The Realest Ever - By Keith Thomas Walker Page 0,6
last time,” Donovan recalled. “Why do you need help with the same thing?”
“I forgot how to do it, Coach.”
Donovan frowned at him. “You smoking weed, Kevin?”
“Nope,” the student said right away. “I don’t smoke weed, Coach.”
“I know your brother smokes weed,” Donovan said. “And your cousins do, too. You getting high with them, Kevin? Don’t lie to me.”
“I don’t smoke weed,” Kevin stressed. “I don’t smoke cigarettes or Black & Mild’s or nothing. I don’t do nothing that’s gon’ take my breath away.”
The take my breath away comment was something Donovan warned his students about all the time. But Kevin maintained eye contact when he spoke, and Donovan believed him. He pulled up a chair next to his mediocre defensive end.
“I hope some of this starts to come back to you really quick,” Donovan said. “I don’t want to be here all night.”
“Why, you got a date with Miss Murphy?” Kevin joked.
Donovan frowned again. “If you say one more thing that’s not related to math, I’ma make you do so many pushups, you won’t be able to lift your arms tomorrow. You understand me?”
“Yes, sir,” Kevin said, his smile gone, his nose down in his book.
CHAPTER TWO
AUNT RUTH
Two days later Kyra was still struggling to keep a positive attitude as she cleaned the blinds and windows in her bedroom on what was actually a beautiful Saturday afternoon. At bedtime Kyra’s room was cramped with herself, her two year old daughter and her eight year old son, but it wasn’t the crowded conditions that had her fighting off a wave of depression. It was her new landlord that made Kyra wonder if maybe she should’ve stuck it out in Arkansas.
When she reached out to her aunt two weeks ago, Kyra didn’t think Ruth would take her in. Fifteen years ago when Kyra’s mother went to jail, everyone assumed Ruth would be the one to step in for her sister’s kids. But they were wrong about that. Before anyone even had time to ask her, Aunt Ruth said she was too busy. She had too much going on to be burdened with three rugrats that weren’t even hers.
Kyra’s brother Duke and her sister Jackie were sent to Arkansas, where most of Kyra’s family was from. The only reason Kyra stayed in Overbrook Meadows was because Donovan begged her mom to take her in. But that didn’t last long. Soon Kyra was shipped off to Arkansas as well, and for a long time she hated her aunt for being so cold-hearted. Kyra would’ve given up a kidney to stay with Donovan in Texas, but fate had other plans.
When Kyra summoned the courage to flee Arkansas fourteen days ago, Aunt Ruth was her absolute last resort. Kyra had her finger poised over the hang up button when she called her, and she was blown away when Aunt Ruth told her, “Of course you can come stay with me, child, until you get your life back together. I’ll help take care of your kids. You been gone a long time. I miss you Kyra. If you need somewhere to stay, I’m here for you.”
Within a week Kyra took her aunt up on the offer. She spent her last dime on bus tickets and packed all of the clothes she could carry in two huge suitcases she got from her brother. Duke wanted her to stay with his family, but Kyra knew she had to leave Arkansas entirely. She had troubles with her ex, the police and Little Rock’s child protective services. But Kyra wasn’t fearful when she got on that bus. Aunt Ruth’s offer of food and shelter was a light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
That light dimmed very quickly.
Kyra’s first surprise when she arrived in Overbrook Meadows was that Aunt Ruth’s three bedroom home actually had only two bedrooms. The third one was filled with junk that Aunt Ruth was in no hurry to remove. Kyra offered to clean it herself, but Aunt Ruth said she didn’t want anyone going through her personal stuff. Kyra accepted that.
They decided to let Quinell sleep on the couch while Kyra and Kat shared the one bedroom, but that only lasted one night. The next morning Aunt Ruth complained that Kyra’s son was a lot bigger than she thought he was. She said Quinell sleeping on the couch was messing up her cushions. He’d have to sleep in the bedroom with Kyra and Kat instead. Ruth offered Quinell an air mattress to sleep on but