Mo'Feir (ch. 2 cont'd)

“Where does he stay? I don’t mind,” I answered looking over at Keegan.
“Thanks,” she said. She looked so down, I just wanted to get her mind off of everything that was going on.
“What’s he like?” I asked her. She looked confused for a second.
“What?”
“Your dad, what is he like?” I asked. This reminded me of the time she asked me about my mother.
“Oh,” she said giving a warm smile. “He’s like my best friend. Before the divorce, which was years ago, we all were happy, and I was closest to him than anyone. I mean. after everything else happened she wouldn’t let me see him, but he always found a way to visit me without momma knowing. Right now he’s a teacher at my old high school. He never told momma that.”
She stopped and laughed, and I let her continue.
“Most of the time when I stayed after school, I was talking to him. Everyone knew he was my dad, but momma didn’t know he was working there, if she did I would have been transferred probably.”
“Whoa, for real?” I said looking over at her while I parked at the gym. “That’s crazy.”
“Yeah, I love him a lot though. He’s pretty much my best friend. He taught me a lot of stuff,” she said and sighed. “Well, enough of that.”
I watched her as she got out of the truck, and I cut off the ignition and got out as well.
“Slow down, Key,” I said walking up behind her.
“Speed up, Mo,” she said looking back at me smiling.
“Sexy ass,” I said lowly to myself. She turned and looked at me mysteriously.
“What did you just say?” she asked.
“Nothing, I was talking to myself,” I said, knowing she didn’t hear me.
“Yeah, right. You gon tell me,” she said pulling me through the door. “Tell me.”
“I didn’t say nothing, woman,” I said laughing. She let me go and I headed to the locker room to put on my gym wear. When I came out I saw her over by the treadmills. I got on the one next to her. We both were running in silence for a moment.
“Damn, I left my mp3 player,” she said.
“You can talk to me,” I said, but I was reaching in my pocket for my iPod to give to her.
“Okay,” she said and paused for a second. “Tell me about your mother.”
I stopped running and stepped off of the treadmill, then I handed her my iPod.
“You can listen to some stuff on there,” I said walking toward the weights as if I hadn’t heard her.
“Mo,” she called after me. “Mo’Feir, what’s wrong.”
“Nothing,” I said, getting settled to do some bench pressing.
“You’re lying,” she said stepping off her treadmill and walking over toward me. I sat up once she was in front of me.
“It’s just something I don’t feel like talking about,” I said looking up at her.
“But I told you about-” she started before I cut her off.
“That’s a different story,” I said, and she glared at me. “I told you I will tell you another time, but I can’t today, okay?”
“Whatever, Mo,” she said walking back to her treadmill. I ignored her for once and did a few squats, and while she was doing her own thing, I got up and went out to my truck for a while. I sat there and I listened to some music, trying to figure out how I would explain anything to Keegan when I could not even tell myself. I felt bad, and it was because I could not give her any information without giving it to myself. I just wasn’t ready to accept some things. I turned off the radio and got out of my truck. When I walked back in the gym, she was over near the jump ropes. She stopped and walked over to me
“Look, Mo, sorry if I made you mad or uncomfortable in any way,” she said grabbing my hand.
“Look, you’re good,” I said smiling.
“I’m ready to go,” she said grabbing a towel and wiping off her face and neck.
“Cool, let’s head out then,” I said, and with that we left.
*****
For dinner I cooked some southern food, I didn’t have a taste for any Chinese food or fast food. And since I was in the middle of Georgia, it was only right to cook up some fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, field peas and cornbread. Of course, the twins helped me, and even Keegan did some cooking. She was baking some cookies for us, and I let her drive my truck to go get some ice cream to go with them. I was finishing up frying the chicken and told Carthez to take it out for me.
“Aight,” he said stepping over to finish the job, and I left out of the kitchen and headed up to the living room. The living room was the furthest from the kitchen or any other room in the house. Sitting down on the couch, I laid my head back and closed my eyes. Just then I had this intense feeling run through my entire body. It lasted about five seconds, and it felt like an adrenaline rush. My heart was beating fast, I began sweating, my mouth went dry, and for a second my vision was blurred. I remembered the last time that happened. The last time that happened…
I stood to my feet instantly and ran back into the kitchen, just as Keegan walked in with the grocery bag. They all turned to look at me.
“You alright?” Ca’Reighn asked, looking a little concerned, but keeping that smile of hers. I nodded and went to the sink to wash my hands. I looked down at them and they were shaking.
“What kind of ice cream did you get?” I asked turning to face Keegan as she put it in the freezer. My hands were behind me resting on the counter.
“Homemade vanilla,” she said and I smiled a little. I dried my hands and looked at all of them.
“Alright, let’s eat.”
*****
After dinner I went back to my room get cleaned up. There was a knock on my door just as I headed to the shower.
“Come in,” I said stopping where I was. Keegan stepped in my room. We had already talked about going to see her father. I didn’t want to go over there smelling like chicken grease either.
“You mind if I use your computer?” she asked.
“Nah, not at all,” I responded, going over to the desk and cutting it on.
“Thanks,” she said stepping closer to me and kissing me on the cheek. “Take a shower, you smell like the chicken.”
I laughed at her, walking back to my bathroom and shutting the door. I placed my forehead against it and held it there for a moment, knowing I would have a problem if she stayed too long. My heart quickened its pace, and I had to calm down. She was getting to me, I don’t know what it was, but she was getting to me. Never did I think that I would like her like this, but I guess I should have never said never. I cut on the water and took off my T-shirt and gym shorts and stepped in the shower.