Terminal

23. My Deepest Admiration

Fall

"Sariah, wait!!!" I turn to see Kareem yelling for me as I walk home from school. He is the cutest guy in my class and the one I have been having my eye on. I know if my brother was here, he would have scared Kareem away.

"Yes, Kareem?" I say as I slow down for him to catch up. 

"Can I walk home with you?" He asked me as he matched my pace.

"Sure." I say as we continue our walk.

"You always look so beautiful; you know you make me so nervous." Kareem says as we turn the corner and are now a few blocks away from my house. 

"Why am I making you nervous? And thank you." I say internally smiling, I always thought Kareem was cute, but he was dating Monique Thomas last year. 

"Because you are not only beautiful but smart too, and a brother got to be stepping to you right or not stepping at all." Kareem says, and I smile. At least he knows, and thankfully, Monique moved away before the summer, and he has had time to get over here. 

"So, is a brother stepping to me?" I asked him, and he flashed that sexy smile. 

"Well, he is trying too anyway. So, would you consider spending some time with this dashing straight B's brother who got killer basketball skills and be thinking about you every day?" Kareem says, and he was really sweet. I had to show him I also got game, probably stronger than his. 

"This brother got a name?" I asked, making him put himself out there. 

"Kareem, or like the ladies call him Sexy 'Reem." He says, caressing my hand now that we stood outside my building. 

"I think Kareem is cool, cute, and funny. I don't really like Sexy 'Reem. Tell Kareem he has to walk me home from school every day, get to know me. And just maybe he can call me his girl." I say, kissing Kareem cheek and heading into my building, leaving that boy with a goofy smirk on his face. 

Present Day

Michael's Point of View:

I was in my office looking at puppies to get for Sariah. I know two nights ago she said a lot, much she didn't remember. I didn't remind her as a way to keep some things a surprise. These last few days, she has been hanging out with Kahlani and working on her medical project.

I have been teaching and thinking about when the best time is to propose to her too. I know in her heart she wants to be my wife, and I want her as my wife too. As I am trying to decide between a golden retriever and a labrador, my phone rings.

"Hello?" I say reading about both breeds.

"Michael." I hear my mother's voice, and I smile. I miss Mother and our morning chats. Since working and spending time with Sariah, I haven't had time to keep them up often, although Sariah reminds me.

"Hi Mother, how are you?" I say, seeing how both breeds are family dogs.

"I am okay, sweetheart. I was calling because Thanksgiving is coming up this year, and with everyone in a good space, I want you and Sariah, Jermaine, and Monica to come out here and join the family for the holidays." Mother says, and I sigh.

"Mother, Sariah is working on a cancer research project, so I don't know if she is getting any time off for the holidays." I say as I hear the door close.

"Michael baby, I am home!!!" I heard Sariah's voice through the crack of my office door. To hear her voice echo our halls and refer to me and our house as home warms my heart. Through more intensive therapy sessions, she was able to be back behind the wheel of a car again. I think much of it was due to her bonding with Kahlani. It brought her peace she didn't know she needed. Plus, she needed to trust herself more since the accident. Since she is driving on her own, I told her she can take any car from the garage as her own, minus my favorite car.