The gym was an active worksite, so I had construction workers everywhere. I only had minor things I wanted to change, but renovations were in full swing. Although I had to get a new realtor at the last minute, he got me exactly what I was looking for.
Ironically, the building I ended up going with was one not too far from the first one that Devonte showed me. It had the same layout with floor-to-ceiling windows, and it overlooked the beach. Both the cardio machines and the boxing ring had the perfect view.
“How you feeling, big dog?”
Sakani came over to me with his plans in his hand. He thought he was my architect, for sure. He’d been with me every step of this process. All of his designs were fire, and I couldn’t have made it this far without him.
“The space is really coming together. You did your thing on the design.”
“You know I do what I do when I do it.” Sakani shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing.
“Well, you got a real good eye. Maybe this is what you should think about going to school for.”
“I have sketches on top of sketches inside of my notebook. I always wanted to do something like this. I just never had the opportunity. Thank you for giving me a shot.”
“I’m going to always help you chase your dreams. We just getting started.”
“Hey, have you talked to Dr. E? I called her phone the other day, but she didn’t answer, and I haven’t really seen her at school.” Sakani pivoted the conversation in a direction I didn’t want to go in. He had asked about Shanet a few times, but I always had an excuse on tuck. I was running out of those excuses.
“Nah, I haven’t talked to her. She probably back with her dude.”
“What dude?”
“Some ex that popped back up.”
“Nah, I don’t believe that. Dr. E wouldn’t even do something like that. Not to me.”
“To you? You act like y’all was in a relationship.”
“What me and Dr. E got going on is between me and her. Stop being so nosy.”
“Yeah, aight.”
“Yeah, aight,” he mocked me. “Just call her and let me know what’s up.”
“I got work to do. You see me working, don’t you?”
“Well, if you won’t listen to me, I bet you’ll listen to her. I went ahead and called reinforcements. You been giving me sad excuses every day. It’s time to go get your girl.”
Sakani pointed to Mama Bea, who was walking through the door. She was carrying a freshly baked apple pie. I smelled it before she even got too close to me.
“Oh, I’m just so proud of you, baby.” Mama Bea pulled me right into a hug. I hugged her right back before taking the pie from her hand and setting it on the counter next to us. Thatpie took my mind off the conversation Sakani and I were just having.
“Thank you, Ma.”
“You worked hard for this. Haven’t even been home a year, and you already done made your life into what it should have been all along.”
“Yeah. I have worked hard for this.”
“And where is that pretty little thing? I haven’t seen her around here in a couple days.”
That was what she really wanted to know. I knew she didn’t just come to look at the building. She came to see if Shanet was going to be here with Sakani and me this morning.
“I think it’s over between us.”
“Over? Why would you say something like that?”
“I caught her out at the restaurant the other night with her ex.”
