The Realest Ever - By Keith Thomas Walker Page 0,52
on the forehead and headed for the front door. “Make sure you brush your teeth before you go to bed, if I’m not back by ten. But I should be.”
“I will,” Quinell said.
Donovan gave the boy a pat on the shoulder before he followed Kyra out. “Hey, what happened?” he asked when they were outside.
“My aunt,” she said. “But I don’t want to let it ruin my night.” She smiled. “Thanks for picking me up. I wish I could pay for dinner, but I haven’t gotten paid yet, from my job, ’cause, you know, I have a job now.” She was beaming, the troubles with her aunt already pushed out of her mind.
“You do have a job, don’t you?” Donovan said as they stepped off the porch. “When you get paid, I want you to take me to one of those fancy steak houses.”
“Okay,” Kyra said. “I get paid next month.”
Donovan opened the door for her and helped her inside his truck.
“I’m just kidding,” he said before he closed it. “I wouldn’t waste your money like that.”
Kyra had to wait until he walked around and took a seat on the driver’s side before she could tell him, “It wouldn’t be a waste, Donovan. I owe you a lot.”
“You don’t owe me anything, Kyra. Stop saying that.”
Grrrr. “You’re so frustrating. But I don’t care what you say, you’re going to let me pay you back for some of the stuff you helped me with – the groceries and my car repairs for sure.”
“Okay, whatever,” Donovan said as he backed out of the driveway. “How’s your car running? Do you want me to take it to the carwash?”
Kyra grinned. “I’m pretty sure I can handle that. Are you trying to tell me something?”
“No. Just wanted to help.”
“What can I do for you?” Kyra asked. “Why don’t you let me help you sometimes?”
Donovan shook his head. “I can’t think of anything I need.”
“There’s got to be something I can do for you…”
Donovan stared into her eyes and then at her lips. Luckily he had to look away, so he could watch the road. “What did your aunt say to you before we left,” he asked.
Kyra frowned, but she didn’t try to keep it from him. Donovan was relentless when he knew she was upset about something. “She said that since I got a job now, I have to start paying her for babysitting. She said she’ll keep track of how much I owe, and for me to let her know when I get my check.”
“Hmmm.”
Kyra waited a few seconds. “That’s all you have to say?”
“She’s definitely looking for a free ride.”
“I’m her free ride.”
“But you can’t keep arguing with someone you live with,” Donovan warned. “I think, like it or not, you have to pay her.”
“What?”
“What would you do if you lived alone? You’d have to pay somebody to watch your kids when you go to work and stuff. Might as well be your aunt.”
For a moment Kyra was upset because he didn’t take her side, but she realized Donovan was right, as usual.
“When I grow up, I want to be just like you,” Kyra said with a smile.
Donovan grinned. “You’re fine just the way you are. Every day I’m more proud of you.”
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
Donovan took Kyra to Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen where they dined on smoked salmon, fried calamari and crawfish etouffee. It was still light out when they arrived. The friends watched the sun set through the restaurant’s windows as they ate.
Pappadeaux was filled nearly to capacity with more couples than large parties. Kyra hadn’t been on a real “date” in a long time. She knew she wasn’t on a date with Donovan, but the atmosphere almost made it feel like one. She wondered what it would be like if Donovan kissed her when he dropped her off. She laughed at herself. She’d been wondering about things like that since they were children. Clearly it wasn’t meant to be.
“What are you thinking about?” Donovan asked after the waiter took their plates away. He had a knack for asking that whenever Kyra was thinking about the wrong things.
“Just how nice it is to go out like this,” she said. She sipped a frozen margarita through a straw. “I can’t remember the last time I was in a restaurant this nice.”
“What about your last boyfriend in Arkansas?” Donovan asked. “Y’all never went out on dates?”
Kyra put her glass down. “You know I don’t want to talk about that loser.”