The Realest Ever

Chapter EIGHT

THE ALMOST ULTIMATUM

Donovan called Brianna on his way home from Kyra’s house. She tried to reach him when he was at McDonalds, but Donovan didn’t answer. He sent her straight to voicemail. He was surprised Brianna only sent him two text messages since then. The first one read: Still at practice? In the second one she asked: Where are you?

Brianna answered her phone on the second ring.

“Donovan?” She sounded worried.

“Hey, baby. What’s up?”

“What’s going on?” she asked. “Where are you? Did practice run long?”

It was 8:30 pm. Donovan kept his team on the field as late as 7:00 pm every now and then, but that was not the norm. He figured he could tell Brianna, Yes, that’s exactly where I was, and they’d get through this day without an argument. But Donovan didn’t want to lie. He never liked being dishonest, especially with a girlfriend. It was bad enough he hadn’t told Brianna about his and Kyra’s ill-fated kiss. Donovan didn’t want to get into a pattern of telling half truths where Kyra was concerned.

He bit the bullet and said, “I just left Kyra’s house.”

Brianna mulled that over for a moment. “What did you go over there for? How long have you been there? Why didn’t you answer your phone when I called?”

Donovan sighed. Was this it? His next answer could end their relationship or lead to one of the biggest fights they ever had. Was Kyra worth it? Donovan answered his question before it even sank in. Of course she was.

“I didn’t answer when you called because I knew you’d give me the third degree, and I didn’t want to go through that while Kyra was sitting there. I don’t want her to know how bad things are between us; how much you don’t trust me.”

“You put your phone on silent?”

“No, I just didn’t take your call.”

“Because of her?”

“Because I didn’t want to argue in front of her, yes.”

“What’d you go over there for? I don’t want you going over there.”

“I had to take her some papers about some jobs I think she should apply for.”

“What jobs?”

“In the school district.”

“So now you’re trying to get her a job, so y’all can work together? I don’t like this, Donovan.”

“No, not with me. Just somewhere in the district.”

“And you couldn’t have called her and told her about those jobs?”

Donovan grunted. He wanted to tell her to get off his damn back. But a part of him still felt that her curiosity was warranted. If Brianna started to pal around with an old guy friend, Donovan figured he’d interrogate her as well – but not like this.

“Yes I could’ve called her,” he said. “But Kyra doesn’t have a computer. I wanted to give her the papers so she would know the exact job titles and reference numbers and stuff.”

“You couldn’t have read that to her on the phone?”

“I suppose so. And do you see why I didn’t answer when you called? You think I wanted to answer all of these questions while I was with her?”

Brianna ignored his comment and pushed forward with her inquisition. “If you could’ve read it to her on the phone, why’d you go over there? Why didn’t you call me first and tell me you wanted to go over there.”

“It would’ve took too long to read all of that. And I didn’t realize I needed your permission to get in my car and drive somewhere.”

Brianna ignored his sarcasm. “Did you want to see her?”

That question had plenty of obvious and hidden booby traps. Donovan didn’t want to go anywhere near it.

“I told you why I went over there.”

“What time did you get there?”

Donovan pursed his lips. He’d been fair and open, but she wasn’t letting up. How much more of this did she think he would put up with? Brianna heard him exhale roughly.

“You don’t wanna answer my questions?” she asked.

“Who the hell would want this, Brianna? I’m not in jail. I don’t have to put up with–”

“Yes you do have to answer my questions, Donovan! I’m letting you spend time with that, that–”

“Be real careful,” Donovan warned.

“What?”

“I don’t know what you’re about to call her, but you should be real careful.”

“What? What the?...” Brianna lost it.

Donovan heard her sniffling. She uttered a soft wail that was drowned in grief. It broke Donovan’s heart to hear her like that. He didn’t think he was a bad person. And he didn’t think he’d done anything wrong with Kyra. But there was no doubt he was hurting his woman. He had a strong urge to end their relationship right now, so at least he wouldn’t cause her anymore pain.

“Why are you so worried about her?” Brianna cried. “What about me, Donovan? What about your girlfriend? Do you care anything about me?”

She was full-out crying now. Her words cut like a knife. Donovan winced and found himself doubting his decisions. Was he doing Brianna wrong? Was it okay for him to care about and spend time with Kyra? Even Kyra said she couldn’t do it, if she was in Brianna’s shoes.

Donovan accepted that he wasn’t handling this situation well, but he also wasn’t doing the things Brianna thought he was. He had no intention of starting a relationship with Kyra. And nothing he’d done for Kyra was to impress her or make her want to be more than friends. He was attracted to Kyra, at times, but he wouldn’t make a move on her – not even if he was single.

His mind made up, Donovan knew it was time to take a hard line with his woman. Kyra thought Brianna would be the one to put her foot down. But Donovan knew he had to do it himself.

“Stop crying, Brianna. I do care about you.”

“No you don’t!”

“Yes I do. But you’re too upset to talk. I’m going to hang up the phone.”

“Don’t hang up on me!”

“Brianna, if you want to talk about this in a calm manner, I’ll try my best to explain the situation again. But right now you’re not listening. You’re mad, and I understand that. I think you need time to cool down.”

This was how Donovan spoke to his students when they got out of line. He didn’t think it would work on an adult, but Brianna tried to get herself together. She stopped sniveling and gradually her breathing slowed.

“Where are you? Are you almost home? I want to come over.”

“No,” Donovan said. “I don’t want to see you tonight.”

“Wh, why?”

“Because I don’t like this pattern,” Donovan said. “I don’t think you need to see me every time you get upset.”

“But I want to see you,” Brianna said. “I do need to see you, Donovan!”

“It’s almost nine o’clock on a Wednesday night,” he reminded. “We both got work tomorrow. You need to try to get some sleep. And I do, too.”

“Donovan, please…”

“No, Brianna. Damn!”

“Is, is she still with you?”

“Who?”

“You know who.”

Donovan took the phone away from his face and stared at it. He almost hung up on her. “You’re asking if I’m taking Kyra home with me?” he growled.

After a pause Brianna said, “Are you?”

Donovan took a deep breath, realizing he needed to calm down just as much as she did. “I’m going to hang up now,” he said. “But for the record, no, I’m not taking Kyra home with me. She’s just my friend. And also, for the record, I’m not going to stop being her friend just because it hurts you. You need to accept that she’s not a threat, and she’s not going away. And you need to make a decision: Do you still want to be with me, or not?”

“I don’t think I can do it.”

Donovan’s whole body went cold. He had been with this woman for eight months. Brianna was needy, but she loved him dearly. But lately Donovan wondered if Brianna had the wrong kind of love. Sick, obsessive love is not good for anyone.

“Why don’t you think about it and let me know tomorrow.”

“I want you to stop seeing her.”

“I can’t do that,” Donovan said.

“If you don’t stop, then I can’t be with you.”

There it was. He forced her hand, and Brianna gave him the ultimatum he’d been dreading. Donovan gave his response all the reverence it deserved, but his feelings didn’t change.

“I’m sorry to hear that. I guess we have to break up then.”

“No!”

Donovan frowned. That wasn’t one of the replies he expected. What did she mean no?

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t wanna leave you,” Brianna cried. “I never want to lose you!”

Donovan exited the freeway with his eyes narrowed in confusion. How does someone not let you break up with them? And never want to lose you sounded a little psycho.

“Brianna, this ain’t working out.”

“Please, let me come over there,” she begged.

“No. Why would… No, Brianna.”

“Then let me think about it,” she said. “I don’t wanna lose you, Donovan. Okay?”

That actually was not okay. Donovan felt like he was free from her tears and accusations just a few seconds ago. Was she trying to get back with him already? He wanted to tell her no, but there was a chance Brianna could change. It was a long shot, but they had been together for eight months. She deserved another chance.

“Alright,” he said. “I gotta go now.”

“Donovan, wait.”

“No, Brianna. I’m getting off the phone. For real this time.”

“Call me before you go to bed.”

“Okay, bye.”

He disconnected and drove the rest of the way home with his radio off. Donovan was a spiritual man, and he knew he didn’t have to be in church to have a powwow with his maker.

“If I’m wrong, God, please tell me.” He spoke aloud in the quiet confines of his truck. “I don’t think I’m wrong, but she makes me feel like I am. You know I don’t want to hurt her. I don’t wanna hurt nobody…”



≈≈≈≈≈≈≈



When he got home, Donovan took his dogs Wyatt and Doc for a two mile jog. He didn’t normally run at night, but working out had always been his best stress reliever. The night air was warm, but there was a decent breeze blowing in from the north that cooled the sweat on his face and chest.

When he returned to the house, Donovan felt a lot better about his argument with Brianna. He had a sense of peace, knowing that whatever happened with them was meant to be. He took another shower and crawled into bed at eleven o’clock wearing only his boxers.

He had already dozed off when his phone rang at eleven-thirty. He reached for his cellular and frowned at the bright display. He forgot to call Brianna before he went to bed, and she was no doubt upset about it. But the incoming call was from Kyra, not his girlfriend. Donovan’s aggravation quickly dissipated.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” she said. “You sleep?”

“I was laying down.”

“I’m sorry. I be forgetting you have to wake up early. I can let you go.”

“No, it’s cool. What’s up?”

“Nothing,” she said. “Just sitting here watching TV. I can’t sleep.”

Kyra’s voice was calming. Donovan didn’t think they’d ever had a real argument. He rolled to his side and closed his eyes. “The kids up, too?”

“No, they’re in there sleep. I had to come in the living room so I wouldn’t wake them up.”

“What’s up with your aunt? Did y’all have it out when I left?”

“No. I did like you said,” Kyra replied. “I didn’t even ask about the food stamp card I gave her. I did tell her not to disrespect me in front of my company, though.”

Donovan grinned. “What’d she say?”

“Nothing. What could she say? She know she wrong.”

“Cool. I’m glad that worked out.”

“What about your girlfriend?” Kyra asked. “Is she mad at you?”

“No. Why you say that?”

“That wasn’t her who called while we were at McDonalds?”

Donovan chuckled. “How’d you know?”

“I saw the look on your face,” Kyra said. “I figured it was either her or your mom. Did you tell her where you were?”

“Yeah. I don’t lie to her, well I try not to.”

“You told her about the groceries?”

“No.”

“Was she okay, though, about you coming by here?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Donovan said. “That’s her problem. It doesn’t have anything to do with you.”

“Alright.” Kyra had so much to say about Donovan’s woman. And she wanted to know exactly what the long-haired beauty had been saying about her since she returned to Overbrook Meadows. She knew she could get Donovan to tell her. But Kyra also knew that any advice she gave him about his girlfriend was biased at best and out of line at worst. She decided to stay out of it completely.

“Do you remember when Bo robbed that ice cream truck?” she asked instead.

Donovan laughed. That incident occurred when they were in middle school. Bo was a knucklehead, had been since he was in diapers. He was only thirteen when he told Donovan and Kyra that he planned to rob an ice cream truck with a pellet gun that was so realistic it looked like a 9mm. Donovan thought he was pulling their leg until they heard an ice cream truck round the corner a few minutes later. Bo took off in its direction with the fake pistol in his pocket.

“You know he’s in prison now,” Donovan told Kyra.

“No, but I’m not surprised,” she said. “What’d he go for?”

“Robbery,” Donovan said. “It was another ice cream truck.”

“Nuh-uhn!”

“For real.” But Donovan couldn’t keep a straight face. “Nah, I’m just kidding.”

“I knew you was lying!” Kyra cracked up. “Do you remember his sister? You know she used to like you.”

“Ewww, stinky Stacy?” Donovan hadn’t thought about her in years.

“Yeah!” Kyra laughed. “She always used to come around when y’all were playing street football. She used to sell candy that she stole from the grocery store. I wonder what happened to her.”

“Stacy got married to a dope boy,” Donovan informed. “She had four kids by him, and she had the nerve to look surprised when the police kicked in their door and hauled her man off to jail. Funny thing is, I taught Stacy’s oldest boy when he was a freshman. I had to go to her house a couple of times because of his attendance.”

“Did she remember you?”

“She did,” Donovan said. “While I was there, she started flirting with me. It was sad, to see her down and out like that.”

“I’ve been there,” Kyra said. “Hell, I’m there right now.”

“At least you still have hope,” Donovan countered. “And you want your kids to do well. That’s one thing that separates you from women like Stacy…”



≈≈≈≈≈≈≈



The best friends were still on the phone an hour later. Talking to Kyra was the highlight of Donovan’s day. He missed having a friend he could say anything to. Kyra was eager to hear about everything she missed when she went to Arkansas. She listened to Donovan’s stories in wide-eyed amazement.

Donovan didn’t realize how late it was until he received another call. He glanced at the caller ID and got a sinking feeling in his gut.

“Damn.”

“What’s wrong?” Kyra asked.

“Brianna’s calling me. I was supposed to call her before I went to sleep, but I forgot.”

“Ooh. You in trouble.”

“I know. Thanks.”

“I’m sorry. Don’t tell her you were on the phone with me. Good night.”

“Goodnight,” Donovan said and accepted his other call. “Hello?”

“What you doing?”

“Brianna?” She sounded so stuffy, Donovan wasn’t sure it was her.

“I thought you were going to call me before you went to bed.” Her voice was rich with sorrow.

“I’m sorry. I forgot,” Donovan said. “What’s wrong? Have you been crying?”

“What were you doing?” she asked, ignoring his question. “Were you asleep?”

“No, I was…” Donovan stared into the darkness. Once again the little devil on his shoulder urged him to lie. But Donovan’s conscious was already eating him up because he didn’t tell Brianna about buying Kyra groceries. If he continued to hold things back from her, that would mean he and Kyra did have something secret going on.

“I fell asleep, but Kyra called and woke me up. I was talking to her.” Donovan’s heart raced while he waited for a response. Brianna didn’t say anything right away, but Donovan noticed her breathing became labored. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know I should’ve called you before I went to sleep. I don’t want you to think I was talking to her instead of you on purpose.”

Brianna’s breath hitched. Donovan could hear the moisture in her nose. He rubbed his face, his expression pained. Earlier he asked God for a sign. Surely this was it. Brianna’s suffering was God’s way of telling him to end their relationship, because for whatever reason she was unwilling to do it herself.

“Look, Brianna, I’m sorry, but we–”

“It’s okay,” she said.

“Huh?”

“That you were talking to her. It’s okay. I understand.”

Bewilderment replaced Donovan’s worry. “Obviously it’s not okay, Brianna, if you’re crying like this.”

“I’ve been thinking about it,” she said. Her voice was grief-stricken, but he could tell she was trying to be strong. “I thought I couldn’t be with you anymore. I was ready to let you go. But I took some time to really think about it, and I realize it’s me not you. I’m worried about your friend because I don’t trust you around her. But you never gave me any reason not to trust you. I’ve been acting like a fool. I know Kyra needs to be in your life, and I won’t say anymore negative things about her. I’m the one who has to change, not you. I love you, Donovan. I don’t want to lose you.”

What? Donovan sat up in bed, blinking wildly. Did she just stop me from breaking up with her twice in four hours? He almost told her Nah, it’s too late for that, but how coldhearted would that be?

If Brianna was willing to accept his friendship with Kyra, maybe she could shed her jealous ways entirely. That’s all he ever wanted. It was now up to Donovan to make sure his and Kyra’s relationship remained as innocent as he described it. He had to put an end to the attraction he sometimes felt towards his best friend. And he had to be completely honest about all of their interactions from now on.

“Okay, baby. That’s great. That’s a big load off my shoulders.”

“I know it is. I’m sorry I put you through this.”

“Alright. I gotta go to bed now. Do you wanna have dinner tomorrow?”

“Yes. That would be nice.”

“I’ll give you a call after work. I’ll end practice early.”

“Okay.”

“Goodnight, baby.”

“I love you.” And I never want to lose you!

“I love you, too,” Donovan said. “Talk to you later.”