Red Sun (45 page)

Kaya shook her head without a second thought.  “It’d take a lot for me to leave. 
Everything I want and need is already right there,” she smiled a little.  “Besides…now that I finally got your son to notice me, I’d hate to miss out on that.”  She looked over at Jolon.  He gave a weak smile and then dropped his gaze to the floor.

“Well, it seems like my son
s know how to pick kind, respectable young ladies after all.”  Liz laughed.  “There was a time when I worried about them – especially Elan.  But I hope I’m not jumping the gun when I say that I may have taught them well.”

Kaya and I both smiled and accepted her compliment.

I looked over and found Big John staring.  His eyes kept drifting back and forth between Elan and I.  “I really like what you two are doing here.  It sends a beautiful message.” 

Elan’
s expression was confused……and maybe even a little concerned about what his father was getting ready to say.  He sat up and rested his elbows on his knees.  “How so?”  He asked.

His father shrugged and got comfortable in his seat.  “You know…the whole red and black thing you’ve got going on here.”

Jolon burst out laughing.  “This should be good,” he said under his breath.

“No, you’re laughing, but I’
m serious about this,” he explained.  “For years they’ve been trying to turn our people against each other because they know we’d be that much stronger together than we are apart.  You know, right here in South Carolina is where they have the first records of African slaves escaping captivity and being absorbed by Native tribes?”  He smiled.  “Yup.  They fled a plantation right near the Pee Dee River and took refuge with the locals – over 100 of em’,” he explained.  “Didn’t know that did you?”

I smiled back, finding his enthusiasm over the subject intriguing. 
“No, sir, I didn’t,” I replied.

“It’s true!  Sometimes they were even enslaved
together
.  Not sure if you’ve ever noticed this or not, but a lot of our foods are similar.  That’s cause, together, our ancestors came up with a lot of that stuff.  Adding a little about what we knew of cooking to what the Africans knew how to do…..and the result is a lot of the stuff we all eat today.”  He paused.  “Like cornbread!”  He said excitedly.  “We did that one together!  Great result, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Aw man,” Elan sighed, staring at the ground trying not to laugh aloud.  My face was tight trying to keep from doing the same.

“That’s…..
amazing
,” I replied.

“And just by looking at you, I’d bet a hundred bucks that you’ve got a little Native blood coursing through your veins as well.”

I thought for a moment.  “My mom mentioned once that her grandmother was three quarters Seminole.  I think they’re in Florida?”  I said uncertainly.

“Yup.
  That’s exactly right.  See?  When you look at the big picture, there isn’t much need to hate anybody’ cause we’re pretty much all the same.”  His cheeks spread when he smiled again.

“As long as you don’t bust out with a chorus of ‘
We are the world’
we’re good, Pop,” Elan stated. 

Big John waved him off.
  “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m just saying…..it’s great to see that you two found each other and are makin’ it work is all.”

“Alright, John.
  That’s enough for tonight.  You’d talk ‘til the sun came up if I’d let you.  Let them get cleaned up and in bed,” Liz interrupted.  “Jo, Elan – couches.  There’s clean linen right over in the trunk.  I’ll bring two pillows once I get the ladies settled.”  She turned to Kaya and me.  “You two can have the guest room.  There’s a Queen sized bed in there so you both should have plenty of room to stretch out.”

What?!?!? 
Not only are we sharing a room, we’re sharing a
bed? 
Jolon was rigid beside me, knowing exactly what was running through my mind.  Kaya was completely still and her face was void of expression. 

“You know
what?  I don’t mind sleeping out here on the couch.  The guys are much taller than me and Kaya.  They should take the bed I think.”

“No way.
  We’re fine,” Elan protested, attempting to be chivalrous.  “Me and Jo crash in the living room all the time when we come here.  Take the bed.”

Jolon and I locked eyes for a fraction of a second – not long enough for anyone else to notice.

“Or…..why don’t all
four
of us just sleep out here.  Solei and Kaya can take the couches and me and E can take the floor,” Jolon offered, a last ditch attempt at saving me from getting stuck with Kaya alone.

His mom was quiet for a moment.  “
Women need their own space, Jo.”  She turned to me.  “Don’t you agree?”

What was I supposed
to say?  If I protested, she’d find it strange that I’m so comfortable around Elan and assume all types of things about me.  If I had to guess, I’d have to say that Liz would lose sleep worrying about what we were all out here doing. 

I took a deep breath and hesitantly replied,
“Yes, ma’am.” 

Liz smiled, glad that none of us put up a fight.  “Good,”
she said contently and then pointed at Kaya and me.  “You two can follow me and I’ll show you to the room.”

I dragged my feet across the room and down the
long hallway.  Big John was not too far behind, carrying our bags.  I wondered what Jolon was thinking.  What was
Kaya
thinking?  I imagined this was at least as difficult for her as it was for me, seeing as how she hates me and all. 

“Ok, this is my stop,” John said, setting our suitcases on the floor right inside the door.
  “You two enjoy your night and we’ll meet again come breakfast time.”  He smiled a warm smile, now resembling his sons more than before.  When he nodded and then disappeared around the corner, I began to feel nervous, wondering how much longer Mrs. Cordero would stick around to keep me from having to deal with Kaya alone.

“If there’s anything either of you need just give a holler.  Bathroom’s the next door to the right.  Towels are in the linen closet next to the sink.”  She looked around thoughtfully.  “I think that’s about everything.”

Kaya and me both smiled a tight, awkward smile.

“Well, goodnight,” Liz said cheerfully, not detecting even one ounce of the tension in the room.

“Night,” Kaya and I replied simultaneously.  Liz gave one last smile and then stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind her.  It felt like all of the air was sucked out of the room.  There was no movement at first until Kaya finally reached for her suitcase and dragged it over to the side of the bed she was apparently laying claim to.  I sighed to myself and took my belongings to my side too. 

We sat
with our backs to one another as we took out the items we’d need for the night.  I looked over my shoulder to find that Kaya had set out her own towel that came from home, a t-shirt and shorts, toothbrush, and a few other small things.  I’d had my heart set on showering first after the long day I’d had, but it seemed as though she’d had the same idea. 

Thinking that small talk would lighten the mood a little, I asked, “You getting in first?”
  It was the only thing I could think to say at the moment, fearing that if I let too much time pass in silence, a precedent would be set for the remainder of the evening.  It wasn’t that I was desperate for her to talk to me; I just wanted this time together to be as comfortable as possible for us both.

Kaya never responded
.  Half a minute passed and then I watched from the corner of my eye as she stood from the bed, grabbed the items she’d removed from her bag, and then left the room – never replying to me with even a glance or a nod.

When I
heard the shower turn on, I fell back on the bed and sighed.  How was I supposed to get comfortable enough to sleep with her in the room?  Was there nothing that I could do to get out of this?  I was at my wits end.

“SAVE ME!
”
  I texted Tarik.

It took about a minute for him to respond
,
“Uh oh, what’d you do now?”

I smiled and even chuckled a little at his reply.
 
“Nothing, dummy.  Just stuck in yet another uncomfortable situation.”

I stared at the ceiling whi
le I waited for him to answer.  There
had
been quite a few of these sorts of occurrences arising in my life lately.  It made me feel like I was going backwards instead of forward.  Like I was becoming less responsible rather than improving in that area.  If my father knew the truth about what I was doing, he’d ground me until I was thirty.

My phone began vibrating in my hand.
 
“Your man again?
”
  He asked.

I decided to give him a brief rundown of the situation. 
“
Visiting Elan’s parents for the first time.  Still haven’t told him about me and his brother.  Stuck sharing a room with Kaya who hates me causedeep down she knows about me and Jolon.
”
  I sent the message and instantly felt a weight lift off of me when I released it.

“Wow….how do you manage to mess things up so thoroughly?  So….remind me who this Kaya chick is?  Not sure you mentioned that part before.”

I thought back.  I guess I
hadn’t
given him that bit of information yet.
 
“She and I became friends when I moved down here.  It turns out she liked Elan’s brother too.”

“And yet you screwed him anyway,
”
he replied, causing my face to turn up.

“Not much for subtlety
are you.  It wasn’t supposed to be like that, stupid.  Besides, it’ll all be over Monday.”

“You’re telling him?
”
  Tarik asked.  I pictured him with an uncertain look on his face.

“Well, not me…Jolon is.  He thinks it’s time.”

“You think?
”
  He asked, sarcastically I’m sure.
 
“He telling him everything?  That ya’ll got busy too?”

I couldn’t help but to laugh at his choice of words. 
“
No, of course not.  Just that we have feelings for each other.  That’s all.  That’s
enough
,
”
I amended. 

“Well…..good luck with that,
”
he replied.
 
“You’ll need it.”

Leave it to good
ol’ Tarik to make me feel worse than I did already. 
“
Thanks…glad to know I can count on you
.
”

“I’m
sayin though…at least you could give your man some too to soften the blow when he finds out you’ve been getting’ loose with his brother.  Think about it.”

I laughed.
 
“No, Tarik.  I’m straight on that.  Jolon’s enough,
”
I added suggestivel
y
.  “Trust me.”

“Yuck…..spare me.”

I laughed again.
 
“Whatever………just keep your phone on.  Maybe I’ll text you when I get out the shower.  Waiting for Kaya to get done.”

“Don’t shut me up! 
I’mma grown man!” He replied jokingly.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah…
…later.
”
  I dropped my phone down in my purse beside the bed and closed my eyes, trying to relax at least a little.  Twenty minutes had passed and I jumped a little when Kaya opened the door and came back into the room.  Again, she avoided eye contact and I was to the point that I was done trying with her.  Besides, she had every right to be mad and the less I pushed her to be friendly, the easier this transition would be. 

I watched her discretely as she put all of her things back in her suitcase and then pulled the covers back and got underneath them.  Once her head hit the pillow, she didn’t move an inch.  She lay there with her back to me and her body as close to the edge as she could sleep safely. 

I rolled my eyes, gathering what I’d need to take to the bathroom.  I glanced at Kaya one last time before leaving the room.  She’d wrapped herself in the blanket like it was a cocoon, like she needed to protect herself from me or something.  This was getting to be a bit ridiculous to me, but I’d brought it on myself and would have to deal with it.

When I came back, Kaya
was in the same place I’d left her but her breathing had deepened which led me to believe that she’d fallen asleep.  The clock on the nightstand read 11:49.  I was tired in a way, but not quite ready to turn in.  I lay there in the dark alone with my thoughts and finding myself chasing them around in my head.  Everything was happening so fast.  It felt like each minute that passed left me feeling more apprehensive about Monday.  Although I wouldn’t even be present when Jolon dropped the bomb, the affects would ring out for miles.  Eventually, I’d have to feel the wrath as well.

I turned over on my side and stared
at the nothingness.  While Monday signified a whole mess of negativity, there was one undeniable positive that would come of it all – I’d finally get to have Jolon.  I mean
really
have him.  There would be no sneaking around.  No hiding.  No lying.  No deception.  All of that would be done come Monday.  I couldn’t believe that I was actually smiling in the midst of all this drama.  Unbelievable.  But it was because of Jolon, no doubt.  He has that affect on me.  He’s like that moment when the sun comes out after a storm, but with him, I relive that very moment over and over and over every time I see him.  He’s more than my silver lining.