Page 5 of Half Sight Whole Heart

ERISS JACKSON

Shoving the key into the ignition, I turned it and…nothing. It just clicked. I tried again, and the same shit happened. It just made a clicking sound. I frowned. My stomach dipped at the thought of Ermias and me being stranded in Love Grove.

“Not today,” I groaned, smacking the steering wheel lightly. “Not here.”

I pushed open the door and climbed out. Ermias was still busy with his tablet to even notice that I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I popped the hood like I just knew what I was doing. My car had been giving me small problems here and there, but it never gave out like this.

Sighing, I retrieved my phone from the front seat and called Mahlia.

“Hey friend, you make it home yet?” she answered. “I hadn’t had a chance to check your lo.”

“My car won’t start,” I said, keeping my voice low so Ermias wouldn’t pick up on my frustration. “We’re still in the hotel parking lot. Any suggestions in this town and on a Sunday?”

“Zyro. His shop is closed today, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. I just found out my cousin, Leek, went to jail last night, and you know that’s Zyro’s brother.” Mahlia sighed. “Let me call him real quick and see what he can do.”

“Okay, thanks, Mahlia. I appreciate you.”

“Anything for you and Ermias, friend. I’ll call you back.”

“Okay,” I replied.”

We ended the call, and I peered back inside the car. It was hot, and I wasn’t sure how long we could sit outside in this heat. Three minutes later, my phone vibrated in my hand. An unfamiliar number popped up with a Love Grove area code.

“Hello?” I answered skeptically, looking back once again to check on Ermias. We couldn’t stay out here too much longer. I watched him wipe sweat from his brow.

“Mom, it’s hoooot,” he whined.

“This Zyro, Mahlia’s folk. She told me yo’ car won’t crank.” I froze at the sound of his deep, country voice with a drawl.

“Yeah, it won’t,” I replied while walking over to the other side to tell Ermias to get out. We’d have to go back inside the hotel to cool off. “The battery just makes a clicking sound.”

“I can come see ‘bout it. I’ll have to stop at my shop to get the tow truck in case I need it. Y’all have somewhere to go to get out of this heat?”

I glanced at the hotel’s entrance and replied, “We can go back into the hotel and wait.”

“Aight, bet. I’ll call when I pull up.”

“Okay, thanks.”

“Yeah,” he said, and the call ended.

“Ermias…” I pushed my phone into my back pocket. “We’re going to go back inside and wait for help. Mama’s car won’t start.”

I left our bags in the car, locked up, and led my son back to the hotel’s sliding doors. The air-conditioning hit us as soon as we stepped inside. I think we both let out a long sigh of relief. Ermias plopped down dramatically on a lobby chair and got lost in his tablet once again.

I sat in another chair beside him, removing my phone from my pocket before my butt hit the seat.

That’s when the pressure started, a throbbing pulse behind my left eye.

It began as a dull feeling and then sharpened as if someone was pressing a thumb hard against the inside of my skull.

I bit down on my back teeth to keep from howling out from the pain.

My phone vibrated, and with a shaky hand, I picked it up, answering Zyro’s call.

“Hello?”

“I’m outside. I’m a come in a grab yo’ key. You and lil’ man can stay in the AC,” his voice rumbled on the other end.

“Okay,” I whispered. I hit the end button and attempted to act normal. Reaching into my purse, I grabbed my shades and slid them over my eyes.

The door opened, and Zyro swaggered in. I didn’t think I could even stand right now to give him the keys. I guess I wasn’t doing a good job hiding the pain because he immediately asked, “You good?”

I squirmed in my seat, stretching my keys to him. “Yeah, it’s just a headache.”

Ermias’ headshot up. “Take medicine, Mama,” he voiced, his brows furrowing.

Zyro didn’t look convinced. His gaze lingered on my eye before I jiggled the keys I held out. He slowly took them.

“I will,” I promised Ermias, who was also still eyeing me.

Pointing behind him with a thumb, Zyro told me that he would look at the car to determine if he could get it started. I watched him walk off, his slightly bowed legs causing me to forget about my headache for a second. He had a nice walk.

“He’s nice, Mama.”

I turned to my son, embarrassed he’d caught me watching Zyro.

“Yeah, he is, baby. He’s trying to get our car working so we can go home. You hungry? Thirsty?”

He shook his head, and his head dropped back to his tablet.

Digging in my purse, I pulled out my steroid eye drops prescribed for my condition.

I tilted my head back and squeezed a drop into my left eye, blinking fast against the familiar burn.

Relief came after a moment, easing some of the pressure.

I dropped the little bottle back into my purse just as the lobby doors opened again.

Zyro entered, his expression hard, telling me everything before he even spoke. His brows were pulled together, jaw tight. He held my keys between his fingers.

“It’s not gon crank,” he said to me. “I think it’s more than the battery. I can tow it to my shop and see about working on it first thing in the morning.” I tossed my head back and groaned. “Where do you live?”

“Heartville. I can call—”

“No one,” Zyro cut me off. “I can take you and lil’ man. I had one of my guys come out already wit’ a tow truck from the shop. My truck is out there, so come on.”

“You’re a lil’ bossy,” Ermias uttered. My eyes widened.

“Ermias!” I hissed, while Zyro snickered.

“I am…a lil’,” Zyro replied. He turned to me. “It’s straight. Homeboy just called it as he sees it. He ain’t wrong.” Zyro’s eyes ran down my frame in the graphic tee and red biker shorts. “C’mon so I can get y’all home.”

I was a little hesitant about letting him know where Ermias and I lived, but so far Zyro had shown that he was good people. Mahlia wouldn’t have called him if he wasn’t. I trusted my girl with mine and my son’s life.

I slung my purse over my shoulders when standing, still side-eyeing Ermias for popping off the way he did. He hopped up and rushed to Zyro’s side, already liking this man too much. I can see it in his eyes.

“Truck’s right outside,” he told me.

The automatic doors slid open, and that big, shiny black F-150 truck on rims was parked outside.

“That’s the truck I saw out your house!” Ermias jumped up and down, yelling excitedly. “Mama, we get to ride in that!”

A light-skinned Black man with 360 waves was hooking my car to the tow truck. He briefly glanced at me and tossed his head back slightly before focusing back on the task.

“That’s my boy, Marco. He’s gon tow your car to my shop. Here.” Zyro handed me my keys, that was now missing the car key. “Marco!” Marco glanced up, standing to his full height. My keys went flying into the air, and Marco caught them.

“I need his booster seat!”

“Calm down. I already grabbed it.” Zyro opened the passenger and back door for me and Ermias. “It’s already in my truck.”

“Oh,” I replied, craning my neck to look into the backseat, seeing the booster seat there. “Thanks.”

I heard Zyro snicker and say, “I gotchu.”

While he helped Ermias climb into his truck, I hopped in the passenger seat and melted into the peanut butter seats. The seats were cool since Zyro had kept his truck running. I was just ready to get home, take another shower, make some tea, and climb into bed. The pain had subsided for now.

Zyro rounded the front of the truck, and I watched him. When he opened his door, I buckled myself with the seat belt, then turned around to see if Ermias was buckled. The seat belt was around him, and he laughed at something on his tablet. A small smile tugged at my lips.

Being so close to Zyro, and in his space…had me somewhat nervous.

“How’s your headache?” he asked, placing the gear in reverse and backing up.

“It’s gone for now. Do you need gas or anything? I can pay…”

Zyro let out a suppressed laugh. “Eriss…chill. I don’t need anything from you, baby girl.”

I wasn’t used to men who brushed off money. Most of the time, they were quick to remind me of what I owed or what they had done for me. Zyro was different.

“Y’all ate?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Earlier!” Ermias shouted from the back.

“And I asked you if you were hungry, little boy, and you told me no. We’re good until we get home,” I told Zyro, then ran off my address to him.

“I don’t mind stopping anywhere. I don’t eat in my truck, so we’d have to dine in,” Zyro said. He glanced at Ermias through the rearview mirror. “That coo’ wit’ you?”

“I really want to get home. I can make him something at home. Thank you, though,” I uttered.

Zyro didn’t respond, and I turned back to the window. I was more worried about how much getting my car fixed was going to dent my pockets. Music began playing, and thankfully, it wasn’t music I didn’t let Ermias listen to. It was soul R&B. I smiled. Zyro was so country.

After a little over an hour, we arrived in Heartville, and I directed Zyro on how to get to my place. We’d listen to the music instead of conversing. I figured I had irritated him for not wanting to stop to grab food. Ermias had dozed off in the back.

His truck rumbled down the narrow two-lane road as I pointed out the turns. The familiar houses and mailboxes started appearing.

“Right up here,” I instructed. “It’s the little tan house with light blue shutters.”

Zyro slowed down, easing into my gravel driveway.

“Nice, quiet spot,” he said, placing the gear in park.

“Very quiet. Just how I like it,” I admitted. I pushed my door open. “I’m guessing you’re the same way, seeing how you’re ducked off in the country too.”

“Yeah, I am, but touch that door again before I can open it for you, we gon have a problem.” My hand slowly eased away from the door. “I can tell a man ain’t never opened the doors for you.”