The Realest Ever - By Keith Thomas Walker Page 0,78
a billion questions before Donovan admitted it.
“I know I said we weren’t going to have a relationship,” he continued. “But I took her to Finley High’s homecoming game yesterday, and there was a lot of nostalgia. I kissed her, and we decided to be more than friends from now on. Kyra’s my woman now. I asked her to move in with me.”
That was one hell of a mouthful. Donovan was rarely this forthcoming. Beverly couldn’t process the information quickly enough. She sat quietly, staring and blinking for more than five seconds.
“Mama? Are you alright?”
Beverly nodded vaguely.
“You said you were going to stop hating on Kyra, right?”
She continued to nod.
“I know I asked you to accept her as my friend,” Donovan went on. “But now I need you to accept her as my woman; soon to be my wife and your daughter-in-law. You can do that for me, cant you?”
Beverly was still nodding, but she shook her head when his words caught up to her. “Wait, wait, wait, wait…” She rubbed a pressure point between her eyebrows. “Slow down, Donovan. Just, slow down…”
He didn’t mean to cause his mother any stress, but Donovan felt great. He didn’t have any secrets. Everything was out in the open.
“I know this is a lot to digest,” he said. “It’ll probably take some time before–”
His mother held a hand up to stop him. “Hold on a second,” she said. “Just wait a minute. I’m not as young as I used to be. I need a minute to think about all of this.”
Donovan smiled.
Beverly gave him an irritated look. “Now you and Kyra getting together, that’s not a surprise,” she said. “I knew that was gon’ happen from the second you told me she came back.”
“But it wasn’t planned.”
“I know,” she said. “You were with Brianna, and you didn’t want to hurt her. I raised you good, and you’re a good man.”
Donovan’s chest swelled.
“But if something’s meant to be, nothing can stand in its way. I know you didn’t break up with Brianna for Kyra, things just happened like that.”
Donovan was glad she believed him.
“So you being with Kyra is fine with me,” Beverly said.
“Really?”
“Yes, boy. I told you I would stop coming against her, and I have.”
“Thanks, Mama.”
“But what I want to know,” Beverly said, “is why you feel the need to move so fast all of a sudden. You said you kissed the girl for the first time last night. You probably should’ve left it at the kiss, but whatever, I’m not in that.”
Donovan looked down at the table bashfully.
“But why do you want her to move in with you? Why are you already talking about marriage? You and Kyra have only been together for one day, Donovan.”
“I know, but it’s not like I just met her. I’ve known Kyra all my life.”
“But she’s been your woman, as you call it, for one day, son. One day. Don’t you think you should date her for at least a year, to see how it goes?”
Donovan shook his head. “No. We can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because this isn’t a see how it goes type of situation, Mama. We’re going to be together forever. I don’t have any doubts.”
“Then why rush it?”
“Why not rush it?”
“Because it might not work,” Beverly stressed. “I know you want the best for her, but you two might not be compatible as boyfriend and girlfriend. Maybe you were meant to be just friends.”
“But we can’t go back,” Donovan said. “Not after what happened. I have to marry her, so we’ll be together forever.”
Beverly watched his eyes, and her heart melted. Donovan was in love. Big time. But she knew he was also afraid, and maybe irrational. “Listen to me,” she said. “I think what you and Kyra did was major. You’re right, it probably changed your relationship forever. But I think now you’re scared that if y’all don’t make it as boyfriend and girlfriend, you’ll lose her as a friend, too.
“So you want to hurry up and move in with her and get married so you’ll know for sure y’all will be together. But that’s not the right way to do it, Donovan. If y’all have problems, you need to figure them out before you get married. Before you move her kids into your house. ’Cause it’s not just you and Kyra that’s gonna be affected by all of this. You got those two babies in the middle.”
Donovan knew she was right, “But, Mama, there’s no chance of me and Kyra breaking up.”