The Realest Ever (11 page)

“Okay,” Donovan said.  His
heart was suddenly sick and heavy.  He never wanted to see Kyra cry.  Ever since he was a child, he would do anything to make her happy.  “Hey, do you remember the time we beat up Jimmy and his sister?” He offered a hesitant smile. 

Kyra’s eyes lit up, and she smiled
, too.  “Big-lip Jimmy and that
stanky
Rochelle!”  She laughed loudly.  “We tag-teamed the hell out of them!”

It was good to see her laugh
again.  Donovan leaned forward with his elbows on the table while Kyra retold the harrowing tale.

≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

Twenty minutes later, Kyra was reluctant to leave the restaurant.  She hadn’t eaten that well in a long time.  But returning to the comfy confines of Donovan’s truck was nice, too.  Kyra hoped she’d meet a handsome man in Overbrook Meadows who had a nice car.  It didn’t have to be anything flashy, so long as the seats were cozy and he had a loud sound system like Donovan did.  Better yet, Kyra dreamed of the day she would have her own ride. 

“So, what are your plans?” Donovan asked as he exited the restaurant’s parking lot.  “
You got some short term goals?”

Kyra
grinned.  “I was just thinking the same thing.”

“About your goals?”

She nodded.  “Yeah.  The first thing I need is to get me a car.  Wait, the
first
thing I need is to find a job.  And then a car and my own place.”

“Do you have anything lined up?” Donovan asked.

She shook her head.  “I’ll take whatever job I can find at this point.”

“What kind of work have you done,” Donovan asked, “in Arkansas?”

Kyra frowned.  She knew he was going to ask about that.  “I never had a real good job.  I’ve been a waitress.  I worked at some other restaurants, as a cashier and stuff.  I had a job as a customer service rep.  That one was cool.”

“Have you ever worked
as a receptionist?” Donovan asked. 

“No,” Kyra said.  “But I know I can do it.
  The customer service job was kinda like a secretary.”

Donovan didn’t say anything, but he was watching her carefully.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Kyra said.

“Like what.”

“I know that look.”

Donovan’s eyes narrowed.  “What look?”

“That
I wanna help you
look,” Kyra said.  “That’s the way you used to look at me when I was little; when you thought you could fix all my problems.”

Donovan smiled.  “I do want to help you, Kyra. 
I didn’t know you could read my mind, though.”

“I know you, Donovan.”

“Yes, you do.”

“And you think you know me, t
oo.  But a lot has changed since I been gone.”

“
I know,” Donovan said.  “I want you to tell me everything.  I don’t care how long it takes.”

“Okay, but not today.”

“Okay.”  Donovan smiled.  “You know, I think you just need somebody in your life to encourage you and look out for you.”

“That doesn’t have to be you,” Kyra said.  She regretted
her comment when she saw a flash of pain in Donovan’s eyes.  “I mean, you don’t feel like you have to keep saving me, do you?”

“I don’t know what I feel,” Donovan said honestly. 

“I know that’s how it always was with us,” Kyra said.  “But that’s not why I came back to Overbrook Meadows.  I don’t want to depend on people anymore.”

“You didn’t come back for me?”  Donovan was glad he was driving.  He kept his eyes on the road rather than look
at Kyra.  This was the question Brianna and Beverly were most concerned about.  Donovan wanted to know as well, but he was afraid of her answer.

Kyra swallowed and held her breath when she said, “No.”

Donovan’s heart stopped beating completely as he processed the rejection.  But he didn’t know why that should upset him.  He was in a relationship, and he hadn’t spoken to Kyra in fifteen years.  Of course she didn’t come back for him.  She didn’t even know that he still lived in the city until she contacted him on Facebook.

“Okay,” Donovan said.  “I’m not asking you to depend on me, but will you at least let me
assist you?”

“
Assist me how?”

“I might be able to help you find a job,” Donovan offered.  “And if I’m not working, I can give you rides to the library
– or if you just wanna hang out and talk.  I know things have changed, but I still consider you my best friend, Kyra.  We’re still BFF’s, right?”

BFF’s
.  That put a genuine smile on Kyra’s face.  How many people pledged to be
Best Friends Forever
only to lose touch after graduation?

“I don’t deserve you,” she said.  “I don’t deserve to have someone like you caring for me.
  I told you that before, haven’t I?”

“
Yes, I believe so.”

“But you never listen.”

“You shouldn’t have come back to my city if you didn’t want my help,” Donovan said. 

It was a joke, but Kyra knew he was serious. 
And she took comfort in his words, despite the fact that she really did want to be independent.

Ten minutes later Donovan pulled into the driveway at Aunt Ruth’s house.  It was late afternoon, still warm and sunny.

“Your girlfriend didn’t have a problem with you seeing me?” Kyra asked before she got out of the truck.

“Like I told my mom,
Brianna ain’t great, but she’s okay with it,” Donovan replied.

“Your mom.  Wow.”  Kyra brought a hand to her face.  “You already talked to her about me?”

“I took her to church this morning.”

“Mama’s boy
.” Kyra snickered.

“Whatever.”

“Is she still mad at me?”

“She, um.  She ain’t great
, either,” Donovan admitted.

Kyra thought about the last time she saw Miss Beverly.
  Bad idea.  She felt mortified and turned on at the same time.  It was an awkward mix of emotions.  She wondered if Donovan ever thought about their kiss.  She would love to talk to him about it, but she knew it would be improper to bring it up because of his girlfriend.

“What about your
aunt?” Donovan asked.  “I feel like she doesn’t like me.”

“I have no idea what her problem is,” Kyra said.  “I can’t wait to move from over here.”  She eyed the front door of her aunt’s house much like she did when she was a child, looking at her
own home.

Donovan was hit with
a powerful sense of déjà vu.  It was clear they weren’t meant to have a sexual relationship, but Donovan believed God put him in Kyra’s life to be her protector.  They may have lost contact for a decade and a half, but his concern for her was one thing that remained the same.

“Please tell your girlfriend that I never asked you to help me with anything,” Kyra said as she opened the door.

Donovan grinned mischievously.  “Will do.”

Kyra
stared into his beautiful, brown eyes.  “Thanks for lunch, and everything.”

“You’re welcome,” Donovan said.  “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

CHAPTER SIX

DONOVAN THE
PROTECTOR

Brianna sent Donovan two text messages during his lunch with Kyra.  He read them when he stopped at a light down the street from Aunt Ruth’s house.

Hey, baby.  Just wanted to know how things were going.  Are you still with her?  Where’d you take her?  What are y’all doing
?

In the second one, sent an hour later, Donovan knew his woman was losing her resolve.

Hey, baby.  How long is your lunch going to be?  I don’t want to call you.  I’m trying real hard.  If you don’t call me soon, I’m going to call you.  Call me as soon as you can!!

Donovan almost didn’t call her back.  Why’d she have to go overboard with the exclamation points?  He had a lot on his mind.  He didn’t want to explain things to Brianna until he knew what was going on.  He had to remind himself that although his girlfriend was insanely jealous, this was a unique situation.  This time Brianna’s concern was understandable.  Donovan dialed her number, and she answered right away.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” she said.  “Is your date over?  You on your way home?”

“It wasn’t a date
.”

“Whatever.  Is it over?”

“Yes.”

“
I have a lot I want to say about this.  Are you on your way home?”

Donovan cringed. 
“Yes.”

“Can I meet you there, so we can talk?”

“Alright.”

“Where’d you take her?” Brianna asked.  “What did y’all talk about?
  What have you been doing all this time?”

And so the inquisition begins
.  Donovan sighed.  “I thought you were coming to my house so we can talk in person?”

“Yeah.  Okay.”

“Alright, I’ll see you there.”

≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

Brianna’s new Jetta was parked in his driveway when Donovan got there.  He pulled in beside it and locked eyes with Brianna.  She was already trying to read his expression.  Donovan offered her a smile as he got out of his truck.  He went around to open Brianna’s door for her, but she hopped out of her ride just as quickly.  She met him halfway.

She stood with her arms by her sides, her eyes darting
slightly as she searched her man’s eyes for the truth his mouth might not give her.  She checked his lips and collar for foreign makeup.  Donovan’s expression was unreadable. 

Brianna wore
black leggings with a small tee shirt.  Her slender limbs were long and sexy.  Her hair was flawless.  But she was so unsure of herself, her attractiveness sank from a 10 to a 7½.

“So, how’d it go?” she asked.

Donovan shrugged.  “Okay, I guess.”

“What’s wrong?” Brianna asked.  “You look upset.
  What’d she do?”

Donovan didn’t think he was, but now that she mentioned it, he did feel
a little gloomy. 

“
Just thinking about some stuff.” 

“About
her
?”  Brianna’s chest hitched.

Donovan already felt bad for Kyra. 
Now he had to offer more empathy to his girlfriend.  “What are you so nervous about?”

“I’ve been going crazy,” Brianna admitted.  “I didn’t know what was happening, on your little date.  I imagined the worst things.”

“Jeez, Brianna.  This is why…”  He caught himself. 

“This is why what?” she demanded.

“Nothing.”

“Are you going to tell me what happened with her or not?”

“Yes.  Could we go inside, please?”

“
Yeah,” Brianna said.  “I’m getting hot.  I can tell you right now, I don’t like this, Donovan.  I don’t like anything about it.”

≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

When they got inside, Donovan gave his woman a long, comforting hug and they sat together on the sofa.  He told her about his lunch with Kyra, from the moment he picked her up to the worry he felt when he dropped her off. 

Brianna
wanted more details, like what went through his mind when he saw Kyra and how he felt when they hugged.  Donovan was as open as possible, but he drew the line at letting Brianna play psychiatrist.

When he was done talking,
she asked the same question Kyra asked when Donovan dropped her off.

“Why do you feel like you have to do something to help her?”

“I don’t know,” Donovan said.  “I just do.”

He
kicked off his church shoes and pushed them to the side of the coffee table.  His tie and button-down were already draped over the arm of his recliner. 

“That doesn’t make sense,” Brianna said. 
“I understand a friend wanting to help a friend, but you haven’t heard from her in fifteen years.  Why are y’all still so close?”

“
I know,” Donovan said.  “No one does.  You would have to understand what it was like when we were kids.  What she and I went through together.”

“Then tell me.”

This is senseless
, Donovan thought.  There was nothing he could say that would make Brianna feel better about him spending time with Kyra or any other woman.  But he didn’t mind reliving some of the memories.  Maybe if he talked about it out loud, he could help himself understand why he needed to be Kyra’s guardian.  Why him?  Did God really assign Donovan this role, or did he take it upon himself, way back in the day when he was too young to know any better?