Mo'Feir Dwel (ch. 1, cont'd)

Somehow my day was turned completely around. Something told me there would be something different going on when I woke up that morning. I watched my sister as she left to show Keegan the house and Carthez came in and closed the door. I took a seat on the bed and he leaned on the door.
“So, business is business,” he said with that slick smile of his. When he did that it was like looking in the mirror. “She’s cute.”
I nodded my agreement. I knew I wasn’t the only one who thought she was sexy.
“So, how long will she be here?” Carthez asked, looking behind me and rubbing his hands over his arms.
“Maybe a week, then she’ll probably go to Unique’s. What’s up, I mean what’s going on? Did something go a little differently today at the house?” I asked him sitting closer to the edge of the bed.
“Nah, everything went well.”
“Well what’s bothering you?” I asked and he leaned back a little against the wall.
“Nothing too crazy, I just wanted you to know that Keegan is cute and I’ll be off tomorrow all day so you and I can roll out if possible.”
“It seems like you’re keeping something from me, but I’ll settle for that. We can ride tomorrow, doesn’t matter to me,” I said trying to see through his expressions.
“Cool,” Carthez said. “Talk to you later, goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” I said, and with that he was out the door. I laid back bringing my hands up to my face. Sleep was definitely out of the question, I was too worried about Keegan, how she was going to sleep, what her mother was doing to get back at her, where she would stay. I made my way to the shower, taking off my shirt on the way there and throwing it on the bed, then I turned around and walked out of the room, down the hall and to the kitchen. When I walked in I practically ran into Ca’Reighn.
“Mo’, watch yourself…don’t need you getting hurt,” she said smiling. I looked behind her.
“Carthez with Keegan?” I asked, sounding a little too worried to myself.
“Yeah. She’s cool, how come you never let me meet her before?” Ca’Reighn asked linking her arm in mine and walking with me to the refrigerator. I shrugged my shoulders at her question.
“You don’t know…” she said more to herself than to me.
“Well, I may have my reasons, is that better?” I asked getting a bottle of water out of the fridge and closing the door.
“I guess. So how long is she staying?” she asked me.
“As long as she needs to,” I answered and she unlinked our arms.
“Okay. Well, Aunt Vanessa called today and she wants to know if we’re coming to the family reunion. I told her I didn’t know, but that you would call her back,” she said walking toward the door.
“What time did she call?”
“Maybe eight. Goodnight,” she said walking on out of the kitchen.
“Goodnight,” I called after her. I put my untouched bottle of water on the counter and walked back to my room, closing the door behind me.
*****
It was about eleven when I got out of the shower. I put on a pair of lounging pants and went on over to my desk. Before I did anything I picked up my phone and called my Aunt Vanessa. She answered on the first ring.
“Hello?”
“Hey Aunt Vee, how you doin?” I asked smiling at the sound of her voice.
“I’m just fine. This is Mo, right?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am. Were you sleep?” I asked her.
“Don’t call me that, you make me feel old, and no, I was just sitting up here watching a little television. I’m waiting on that cousin of yours to get home,” my aunt replied with a laugh.
“Oh, he still has a curfew?”
“He has to be in by half past eleven now because last time I let him stay out late, he came in at almost four in the morning. You still have those twins under control, huh?
“Yeah. They don’t cause much trouble around here,” I said leaning back in my chair.
“That’s good to hear. I know it’s hard to be in your shoes right now, but you are a blessing to those two. If it weren’t for you, there’s no telling where those two would be,” she said sounding a little saddened.
“It’s not so bad. There’s no need to worry about them, Tee. I would have done anything to have them with me,” I said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“I know you miss your mother,” she said. I was hoping she wouldn’t say those very words.
“Yeah,” I sighed, “if anyone does, I do.”
“It’ll be fine, darling” Aunt Vee said and paused. “You are coming to the family reunion, aren’t you?”
“Of course I am, why wouldn’t I?”
“I don’t know, Mo. I can’t wait to see you all, though. Where do you plan on staying when you come down?”
“In the same hotel everyone else stays in I guess,” I answered shrugging my shoulders as if she could see me.
“Well, you always have a place at my house, remember that,” Aunt Vee said reassuringly. We talked on for about fifteen more minutes, then she went on and got off the phone. I looked at the clock: 11:43. I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. It was hard not to express my feelings when around a lot of people, so I figured I’d take the time to think. I felt pressure behind my eyelids, but I refused to let any tears fall. Bringing my hands up to my face, I let the palms of my hands rest on my eyes.
“Momma,” I said lowly, taking my hands from my eyes and looking at her picture standing on my desk. “Help me. How am I supposed to make it?”
I stood up and made my way across the hall, knocking on Keegan’s door.
“It’s open,” I heard her say through the door. I stepped in to see her standing in the mirror pulling her hair back in a ponytail. She turned to face me.
“What’s up?”
It seemed like my voice just up and left me. I couldn’t say a word. She was standing there, and I’d never seen her so beautiful. With her hair pulled back, I could see the fullness of her cheeks. Her dark brown eyes went perfectly with her chocolate skin tone.
“Mo? You alright?” she asked. I hesitated then nodded my head.
“Yeah, I’m good. I just forgot what I was going to say,” I lied. My mouth was watering.
“Mo’Feir, you sure you’re okay?” she asked walking towards me.
“Yeah,” I said clearing my throat. “Umm, what all do you have planned for tomorrow?”
“Nothing. Why?”
“I wanted to know if you wanted to go get some breakfast with me.”“Sure. Is that all?” she questioned stepping in front of me.
“Nah,” I answered in a low, almost inaudible tone. “I just want to say goodnight.”
“Goodnight, sleep tight,” she answered.
“I will,” I said as I closed the space between Keegan I and kissed her lightly on the forehead, then kissed her on the lips allowing my lips to part a little. She seemed to relax, then tense up. Lightly, she pushed me back.
“Why did you do that?” she asked me, referring to the kiss.
“I…I don’t know, what do you mean why? Is there supposed to be a reason behind every kiss?” I asked feeling embarrassed and angry at the same time.
“Yes there is, now goodnight.”
I looked at her and she crossed her arms and looked away. Turning, I left the room and went to my own, laying in the bed.
“So much for acting on impulse,” I spoke aloud, staring at the ceiling. “Goodnight momma.”
With that, I said a prayer, and then I closed my eyes and tried to catch some sleep.