I would give him the gentle version of the lecture since his glazed-over expression conveyed complete shock. He would not escape without any lecture. Men could impregnate the whole world without a damn clue. They should at very least have their dicks shrink a quarter inch for every egg fertilized.
“Well, we’ll talk tomorrow, Everson, after you get her settled in.”
The girl looked at me with big hazelnut eyes, and so did Everson. Did I say something shocking? I’d never seen a black man look so white.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lake, by the way.” I offered my hand to the girl. She hiked her over-stuffed, red backpack onto her narrow shoulders and rested her small hand in mine.
“Shayna,” she whispered.
“Shayna.” I smiled. “That’s a beautiful name.”
She smiled back. It was faint, but I saw it.
“Good night, Miss Shayna. Maybe I’ll see you around.”
Tipping her chin down, she nodded.
“Night, Everson. Happy birthday and thanks for the beer.”
His tongue seemed to be paralyzed, jaw stuck open.
After locking my door, I tossed my purse on the counter and realized I forgot my signed crispy rice box in my car and had nothing to hump.
“Gah! You scared me!” I jumped, opening my door to Everson towering over me.
“Where you going?”
“To my car,” I answered with my hand still plastered over my heart.
“I need a favor.”
I squinted. “A favor?”
“Can you watch her in the morning while I get all this figured out?”
“You’re going to just leave her with a stranger?”
“You’re my neighbor.”
“I could be a serial killer.”
“Are you?”
“If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you, would I?”
Everson sighed as if my legitimate argument somehow irritated him. “I’ll take my chances. So you’ll do it?”
“Fine! But after you get back tomorrow we are having a serious conversation about condoms.”
Everson’s head jerked back, then he turned, looking at Shayna standing just inside his doorway. “She’s not…” He brought his attention back to me and lowered his voice. “She’s not my daughter. She’s my sister.”
I had no response. Didn’t see that coming.
“If you’re trying to do the math in your head, let me help you out. My mom was fourteen when she had me. I’m twenty-five. She was thirty-eight when she died last year.” His voice broke at the end. Then he cleared his throat and glanced up at the ceiling. “Just do me this favor,please.”
When he looked at me, I nodded. Still, no words came. My heart held them captive.
“Eight too early?”
