ISAIAH
I watch in fascination as Kennedy's red mop of hair disappears into the crowd. I know she's running away from me which is funny because it's not like I won't see her at school tomorrow. She does not have to worry about me chasing her, I have work in twenty minutes and my boss hates it when I am late.
Sliding my earphones in, I mingle with the crowd taking the all familiar path to work blasting music the whole way. I've been working at The Mayfair Hotel as a valet for the past two years. I like working there because of the flexible hours. They accomodate me because they know that I'm a student and they pay well. Plus I get to drive a lot of luxury cars. I have a driver's license but I don't have my own wheels yet. Owning your own car in New York is torture because of all the traffic but that doesn't seem to stop people. I am not complaining though, it keeps me busy and employed.
I use my key card and let myself into the building using the service entrance. The locker room is deserted so I quickly change into my uniform, pin my tag and head out front ready to fake smile for the next five hours.
"Baby boy finally graces us with his presence." My co-worker Gary grins when he sees me, patting my back in welcome.
I shove him playfully and he lifts his fist up as if to punch me but I dodge it pretty quickly. "Shut up Gary."
Gary has been working at The Mayfair longer than I have so he took me under his wing when I was hired. He's a father to three kids, two girls and one boy. Aurelia is eight, Julia is turning five in a few weeks and a three month old baby boy, Jordan. He works three jobs to support his family since his wife, Nell is a stay at home mom but I've never heard him complain even once. He adores his family and for that I respect him fully.
"I'm only messing with you. How was your first day back?" He asks letting me go and straightening my collar for me.
My mind immediately goes to thoughts of Kennedy and her enticing pale blue eyes. I thought most red heads have green eyes but then again nothing about Kennedy is ordinary.
"Interesting." I reply summing it up.
"Word. What was so interesting about it?" Gary asks looking at me curiously.
A certain red haired beauty.
But I cannot tell Gary that, he will read too much into it and ask far too many questions.
"It was my first last day of high school, of course it was bound to be interesting." I say brushing him off.
Gary snorts unimpressed by my answer. "Such a vague answer. I was looking forward to something more exciting happening to you."
Something exciting did happen, I just can't talk about it.
"Dinner rush is about to start, are you ready?" I ask him diverting the discussion to a safer topic.
"I'm always ready, you know me." Gary nods just as a bright red Lamborghini pulls up.
"Dibs." I call out before Gary can say anything.
"Have at it kid." He relents chuckling at my antics.
"Sweet." I clap excitedly getting into work mode.
Five hours pass by quickly because I like hanging out with Gary, listening to him talk about his family and all the mischief the girls are getting into. We also talk about cars, a lot, in between driving them to and from parking. It's not all sunshine and rainbows though because some guests are rude and sometimes racist but I've learnt to brush them off and move on. There's no need holding onto a grudge with someone who is of no consequence to me.
"The day is done and now I get to go home to my girls, my baby boy and the welcoming arms of my darling wife." Gary declares as we change out of our uniform.
The way he talks about his family makes me wish I can have what he has someday.
"Say hello to Nell for me and give my love to the kids." I reply.
"I will. So are you heading home?" Gary asks.
"No I have one more stop." I answer lacing up my shoes.
"Of course you do. You need to slow down kid, you're too young to be this burnt out." Gary warns.
"Burnt out? I'm fresh as a daisy." I retort.
"Oh yeah! Say that to the dark circles under your eyes."
I look at my reflection in the mirror and I have to admit that I do look a bit worn out but when I am ever not. I'm used to it by now.
"I'll do a face mask when I get home." I shrug.
"You do those?"
"Of course I do. Skin care isn't just for girls you know. How do you think I manage to look this good while juggling school, work and basketball?" I challenge him.
"Good genes and being black." Gary replies making me laugh.
"All true but I have a skin care routine as well. You should try one so you can stop looking so pale all the time." I advise him.
Gary slaps the back of my head in retaliation for my jab. "Not all of us are blessed with your melanin skin you dork. Anyway see you tomorrow kid. I better go before I murder you. Say hello to your mom for me."
"I will. Goodnight Gary."
"Night kid."
Gary packs up his stuff and leaves so I quickly do the same in a rush to get to my next destination. I pass by the kitchen where Mitchell, the head chef is waiting for me.
"You got my goods Mitch?"
"You know I do." She replies showing me the packed up boxes by the door.
"You are the best." I grin kissing her cheek.
"I know." She smiles.
"Goodnight gorgeous, see you tomorrow."
"Have a lovely night Isaiah."
I pick up my boxes headed to my last stop of the night before heading home. It's quite a distance from the hotel but I'm already used to it so I know all the quick routes to help me get there faster.
When the homeless shelter comes to sight, I smile and walk in. It's already half past ten but it's still abuzz with activity as people keep coming in from a long day on the streets.
"Isaiah, what do you have for us today?" Ines, the co-ordinator asks me.
"Nothing but the best from Mitchell." I answer showing her the boxes.
"You're an angel, thank you darling. Why don't you help me distribute those to everyone who hasn't eaten yet." Ines requests me.
"Of course." I reply and immediately get to work.
I've been volunteering at the homeless shelter for much longer than I've been working at Mayfair. When Mitchell told me that they throw away all the left over food, I asked her if it's okay for me to give it out at the homeless shelter so that nothing goes to waste. She was all for it.
I'm familiar with a lot of the folks who reside here but there's always a new face every night. It's sad but I do what I can to help hoping that its enough for now and maybe one day I'll get to do more.
"So are we going to hear you sing tonight?" Ines asks me as soon as I'm done handing out the food.
"I don't know, it's been a long day." I laugh nervously scratching the back of my head.
"Come on Iz, just one song." She pleads with me. "Help me convince him guys."
Everyone who hears her and is familiar with me joins in to convince me and I cave.
"Okay one song." I relent and they all clap happily.
An old guitar appears out of thin air and is passed to me. I take a seat on a creaky chair and strum lazily as I think of which song to play. It comes to me quick and soon enough A million signs by Vividry fills the room. Everyone who is familiar with the song joins in and before I realize it, thirty minutes have passed and I've sang six more songs.
"That was wonderful Isaiah." Ines praises.
I bow as everyone claps for me at the end of my performance.
"My pleasure." I grin giving the guitar back. "Unfortunately I must be heading home now, I'll see you all tomorrow."
Ines nods in understanding. "Get home safe kiddo, thank your mom for me. We received another donation from her office today."
"I will."
I say my goodbyes and leave the shelter. The night is much chillier now so I rush to the bus stop just in time to catch my bus. By the time I arrive home it's almost midnight.
"Welcome home Mr. Carter." The security guard at the gate greets letting me in.
I give him a polite nod as I walk up the drive to our house. House is an insult since its actually an 18,000 square feet mansion built on the banks of the Hudson. We moved in three years ago and till date I'm still not used to its size, all the luxury and the security.
For a family of four I don't know why we need the all the extra room for. We have nine bedrooms, eleven full bathrooms and two half bathrooms, a formal ballroom, a home theater and a wine cellar. It doesn't end there because there's an indoor fitness complex that includes a basketball court, a rock climbing wall, a yoga room and a fitness center. The nerd in me does like the two-story library though. It's where I spend my free time when I do have it, which is rare.
My mom insisted on it though and she loves our new home. She worked really hard for us to be here so as much as the too many rooms are a pain, I am happy for her and I try my best.
The house is dead silent from the outside but as soon as I let myself in, I hear insistent tapping coming from the kitchen. I walk in on my mom hunched over her laptop, with her glasses on as she nurses a bottle of red wine.
She looks up when she sees me and takes off her glasses a warm smile gracing her face.
"Hey kiddo." She whispers.
"Hi mom, you're working late." I comment kissing her cheek and squeezing in a quick hug.
I retrieve a bottle of water from the fridge and slide into the stool next to her.
"I could say the same for you." She replies her brown eyes, identical to mine as I've been told shining back at me.
Rebecca Carter, thirty seven years old, America's sweetheart and the youngest African-American female Senator of the state of New York. She is my rock, my strength and the person I look up to most.
"I blame you. I take after you." I reply matching her smile.
My mom and I have been through a lot to get to where we are so when I see her smiling I cherish that look on her face. My mind takes these mental photographs of her and stores them away in my mind to remind me of how far we've come together.
"You know we've had this talk many times before ..." Mom says looking at me with a soft look.
I groan because I know what's coming next. "Mom please don't." I plead with her.
She reaches out and takes my hands in hers. "Sweetie I need to. I can't keep watching you push yourself like this when you don't need to anymore. We're okay now, life doesn't need to be like this." She urges me.
I pull my hands away "Mom please..."
Her words trigger some painful memories and I quickly close my eyes to block them out to no avail. I hear my mom pushing her chair back and seconds later she's hugging me. The feeling of her arms around me transports me back to a period in my life I'd rather forget but will haunt me forever.
All of a sudden I am five years old again, my mom and I are hiding out in my closet as my dad raids the house looking for us. We are both bleeding from different cuts and bruises, some old, others new, mom more than me because she tried to shield me. Suddenly the bedroom door opens and he comes in with a gun calling out to us.
"It's okay baby, mommy's here. You're safe." Mom whispers kissing my hair and bringing me back to the present.
My hands are shaking and I'm crying, an aftermath of anytime I recall the first five years of my life.
"We're safe." I reassure myself and my mom nods in affirmation holding me close.
We stay huddled up in each others arms till I've calmed down and no longer shaking.
"I'm sorry I brought it up." Mom apologizes kissing my forehead.
I smile because even though I am seated she still has to stand on her tip toes to reach my forehead. I got my looks, complexion, hair and eyes from her but my height is from him.
"It's okay. Where's Parker?" I ask her.
Parker is my step dad. He and mom have been together for ten years. He's her second chance love and after all that she's been through, I'm glad fate smiled on her and gave her a man who truly deserves her and treats her like the queen that she is.
"Already in bed. I was to join him an hour ago but I got caught up with work." She explains sliding back onto her stool.
"So what are you working on?" I ask her peering at her laptop.
All I see are lots of numbers and charts that make no sense to me.
"You're just asking that to be polite. You hate politics." Mom laughs knowing me well enough.
"True but you love it and I want to catch up." I reply.
I miss my mom. Between work, school and basketball for me plus her new career path we rarely cross paths. She makes time for her family but it's not the same anymore now that she is a senator.
She shuts her laptop and turns to me. "We can catch up about everything else but my work. Tell me, how was your first day?"
I smile and we fall into an easy conversation about how my first day was. I make sure to leave Kennedy out because I am not ready to talk about her with anyone yet, even my mom who I tell everything.
"Gary says hello and Ines sends her thanks for the donation." I conclude.
"Just doing my part and taking care of my constituents, they all matter to me. How's Gary doing with the new baby?"
"Good, another love of his life but he says he's done now that he finally got a boy after the third try." I answer.
"As a mother of boys I can say I completely understand how he feels. I love you boys so much but I wish I had a girl as well, a little mini me." Mom expresses.
My younger brother Cairo is a five year old trouble maker. We have a thirteen year age gap because my mom had me young but we are still very close.
"You're only thirty seven ma, you and Parker can still try for a girl." I encourage.
"I know and I wish but I already have too much to juggle. I feel like I barely have time for my boys now that I work so much." Mom expresses sadly.
"You try and that's enough for us. We love you and we support you because we know what you're doing is important." I reassure her.
My mom survived an abusive marriage, worked three jobs while raising me and put herself through law school to be where she is now. I will never judge her for chasing her dreams of wanting to make the world safer for those without voices like she once was.
"Oh my baby boy, what would I do without you?" She whispers her eyes getting watery as she cups my face.
"Worry less." I tease.
"True but worrying about you is my job as your mother. I just wish you'd slow down a bit. It's been thirteen years Khalil." Mom says using my second name.
Only she refers to me using that name and even then, it's on rare occasions.
"I don't mean to push myself so hard." I express.
"I know baby, I know."
Because of my rough start, I had to grow up faster than most kids. I had to learn to be self sufficient at a young age and started working when I was seven and I've never stopped. Even when life started looking up for us, my mind was already conditioned to a hard life. Life is better now but I'm always afraid of it going back to how it was so I do everything possible to make sure that even if mom lost it all again, I'd be able to take care of us. We have Parker and Cairo now as well but life for them is different. Parker runs a hedge fund company and comes from a rich background so he's never known hard life the way mom and I have. Cairo came into our lives when life was good so he's spoilt, carefree and the happiest little guy to ever exist. Life might be good now but I am still haunted by a past I can't seem to let go.
"Why don't you turn in for the night? You've had a long day plus you have school in a few hours. You need sleep." Mom demands.
"So do you. I'm not leaving you alone down here." I demand.
She narrows her eyes at me but I refuse to back down.
"You really are my son, okay let's go." She relents.
I smile in victory and slide off my stool picking up my bag off the floor. Mom grabs her laptop, switches off the lights and together we make our way upstairs.
"You know I've still not gotten used to the sheer size of this house." Mom whispers but her voice still echoes.
"Me too but I know you love it." I reply.
"I really do, we deserve this baby." She smiles squeezing my arm.
I nod because if anyone deserves all the happiness in the world its the woman right by my side.
I kiss her goodnight outside her bedroom door and make sure she's in before proceeding forward. I make a quick pop in to Cairo's room to make sure he's okay. It's decorated with an outer space theme because the kid wants to become an astronaut one day and I completely support that dream. I tuck him in, kiss him goodnight and leave the door slightly open.
My room is at the end of the hall and immediately I walk in and squat to take off my shoes, I'm attacked by a furry weight, with paws on my chest and wet slobbering kisses all over my face.
"Hi Ruby, how's my beautiful girl doing?" I laugh ruffling her fur.
Ruby is a one and a half year old Cavalier King Charles spaniel. She was a gift from my mom when I turned seventeen. I always wanted a dog growing up but we could never afford one. Mom is slowly making up for all the things she couldn't give me growing up and Ruby is one of them.
I give her some much needed love before proceeding to my bathroom for a shower. I did my homework in between classes so when I settle into bed half an hour later after a quick skin care routine with Ruby by my side there's not much to do. I am exhausted but I cannot bring my mind to shut down. I've always operated on less sleep than most. I used to hate going to sleep when I was younger because of the nightmares. They have reduced now but my body is still conditioned to operate on less sleep.
I stay up thinking about my past, present and future. My present is working all through senior year, studying hard to get into a good college while also healing from my past for the sake of my mom. I know she worries about me and she already has enough on her shoulders so I need to work on that.
There's also Kennedy, the mystery girl that dropped into Pine View out of nowhere. She is gorgeous and there's no denying that I am attracted to her but do I have time to chase that on top of everything I have going on? Maybe it's time for me to change starting with trying to actually be happy for once instead of pretending to be by putting on this fake front so people will stop worrying about me. Getting myself my first girlfriend might just be the start of the something new that I need to turn my life around.
I manage to fall asleep at four am having made the decision to allow myself to be happy for once in a very long time. It's time I let good things happen to me as well. I deserve it.