Page 25 of Keyoni & Sage
“I appreciate everything else,” Keyoni added genuinely. “You got plenty of time for all that. Right now I just want you to be my thirteen-year-old daughter.”
“I’m almost grown.”
“Keyword…almost. But not quite.”
She turned to me. “I’m almost fourteen.”
“She still got nine months,” Keyoni revealed.
“Eight-and-a-half.”
The back and forth between Keyoni and his daughter was entertaining to watch. Some of the stuff that came out her mouth, my dad would have considered borderline disrespectful, but it was all in good fun because Keyoni gave it right back.
It made me think about the relationship I had with my parents. I barely spoke to my mom and the relationship I had with my dad was nothing like what Keyoni had with his daughter. They were more like friends and it seemed like Keturah knew just how far to take it. My dad didn’t play any of that. He was authoritarian, strict in his ways. A child always had to stay in a child’s place. He would never…and I mean never…carry on with me like we were friends.
Keturah pushed up from her chair when her phone started ringing. “Bye, y’all.” She answered the phone, “Hey girl,” before leaving the room.
My phone chirped with a message. I read it, noticing the time as I responded to Lanique’s text asking why I was in Brunswick Meadows.
Me: Having dinner.
Lanique: Where?
Me:Somewhere.
Lanique:You know I can find out.
I never said she couldn’t. She had my location, which was how she knew I was in Brunswick Meadows anyway. If she had the address, with a little detective work she would easily figure out the home’s owner.
Me: We’ll talk when I get home.
“Time to go?” Keyoni’s voice reminded me where I was. Engrossed in my phone, I’d practically been ignoring him. “Past your curfew?”
“I don’t have a curfew.” After pushing my chair back, I stood, grabbing my plate and his. “I do need to get going though. I’m only billing for an hour.”
Smiling, I started toward his sink. I stopped when I heard, “How much for another one?”
I glanced over my shoulder before placing the dishes in the sink. “I don’t think Kaiser needs anything else from me tonight.”
“Who said it’s for Kaiser?”
I eyed him with a hand on my hip. “Are you flirting with me, Officer Green?”
“Keyoni,” he corrected. “And like I told you before…I don’t flirt.”
“What do you call it?”
“Making small talk.”
My lips twisted into a smirk as I returned to my seat. “Speaking of small talk…are you ready to tell me about the dangers of Meadow View Apartments?”
“D-Ville Projects ain’t dangerous, Sage. Not anymore…as long as you’re on the right side.”
“What side is that?”
“DP’s side.”
“What’s DP?”
