“I guess it’s zero then.”
“I’m serious, Keyoni.”
“I am too.”
I didn’t need the money. A charity stepped in after my father was killed in the line of duty, presenting his family with a check for a quarter of a million dollars. It went to me since I was his only child and he never married, while my mother lived off the social security benefits awarded for his demise. I was a minor at the time, and when I became of age to receive the payout, interest had increased the amount significantly. I was able toavoid a mortgage on the new build I’d been living in since I was nineteen.
“How about this…I pay you the same thing I pay Lanique, plus half the utilities?”
“Or…just pay me half of what you were paying Lanique and take care of the groceries. Save the other half for yourself.” She sat back in her seat, contemplating my words. “And cook.” Her eyes cut over to me. “At least three days a week. The three days I work.”
“Three days?”
“I’ve been offered a promotion. One I haven’t officially accepted, and honestly…I don’t know if I should take it.” She listened intently. “It’s more money and gets me one step closer to my ultimate career goal, but super long hours three days a week. It’ll mess up the schedule I got with Keturah. The weeks I have her, I do everything. Take her to school. Pick her up?—”
“You’re making excuses. If it’s something you really want, you’ll find a way to make it work. That’s what my dad used to say.”
She didn’t talk a lot about her family. When she did, I paid attention, because I wanted to know everything she was willing to share.
“My sister said the same thing.”
Ivory called me dumb for not telling Captain Rory yes on the spot. She also offered to help with Keturah if I needed it.
“Smart woman.”
“I wouldn’t say all that.” Ivory gave good advice…sometimes. “But she did tell me I should accept the offer.”
“I think you should too. It’s a promotion…and you said yourself that it gets you closer to your ultimate career goal. Go for it.”
I started the car again after glancing at my watch. We both needed to get back to work.
“I’m thinking about it. Seriously thinking about it.”
She fastened her seatbelt. “Just say yes to the man, Keyoni. You know you want to.”
I pulled out of the parking space, following the path to the exit. “Just say yes to being my roommate Sage,” I said, mimicking her voice. “You know you want to.”
I thought she’d find what I said funny. She did, briefly. She also had no problem giving a straight answer.
“You’re right. And yes…I’ll be your roommate.”
SAGE
“What?” BJ huffed into the phone.
“Damn, what I do to you?”
“Nothing,” he snapped. “Just like you don’t want nothing either.” My clapback wasn’t as quick as I wanted it to be since we both knew the real reason I was calling. When the silence between us lingered too long, BJ continued, asking, “What do you want, Sage?”
“How’re you doing?”
“Fine. Just like always.”
“You don’t sound fine.”
“Yeah, well…even if you’re not, you gotta be.”
“No, you don’t. It’s okay to not be okay.”
