Be A Man short

Chapter 9: Growing Up short story

            The conversation between Tommy and I prompted me to make my next move.  Nowhere near being dressed for my evening with Rachelle, I left him in my room and left the house.  I marched over to the Arlene house, I rang the doorbell like I had done previously a hundred times.  Cynthia opened the door and immediately said, “Rachelle’s not ready yet.”

            “And are you going out dressed like that?”  Lisa asked while seated on the couch nearest the door.  I was dressed comfortably in my gym shorts and tank top.

            “Lisa, I’m not going out looking like this,” I replied.

            “Well, Rachelle’s in the shower,” Cynthia said.

            “I’m not here for her.  Is your father home?”  I asked.

            “Yeah, he’s upstairs in his lair,” Lisa said.

            “Lair?”  I asked

            “Lair?  What the heck are you talking about, Lise?  Why would you call Daddy’s office his lair?”  Cynthia asked after I walked into the house after she invited me in.

            “Every good villain needs a lair,” Lisa said.

            “Walton, go on upstairs.  He’s probably trying to figure out the internet,” Cynthia said.

            “Thank you for being the good sister,” I said before walking towards the stairwell.

            My palms were sweaty and my knees were weak.  Even though I was nervous, but my face needed to be calm and fierce.  My plan was in my head, and I needed to be ready for anything that may go wrong.  My goal was to accomplish one thing that I evaded me previously.  Fifteen steps separated me from the top of the stairs.  Each step I took, the more nervous I grew.  Upon reaching the top step of the stairs, I watch Russell struggling on his computer.

            “Burkett, I’m glad to see you,” Russell said as he laid his eyes on me.

            “That’s probably the first time you’ve ever said that,” I said.  “Did you need help with something?”

            “Yeah, I’m having trouble getting this thing connected to the internet.  Can you help me?”  Russell asked as I made my way towards Russell in his upstairs office.  “I’m supposed to have the fastest internet around because I got it through the cable company.”  I jumped right into action, troubleshooting Russell’s issues.  It only took me a couple minutes to find the root of Russell’s problems.

            “Russell, you didn’t plug your computer up to the modem,” I told him after looking behind his computer tower and noticing that he didn’t have a cable connected coming from his modem.  “Or do you have a wireless card on here?”

            “Hold on, kid.  Don’t get into your technical crap.  What are you saying?”  Russell asked.

            “You’re not getting internet because it’s not connected to the box,” I quickly said.

            “Shit!  I knew I forgot something,” Russell said before springing into action and getting his cables connected from his modem.  Seconds later, we were connected to the worldwide web via a broadband connection.  “Thanks, Burkett, for helping me with this.  Having internet always on is gonna help me with all these phone lines in this house.”

            “Yeah, I know what you mean.  I wonder if I can con my mother into getting broadband,” I said while standing up from Russell’s seat at his desk.

            “Well, it depends on how good of a conman you are,” Russell said.  “Anyway, what brings you up here, son?”

            “I’m here to chat with you.”

            “Oh yeah?  Aren’t you and my daughter going out in an hour?”

            “Yeah, we are, but I need to chat with you about something.” I said. After Russell sat in front of his computer, I continued to stand.

            “Okay, get to it.  I don’t sit in my office to just sit.  I’ve got work to do.  So get on with it,” Russell said.

            My nervousness grew even stronger, but I knew I needed to stay focused.  “Russell, you offered me a gift not long ago.  I’m here to collect,” I said.

            “A gift?  What are you talking about?”

            “The ring.  I want the ring.”

            “Boy, you must still be crazy.  Get out of here,” Russell dismissively said.  “I told you once before, you have to earn it.”

            “Russell, I’m serious.  I need that ring.”

            “I’m gonna tell you one more time, you gotta earn it, boy.”

            “Russell, what do I need to do to prove that I’m worthy?”

            “Well, first, you won’t come to me and ask for it.”

            “Who said I’m asking?”

            “So you’re demanding?”

            “I’m requesting.”

            “That’s the same damn thing.”

            “No, Russell, it’s not.  I want your daughter’s hand in marriage.  If you won’t give me the ring, I’ll buy one myself tomorrow.  I’m requesting the ring you said you’d give me when the time was right.  That time is now.”

            “Where are you going to get the money for a ring, Burkett?”  Russell asked.

            This was my chance.  It was my opportunity to prove to Rachelle’s father that I was able take care of her.  “Last week, I met with three companies about my computer language.  I’ve worked a deal with all three to use my computing language.  If things go right, it might turn into a 3.3 million dollars per company business venture.”

            “Really?  How did you swing that?”  Russell asked.

            “Let’s just say your daughter has my back.  So providing for her is nothing.  I have no problem protecting her.  I’ve been to war defending her honor.  Violence is not the answer, I am aware of that, but I’m still working on that.  It’s just that ring is special because it’s a symbol I need to prove to the rest of the world that I’m worth.  So, Russell, I need the ring.”

            Russell stood up in silence and walked over to his bookshelf to retrieve a book.  He brought the book back over to his desk and sat down.  After opening the book, I noticed that it was hollow on the inside.  Russell retrieved a tiny safe from inside the hollowed-out book where he opened after inputting the combination.  “Before I give you this, you need to sit down,” Russell said while handing me the ring.

            I quickly grabbed the ring to examine it.  Three huge princess cut diamonds set on a platinum ring.  It was just as beautiful as when I first saw it.  The difference, it was in my hands.  I sat down in a chair in front of Russell’s desk and asked, “This is an amazing piece of jewelry.  How much did it cost?”

            “It’s not about how much it cost.  It’s about the history.  This is my family’s heirloom that has been passed down for over a hundred years.  My great-great-grandfather bought this ring for my great-great grandmother, Cynthia back in the 1890s after working his ass off shoeing horses, making knives, and doing anything he could to make a living to purchase that one of a kind ring you got there son,” Russell explained.

            “This ring is a hundred years old?  It’s so new looking and shiny.  How did you guys keep it looking so great?”  I asked.

            “The women of my family only wore it ten years before locking it away to pass down to the next.  My grandfather and mother had the stones polished while their rings were in their possession.  After Mandy stopped wearing it, I had it cleaned and appraised.  It’s worth over twenty grand.  So, you put this on Rachelle’s finger fast or I’ll put an axe in your back.”

            “I will.  Tonight’s the night.”

            “Yeah, you’d better, because there’s a long list of women who’ll be hunting you down for that ring.  My great-grandfather barely had any money to afford a wife after the family business of blacksmithing, but his girlfriend’s father gave him the ring so he could marry my grandmother Elsie.  Grandma Elsie gave her son and my grandfather so he would use it to purpose to my grandmother, Madeline.  I suppose you are mindful how the rest goes.”

            “I guess I do.  Listen, thank you, Russell.  I promise you, you’re not gonna regret this decision,” I told him before standing up.

            “Before you go, you’ve got ten years before it goes in a safe for the next generation.  After ten years, buy her another one.  That’s the tradition,” Russell said.  “This ring has survived Jim Crow, two World Wars, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, my family’s fire, and has seen us all at our worst and best at the same time.  You guys do your best to continue the honor this ring gives me and my family.”

            “No doubt.  Russell, thanks again,” I said.  “We’ll do our part to continue the family tradition.”

            As I stood up to leave, I placed the ring in my pocket.  Before I could full turn to the go back towards the stairwell, Russell said, “Have her home by midnight.”

            “That’s always the goal, sir,” I said as I continued my efforts to leave.  After getting halfway between the stairs and Russell’s office, I turned back to him and walk back toward him.  “Why give me this ring?  It obviously means a lot to you and your entire family.”

            “You’re a good kid, and contrary to popular belief, I believe in you and think you are the best thing for not only my daughter but my entire family.  As Rachelle continues being an honor roll student, the other girls try their best to one up each other, and I’ve seen how good you are to my granddaughter.  You’re a good kid, even though you have a lot to learn,” Russell said.

            “Well, I’m right here.  Teach me what you think I should learn.  I’ll learn it fast,” I said.

            “Just worry about treating my baby girl right and the rest will come to you,” Russell said.

            I soon left the Arlene family house to go back home.  I needed to finish packing my overnight bag and get dressed.  The night with Rachelle was scheduled to be extra special, but after the day we had, I recognized I needed to up the ante.  With the ring in my pocket, I returned home to finish getting ready for my evening.  When I prepared for this night felt like I was prepping for the most important day of my life.  At that point in my life, it was the important evening I’d ever face.  With my overnight bag in my car, I marched over to retrieve Rachelle for our night about an hour later.  Once we were in my car, it was time to get the party started.

… to be continued in Chapter 9:  Growing up in the published novel Be A Man

Steele and the Boys

Throwing triple digits on the radar gun was nothing for one of my cousin’s best friends.  A three sports star in high school and a model student, Ryan didn’t have to fight for anything at school.  Beloved by teachers and fellow students alike, Ryan was the big man on campus.  Being the guy that helped lead Wake Forest High back to another state championship in baseball, Ryan could do almost no wrong.  The only thing he did remotely wrong were to pick his two best friends at an early age. 

JB became Ryan’s friend when the two were in the sixth grade.  JB was close to being the model citizen as Ryan, but he seemed to get in his own way.  He was too smart for his own good.  Often, he got into trouble because he was led astray by their other best friend that the two met the next year when his family moved to town.  That other guy was my cousin, Dontrelle.  Compared to Ryan, Dontrelle was the complete opposite.  While Ryan didn’t make trouble, Dontrelle made trouble.  Ryan was the student teachers wanted to see whereas Dontrelle remained the type of kid getting kicked out of class.  Ryan was fire.  Dontrelle was ice.  JB happened to fall somewhere in between. 

The three made my high school alma mater’s baseball team great again three years after I graduated.  As juniors, the three proved to everyone how good of baseball players they were by carrying the team on their backs.  Ryan, however, did most of the heavy lifting.  As a pitcher throwing 100 miles per hour on the radar gun, Ryan had what it took to make it pro right out of high school.  Where Dontrelle and JB were good division one prospects in baseball, Ryan had it all.   

The three often hung out at my mother’s house with my brother Travis and a couple other kids from the neighborhood.  Things got a little different around her house once I could give her some financial support following the success of my company.  It led to Travis being the cool guy in the neighborhood.  It was a far cry from when I lived in the same house with basically the same friends.  While Travis may have been one of the youngest, Dontrelle always stirred up trouble amongst this group.  Ryan often labeled Dontrelle as the shit starter. 

During the trio’s entire senior year, Ryan readied himself to become a pro baseball player.  Playing defensive back in football helped keep his speed up during the fall, while playing small forward in basketball kept him nimble with lightning fast reflexes in the winter.  Ryan only wanted to make both his deceased father and his mentor, Billy Yoast, proud.  Billy was a good friend of mine who played with me on all three state championship teams while we were in high school together.  Ryan and Billy met before I moved to town in the late 1990s, and Billy quickly became his big brother as Ryan was leading a life of no good. 

Reformed and trying to do the right things in life, Ryan had one goal:  throw a pitch in the major leagues.  JB and Dontrelle wanted to do similar things, but JB was completely focused on girls while Dontrelle enjoyed girls, weed, and fighting.  Introduced to the wacky-tobacky by our cousin, Germaine, Dontrelle enjoyed indulging in the “fictional” gateway drug, marijuana.  Sometimes I came around and I could smell both Dontrelle and Germaine before I saw them.  Although I was never interested in the drug, I noticed vast differences in my cousins once they began their regiment of weed consumption.  Dontrelle said that it helped him focus and sleep better than anything else. 

The trio got into their latest mess two days after capturing their second straight baseball championship in high school athletics.  With finals remaining in their high school curriculum, JB knew he needed to study to ensure that he maintained his 3.0 GPA.  Dontrelle didn’t care too much to finish with a high GPA.  His only concern was getting by with little effort.  In fact, Dontrelle’s below 2.0 GPA stood good enough for him to graduate.  

While at Warren’s arcade, the trio sat with Travis and his friend Greg at the snack bar.  The group had just finished playing laser tag against another group before deciding to rest up for another round.  “Guys, drinks on me,” Travis said while the crew sat together.  “I’ll be back.” 

“They’d better be on you, freshman,” JB said. 

“JB, does Travis need to remind you he ran your monkey ass over in football practice?  You’d better leave him alone,” Dontrelle said.  “I ain’t messing with him.” 

“Man, I wish I were there.  Greg, tell your brother they gotta make a phone with a video camera on it,” Ryan said.  “There got to be a way we can capture life without having a camera in your pocket.” 

“Travis hit him with the Madden hit stick.  It was amazing!”  Dontrelle said. 

“Shut yo’ ass up, Donnie,” JB said as Travis returned with cups so the teens could get their own drinks. 

“Your brother must have given you some money,” Greg said.  “Treating everyone to these drinks is awesome, Travis.” 

“You know my brother.  If you don’t work for him, you ain’t getting paid,” Travis said before passing out the cups to the crew. 

“When’s the last time you hung out with your cousin, Dontrelle?”  Ryan asked. 

“I have no idea.  He’s a busy dude,” Dontrelle said.  “Hell, he doesn’t hang out with his little brother that often.” 

“We need to pay him a visit,” JB said.  “The last time I saw him, he promised me a free game.  I want my game.” 

“Listen, you need to worry about school this fall,” Ryan said. 

“Not everybody can go to school off a scholarship like you, Ryan,” Dontrelle said. 

“He’s mostly right,” Greg said.  “JB, if you had focused more on baseball than hoes, you’d have gotten that scholarship.” 

“Speaking of hoes, how’s your mom, Greg?”  JB joked with Greg before he nudged him while he was trying to stand up from his seat. 

“Hey, don’t mess with Greg or Travis.  These guys are the future for our high school,” Ryan said. 

“They’ve got a lot to live up to,” Dontrelle said.  “I mean, just look at what I did.  I led the school to another baseball state championship.” 

“Negro, please!  That was all Ryan Steele.  You can’t throw a hundred miles an hour, Donnie,” JB said. 

He was right.  Ryan was a throwback to the mid to late 1990s when Wake Forest High ran off a string of seven consecutive baseball state championships.  The others played on the team with Ryan, but it was obvious who the star of the team was for the school.  As the crew of teens continued to hangout with each other, Ryan figured that it might be the last time that he’d hang with his best friends.  He was a week from getting drafted by a baseball team.   

Ryan was following in the footsteps of Jason Lee.  I played with Jason in high school, and he was an amazing athlete.  The fastest, strongest, and smartest guy on the field, Jason’s skill led him to getting drafted by the Cardinals.  Less than a year in the minors, Jason became an Allstar centerfielder.  Touted as a pitcher, Ryan recognized his overall skill set may have him be an outfielder like my friend.  While the group played together, Ryan received the most attention by scouts.  He knew his time was coming. 

Shortly after clowning around in the snack bar, the group decided to play another round of laser tag versus another group of teens before Dontrelle lived up to his mantra, the shit starter.  During the laser tag session, one of his opponents accidentally tripped him.  Before the guy could apologize to him, Dontrelle pounced on him flailing his fist as quickly as he could.  Travis, being bigger and stronger than Dontrelle, quickly defused the situation by grabbing Dontrelle and pulling him away from the guy he had jumped on. 

Even though Travis pulled Dontrelle away, the fight wasn’t over.  While the actual laser tag was still on, Travis pulling our cousin away from a fight was more crucial.  With all the yelling and cursing coming from Dontrelle, the others realized they had to stop the game and get Dontrelle out of the room.  Once Travis, and later JB, got Dontrelle out of the laser tag room, the guy that Dontrelle wailed on broke through the door and headed straight for him.  Nineteen-years old and fully grown into his maximum height, Dontrelle only stood five-eight and weighed 150 pounds.  He was not known as a strong guy.  However, his adversary was much larger. 

In Dontrelle’s eyes, he saw the Hulk coming at him and Travis.  He was only a few inches taller than Dontrelle, but he outweighed my cousin by over fifty pounds.  In actuality, the guy was the same size as Travis.  As the guy marched toward the two, Greg and JB intervened, but to no avail.  He shoved the two out of his way to continue way towards Dontrelle.  Travis went from holding Dontrelle back to being the wall between the two.  As the starting tight end on the varsity, my brother was a thrill to see on the football team.   

I had only heard stories of Travis’ fights of the past, but this one wasn’t his fight.  Before he could throw a punch, Ryan entered the scene and gave the guy a throat chop before shoving him into the wall.  After the guy bounced off the wall, Ryan gave him a forearm shiver to the head and judo threw him to the ground.  Before anyone could close in on the guy, Ryan immediately told the other four to get in JB’s car.  The five guys scattered while discarding laser tag gear throughout the arcade. 

A 1999 minivan, JB rode around in style.  It was typically used as his makeout mobile. On this night, it was the getaway vehicle.  With JB driving and Greg riding shotgun, the two panicked more than the other three.  Dontrelle was still hyped up after his portion of the brawl whereas Ryan was disgusted.  Ryan had been through all of Dontrelle’s fights in a matter of seconds, and he realized that Dontrelle did not care about the people around him.  The group exited the arcade’s parking lot and drove down the road. 

While driving away from the scene, Greg asked, “JB, do you think we will get in trouble for what happened?” 

“In trouble?  You’re lucky we don’t go to jail,” Ryan said.  “Donnie, what the hell was that?” 

“He tripped me!”  Dontrelle replied.  “I ain’t gonna let that slide, shorty.  That fool’s got me messed up.” 

“Did he trip you on purpose?”  JB asked. 

“What the hell!  It doesn’t matter if he tripped him on purpose or not,” Ryan said.  Ryan was sitting in the middle seat of the van.  Travis and Dontrelle was sitting in the back of the van.  “Please don’t tell me you shoved that guy because he tripped you.” 

“No exactly,” Travis muttered before seeing several police cars zoomed past them on the road headed towards the arcade.  “We need to lie low.  JB, go to my brother’s house.  I’ll text him to let us in the gate.” 

“Roger that,” JB said. 

“Donnie, what the hell happened in there?”  Ryan asked. 

“I did nothing you wouldn’t do,” Dontrelle said.  Dontrelle was lying.  He knew that Ryan would never attack anyone that was unprovoked.   

“Dude, I’m serious.  If I found out you started another fight and I had to come to your rescue again, I’m kicking your ass!”  Ryan said. 

“You ain’t gonna do shit!”  Dontrelle yelled.  Ryan turned to his friend and quickly punched him in the face.  Again, Travis had to do his best to breakup the fight.  However, this time it was much tougher as the van was a much too compact space for the fight to continue.  Travis tussled Dontrelle and Ryan in the back of the van until JB park the vehicle in a parking lot at a gas station so he and Greg could help Travis separate the two. 

The exchange between the two only lasted a few moments.  The two were separated where Ryan was seated in the front and Dontrelle sat in the rear.  Travis and Greg sat in the middle seat to serve as a barrier.  The group of teenagers drove over to my house where I sat home with my three children.  Because it was after nine that evening, the twins were in bed while Shawn was still wide awake and in my grasp. 

When I answered the doorbell, my brother stood in front of his crew.  He led them into the house while I held my nine-month-old son.  “We need a place to lie low for a while,” Travis said after I examined him and his friends. 

“Come on in.  Y’all just can’t stand in the doorway like some lost puppies,” I said inviting the teens into my home.  Both Ryan and Dontrelle looked as if they had been in a fight where Travis looked slightly disheveled as normal. 

“Thanks for letting us stop by,” Ryan said as the crew piled into my foyer.  “Can I borrow an ice pack?” 

“Trav, get Ryan what he needs,” I said.  “The rest of y’all can follow me.”  I lead the boys through my home and into a den I used with the children.  I had to apologize to the teens for the mess as my twins’ toys were all over the room. 

“Walton, thanks for letting us stop by for a while,” Ryan said as I sat Shawn in his playpen.  “I know it’s not cool to stop by so late.” 

“Ryan, chill.  This is the legendary Killa B.  He knows how things get from time to time,” Dontrelle announced. 

“My first question before Travis gets back in here, who’s been fighting?”  I asked after I sat down in my trusty but relaxing recliner.  The other scattered themselves around the room, finding their own places to sit amongst the clutter. 

“Look, that’s not important,” Dontrelle began. 

“It is important.  Dontrelle, you guys show up to my house with ripped and blood-stained clothes looking for refuge and ice packs.  Don’t play me for a fool,” I said. 

“Listen, Walton, we didn’t come here just because we needed a place to hide out.  I asked Dontrelle when was the last time you guys hung out, and he didn’t have a good answer,” JB said. 

“George, Dontrelle doesn’t just hang out with me.  We’re family.  He’s welcome over here anytime,” I said. 

“My name isn’t George, it’s…” JB began before I interrupted him. 

“It doesn’t matter what you name is!”  I yelled. 

“Damn, this mug fell for that again,” Travis said while walking to the room with an ice pack for Ryan.  “JB, I got your ass like that last year.” 

“Look, your brother is the boss of Teletram.  How was I supposed to know?”  JB asked. 

“You gotta remember that he’s one of us,” Greg said. 

“Oh my God!  I think I’m gonna be surrounded by idiots and assholes my entire life,” I muttered. 

“You see, that’s what Travis says all the time,” Greg added. 

“No, I don’t say it like that.  I just call you fools idiots and assholes,” Travis joked. 

“Yeah, it takes one to know one,” Dontrelle said. 

“Whatever, man.  Walt, where’s my sister-in-law?”  Travis asked. 

“Her sister Stephanie’s in town.  They’re doing a girls night out,” I replied. 

“So, you’re stuck home on a Saturday night with three kids.  Oh, how the mighty have fallen, KB1,” Dontrelle said. 

“Hey, if sitting in a six-million-dollar mansion with three times as much in the bank is the bottom, I’d love to see what it looks like on the top,” I told my cousin. 

“I guess he just shitted on your head, Donnie,” Ryan said.  “Hey, Walt, once I sign this big-league baseball contract, I’ll be living it up on the bottom just like you.” 

“Hammer, don’t hurt these fools,” JB joked with Ryan. 

“Hey, shut the hell up, Ryan.  I’m still mad at you,” Dontrelle said lashing out at his friend. 

“Okay, now he’s back in the room, I guess I’ll get the real news out of him.  Travis, what happened tonight?”  I asked my brother. 

“Your dumbass cousin jumped on a dude at the arcade in the laser tag room, and me and Ryan had to handle it.  Then Dontrelle got mouthy in the car, and Ryan had to handle that,” Travis explained.  I should my head to look over at Ryan, who was icing his right hand. 

“Did you break anything, Ryan?”  I asked the pro baseball prospect. 

“No, surprisingly,” Ryan said.  “I’m just a little sore.” 

“Aren’t you left-handed?”  I asked. 

“I am.  Billy taught me to throw my haymakers with my non-pitching hand,” Ryan said. 

“Dontrelle, stop starting shit and then bring your problems around me,” I told him.  “Ryan, with friends like him, who needs enemies.” 

Ryan and Dontrelle had been friends for years, but their relationship had reached a boiling point.  After ninth grade, Ryan continued to grow physically while Dontrelle remained the same size.  Dontrelle ended up being nearly a foot shorter than the six feet seven inches tall Ryan, but he had always been labeled the toughest because of this smaller stature.  That night the teens came to my home was the night Ryan knew he had to make one of the toughest decisions in his life. 

The guys visited with me for another hour before my wife returned home for the evening.  Afterward, JB dropped Dontrelle, Travis and Greg off at their homes before he and Ryan drove back to his house.  The two planned for Ryan to stay the night, as the two usually had done for years since kindergarten.  Upon entering JB’s bedroom, Ryan asked his friend, “What happened tonight?” 

“What do you mean?”  JB asked in return while kicking his shoes off. 

“JB, why are we always fighting?” 

“Dude, you’re the fighter.  I’m a lover.” 

“Lover?  You’re an idiot.  I’m talking about there is always some shit started in the group where one of us has to be the voice of reason.” 

“Ryan, just chill.  It ain’t that big of a deal,” JB said while Ryan changed into his sleepwear.   

“It is a big deal.  If I get drafted next week, I can’t keep saving you and Dontrelle before I go off to play minor league ball,” Ryan said. 

“Hey, I’m not one to start fights.  You need to talk to your boy, Dontrelle.” 

“I recognized a lot time ago Donnie starts a lot of shit, but what am I supposed to do?” 

“What did his own cousin say?  ‘Who needs enemies when you got friends like him?’”  JB said while getting the statement I made wrong. 

            “That’s not exactly what he said, but I get the point.  Donnie’s cool, but I can’t deal with his fighting all the time,” Ryan said.

            “Well, tell him you can’t hang with him no more.”

            “But where would that leave us?”

            “You act like we’re dating or something.  Ryan, we’d still be cool,” JB said.

            But would the two still be friends after Ryan’s next move?  Ryan couldn’t sleep that night, as JB’s top bunk he had outgrown three years earlier was utterly uncomfortable.  The two friends stayed awake until midnight talking about girls and other things before JB fell asleep around midnight.  Ryan’s mind raced as fast as the roadrunner running away from the coyote in the cartoons.  The events of the night combined with other happenings from the years prior just got the better of him.  Before he fell asleep around 4 that morning, Ryan knew what needed to be done.

            The inevitable had to wait as Ryan became one of the hottest commodities in county behind me, Tommy, and the hockey team on its way to the championship.  Billy got me and Tommy to donate funds for a draft party for Ryan so it could be held in a hotel ballroom in town.  I had not understood how good of a player Ryan was until I stood in the room with Ryan, his family and friends, and all his teammates from school and AAU during the draft party.  Ryan was drafted number three overall to the same team my brother-in-law played on the Braves.

            Seeing this young man’s life change in front of our eyes was one thing.  Having him change his life by himself was something different.  While at his draft party, I didn’t see him interact with Dontrelle or JB.  A bunch of Ryan’s attention was turned to his girlfriend and his cell phone.  Drafted on Tuesday, Ryan had already accepted his offer before Friday that same week.  His next stop was reporting for rookie ball before the end of June.  Before he could do that, Ryan knew there was one thing he needed to get through.

            On a scorching Sunday morning, Ryan drove over to Dontrelle’s house in his brand-new car he bought from his nearly one million dollar signing bonus.  Ryan’s plans for the day were to meet up with his girlfriend and double date with JB and his girlfriend.  Because it was his last week in Wake Forest for a while, Ryan decided that he needed to clear the air with Dontrelle.  Knocking on the door, Ryan was almost at a loss of words before clearing his mind to tell his friend of over six years what was on his mind.

            Dontrelle opened the door and noticed the dapper dressed Ryan.  “Where are you going, and why didn’t I get the memo?”  Dontrelle asked.

            “Hey, man,” Ryan started after completely resetting his thoughts.  “I just wanted to stop by and talk to you for a couple minutes.”

            “You could have called me.  If you’re going out, I can be ready to leave in fifteen minutes,” Dontrelle said.

            “No, it’s not about that.  Dontrelle, we have to talk about something serious,” Ryan said.

            “Okay, well come on in.”

            “No, Donnie, I’m not gonna be long,” Ryan replied.

            “Okay, then.  What?”

            “Donnie, it hurts me to say the words I’m about to say, but they must be said,” Ryan muttered while the late June sun beamed down on him.  Ryan was dressed so eloquently that he would be mistaken for a millionaire.  Although his suit came from a local clothier that didn’t cost the kid too much, but his bank account would show several hundreds of thousands of dollars after signing his baseball contract.

            “Ryan, where are you headed dressed like a fake Tommy Oliver?”  Dontrelle asked.

            “Listen, don’t worry about that.  I need you to listen to me.”

            “Okay.  What’s up?”

            “I can’t be friends with you anymore.  I just stopped by to say goodbye,” Ryan said without hesitation.

            “What do you mean?”  Dontrelle asked.

            “This is it.  I can’t be friends with you anymore.”

            “Oh, so you get rich and you forget where you come from.  I see how you do things.  That’s cold, Steele.”

            “I haven’t forgotten where I’ve come from.  I just can’t deal with your instability and craziness.  With everything I have to lose, I can’t risk having you hurting my baseball career,” Ryan explained. 

            Dontrelle rolled his eyes and walked out the doorway onto the porch.  He turned his back on Ryan and reached in his pocket for his cigarettes.  Before lighting his menthol flavored cigarette, Dontrelle took a seat in a chair on the porch.  “Where are you going next?  To tell Kaitlin that she’s not good enough for you?”  Dontrelle asked while not looking at his now former friend.

            “Donnie, listen, I’m not here to argue or discuss anything to cause any problems.  We’ve gone through a lot together, and because of some things, I’ve decided that I have to cut some things out of my life.  Now, if you change how you do things, then maybe we can be friends again in the future,” Ryan explained.

            “Oh, you think I’m just something you can put down and pick up at your convenience?”  Dontrelle started.  The smoky, stale ash of Dontrelle’s cigarette filled the air even though they were outdoors.  Dontrelle had smoked cigarettes before his thirteenth birthday, and by the time he turned eighteen, he was an addicted.  “If you think that, you got the game all messed up, Ryan.”

            “Well, if you think that, I’m sorry.  Donnie, I love you, bro, but this is how it has to be.  I could have iced you out, but I do care for you.”

            “If you cared for me, you’d let me join you on your rise,” Dontrelle said.

            “Dontrelle, do you remember what your cousin said a couple weeks ago after you got into another fight where I had to save your ass, again?

            “Dude, who the hell do you think you are?  If you remember, I was there when Walton and Stephen should’ve stomped your ass out in the middle of the street because you were rolling with the Brotherhood way back in the day.”

            “I understand that.”

            “You’re worried about me fighting.  Your ass was in a real gang!  If it wasn’t for my cousin and Billy, you’d still be in that damn gang or dead!”

            “Dontrelle, I’m not worried about that.  What I’m worried about is the future.  Unfortunately, I’ve got to let you go,” Ryan said before the foul smoke of Dontrelle’s cigarette invaded Ryan’s airways.

            “It’s messed up, but you do you,” Dontrelle said as he continued to puff on his cigarette.

            “Okay, I will,” Ryan said before turning around to leave.

            “Of course you know, if we can’t be friends, you’ll have to stay away from my people,” Dontrelle said.

            “Your people like who?”

            “Germaine, Travis and Walton.  My people.”

            “Yeah, whatever,” Ryan said after stopping his momentum from stepping off the porch.  He turned and look at Dontrelle.  “Listen, you and I are no longer friends.  You can’t tell me who I can and can’t be friends with, Dontrelle.  Now if you have a problem with that, we settle that shit right now.”

            “Man, I ain’t trying to fight you, but if you’re gonna be like this, I have to be like that,” Dontrelle said.

            “I’m out,” Ryan said before he walked off the porch and out of Dontrelle’s life.

            That self-exile from his former friend’s life lasted for nearly ten years.  While Ryan went on to eminence in playing pro baseball as a superstar pitcher, Dontrelle went to work and eventually found a home working in the NC Teletram plant.  Ryan built his offseason home down the street from me and my family in 2012, and despite Dontrelle’s forbiddance, Ryan and I remained cordial for several years.  When Ryan’s former catcher and my cousin, Germaine, passed away in 2016, Ryan was amongst many people who attended his funeral.

            At the repast, I stood outside the convention center with several guys, including Dontrelle.  I had known of the rift between Dontrelle and Ryan, but I didn’t realize what I was about to see when the two acknowledged one another.  The reaction between the two seemed as if they hadn’t missed a beat in ten years.  Ryan’s hug and apology appeared genuine, but the acceptance by Dontrelle truly showed my cousin’s growth despite the tough times we faced.

            Dontrelle watched from afar as his former friend worked hard to make it to the major league and eventually become an Allstar.  While Ryan worked only to become the best starting pitcher in pro baseball, Dontrelle worked only to get himself out of trouble.  Jumping from job to job and getting in trouble with the law, Dontrelle’s life finally turned around after Germaine yelled at him after getting into another fight.  He started his career at Teletram Enterprises the same day Ryan won his first championship alongside my high school teammate, Jason.  To see Dontrelle and Ryan bury the hatchet and restart their lives together as friends.

            I also learned a valuable lesson at the same time.  Young people are very impressionable.  Even though I was a father at the time, it wasn’t until Ryan later told me about the conversation the teens had with me at the time shaped the friendship.  For Ryan, it was for the better.  As for my cousin, it may not have been for the better to become a part of Ryan’s entourage, but it meant he had to forge his own path.  Dontrelle needed to be a man on his own terms.  For the two, it meant everything to be reunited.  For me, it was another learning opportunity.

Kimorri and Stephen

a Be A Man short story

	Spring painted the small suburban town of Wake Forest in brilliant hues, weaving golden sunlight through fresh blossoms that swayed in the warming breeze. Though the calendar had declared the arrival of the season in March, it was April and May that truly whispered its presence—when children spilled into the streets, laughter echoing through backyards as they chase fireflies and the scent of pine needles clung to the air like unspoken promises of renewal.
	Yet, for Kimorri, sixteen and still finding herself in the world, the season’s warmth did little to soothe the cold weight settling in her chest. In the quiet cocoon of her bedroom, late into the night, she sat curled against her pillow, staring at the ceiling with a mind that refused to rest. Something was different. Something was changing. And unlike the blossoming flowers outside her window, the transformation she felt carried more uncertainty than beauty.
	It had been three months since her encounter with her beloved boyfriend, Stephen, in the backseat of his Camaro.  It had also been three months since she had had a menstrual cycle.  Although the two had been active for several months before their encounter, it was the first time neither of them had the protection they so needed.  A cold February night, the two sat in the senior parking lot of their high school in Stephen’s car during a basketball game.  While three of Stephen’s sisters played basketball on the high school courts, Stephen played his own version of basketball with Kimorri that night.
	After all that, Kimorri always wondered what was next for her.  Sitting in the bathroom she shared with two of her sisters, she didn’t know what to do.  Staring at a pregnancy test that showed a positive result, Kimorri sat speechlessly.  She’d figured for about a month she may have been pregnant, but she had also had irregular cycles for years.  Her oldest sister, Kimecca, had recently graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in horticulture.  Kimecca was much older than her younger three sisters and served as a motherly figure for them.  After thirty minutes in the bathroom staring at the pregnancy test, Kimorri strategically wrapped the test in toilet paper and buried it in the trash can in the bathroom.  She quickly exited the bathroom to call her sister before realizing the time was eleven o’clock at night.
	This young woman sat brokenhearted in her room because she proclaimed herself the black sheep of the family.  Kimecca was the oldest and took care of her younger three siblings while their parents worked full-time jobs.  Her second oldest sister was doing well as a student in college in nearby Greenville, North Carolina.  Kimorri and her sisters called the second oldest, the smart one.  As the third child, Kimorri simply stood in the way of her parents.  It all began the previous year with her dating outside her race.  It landed her in a bit of hot water with her family. Following her announcement, she started dating her friend’s older brother, Stephen.
	Stephen was black, while Kimorri was white.  In actuality, Stephen’s father was black and his mother was half-black, half-white.  Kimorri’s mother was of Irish ancestry, while her father was Jewish.  The fact that she considered her upbringing not of one race and figured that would be okay to date someone of a different skin color.  Despite the heat generated from her family’s disapproval, Kimorri and Stephen’s relationship continued to grow.  Like most relationships in high school, the two remained inseparable until they argued.  A mood swing from the often moody Kimorri caused an argument between the two just a week after Stephen took her to the senior prom.
	Stephen thought nothing of the argument, as he had a lot of things going on in his life.  After all, Stephen was in the middle of the state playoffs for baseball, where he had the opportunity to help his high school win its third straight baseball state title.  Voted most athletic and most popular, Stephen had few worries in his world other than his five sisters.  His chief priority was to get himself in a position to get to college and eventually into pro baseball.  A secured scholarship to Georgia Tech in the fall, a phat ride, and a girlfriend on his arms took his attention away from having to deal with the five sisters.
	Kimorri understood Stephen had everything to look forward to with his baseball scholarship.  She feared a pregnancy announcement would affect their relationship and her relationship with her family.  Unable to sleep all night, Kimorri took her secret with her to school the next day.  As she walked to school with her younger sister, Kimberly, and a slew of friends, Kimorri was distant from everyone.  The sophomore grew even more distant from her classmates in school as well.  Tired and lost, Kimorri limped through her day like a car with a flat tire, trying to make it to the next exit on the freeway.  Once the school day of school concluded, she walked home with Kimberly and Stephen’s younger sisters, the twins.
	She had gotten through her entire day speaking less than one hundred words.  While she walked with Kimberly and the twins, Kimorri learned one of the twin’s new boyfriend was coming to town.  Although she heard it, it didn’t matter to her.  For Kimorri, if she didn’t get her secret out, she’d explode.  Once she and her sister entered their family home, Kimorri couldn’t bear to hold it in any longer.  “I’m pregnant!”  Kimorri shouted after closing the front door to their home.  Kimberly could barely sit her pink canvas backpack on the couch before Kimorri’s announcement.
	“Kimorri, really?”  Kimberly asked while turning towards her sister.  Kimberly looked into her sister’s eyes, behind her frameless glasses, with her bright brown eyes.  Of the four Hart sisters, Kimorri looked the most like their father’s side of the family.  With black hair and brown eyes, Kimorri wore glasses like her older sisters and mother.  The announcement not only unleashed the pressure pulsating through her mind, but it also dropped an atomic-like bomb in her younger sister’s world.
	“Yeah, I took a test last night.  It’s confirmed,” Kimorri said while the much shorter Kimberly walked over to her sister.  Kimberly was barely five feet tall and upon hearing the news Kimorri told her, she was overcome with emotions.  “I’ve had my suspicions about it for a month now, but it’s confirmed.”
	“Who else knows?”  Kimberly asked, while embracing her sister in a tight hug.
	“Kimberly Hart,” Kimorri quickly answered.
	“Wait.  You haven’t told Stephen?”  Kimberly asked as she relinquished her hold on her sister.
	“I just found out last night,” Kimorri said while moving towards the couch in the living room to sit down.  “I haven’t had the chance because I didn’t know who to tell or how to say it.”
	“You just said it,” Kimberly replied.  “Kimorri, you’ve got so much going well for you.  You and Stephen can’t have a baby now.  You’re a straight-A student.”
	“But according to you, Rachelle, and Phoebe, I’m a whore,” Kimorri said while referring to a joking conversation the girls had months prior with their friends.  Rachelle, Kimberly’s best friend and a younger sister to Stephen, while Phoebe was a friend of the girls who went to school with them all.  Kimorri understood the girls joked that night, but she was also one to prove a point.
	“We were just joking with you,” Kimberly said after sitting in a seat near her sister.  “You’re not a whore.  You know that.”
	“Comparing me to Christy is like calling me just that,” Kimorri said, speaking of another friend of the teen’s crew of girls.  Christy was the more promiscuous one of the group.  She would claim at least fifteen different sexual partners before her junior year of high school.
	“You need to go see bubbe so she can check you out and make sure,” Kimberly said, speaking of the girl’s grandmother who was a practicing obstetrician.
	“Whatever I do next, I know I need to tell Stephen,” Kimorri said.
	With the baseball season nearly over, Stephen surprised Kimorri by coming to see her after school, following the cancellation of practice.  While the sisters talked amongst themselves, Stephen rang the doorbell as he arrived at the girls’ home alone.  Once Kimorri opened the door, a smiling Stephen saw a dejected Kimorri standing before him.  Usually a vibrant soul, Kimorri wasn’t the summer sparkler burning in the calm night behind her, as she had always been.  To see Kimorri looking like a cold rainstorm that has lasted three days, Stephen recognized something was wrong.  Before the two lovebirds greeted one another with words, Stephen held his beloved in a comforting embrace.
	The two went to the bedroom Kimorri and Kimberly formerly shared before their second oldest sister moved out.  Stephen’s intentions were focused on another physical encounter, whereas Kimorri needed to talk to Stephen.  While Stephen aggressively moved in on disrobing Kimorri, she stopped him before things could reach a point of no return.  “Hey, girl, what’s the matter?”  A shirtless Stephen asked.  Standing at six feet three inches tall, he towered over the five-eight Kimorri.  His chiseled arms and chest were always a weakness to Kimorri for years.  She vividly recalls the first time she became interested in boys when she saw Stephen with his shirt off at the pool over five years prior.
	“I’ve got something to talk to you about that’s going to change our lives,” Kimorri said while turning away from Stephen.
	“Kimorri, what’s the problem?  Your parents will be home in an hour,” Stephen said as he attempted to restart their intimate encounter.
	“I’m pregnant!”  Kimorri blurted out.
	Stephen paused and said, “Yeah, very funny.  Let’s knock one out before the doctor and your dad get home.”
	“I’m serious, Stephen.  You got me pregnant,” Kimorri said.
	“That’s impossible.  We use rubbers every time,” Stephen said.
	“Except that one time at the basketball game in your car,” Kimorri reminded him.
	“That makes no sense.  You can’t be pregnant because of that,” Stephen said.
	“Stephen, I haven’t seen my period for three months.  I took a test last night.  I’m pregnant,” Kimorri said.
	“Are you sure I’m the father?”  Stephen asked.
	“Kiss my ass, Stephen!  You know you’re the only guy I’ve ever been with!”  An angry Kimorri yelled.  The anger of the fiery teen erupted, following Stephen’s repeated denials like a volcano spewing molten lava.  Kimorri shoved Stephen so hard that he stumbled back into her desk.  As she walked in a pool of her anger, Kimorri swiftly marched to her bedroom door and opened it, despite her not having a shirt covering herself.  “Get out!”
	“Kimorri, relax.  I was only joking around,” Stephen said after gathering himself and walking to Kimorri so he could close the door she opened.
	“Stephen, I’m sixteen.  I want to go to college.  I want the best for me.  I want the best for you.  I want the best for all of us.  I can’t have a baby right now.”
	“Listen, it’s going to be okay.  We’ll figure this thing out,” Stephen said as he led Kimorri over to her bed.  “I’m sorry this happened, but I can assure you, everything is going to be okay.”
	“How?”
	“I’m about to start the first steps to my pro baseball career.  My dad says that after a couple of years at GT, I’ll be a top-three round draft pick and will be in the majors before I’m twenty-four.  Everything will be fine.”
	“Stephen, honey, you are eighteen.  That’s six years away.  What the hell are we going to do now?  I know Mr. Russell has taught you about having five and ten-year plans, but a baby needs a right now plan,” Kimorri calmly explained.
	“Well, what do you want to do?  Do you want to keep the baby?”
	“Stephen, what type of question is that?  I’m half Catholic and half Jewish.  We take care of our own.”
	“Okay. Well, what do you want me to do?”
	“Be there for me when I tell my parents.”
	“Yeah, that’s a no brainer.  You have to do the same for me when I tell my folks.  The only problem we’re going to have is the fact your father is going to flip out again after realizing his grandchild will be considered black in all of his social circles.”
	“Stephen, not important right now.”
	“Okay.  Do you want me to go to Georgia for school in the fall?”
	“You’re going to school, but you owe me after I have this baby.”
	“What will I owe you?”
	“No matter where we go with our relationship, I need you to make sure I go to college.  Whatever it takes,” Kimorri said.
	“Are you doubting our relationship?  Do you not love me?”  Stephen asked.
	“Yes, I love you, but people grow apart all the time.  That’s not my plan at all.  Still, if we grow apart, I want you to be successful at all costs for our child’s sake.  I just need you to promise me I’m given the opportunity to get my college degree.  Whatever it takes,” Kimorri said.
	“I can agree with that.  I’ll put that in our ten-year plan,” Stephen said before kissing Kimorri with passion.
	After having their fun, Stephen and Kimorri retired to the living room where Kimberly sat watching music videos on tv.  Stephen and Kimorri made their announcement to her parents when they both arrived home from work that evening.  While the conversation was unique, Kimorri’s parents appreciated the united front Kimorri and Stephen displayed.  While Kimorri’s parents listened, there were no ill feelings displayed while the two teens explained their plans, but it was obvious the two did not know what was next.
	Adjourning from their meeting with Kimorri’s parents, Stephen and Kimorri agreed to tell his parents later that evening following dinner.  Once Stephen left, Kimberly revealed to Kimorri she would meet up with the twins.  Having been friends with Rachelle and Brielle since Kimberly was in kindergarten, Kimberly and Kimorri had been mostly inseparable from the two ever since.  What Kimorri had not known was the fact that Rachelle had a new boyfriend.
	In Kimorri’s opinion, Rachelle had been the prettiest girl she had known that had little interest in dating.  After finding out the guy she thought was her boyfriend wasn’t, Kimorri told Stephen she thought Rachelle may have been a lesbian.  Once hearing Rachelle had been on a long-distance relationship with a guy in Henderson, Kimorri talked her into surprising her new boyfriend by showing up at his house.  Unfortunately, he wasn’t home, which prompted everyone to say Rachelle’s boyfriend was fictitious.
	Rachelle’s identical twin was much smaller than she was developmentally.  While Rachelle was fix-ten, Brielle was shorter than Kimorri.  According to Kimorri, Rachelle’s cup size was a D versus Brielle being just large enough to fill a B.  Brielle had a hand in being a matchmaker for all the girls in the neighborhood.  Phoebe’s first boyfriend was Brielle’s first boyfriend, but Brielle told him he should date Phoebe since the two were interested in the same music and tv shows.  Brielle’s newest boyfriend was also the cousin of Rachelle’s newest boyfriend.  She and her beaux introduced Rachelle to me via phone following a chance meeting the summer prior.  Brielle also told Kimorri that Stephen thought she was cute unbeknownst to him.  He had overheard a conversation Stephen had with a friend of his.
	
	Kimberly and Kimorri eventually met with their friends right in front of their home, not long after Stephen left.  The twins stood together with their boyfriends and younger sisters.  Brielle had been going steady with my cousin for several months before this date, but at this moment, he hadn’t given me all the details of their relationship.  Rachelle and I drew close to enjoy our first kiss before Kimberly interrupted us.
	After being introduced to Kimberly and Kimorri for the first time, I remember the conversation going directly to Kimorri being pregnant.  Although my attention was drawn to Rachelle, Kimorri was focused on what was next for her.  The fact she had something growing inside her meant her life was going to change drastically.  After an altercation we had with Rachelle’s former pursuer, Kimorri retired back to Rachelle’s bedroom with her sister and the twins.
	All excited about how I defended her honor and protected her and the other girls from the Brotherhood, Rachelle boasted about me to her friends before Kimorri brought them back down to earth.  “Girls, I’m screwed.  What am I going to do with a baby?”  Kimorri asked.
	“Kimorri, it’s going to be just fine.  You have three of the baby’s aunts sitting right here,” Brielle said.  “I’ll be more concerned about how long it’ll take your father to realize your child will be a melting pot of races and religion from all over.”
	“Stephen and I talked about that earlier.  I’m not concerned about that.  I’m concerned about how I’m going to feed my child,” Kimorri said.
	“Your mother is a doctor.  Your father is an executive for a company.  You should have to worry about feeding your child.  Besides, my parents own a bunch of retail stores in the area,” Rachelle told Kimorri.  “Like Brie said, you’ve got three aunties here, plus two more upstairs and three more floating around wherever they are right now.  I’m sure at minimum the wonder twins can combine our powers to make it happen.”
	“Rachelle, I’m not a wonder twin.  Never say that about me,” Brielle said.
	“Kimorri, I’m aware you are worried, but we are here for you.  Mom and Dad will be there for you.  Ms. Amanda and Mr. Russell will be there for our child.  The only person I think won’t be there for you and the baby is Stephen,” Kimberly said.
	“Steve told you he’s still going to Atlanta?”  Brielle asked.
	“It’s too late for him to figure something else out, Brie.  He’ll have to figure out which baseball team he could play for,” Rachelle said.
	“Guys, stay quiet about this.  Your parents should be home anytime now,” Kimorri said.  “Stephen and I would like to tell them about our situation.”
	“You’re right.  Mom has the super hearing power,” Rachelle replied before the girls all got quiet.
	Seconds later, Stephen and I entered the room after spending some time in the basement of the Arlene house with the other guys.  Although it was my first-time meeting Stephen, he was very impressionable.  After finding out his girlfriend was pregnant, Stephen was unfazed.  In fact, he treated the day like a man taking life in the face.  When his mother walked into the house, he was playing everything as business as usual.  Before his father came home, he did his best to comfort his mother before having everyone leave the house in favor of having a quiet house when his father entered.
	The fear that Russell put in his children wasn’t like fear of any other father.  Russell wasn’t a big man or a loud authoritarian.  Although, he wasn’t soft-spoken or a yeller.  Russell was the father who wanted the best for his children.  His oldest four children were exceptional students and athletes.  He molded them that way since birth.  The two words Russell’s children hated the most for him to say: I’m disappointed.  Stephen knew he would say that, but he wanted to ensure he didn’t hear them that night.
	After grabbing his parents and having them sit down in the kitchen, he realized he had to tell a tale to get them in the mood for this bomb he needed to drop on them.  However, before he could say anything saw right through him.  Stephen planned to sit his parents down and thank them for being the amazing parents they had always been to him, his twin sister, and the other four girls they had as well.  While he would explain all of this, he would have Kimorri enter the room and they would collectively reveal their big news.
	As plans would go, this one was clichéd.  Russell saw right through it once Kimorri entered the room, while Stephen talked about the sacrifices both Russell and Amanda made.  Russell flat-out stopped his only son and stated the obvious.  “Kimorri’s pregnant,” Russell said.
	“Dad!  Would you let me finish?”  Stephen asked.
	“No, because I’m right.  She’s pregnant, isn’t she,” Russell said.
	“Mr. Russell, I am, but…”  Kimorri stated.
	“Boy, I should have named your ass Junior.  Why must you do everything like me?”  Russell rhetorically asked.
	“Dad, I’m sorry, but please don’t say it,” Stephen begged.
	“Say what?”  Russell asked.
	“What you always say, honey.  ‘I’m disappointed!’ You say it all the time the kids do something stupid,” Amanda said.  “Every time I hear it, I have to go to the kids later and yell at them for making you say that lame line.”
	“No, I’m not disappointed.  Not this time,” Russell said.
	“You can’t possibly be happy about it,” Stephen said.
	“No, not happy.  I’m like, whatever.  We did it to our parents, Mandy, and our mothers, at least, did it to their families.  It’s like a generational curse we can’t break,” Russell began.  “I just hope you two figure out how to take care of this child.  We’ve got your back because this child is special.  You take this opportunity to change our generational curses for the better.”
	“How do we do that?”  Kimorri asked.
	“Very simple, Kimorri.  Stephen has five sisters.  Any of them can be in the same situation you’re sitting in right now,” Amanda said.
	“You’re right, mom.  I realize I have work to do.  We wanted to let you guys know we take responsibility for our actions.  Even though you haven’t said it, I understand you’re disappointed in me.  For that, I get it,” Stephen said.
	“Well, son, don’t worry.  Any parent can be angered by the news of their child getting someone else’s child pregnant.  What good will that do?  There will be time for us to discuss how this will affect your lives, but we also have to focus on how to ensure Kimorri and the baby are okay.  Have you told your parents?”  Russell asked.
	“Yes, sir.  We told them about an hour ago,” Kimorri said.  “And honestly, they took it just as well as you two are taking it.”
	“Trust me, dear, they’re probably saying now what we’re going to be saying after you two leave here.  This isn’t something you just take.  You listen, process it, and figure it out from there,” Russell said.
	Stephen and Kimorri sat together in front of his parents, looking very bewildered.  The uncharted world ahead of them, with having a baby on the way, would be an interesting time.  Stephen and Kimorri spent the rest of the school year and summer together figuring out a plan for the addition to their lives.  What was more important for the two was the support system they had in place.  Resources and support are always important for having children.  The young couple had just that.  Stephen would go off to college in late August as planned, while Kimorri continued her life as a teenager until their daughter was born.
	Without their family’s support, the situation could have been much different.  Bringing a new life into this scary world can be a frightening experience.  Kimorri, without Stephen actively there, wasn’t left in the cold as her friends supported her.  Although Kimorri and Stephen’s relationship dissipated before their daughter was born, their friendship remained for the sake of their child.  After Stephen was drafted by Atlanta in 2000, he used a portion of his signing bonus to give to Kimorri strictly for her to go to college, even after proposing to his new girlfriend.
	In the end, teenage parenthood often presents overwhelming challenges—not just for the young parents but for the children caught in its wake. Many teen mothers face the harsh reality of having to abandon their education, limiting their ability to secure stable employment and build a future free of financial hardship. The absence of a strong educational foundation can force them into a cycle of dependency, relying on governmental assistance to bridge the gap where opportunities should have been.
	The struggles extend beyond the parents, deeply affecting the child as well. Babies born to teenage mothers are more likely to arrive prematurely, with low birth weights that signal vulnerability from the very first breath. Their developmental milestones—physical, cognitive, and emotional—may lag behind, shaping the course of their lives before they even take their first steps.
	For Stephen and Kimorri, the weight of their choices settled heavily on their shoulders. Yet, instead of succumbing to the odds stacked against them, they became symbols of sacrifice—martyrs in the eyes of their friends and family. They embraced the hardships, determined to defy the statistics, proving that resilience and love could carve a different path even in the face of adversity.
 

excerpt from untitled Be A Man prequel

Russell’s letter

August 13, 1980

To my baby daddy, Russy,

            I got your letter yesterday when I got home from school, and I was so excited to read it.  I can’t believe you missed me so much even before getting to Winston-Salem.  Winston-Salem is too much to write or even say.  From now on, I’m just going to call it The Dash.  Anyway, when you left, I thought I would be the only one crying, but I didn’t even cry.  I had to keep Mel quiet because your mom and dad were crying like you had died or something.  The more they cried, the more Reed and Richie cried.  It was awful, but it was a great site to see.  Your dad took me and Mel out with the family to that new buffet restaurant down the road from the Chicken Shack, and we nearly ate them out of business.  While there, I talked to your dad a little bit.  He noticed that necklace that you gave me and said that he loved it.  He didn’t tell me anything about him picking it out for me.  I’m glad that he and I buried the hatchet so we could move on.

            As soon as we got back to your parent’s house, I went out to wash your car.  Your mom said that I was crazy, but I told her that I knew how much you loved that car.  When you come home over Christmas, I want to make sure that your “other” girl is hot and ready for us to ride out in style.  Mama Lisa Bell is a lovely and caring woman.  She has called me or stopped by every day since you left to check on me and the baby.  When I told her that I go to the doctor’s office to get an ultrasound and listen to the heartbeat again on Friday, she told me that’s she would be right there with my mom to hear it.  I think Mama Lisa Bell is too excited about her newest baby in the family.

            Danielle and Rachelle picked me and Katie up yesterday to take me school shopping in the city, and we had a blast.  My dad gave me two hundred dollars, and I went to Rose’s and bought eight maternity pants, ten or eleven maternity shirts, a bunch of things for the baby, and I still had a bunch of money left over to buy some shoes and some school supplies.  I didn’t know that Reed and Katie were dating.  I feel kind of bad that he took that girl to the prom, and she didn’t know anything about it before.  When I went to your parents’ house on Monday, your dad gave me the football and baseball jerseys in a gift bag, and he was proud as he could be.

            I hope you like the pictures I sent with your letter.  Who knew that next month will be a whole year that you and I have been one.  That first picture we took together at the Chicken Shack’s photo booth was cool.  When Daddy told me he could make those pictures bigger, I told him I would pay him money so I could send these to you.  We were so innocent in those photos that I can’t believe that you’re in college and I’m about to be a MOM!  As a matter of fact, my mother keeps calling me that, and it’s getting on my nerves.  We have to come up with something other than Mom or Mommy for our kid to call me.  My mom says it in her country ass white southern belle voice, and it’s like a needle scratching across my Prince LP.  Danielle and Rachelle said that we should come up to the Dash for our fall break in October.  We’ve got four days off around Columbus Day, and it would be perfect if we call could crash in your dorm room since your roommate says he won’t stay there much.  If that works for you, let me know.  I will call you on Friday when I get back from the doctor, but you’ll probably already have this letter by then.  We shall see how the postal service delivers the mail back and forth between us.  Anyway, we’ll talk about our plans for October when I call.  I love you, Russy!

All yours,

Mandy

from untitled prequel of Be A Man

August 9, 1980

My dearest Mandy,

           This is the first day of the rest of our lives.  I just got on the train to Winston-Salem with almost all my worldly possession packed in three suitcases.  Waving goodbye to you standing alongside my mom and dad, my brothers and sister, and Melissa was hard.  I felt so lost getting on this train because I know that I can’t just jump in my car to run over to see you.  Spending this summer with you was great because I never thought that you and I could have so much fun.  I think what I’m going to miss the most is going to doctor’s appointments with you to listen to the baby’s heartbeat.  My mom is serious in naming the baby after grandfather, Stephen.  She said that I was his favorite great-grandchild before he passed away.  Because of this, she wants her first grandson named after him.  I told her that we would think about it.  I can’t believe that the baby will be here in the beginning of December.  I hope I’m done with finals by then so I can be there with you.  I’ve already spoken to my wrestling coaches about our situation, and they assured me that they would be fine with me leaving the team to be with you and the baby for about a week.

           As much smack my dad talked about the Lawrence family when we started dating, he grumbled even louder when he found out we were pregnant according to Reed.  But the funny thing about it was my mom showed me a Falcons jersey and a Braves jersey that dad had bought for his grandchild.  You know, I’m so glad that you talked me into going with him and my brothers on that fishing trip last month.  We got a chance to air out our frustrations between each other, and he and I are at a good place.  As a matter of fact, he and I shared our first beer together.  It was the first time in years my dad only drank one beer on a fishing trip.  That’s probably because me and Reed drank the rest of the six-pack.  When he told me that he was proud of me for everything that I’ve done as a man, I nearly cried.  He said that he’s glad that I found a girl like you because it makes him feel like he pointed his son in the right direction. 

           I forgot to tell you that my assigned roommate called me yesterday before I came to pick you up for work.  He said that he was a good ole’ country boy that would probably be in the room a couple times a week to rest in between classes.  He’s from Winston-Salem, and he plans to spend most of his time either at home or at this girlfriend’s house.  He told me to fix the room up like I want to and get a doorstop in case my girlfriend was in the room.  I think I hit the jackpot with this guy as a roommate.  I figured that you couldn’t come visit me until school lets out for you, but by that time, the baby would be here by then.  Either way, it’ll be cool if you could come for a visit during the Thanksgiving break.  I’ve got three wrestling matches that week.  I hope by then; I could get to know someone that has a car so we could pick you up from the train or bus station.  Either way, I can’t wait to see you again.

           Anyway, I hope you loved your goodbye present.  I saved for a long time to get you that necklace.  My dad told me that I should get it for you because it was a perfect representation of our relationship.  When I explained how much I loved you, he said I looked like a sad puppy dog.  Anyhow, I’ve been writing for nearly two hours on this train ride, and my stop is coming up real soon.  I told my mom that I gave you a key to my car to keep an eye on it while I was gone.  Please don’t go driving it without a drivers’ license.  I will teach you how to drive it as soon as I get back home.  I love you, Amanda Lawrence, and I can’t wait to see you again.

Love,

Russy

excerpt from untitled manscript by Walter Burchette

            The young lady was sitting on a bench talking to another young lady that did not have Russell’s attention at all.  The one that he was interested in was indeed someone he had immediately fallen in love with before saying a word.  The normally sure-handed Russell never let anything worry him.  As the starting quarterback of the school, he faced danger every Friday night in the fall.  While grappling with opponents in wrestling, Russell barely broke a sweat while taking them down.  As a pitcher chucking 80 to 90 mile per hour baseballs at batters as they hit them back towards him with the same or even greater force, Russell did it without a care in the world.  However, on this day, the closer that he walked to the girls, his heart started pounding and he began to sweat.  A nervous Russell barely knew what to do and what to say the closer he got to them.

            Finally, when he got to within ten feet of the young ladies, he got noticed by one of them.  “Russell Arlene, how can we help thee?”  One of the girls asked Russell while seated next to Russell’s focus.  Russell paused because he did not know the names of any of the young women.

            “What’s wrong with him?”  The other girl said as she was seated with Russell’s focus.

            “How do you know my name?”  Russell asked the first girl while standing in front of the three.

            “Who doesn’t know your name?  Russell Arlene, the captain of the football team, led the team to the state championship game last year,” the first girl explained while Russell kept looking at the beautiful young lady that caught his eye.

            “Wow, that sounds impressive,” the beautiful young woman replied before standing up to shake Russell’s hand.  When she stood up, she was only a couple of inches shorter than Russell and wore a bright pink and white blouse that was low cut that showed a lot of neck and chest area above her cleavage.  “It’s nice to meet you, Russell.  I’m Amanda.”

            While shaking her hand, Russell paused again.  “H-h-h-hey,” Russell stuttered without getting anything else out.

            “Rachelle, is there something wrong with him?  Did he get hit in the head too hard or something?”  Amanda asked one of her friends.  Amanda had a Georgian-style Southern accent that made Russell’s heart melt.  She smelled of vanilla, and Russell was not disappointed at any of it.  Still nervous, Russell did not know what to say even though he had mustered up enough fortitude to walk over to introduce himself.

            “I don’t know about all that, but he needs to get with it,” the girl, Rachelle, replied.  “Catch my drift?”

            In an instant, Russell snapped out of his trance.  “No, I didn’t get hit in the head.  I’m good.  How’s it hanging, ladies?”

            “We’re good, Russell.  How was the first day of school for the captain of the football team?”  Amanda asked before sitting back down in her previous seat.

            “I’m not the captain of the football team.  I never was.  I just played quarterback, but I decided to retire to focus on other things in my life this year,” Russell replied while continuing to check out Amanda.

            “Did you hear that, Katie?  Russell’s retiring from football,” Rachelle scoffed at Russell’s statement.  “Who does he think he’s fooling?”

            “Say what, girl?”  Katie, the other girl, replied.  Russell did recognize Katie, as she was the younger sister of one of his former football teammates.

            “Girls, cut him some slack,” Amanda ordered before turning her attention back to Russell.  Amanda’s skin color was a shade of an almond shell tan and nearly blemish-free to be a teenager.  Her luscious locks were tied together with an oversize bow.  Her hair was thrown over her left shoulder that displayed the near true length of her amazingly long hair.  “So, Mr. Russell, what do we owe your attention?”

            “You girls need a ride home?”  Russell foolishly asked knowing the girls were obviously waiting for someone to pick them up from school.  “I just washed and waxed my pony yesterday.”

            “Pony?  What the hell are you talking about?  I know we’re not in the city, but we ain’t riding horses around here,” Rachelle replied.

            “No, girl, the pony he’s probably talking about is a Mustang,” Amanda corrected her friend.  “Daddy just bought Mom one two weeks ago, and she loves it.”

            “I hope she picks us up in it today.  That car is off the hook,” Katie added.

            “Russell, where is your pony?”  Amanda asked.

            “That’s an old one.  Mandy, didn’t Ms. Hailey’s just come off the assembly line in Detroit?”  Katie asked speaking of Amanda’s mother’s car.

            “I don’t know where it came from, but it’s fresh.  It had three miles on it when Daddy drove it off the lot,” Amanda replied.

            “Russell, let’s go!”  Rolonda, his sister, yelled while standing a few yards away from Russell and the girls.  “I have to get to work!”

            “I’m coming, sis,” Russell replied before reaching into his pocket and tossing her the keys to his car.  “Start the car and turn on the air conditioning.  I’ll be over in a minute.”

            Rolonda fumbled the keys before dropping them when she tried to catch them.  “Russ, if I’m late to work, I’m telling Mom,” Rolonda replied before picking up the keys and heading towards the car.  At the same time, a bright red 1980 convertible Mustang pulled into the driveway of the school.  The top was down and a white woman was driving the vehicle. 

            “Hey, Katie, let’s go.  Mom’s here to pick us up,” Amanda stated.  “It was nice to meet you, Russell.  I’ll be seeing you around.”

            “Hey wait a second, Mandy, what period do you have lunch?”  Russell asked Amanda as she was grabbing her bright pink backpack from the ground.

            “Fourth period, will I see you then?”  Amanda asked.

            “Yes, I’ll find you tomorrow,” Russell replied.

            “Will you buy me lunch?”  Amanda stated while noticeably holding a lunch bag.

            “Buy you school lunch?  I’d rather buy you dinner,” Russell said.

            “Would we ride your pony?”

            “Of course.”

            “Where is it?”

            Russell turned and pointed towards his car that had his friends Tim and Fred standing by.  Fred had apparently joined Tim while Russell was talking with the ladies.  “Right there where my idiot friends are standing by,” Russell said while pointing.

            “Mandy, come on before Ms. Hailey leaves us!”  Katie yelled while grabbing her friend by the arm.

            “Find me tomorrow,” Amanda stated before getting up to leave.

            “I got you!”  Russell replied while still standing in the same spot.  “Just don’t make yourself scarce.”  He continued to stand while watching Amanda and Katie get into the beautiful Mustang.  Russell continued to stand and gaze at Amanda as the car drove away.

excerpt from Chapter 3: America’s Tragedy

            I rolled over to an empty bed about 8:40 that morning.  I knew that Rachelle had to get up and leave for her 10 o’clock class.  I had a class that started at 10:40, so I had to get up to leave.  I could smell that she had taken a shower as she filled the bedroom with her sweet scent.  Rachelle’s mixture of soap and scented body lotions was in the air.    Starting my morning routine after Rachelle was refreshing, especially after sleeping in after 8:30 in the morning.  Just a few months prior, I was getting up every morning to be at high school by 8:00 AM.

            After rolling out of bed and visiting the bathroom, I entered the living room where I saw Rachelle sitting on the couch still in her bathrobe and eating a bowl of cereal.  Her hair was pulled back, and I could tell that she was trying to relax.  Her clothes she had planned to wear for the day were lying on the couch next to her.  She looked like she was in a good place.  “Good morning, Sweetheart,” Rachelle greeted me.  “How did you sleep last night?”

            I sat down on an adjacent loveseat next to my wonderful wife and told her, “I slept great!  Knowing that I made and an A on both my tests yesterday makes me feel great, too.”

            “Well, I’m glad.  I hope I can maintain my sanity today in my classes,” she replied as she tossed me the remote control for the TV.  She had been watching the weather channel to check out the weather for the weekend.  “How long were you up last night writing for the meeting today?”

            “Not too long at all.  In fact, I’ve been writing things down since Tuesday when Kimberly and I went down to city hall to get a business license,” I replied while flipping channels on the TV.  “Are you going with us to the meeting today?”

            “I definitely want to make it.  My last class today lets out at three,” Rachelle started.  “So, that gives me an hour to run back home and pick up the car and just barely make the meeting on time.”

            “Or I can pick you up at three, and we can make the meeting on time,” I told her.  “I mean, I only have my music appreciation class today.”

            “Yeah, I know, but I also know that you need to be there to help set up things,” Rachelle said.

            “Sweetie, there aren’t that many people who are going to be there,” I stated.  “It will only be you and me, Tommy, Kimberly, Billy, Trace, and Ron.  It’s not like we’ve got a whole crew waiting for an impressive show.  It’s a meeting to announce our earning potential and what my plans are to expand our workforce.”  Right after my last statement, I stopped turning the TV until I saw one of the World Trade Center buildings with smoke coming from it.

            “What’s going on there?”  Rachelle asked.  On the bottom of the television screen, there were writings that reading that an airplane hit the World Trade Center’s north tower.

            “It looks like an airplane hit it the World Trade Center!  How stupid was that pilot?”  I asked. 

            “Oh no, I wonder why type of plane it was!  I hope everyone makes it out of that building because if it was a big plane, it could compromise the integrity of the building,” Rachelle stated.  “I hope everyone who survived is okay.”

            “Look at the engineering eye of my wonderful wife.  But seriously, I’m just disappointed at the pilot.  All that water around Manhattan.  This is ridiculous,” I rebutted.

            “Maybe he lost control of the plane or the entire crew could have been dead,” Rachelle said.  “You remember the Payne Stewart plane, don’t you?”

            “Yeah, but I’m sure it’s not anything like that.  If the report is true, how would that airplane dive directly into the Twin Towers?”  I asked.  Then we started watching a report on that same channel to figure out what exactly was going on with that situation.  The news channel continued talking about how the plane had just flown right into the building. 

            After a few more minutes of watching the reports and during a live shot, a second plane flew into the other tower in a comparable manner that the first plane had hit the first tower.  “Oh shit!  We’re at war!” 

Excerpt from unpublished Be A Man sequel

“The Proposal “

From Be A Man by Walter Burchette

            Conversation during dinner was amazing.  Even though we were together nearly every day, we rarely got a chance to talk when it was just us.  She infrequently discussed her future and dreams with me.  As mysterious as she was, Rachelle always talked about family and growing her family her own way.  On this night, I got a different glimpse into the young lady who I loved.  Rachelle enjoyed cooking and preparing food for the family.  What I did not realize was that she enjoyed the look of food just as much as how good it tasted.  She made me realize that the past three meals that we ate together, she made a grand presentation out of the food.  Although not important to me how food looks, or taste for that matter, Rachelle’s passion for cooking was very evident in her description of how she wanted to prepare our next meal.

            After completing our meal, Rachelle grabbed me by my hands and gazed into my eyes.  Meanwhile, her bare feet began to rub against my legs.  “Walton, I can’t believe we’ve have been together for nearly two and a half years if you count the months that we talked for endless hours before we finally got together.  When I saw you walking with the guys at the community center, I knew that we were going to make something special together.  I know things have not been perfect, but we have certainly had a most memorable one.  Before today, I wasn’t sure people even cared about our relationship.  I’m now certainly sure that people are going to talk and be envious of what we have,” Rachelle explained.  “It may not be the perfect relationship, but it is what we have.”

            “I know.  I did speak to Tommy right before we left about what happened, and we hashed things out,” I told her.

            “You know, it’s not Tommy and Kimberly I’m worried about.  I’m worried about everyone else,” Rachelle stated.

            “We can’t worry about that.  We need to focus on what we have going forward,” I said.  “We need to focus on how we can make people even more jealous of what relationship that we have.  That’s my mission from this point going forward.”

            “Your mission, eh?” Rachelle laughed.  “I don’t know about that, but I kind of figured that you will do whatever you want just to make us look good.  Can you believe that we are one year away from graduating high school and leaving for college?”

            “Yeah, time flies.  I’m ready for it though.”

            “I’m ready too.  I just want to get out from under my parents’ rules and run my own life.  What about you?”

            “My mom isn’t as strict on me, but that’s because I’m not a girl.  I mean, your parents were parents at a very young age, and if it wasn’t for a couple of lucky breaks, things could be way different for you, guys.  I look up to your father, and you must know that your parents mean well.  They just want what’s best for you.”

            “I know they do, but I’m glad that we got a chance to sneak away tonight,” Rachelle stated.  “We can finally put a feather in the cap of our relationship, and it gives me a chance to show you how much you mean to me.”

            “It’s not sneaking out when you go out for a dinner in a smoking hot dress like that.  Besides, next year, we’ll be in the dorms and living the college life,” I replied.  “I can’t wait for that to happen.”

            “Oh, you want to live in a dorm?” Rachelle immediately asked.  “I’d thought you’d want to get an apartment off campus or something.”

            “I would, but at this point, it might be unrealistic,” I replied.  “But if I could, I would.”

            “Would you share an apartment with me?” Rachelle asked.

            “Of course, I would, but I didn’t think you would be the type to want to be shacking up before marriage,” I snickered.

            “Well, I don’t particularly encourage it, but I’d think it would be a lot of fun and easier for us,” Rachelle said.  “Besides, it would be good for the both of us to get a taste of living with each other before we get married.”

            “You know, Rae, life is good,” I told her.  After a short pause, I stood from my seat in the dimly lit restaurant and walked around the table to her.

            “What are you doing?” Rachelle asked as I repositioned my chair and sat it directly in front of her at the table.  The night was getting late, and the restaurant was getting empty quickly.

“You know, I want to do something, but I don’t know how to do it the right way,” I whispered as I grasped her right hand with both of my hands.  Her hands were soft but strong.  Years of playing softball and basketball did not ruin the texture of her soft and beautiful hands.

“What are you trying to do?” she asked as butterflies floated about in my stomach.  Sweat began beading on my forehead as my nerves began to take the best of me.  Gawking at Rachelle in that red dress was awesome, which didn’t help my nerves at all.  However, smelling her sweet scent got me excited while seated next to her.

“I’m trying to get my bearings together so I can focus,” I replied after taking a few deep breaths to calm my nerves.  Rachelle simply smiled and nodded.  I continued by asking, “What makes a woman beautiful?”

“It depends,” she replied.  “Whatever it is, I hope it makes me beautiful enough for you.”

            “Well, yes, you’re beautiful any kind of way that I see it.  But the answer is very easy .  .  .  makeup,” I joked.

            “Shut up, idiot,” Rachelle jokingly replied while lightly slapping me on the arm.

            “I’m only kidding.” I laughed before continuing.  “But on a serious note, Rae, after two years of being with you, I will say that the little feeling that was in my stomach called love when we first met has gone all over my body.  As I look at you every day, I have always dreamed of having someone like you.  I should thank the Big Man upstairs that I found you,” I started.

            “Walton, I didn’t think you were so religious.  Are you trying to tell me something?” Rachelle asked me.

            “Hey, let me finish.  I’ve got a long way to go,” I told her as I continued grasping her hand.  The temperature of the room was a nice sixty-eight degrees, but the temperature between us was rising by the moment.

            “Okay, but this sounds a little too sweet for me,” she replied.  “You’re embarrassing me.”

            “Don’t be embarrassed.  This is your moment.  Enjoy it,” I asserted.  It was showtime.  There was no turning back.  When she told me that I was embarrassing her because of my sweet words, I knew that I had her right where I wanted to have her.  “When I wake up in the morning, you are on my mind.  I go through the day and can’t wait to see your smile.  Your beautiful face, endearing heart, and a smile that’s always kind.  It makes me smile and makes me want to run a mile.  Being with you gives me hopes and dreams.  To start a family would be only a beginning.  It’s like eating your favorite chocolates and ice creams.  While dying in your arms will make a perfect ending, it’ll make you my life, my love, and my soul mate.  In the life we share, our love will grow stronger.  Our souls will meld together, and so goes our fate.  Our love will stay together and last longer if we focus on our goal to stay true.  As we walk forward in our life, I understand what I need to do.  I need to make you my wife.”

            “Walton, you have to stop.  I can’t take this,” Rachelle stated as I paused to look deeply into her eyes.  She appeared to be trapped in a trance that also engulfed me.  “I love you, and my heart is telling me that something special is about to happen.” I simply paused for a minute to soak in the moment of glory.  I was winning the battle between me and Rachelle’s emotions.

After a few seconds, I continued with my plan.  “You know that I will always be here, and I will always care.  Baby, it isn’t how people feel or what they say.  It’s all because my love for you will always stay.” I continued.  I stood and reached into my front pocket and pulled out one of my gifts to her.  It was the tennis bracelet that I bought for her at the last minute.  She loved it.  She hugged me and immediately had me help her put it on.

            “Walton, you are so awesome.  I love you,” she told me.  “Where did you get the money for this?”

            “Don’t worry about that.  I’m just glad you like it.  I also got something else to give you,” I told her.  I reached into my other pocket, pulled out a ring box, and kneeled on one knee.  I clutched her left hand and began putting a beautiful diamond ring onto her finger.  It fit like a glove.  “As I take this ring and slide it on your finger, I would hope you would know the role.  I love you.  I want you.  I want to marry you.  Rachelle Amanda Arlene, will you give me the pleasure by giving me your hand in marriage?  Will you marry me?” I then slid the ring completely onto her finger that fit perfectly.  Before I could look back into her eyes, I could sense that she was crying.

            “It’s beautiful,” Rachelle said as she had tears rolling down her face.  “I just wish our friends could have seen this.  Your poem was so sweet.  I can’t believe you would do something like this.”

            “I know, but this is a moment that only you and I should share,” I told her while still kneeling on one knee.  “But I’m still waiting on your answer.  I’m not getting up until you tell me your answer.”

            “You are such an idiot.  Setting this all up—the poem, the bracelet, and the ring—this is all ridiculous.  I love you.  Yes, I will marry you.  No matter what!” Rachelle exclaimed before I stood.  We shared a very passionate kiss and hug.  Afterward, Rachelle took a long look at her ring because she thought it was so beautiful.         “Wait!  Walton, where in the blue hell did you get this ring?” She obviously was either surprised that the ring was expensive or recognized the ring.  “This isn’t any normal ring.  This is priceless.”

            “I’ve got my connections,” I replied as I moved my chair back to the opposite side of the table to be seated again.

            “This is my mother’s ring.  You did not get this from my mother or father, did you?” Rachelle asked.

For more content like this, visit http://www.wburchette3.com and pick up your copy of Be A Man

Welcome to My Blog

My name is Walter Burchette, and I am the author of Be A Man; the story of a young man being displaced into a new neighborhood and having to navigate adolescences without a father and while chasing two dreams at the same time. I’ve decided to start this blog to not only refine my writing skills, but to also get out more stories that won’t be told in a novelized format like Be A Man. Creative writing has always been a passion of mine since the early ’90s, and I intend to continue this passion to keep my audience entertained. Stay tuned for short stories produced by me, Walter Burchette.