Odell POV –
My heart sank at the sight of K's mother. She was obviously worse off than what she led on.
She had lost so much weight, she looked like a bag of bones and she was constricted to her bed.
The reality is she was dying. If I ever was glad I made a decision to do what I did, was now.
Don't get it twisted my career was important. Getting national attention was important. Winning this game so we could qualify for the championship was important.
But I'm sorry, I'd forgo it all for K. Call me crazy. Call me whipped. Soft. Whatever. But she was my Bestfriend and my newfound lover.
She was the reason I was able to play freshmen year when I was failing. When no one else was in the stands she was there. On days when I'd be hurt from a loss, she'd remind me of my greatness. Our bond, even before we were in a relationship no one could break.
I had become as dependent on her and her support as water. But the truth is, K put up this front since our beginning like she didn't need me in the same way. Like if I dropped out of her life she'd be okay. Like if I showed up to support her or not, I'd survive. Rarely, did she ever show me a weakness. She always had it. Whether it be school. Her mom. Period. She put up this front like she was cool on her own.
But I knew it was all a mask. K had nobody besides her mom. And if her mom left this earth, she would have no one.
I couldn't let that happen. I had to let her know that, that strong black woman shit was bullshit. That even superwoman needed superman sometimes. And this superman, regardless of her father, wasn't going to leave her alone.
I was sitting awkwardly in a chair opposite her mother's bed. She had sent Kenya out grocery shopping to get some items on her list. So it was just us here. Her uncle had taken her.
Even in her mother's condition, her resemblance to Kenya was uncanny. Same perfect dark golden skin. Big brown eyes. I could see where she got her beauty.
During our friendship, I met her mother and we became cool. She embraced me the same way, my mother embraced K. As one of the family.
"Why would you skip out on a game O?" Her mother turned her attention from Orange Is The New Black to me.
"Some things are more important than football. This was just one of em."
She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You and Kenya are so dramatic. I told her I was alright. It's just the medicine making me lose all this weight."
She coughed heavily. I noticed blood was coming up and quickly got a tissue and put it to her mouth to clean her up.
"It just does that some times." She said between coughs, removing my hands. "I'm fine."
I didn't move.
"Sit down boy. I'm fine." She looked at me. "Gone now." She shooed her hand.
I reluctantly sat down. I guess she's where K, gets her stubbornness.
"I was wondering when you and Kenya were going to get together. I knew it was a matter of time. Kenya walking around here like ain't no man good enough for her. I said yeah ok. We'll see. You'll end up right with O. And she was like "aww ma, o not even my type and blah, blah, blah." She rolled her eyes.
I let out half a smile.
"Type my ass. Love don't have a type. Her daddy was my type and you see how that ended."
I chuckled.
"So LSU won today?"
"Yes ma'am we did.l
She looked down at her tissue. "All this good news.?And you tell me one of the premier black chemist wants to work with my baby?"
"Yes ma'am. Kenya had a meeting with her and she told her that she would be in touch and she has some things in the works in the states she wants to bring over from England and Kenya would be a great fit for being her American partner. So she won't have to travel back and forth."
She smiled with pride. "I'm so proud of that girl. She just never stops. Never. She gets an A, she gotta work on getting an A plus. She get an A plus, she gotta work toward creating her own damn letter."
"Yeah. She's a perfectionist." I laughed thinking about it.
"I remember her coming home telling me about all these formulas she'd learn and just all this stuff. And I wouldn't know what the heck she was talking about. But I'd listening anyway. Just to see her so excited. I'll never forget she was five and I asked her what she wanted for Christimas and she said a dictionary. A dictionary? What five year old wants a dictionary." She laughed.
"Most of em want whatever toy they got . But not Kenya. And I just remember her sitting with me right here, teaching me about molecules and animals. It was like I was in school even though I'd never been. And she would always say "Mama, this mind is gonna pay you back. Gonna pay you back for daddy. Gonna pay you back so you won't have to work as lunch lady anymore. And I would say Kenya don't worry about paying me back. Just make sure you can feed and clothe your own self. Mama will be fine. " She paused.
"I'mma be fine." She said to herself. "I'mma be alright. This is gonna past like everything else. And I'mma see her graduate and do all that stuff she wants. And see you go to the NFL. That's why you gotta stop missing games. I want to be watching you on ESPN Odell you hear me?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Oooo I hope you get drafted to the Panthers. That Cam Newton chile. If I was 1 year younger, Kenya would have a baby sister or brother with the last name Newton. I tell you that."
I laughed. I forgot this was Carolina, hence Panther country.
"Poor baby was mad after they lost the superbowl. I would've gave him something so cheer him up. Make him forget about Potatoe head Peyton Manning. Chile his head so damn big. Can't tell the difference between that head or the football. Didn't you go to big heads high school?"
"No. I went to the same high school
As his brother Eli." I laughed.
"I was surely about to ask you how that head look up close and personal."
I laughed.
She cracked a smile. "Just wanted to lighten the mood. I will be fine. Yes, I'mma be fine."
There was silence. Then she broke down. I sat on her bed and put her head on my chest and held her.
After a minute. She stopped and wiped her eyes.
"Tell her I'm fine O." She grabbed my hand tightly. "You tell her I'm fine and y'all get out of here first thing tomorrow morning. I don't want her here when it happens you hear me? I want y'all gone. I want her down there in Baton Rouge focused on changing the world through her chemistry. Cause I know her. She will quit to come back here. And ain't nothing in Fayetteville but memories. Don't let her stop. Don't let her drop out. Don't let my baby stop until the world knows her name."
You tell her I'm fine." She desperately looked at me with teary eyes.
I looked away and shook my head yes.
"Hand me that over there." She pointed to her desk. I got up and got it and handed it to her. It was a present it seemed, it was wrapped. It sorta looked like a book.
"You give this to Kenya on graduation. Only on graduation." She gave it to me.
"Put that in your bag and go get me some water baby?"
I put the book in my bag. And went to the kitchen to get some water. I got a bottle out the fridge and went back to the room.
"Ms. Morris, here's your water."
Her eyes were closed.
"Ms. Morris." I shook her to wake up, thinking she was just tired and fell asleep.
She didn't move.
"Ms. Morris." I shook her again.
I listened for her breathing, and checked her pulse.
She was gone.