Page 44 of Taming a Menace

Twenty-One

I yla

It was one o’clock in the morning, and I was standing in my driveway waiting for Keywan to get his drunk behind out of his truck.

As hard as it was, I had done a good job of avoiding him over the past week or so.

I had to admit that I missed him, but I had to stand firm. I didn’t know what else to do.

I’d made such a mess of an avoidable situation.

Now I had been backed into a corner and forced to push him out of my life.

Obviously, Keywan wasn’t having that. Showing up at my house in the middle of the night rambling about making things right proved that.

Add on the fact that he had been drinking, and it was just an accident waiting to happen.

There was no way I could let him drive anywhere drunk. Besides, I wanted to see him. I had been sulking and crying for days trying to figure out a way to escape the ramifications of what we had gotten caught up in.

“I’m not that drunk,” Keywan fussed as he stepped out of the truck.

“I know, baby. Come on inside.”

“Are you mad at me?” he asked, draping his arm over my shoulder.

“For drinking and driving? Yes. You could have killed yourself or someone else. What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking I couldn’t go another minute without seeing you. Don’t be mad with daddy for fucking up your life, Moon. I’m going to fix this shit for you. Tomorrow I’m going to fix it.”

“You didn’t do anything, Keywan. Don’t think about that right now. Just come inside and sleep it off.”

“I can’t sleep you off though. I know what I want to do, Iyla. I can’t have you hating me for ruining your life.”

“You didn’t ruin my life, Keywan. I made the decision to get involved with you. I knew better.”

“I wanted you to be my wife. I don’t know how I fucked this up, Moonie. I was never supposed to hurt you. I’m sorry, OK? I promise I’m going to make it right.”

“You didn’t hurt me, baby,” I said, sitting when we finally made it to the couch.

Keywan plopped down next to me and haphazardly kicked off his boots. He stretched his legs out and laid his head in my lap and closed his eyes. Instinctually, I rubbed the top of his head as he snuggled in closer.

“I need you to tell your boss that I’ve been stalking you,” he said as he nestled his head into my lap. “I been texting your work phone talking crazy for the past couple of nights. I don’t want you to think I’m crazy. I know what I’m doing.”

I chuckled under my breath. Even if he wasn’t crazy, he was freaking crazy. “Just go to sleep, baby. We will talk in the morning.”

I hadn’t even checked my work phone since I wasn’t on call. Most of the time when my patients sent messages it was to cancel sessions and appointments. It was the weekend, so neither was necessary. Now I was curious about what in the world Key had sent to my phone.

“There’s nothing to talk about in the morning. I can’t let you go down for this. I’m going to let my parole officer violate me. I’ll go back to prison if I have to. I just need to know that you’ll be waiting for me when I come home,” he mumbled.

“You’re not going to prison, Key.”

“It’s happening, Moon. I wanted to kill him, but I didn’t.

I’m still thinking about beating his ass.

That’s what I was supposed to do. It’s hard not going to his office and dragging him across his desk.

I haven’t done it though. See how you changed me?

You made me soft, Moonie. I’m like the marshmallow man now, and I don’t even care.

I’ll be soft for you. Just wait for me, baby. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”

“You’re not going anywhere, Keywan.”

“I broke in your house,” he said, causing my head to snap back.

“What? When?” I quizzed.

“That night that someone broke in. Remember when you called me saying someone tried to get in your house? It was me,” he confessed.

“Keywan, what the fuck? Why would you do something like that?”

“I was jealous. I didn’t want you going on a date with nobody knowing you were mine. I didn’t do anything. I just made sure the alarm system went off. I didn’t expect you to call me. That was a bonus.”

“Oh my God. You are crazy. Aren’t you?”

“Crazy about you. I’m not the same man I was before I went to prison. I’m not even the man I was when we met. Every day I feel like I get better. That’s because of you. You made me want to change. You make me better. That’s why I have to do this. I have to take the fall for what we did.

“It’s OK, baby. I’ll do whatever it takes.

As much as I love you, I didn’t only change for you.

I changed because I know my life is worth more than what my temper ever gave me.

Every chance it got, it fucked me. You helped me realize that I’m my biggest problem.

You saw a better version of me than I even knew existed.

Whatever I have to do to protect you is as good as done. ”

“Just rest, baby,” I said continuing to rake my fingers through the thick carpet of waves on his head.

I wasn’t letting Keywan go back to prison when this was on me.

It was my jealous ex who was threatening to expose our relationship.

It was me who decided to keep him on as a patient knowing that we had history however brief.

I was the one who violated all kinds of ethical codes and policies to continue a sexual relationship with someone off limits. This wasn’t on Keywan to fix.

Before I lost the courage, I picked up my cell phone from the side table and quickly drafted a resignation letter. I didn’t spare my superior the details of how I got involved with a patient over time and needed to step away from my position to reevaluate my life.

I forwarded that same message to Wyatt. I wasn’t about to let him have anything to hold over my head. He and I were over. There was nothing he could do about it. Once both messages had been sent, I felt lighter. I didn’t know what was to come, but I was ready for it all.

I woke up sprawled out on my living room couch. There was a major crook in my neck, but the smell of bacon wafted in the air promising to make it all better. I didn’t have to open my eyes to know that Keywan was already awake and making breakfast.

Rolling over onto my back, I gave my limbs a good stretch before I finally opened my eyes to face the day. In a matter of minutes, I had blown up my entire life. For far too long, my career had been the most important thing in the world to me. For once I just wanted to live for me.

I stood from the couch and strolled through my house to the kitchen where Key was singing under his breath as he cooked. He had cooked a feast. There was bacon, sausage, grits, scrambled eggs, hashbrown casserole, biscuits, and fresh fruit.

Keywan was so wrapped up in what he was doing that he didn’t notice me until my arms were around his waist. When I touched him, he almost jumped out of his skin, causing me to laugh. He turned to face me, melting my heart with that handsome smile of his.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

“Good morning. You’re up and at ’em this morning. I didn’t expect you to be up so early after last night.”

“I wanted to make the most of our last morning together. We didn’t have time for breakfast the last few times we saw each other. I know it’s your favorite meal.”

“This won’t be our last morning together, Keywan,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“You’re right. After all of this is said and done, we’re going to go on a honeymoon for a whole year.”

“Why not start now?” I asked him.

“Because your dick of an ex-boyfriend won’t let us be great.

Now if you let me go down to his office and put my pistol in his mouth, I can get those pictures and whatever else he thinks he has on you.

I don’t want to risk having to be away from you any longer than I have to though. I know he’s going to call the cops.”

“You won’t have to be away from me at all, Key. I sent in my letter of resignation last night. I’m not running away from this.”

“Why did you do that, Moon? I asked you to let me handle it.”

“And I declined. This isn’t on you to fix. I knew what I was doing was wrong, and I did it anyway. It was my responsibility to make it right. I told them all about our relationship and forwarded him the message, so he knows he doesn’t have anything on me.”

“What about your career? Won’t you lose your license?”

“Move in with me,” I said, changing the subject.

“I’m ready when you are, Moonie, but you have to think rationally.”

“I am thinking rationally. I need somebody to pay these bills around here since I’m unemployed.”

“Come here,” Key said, picking me up and sitting me on the counter. “You sure this is what you want?”

“I’m sure that you are what I want. Whatever has to happen next, I’m ready for it. I want to live happily ever after with you. That’s what you said you wanted, isn’t it?”

“It is.” He nodded.

“Let’s start today. I don’t want to wait any longer.”

“You sure you don’t want me to just go beat the shit out of ol’ boy and take his phone?”

“I’m positive that I don’t want you to do anything that will take you away from me.”

“All right but don’t say I didn’t offer,” he said, quickly pecking my lips.

“Thank you, baby, but I think having you here is better than any of the alternatives.”

“Even your career, Iyla? I don’t want you waking up one day and resenting me.”

“Like you said, I can go back to school. I can do anything. I’m willing to do anything but let you go for a job.”

“And I’ll work my fingers to the bone to make sure you never want for anything.”

I cupped his face and leaned forward to kiss him again. “Thank you, baby.”

“This is the first day of the rest of our lives, Moonie. I promise I’ll never let you down,” he said, helping me down off the counter.

“I’m holding you to that, Keywan.”

“You better,” he said, slapping me on the ass and making me giggle.

“Stop playing.”

“No, you stop playing. Go put on my ring and get back out here before the food gets cold.”