Chapter 14
Landon
Over the next few weeks, Mercy and I settled into a comfortable groove. Between working at the preschool, dinner every evening at Mom’s, and hours of phenomenal sex that knocked us out every night, our days were full, but not overly busy.
Life was comfortable.
There were no weird expectations or stupid fights over petty bullshit. Things between us were fun, and easy, all the things I’d never imagined my life being. I was still hesitant to call it a relationship, but the title didn’t matter.
We were happy.
Volunteering at Bold Beginnings was a lot more fun and fulfilling than I’d expected it to be. The kids called me ‘Mr. Landon,’ which made me feel like I was pushing fifty rather than twenty-six, but when I worked with them on dribbling and shooting hoops, they looked at me like I was Gary Payton during his glory days with the Sonics. My basketball skills might not have been enough to impress my dad or my high school coaches, but a gym full of three- to five-year-olds watched my reverse layup like it was a magic trick.
“Will you show me how to do that, Mr. Landon?” a four-year-old named Jamal asked.
It was Wednesday morning and we were in the gym because the weather was too cold and rainy outside. I loved being in the gym because the kids were all corralled and I didn’t worry about them getting out or being taken. I could relax and have fun with them.
“Yeah, of course I will,” I replied, passing him the ball.
“Me too?” Liam asked.
“And me!” Olivia said.
“Girls can’t ball,” Jamal told her.
“You shut your filthy mouth, Jamal Warner,” Olivia said, standing. Hand on her hip, dark braids and pointed index finger swinging with sass. “My sister was a better basketball player than you’ll ever be.”
“Why doesn’t your sister teach you how to do layups, then?” Jamal fired back.
“None of your beeswax, asshole.”
Shocked at the language, I stared at her.
“Olivia!” a teacher by the name of Trinity snapped. “Go see Ms. Mercy and tell her about your mouth.” Trinity glanced at me. “Can you please make sure she gets there?”
“Sure.”
The line of kids that had been waiting for me to work with them on layups, groaned.
“I’ll be back,” I promised my little fans before following Olivia down the hall to Mercy’s office.
Mercy greeted us, and I leaned against the wall while she crouched down to hear Olivia’s confession.
“You know that language isn’t allowed here,” Mercy said.
“But he wasbeingan asshole,” Olivia argued. “Ms. Mercy, my momma says you have to call a spade a spade. What else was I gonna call him but an asshole?”
I bit back a laugh.
Mercy shot me a look, but I could tell she was having a difficult time controlling herself as well.
“Nothing. We don’t name-call here. Why don’t you tell me what he said that upset you?”
After Olivia relayed her story, Mercy asked, “Your sister, Janisa?”
Olivia nodded.
Mercy’s features softened, and she hugged Olivia. “I’m sorry, Liv. I’m sure Jamal doesn’t know about your sister and didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I’ll talk to him. But in the meantime, you have to promise me you’ll stop using that language in my school. If someone says something that upsets you, you need to use your words and tell them to stop. Without calling them names.”
