Loving Wright

Chapter 39: Collateral Damage

Kendra...

Saturdays in the Wright household have always been something to look forward to. There would be old-school R&B sing-alongs while we cleaned, then Kyle would go play basketball with Eli, leaving me all to myself. And when they got back, we all got to hang out together.

Those were simpler times, good times.

Now, I found myself laying in bed, still in PJs, waiting to hit the ignore button on my phone. I started off the week being worried about my boyfriend and ended it without having one.

How could he do this?

All this time we spent together, all those times he had the opportunity to tell me who he was and he didn't. He acted like Angela's brother was a whole other different person. Why was telling me who he was such a hard thing to do? Was it me? Was I not enough for him? Was a single mother not good enough for the Grant name?

And here I was, believing everything he had said to me. Why was I like this? Why did I fall for men who didn't care about me and lied to me? Was I so damaged that I couldn't tell when a man was just playing with my feelings and just using me? I was stupid. I was stupid to let my feelings take control and not listen to my logic. I knew this was a bad idea. I knew this would end badly. I knew all the men like him were the same, caring about themselves and their stupid legacies.

A wave of emotion came over me again, but before I had the chance to break down, I heard a knock on my bedroom door. I quickly dried my tear-stained face and tried to not look so gloomy.

"Come in," I said and Kyle peeked into my room.

"Hey mom," he said lowly as if scared to speak.

"What's up?"

"Do you know when Eli is coming to pick me up?" he asked.

I sighed. I was not ready to hear his name.

"He's not coming," I simply answered.

He raised his brow, "Why not?" he asked, obviously disappointed.

"I don't know Kyle," I lied, a bit of edge in my voice.

"Oh, ok," he looked down.

He stood at the door silently, obviously having more to say.

"What do you want Kyle?" I asked annoyed

"I-is he gonna come next week?" he asked.

"No, he's not coming next week. Or the week after that. Matter of fact, there won't be any basketball with Eli from now on."

"What?" he asked baffled

"No more basketball with Eli!"

"Why not?"

"Cause I said so, Kyle!" I raised my voice at him, and I instantly regretted it.

His forehead wrinkled and his face turned into that mean mug I hadn't seen in a while. He turned and stepped back into the hallway.

"Kyle, wait!" I said and got the door slammed as my response.

In any other situation, I would be raising hell for slamming doors in the apartment. But he wasn't at fault this time, it was me. He didn't deserve this. I didn't have to hurt him because I was hurting. Not only was I now a bad judge of character, but I was also a bad mother.

**********

Eli...

I stared at my phone, watching it ring for the third time in a row. The same three calls had come about an hour or two ago. It was Kyle, and he was probably calling to find out about our basketball game. I couldn't find it in me to pick up and tell him I wouldn't be there today, or maybe any other Saturday. When he starts asking why, how do I explain it to him? Is it even my place to explain it to him?