phone happy and full from his buffet at Golden Corral. Brianna changed his mood entirely with just seven words:
“Why did your mom kick Kyra out?”
Donovan played dumb, but already knew what had transpired. “Wh, what you mean?”
“When you were in high school,” Brianna said. “You told me Kyra lived with you, and your mom put her out. I asked why she put her out, and you didn’t tell me the truth. I want you to tell me the truth now. Why did your mom kick Kyra out?”
Brianna was mostly calm, but her breaths came hard through her nostrils. It sounded like she was speaking through clenched teeth. Donovan knew a huge part of his life was about to change, but he wasn’t as upset as he thought he would be.