It had been three months since Maurice started an affair with an associate from his office. Now, he found himself outside of Bridgette’s condo. He sat in his car with his head pressed against the steering wheel, cursing his stupidity. He’d come over to set things straight with Bridgette—to tell her to leave him alone. To explain that they had to stop seeing each other. But somehow, he’d ended up in her bed. This is how it always was between the two of them. Bridgette just had a way about her. She wasn’t the best lover that Maurice had ever had, but she was attentive and that counted for something. She was also a good listener, hanging on his every word as he talked about the things he hoped to accomplish in the future. And Bridgette had dreams and ambitions of her own. She was not content with her present situation, and she was hungry for change. Maurice liked that. Admired it, even. His wife Callie didn’t seem to have any ambitions beyond making juices in their kitchen. She thought elderberry juice, in particular, was a cure all. And she’d gotten it into her head that she was going to bottle the juice to sell at supermarkets. But she had no business plan. No seed money. And nothing else. Other than a few thousand followers on Instagram. Maurice thought the idea was ridiculous. Almost as ridiculous as the mess he’d gotten himself into with Bridgette.

“What the fuck am I going to do?” Maurice whispered into the darkness. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel. Callie thought he was out drinking with his brother Aaron. They were supposed to be celebrating Aaron’s recent retirement from the Army. But Aaron had cancelled at the last minute. Something about his train being delayed. Really, this whole mess was Aaron’s fault. If he’d come to town as he’d promised, he and Maurice would be at a bar somewhere now getting drunk. And Maurice would have dealt with Bridgette at the office. Instead of making the mistake of coming to her house.

“Shit!” he mumbled. Then, an idea came to him. He knew where he could go. There was a twenty-four hour rec center over in South Durham. It was run by Kedric Herns, an old friend from law school. The center had been having some struggles, but maybe it was still open. If so, Maurice would grab a shower and play some hoops to clear his head. If the place was closed, he’d just sit in the parking lot till morning.

Maurice headed west on Interstate 40 and thirty minutes later, he was pulling up in front of the rec center. The lights were on and some kids were milling around near the entrance. Maurice parked, then grabbed his gym bag from the trunk and headed inside.

He stopped at the front desk to sign in. “Is Kedric available?” he asked the attendant—a young guy named Tyrek—according to his name tag.

Tyrek looked checked his computer. “He’s here, but he’s on a call right now.”

Maurice nodded. “Okay. Well, when he gets off the phone, tell him Maurice Barton is here, would you?”

“Will do, Mr. Barton.”

“Thanks. Can you point me to the locker room? I need to change.”

“Just down the hall to your left.”

“Thanks again.

“No problem,” Tyrek said. “Have a good night.”

Maurice was glad to find the locker room empty. He sat on a bench and closed his eyes for a few seconds. Then he changed into a Bob Marley t-shirt and gym shorts.

***

It was midnight when Maurice ran off the basketball court and took a seat on the bleachers beside Kedric.

“You looked good out there, man,” Kedric said. Then, “You want a bottle of water?”

“Thanks,” Maurice said as he took the bottle and drained it. He set the empty container aside and allowed his eyes to follow the young players who were still on the court. They were trash-talking and playing a fierce game. “You still play?” he asked Kedric.

“Every day,” Kedric said. He patted his abs. “Got to maintain.”

“I wish I could get over here more often,” Maurice said.

“What’s stopping you?” Kedric asked.

That was a question that Maurice was afraid to answer. He covered by saying, “Well, I know you’ve been having some tough times. Honestly, I wasn’t sure you’d be open tonight.”

“Well, the city was trying to close us down,” Kedric told him. “They said the building wasn’t up to code. But that last check you sent helped us to get the roof fixed. And we did a few more repairs, so we ain’t going nowhere no time soon, brother.” Kedric nudged Maurice’s knee with his own. “But you know the best thing? We had enough left over to buy a few of the kids some shoes.”

“Great. I’m glad that I was able to help,” Maurice said. He could remember what it was like to wear the same sneakers over and over again. How the cloth faded each time his mother tossed them in the washing machine. The worn soles and the frayed laces… Then there’d been the pep rally in seventh grade. Maurice had climbed the bleachers with the rest of his classmates. He’d paid no mind to their jostling and laughter until he’d realized it was directed at him. Maurice had unknowingly lost the bottom of his right shoe. It lay unclaimed on the gym floor in front of the entire junior varsity cheerleading squad; bouncing across the polished hardwood as the girls stomped and chanted. His classmates had been merciless in their teasing for the rest of the year…

“Maurice, you listening to me?” Kedric asked with a grin.

“Sorry, I was focused on the game,” Maurice said hoarsely, surprised by the tears that had gathered in his eyes. “What were you saying?”

“I was saying that I’ve been doing some pro bono work at a law clinic. And we got new computers coming next week. I called in some favors.”

“Good. Good,” Maurice said. “How’s your family?”

“Well, my mother just got back from Atlantic City,” Kedric said. “You know she’ll put her last dollar in a slot machine. And my brother Joseph, he’s got a glass and wood salvaging company down in Atlanta that’s doing real good. And he’s still singing in that tribute band of his on the weekends. Killing Barry White songs, singing all off-key the way he do. You know people actually pay him?”

Maurice laughed. “How’s your sister Jill?”

“She’s up in Baltimore living on the streets with that jive-ass boyfriend of hers.” Kedric sighed. “My niece saw her crawling out of a dumpster last summer.”

“Damn,” Maurice said. “I’m sorry, man.”

Kedric shrugged. “I’m sorry, too. But you know how it goes…you hook up with somebody who’s going nowhere, and they’ll take you with them.”

Maurice nodded and turned his attention back to the basketball court. “Do you ever have any trouble around here?”

“Trouble?”

“Break-ins, I mean.”

“No,” Kedric said. “I went door-to-door talking to folks before I opened this place. So, people would understand my vision. And I think the community respects what we’re doing. They see we’re trying to help kids succeed. And you know, I don’t tolerate nonsense.” He paused and scanned the court. “I’m very clear about my expectations. You come in here, you play basketball, racquet ball, and volleyball or you sign up for a tennis, golf or hockey clinic. You not doing that, you better have your ass upstairs studying, working with a tutor, or attending an enrichment workshop. Those are the rules. And anybody who can’t conduct themselves properly has to go.”

“I hear you,” Maurice said. Then, “Is Hernando still around?” He asked, referring to the retired high school principal who Kedric had recruited to help manage the center’s programs.

“Oh, yeah,” Kedric said. “He’s like a father to some of these boys. I just gave him the week off, so he could take his wife to San Francisco for her birthday.” Kedric blew his whistle to stop some horseplay. “Hey! Hey!” he yelled. “Cut that mess out! Or, get off the court!” The boys grinned sheepishly, and the oldest one, acting as the spokesperson for the group, shouted, “Sorry, Coach!” Kedric shook his head and turned back to Maurice. “Anyhow, Hernando’s gonna hate that he missed you.”

“Tell him I’ll catch him next time,” Maurice said. He looked out at the court and elbowed Kedric. “Who’s that tall kid?” he asked.

“That’s Robeson,” Kedric replied. “He’s good. Thinks he’s going to the NBA one day.”

“At that age, we all thought that, didn’t we?” Maurice said as Robeson dunked the ball and hung onto the rim like a pro.

“Yeah, but I don’t encourage that kind of thinking around here,” Kedric said. “I tell these kids, go to college or trade school. Earn you a MBA or a M.D. or a J.D. or Ph.D. Or whatever. Just get some kinda credentials, then make some money, so you’re in a position to buy a NBA team if you want to. Or, at least, some courtside seats.”

Maurice laughed. “And how do those nuggets of wisdom go over around here?”

“Well,” Kedric said, “I had one young man to tell me that I wasn’t doing anything but sitting up here in the rec center begging for money and driving a raggedy car.”

Maurice laughed. “So you let them think you’re broke?”

“Hey, they think whatever they want to think. But I let them see me coming into this job every day, driving a car I got honestly and ain’t ashamed of,” Kedric said. “They don’t need to know what’s in my bank account.” He chuckled a little. “But anyway, I told that young fella, I’m here because I want to be here. But I could leave tomorrow and go work anywhere in the world. Because I have options. And you better get you some schooling if you want to have some options yourself.”

“Good advice,” Maurice said.

“It’s the best I got,” Kedric said. “’Cause you for damn sure can’t depend on dribbling a ball to get you and your mama out the projects.” He tapped his temple. “You got to use your head. And stay focused. I tell these young dudes, ‘Listen, you don’t want to be a doctor, lawyer, engineer or whatnot, then be an electrician, or plumber or whatever.' Just do something with your life. And stay out of the system. ‘Cause you can’t help nobody if you locked up.’”

“You’re right.”

“I know I am,” Kedric said. “I’m from the same kinda place they’re from.” He hunched his shoulders. “And round that way, man, it’s rough. You know how it is… Folks shooting up shit. Fellas hanging on the corner doing what they do. Crackheads and prostitutes walking up and down the street.” He grew hoarse. “And kids raising themselves. A few of these young boys already got babies.”

“It’s hard to get away from all that,” Maurice said.

“Yeah,” Kedric said, clearing his throat. “But not impossible. And that’s what I’m trying to drill into these knuckleheads. You know, you got to draw strength from what you’ve been through. You can’t let it break you and hold you back.”

Maurice nodded. “They’re lucky to have you.”

“I’m lucky to have them,” Kedric said, clapping his hands as Robeson made his way down the court. “That’s it! That’s it!” he shouted. “That’s how you do it!” Then, “You know where I can find a cooking class?”

“Cooking class?” Maurice howled. He could always depend on Kedric for a good laugh. “How the hell did we go from basketball to a cooking class?”

Kedric shrugged. “Hernando’s wife looks after me. Since she’s been gone, I’ve been eating fried eggs and soup from a can because that’s all I know how to make.” He absently rubbed the stubble on his chin. “I’m hungry, man.”

“Go to a restaurant, then. Or buy some frozen meals.”

“I got a sensitive system. Restaurant food gives me gas,” Kedric said. “And I almost burned my house down last year trying to microwave some damn corn dogs.”

“You’re hopeless,” Maurice said with a laugh.

“I’m wasting away and you’re laughing. That ain’t right.”

“Go to your mama’s house.”

“Shit, man, she can’t cook no better than me,” Kedric said. “Matter fact, I can tell you what’s in her refrigerator right now: Three-day old Chinese food. Some malt liquor. And a quart of clabbered milk.”

Maurice shook his head. “Some things don’t ever change do they?”

“Nope,” Kedric said. Then, “So, what brings you to these parts, man? You know I’m always glad to see you, but we’re a little bit off the beaten path for you.”

“I messed up, Ked,” Maurice said with a sigh.

“Has this got to do with a woman?”

“Yes.”

Kedric laughed. “You and me, we always messing up with the women, ain’t we?” Then, “Does wifey know?”

“No,” Maurice said.

“You planning to tell her?”

“Hell no.”

“Man, we’re getting too old for this shit,” Kedric chided. “You know that, right? And maybe nobody ever told you this, but at some point, you got to stop chasing ass.” He pointed at Maurice. “You supposed to pass the baton to a young blood. And sit your rusty behind down somewhere.”

“She came after me,” Maurice told him.

Kedric laughed. Loud enough to attract the attention of some of the players. “That’s what you’re telling yourself?” he asked. “Did she pull your draws off, too?”

“Fuck you, man,” Maurice mumbled, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

“What? I’m just trying to understand how we got here,” Kedric said. Then, “Where did you meet this girl? And please don’t tell me you sampling off the work buffet. ’Cause you know better than that, don’t you?” He snickered. “Don’t you?”

Maurice looked at his hands in response.

“Aww…hell, man!” Kedric said with a frown. “Do you know how many dumb dick cases I tried before I left my old firm?”

“No. And I’m not here for legal counsel.”

“Maybe you should be,” Kedric said in pitying voice that made Maurice want to hit him. He clenched his fists as Kedric added, “So you gonna keep seeing her? Outside the job, I mean.”

“I don’t know,” Maurice answered. “I don’t know.”

“So, what you’re saying is this low-rent lay might ruin your marriage?”

“It’s complicated,” Maurice said.

“You’re a fool,” Kedric said, glaring. “You talking like this is the first time you ever had any ass. What’s wrong with you, man?”

Maurice frowned. “I should have known better than to come to you for advice.” He stood. “I need to get out of here.”

“Brother, you doing some dangerous shit. Okay?” Kedric shook his head. “And I don’t understand why. But I will tell you this, you got a good wife at home. You got a good career. And if you’re gonna put everything on the line for this other woman, I sure hope she’s worth it. You know, we don’t come this way but once.”

“Once is enough,” Maurice said.

“You got that right,” Kedric told him, faking a jab. He cleared his throat. “It ain’t too late to fall back into step.”

Maurice nodded. “I’ll be in touch,” he said.

Then the two men shared a quick hug. “It was good seeing you, man,” Kedric said, pulling away. Then he grinned. “Could I possibly talk you into cleaning some toilets before you leave here? You could consider it an in-kind donation.”

“Not a chance,” Maurice said with a laugh. “I have to get going.”

“You gonna be all right?” Kedric asked.

Maurice nodded. “Yeah.” Then he headed for the locker room to shower and change.

When he came back to the front desk to sign out, Kedric was leaning against the console. “Don’t be a stranger,” he said as he pushed the log book toward Maurice.

“I’m going to try to make it back next week,” Maurice said as he signed out.

Kedric slapped him on the back. “Cool. You okay to drive? I’m making a pot of coffee. If you need some caffeine.”

“Thanks, but I’m good.”

“Well, take it light, man,” Kedric said with a smile.

“See you around,” Maurice said. Then he threw up a hand and headed for the door. He was feeling a little better now. Maybe things would work out okay after all.

Copyright © by 2010 Carol Torian