6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Keyshaun

I looked out at the class of seniors chatting amongst themselves.

Today was a full day for me with the addition of the walking group that was stuck indoors due to a line of thunderstorms pelting the area. I had two aerobic classes, a boxing session, two clients to run through their paces, yoga for seniors after lunch, and then a meeting with our banker at three with my brother. Oh, and Etta was now past the stage of mild annoyance with the slow passage of time. She was grumbly as a badger and eating like a grizzly just out of hibernation. I felt bad for poor Lionel. We were all on edge. Her due date was yesterday.

A low roll of thunder moved over Seneca Lake. The rain was badly needed, but not in a great deluge that would just run off. Great, I sounded like Uncle Devon now. Soon I'd be commenting on how the dampness set off my lumbago.

"Okay, gang, let's get this aerobic walk going!" I called out. The chit-chat died down. "Now, I know I'm not my sister, but I think I can coach you through a funky walk to get you sweating, burning some calories, and strengthening your heart."

"When are those babies coming?" Lila asked from the back row by the windows. Ornell was back, thank the gods, and was overseeing the bikes, treadmills, and weights. Mama sat at the desk with her nose in a spy thriller.

"Any day now," I replied and got a happy cheer from the oldsters. "So today we're going to do a three-mile aerobic walk. Make sure your walking shoes are tied tightly and you have water and a towel close at hand. I'm going to get your heart thumping and your fanny shaking!"

The group giggled. I hit the play button on the remote and the yoga/walking/everything else room filled with an 80s dance playlist. WHAM! led things off with a plea to wake a dude up before you go-go.

The next fifty minutes were spent laughing, panting, sweating, and telling the group to get down into those bootie bumps. Nothing like a good set of hamstring curls to get things rolling.

"You all walked me into the ground," I teased as we ended class. "Next time, I'm going to let Walt here lead the class and I'm going to sit in the corner and sip on some mango juice."

Old Walt, at seventy-five, was in great shape and could probably outwalk me. I loved seeing it. If only my dad had put in the work to change his habits, he might still be here with us. I know there's little you can do about genetics, but you can change how your body works with the genes you have. Uncle Devon is a prime example. He lost weight, started working out, ate better, and is now living a fine life. If one counts taking care of my mother and her house, as well as his, a fine life. The man needed to get out and date. He'd never been married or even seemed inclined to search for a lady. If I didn't know for a fact he was straight, I'd think he was playing on the rainbow team.

The class meandered off, leaving me free for a whole five minutes. I hit the men's room, grabbed some water, and checked my messages all while Ornell was blabbering in my ear about loan rates and square footage. We stood behind the register, Mama in her official welcome to Williams Wellness stool.

"…should make sure we get the bank to get the final commercial property inspection done before the end of this month. They always tend to drag their damn asses—"

"Language," Mama said while never once looking away from her book.

Ornell rolled his eyes while I tittered. "They tend to drag their backsides, but I need those final inspection notes in my hand no later than mid-July."

"Okay, good, yep." I was reading over a text from Tanner thanking me for a lovely meal last/kiss last night. I felt a fizziness in my belly, thinking of that kiss. I had wanted way more but was willing to chill for a few more dates.

"Then the guy who owns the building told me about the fourteen dead bodies hidden in the basement. Said he would take ten grand off the asking price if we just ignored them."

"Cool." I hit Tanner back with some hearts and kissy face emojis. Mama tapped me on the head with her paperback. I glanced up from my phone. "What?"

"I've seen that look before," Ornell teased as he craned his neck to try to spy my texts. I jerked my phone to the side while glowering at my brother. Seemed no matter how old we got, siblings just have to pick. "That's your twitterpated look."

"Keyshaun, is there a new man in your life?" Mama asked, laying her book on the counter to hit me with that laser-eyed, nosy mother look.

"Hey, Key," Pernell Kincaid, my sparring partner and boxing student, smiled at me as he walked past. He'd been working on his drills before coming to find me for his time in the ring.

"Oops, got to go. Customers before gossip." I jogged after my nine o'clock, giggling madly at the dark looks from my brother and mother. They could just chill the hell out a bit. Yes, I was possibly wearing a goofy look when I chatted with Tanner. We had a great vibe, but he was a little shy, and I didn't want to start mentioning names. While my client climbed into the ring, I hurried to ask Tanner about the next game and was thrilled to find out it was this evening against Wilkes-Barre. I'd not been keeping a close eye on the playoffs and admitted so to Tanner. He filled me in that the Calder Cup was best of three, best of five, best of five again, and then best of seven. The Gladiators had won two to beat the Cougars and were now embroiled in a tense showdown with the Comets for a game five winner takes all.

I have an invite to sit in the Schaffer Salt box. Would you like to be my plus one. ~ T

Count me in! I need to up my hockey game fanship. Does kissing a hockey player boost my score? ~ K

It so does. ~ T

Then I'll have to kiss you twice as much to catch up! ~ K

"I'm ready whenever you are," Pernell called down to me from the ring. Oh shit. Right. It's time to roll. I sent Tanner a heart and a TTYL then shook the twitterpated look from my face and replaced it with my boxer who missed the bus look. Pernell's blue eyes widened. "Okay, maybe I need another minute."

"Too late, you let loose the kraken already." I gloved up and climbed into the ring. Pernell, whom I'd sparred with for months now, grinned like Satan had given him a cookie and held up his gloves. We tapped. He moved back, and I moved in, jabbing at his gloves, moving up to my toes, my shoulders swaying as I shifted my weight back and forth, knees nice and loose, left foot forward as I was righthanded. "Get ready to get bit!" I bragged before putting my mouth protector in and giving him a nod.

His stance was tight, movement quick, but his recurring problem was he tended to drop his fists when he got tired, not much, but just enough that I could always end the match with an uppercut. He blocked me a few times, easy soft hits as we warmed up, feeling each other out. I moved right, he countered, and I threw a quick couple of lead hooks that glanced off his left glove. Pernell was good. He could have been a contender with some intense training and lots of cash invested in him, but life and his baby mama kept him in Watkins Glen, driving a delivery truck for the salt factory. I respected his decision to stand by his girl and baby son and provide.

We went around and around. I kept him moving, steadily wearing him down until that left glove fell just a few inches. I clocked him with a lead hook just as the bell chimed. Ornell stood at the turnbuckle with water for both of us. Several clients were now watching us spar, which happened quite often. My brother tossed me some water and a towel, then did the same for Pernell across the ring. I rinsed and spat, turned from the corner, and waited for my student to shake off the hook to his jaw.

"You good?" I called and got a nod of Pernell's yellow head. He was a tough son-of-a-gun with a sharp mind and a real feel for the sport. I shoved my mouthpiece back in and met him in the center of the ring. "You need to keep those gloves up when you're within my reach. And remember not to drop your hand so low when you go for the hook. I'm reading that before you even throw the punch. Keep that hand up or you lose power."

"Got it." He then showed me just how quick a student he was. The next bell found me panting and feeling a quick hook he had landed when I'd whiffed on a series of jabs I'd been hoping to land on his midsection.

Ornell was cornerman again, and the onlookers were calling out to the combatants in the ring.

"He's fast," Ornell said while I wiped sweat from my eyes. "Watch that right cross of his. If he connects, he's going to knock you on your ass."

"Damn kids shouldn't out-learn the teacher," I muttered and was about to shove my mouth guard back in when Mama came racing across the gym nearly bowling over a young woman in pink shorts and matching crop top getting off one of the ellipticals.

"Etta's water just broke!" Mama yelled at the top of her lungs.

Ornell and I exchanged looks. I turned to make my excuses to Pernell.

"Dude, just go. I'll beat you next time."

"You can try, Padawan." We bumped gloves and within fifteen minutes the doors were locked. I hated to lose cash but money was just money. This was my sister giving birth to my two new nephews. Nothing came before family.

***

It was just a few minutes after four a.m. when a nurse stuck her head into the waiting room to inform Mama, Uncle Devon, Ornell, and me that we had two new members of the family.

It was well after six the next morning before we got to visit with Etta, Lionel, little Oscar, and Orwen. The babies were beautiful, healthy, and hungry. After we all got to hold them and fawn over them, we kissed Etta, hugged Lionel, and exited to go to the hospital café to grab a bite. It was a pleasant place, clean, with lots of booths and little tables. Lots of dark browns and greens with splashes of soft yellow here and there. The smell of coffee and bacon lured me into line with haste. After pulling an all-nighter, you'd think I'd be filled up on coffee, but one more cup was required to wash down my bacon, egg, and cheese on a bagel sandwich.

We'd lingered for a bit, slugging back coffee and filling up on surprisingly good breakfast sandwiches while we discussed the new arrivals. They were hands down the most adorable little men I had ever seen. I might be biased, but uncles were allowed to be. It's in the new uncle handbook.

"I'm going to open up a savings account for the babies," Mama informed us over breakfast, her eyes showing her exhaustion. "I can add a little every week, then when they graduate high school, they can buy a flying car or something. Lord knows what the world will look like in eighteen years."

She chuckled into her coffee and lowered her cup, her thin brows tangled as someone stepped up beside our booth. I glanced up to see Tanner standing at our table, cane in one hand, a bouquet of blue and white flowers in the other. We'd texted during the night until he'd gone to sleep around one in the morning. I'd apologized profusely a dozen times easily. He'd been more than understanding, and had, now that I was blinking up at his handsome face blearily, promised he would visit in the morning before his PT session.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but I was on my way to the maternity ward and saw you as I passed the café entrance," he softly said, leaning lightly on the bright yellow sunflower cane Rudy had bought for him a few days ago.

"Hey, you," I finally said, a warmth settling into my soul just looking at him. He was one fine man, and not just fine to look at, but fine in many other ways as well. "Mama, Uncle D, this is Tanner LaBrie. He plays for the Gladiators and works out at the gym. You know this clown." I jerked my head at my brother.

"Ma'am, sir, nice to meet you. I hope I wasn't interrupting a family meeting of some sort?" Tanner looked so rugged in a form-fitting gray tee with the Gladiators logo on the front, charcoal jogging shorts, and short socks with some running shoes. His hair was shiny, his cheeks covered with whiskers, and his mouth ridiculously kissable. Took all the determination I had to keep my bottom on the bench. "Nice to see you again, Ornell."

I felt Mama's eyes on me. Pulling my gaze from Tanner, I found her looking at me the same way she used to look at Etta and Lionel when they were dating.

"Nice to meet you, Tanner. Oh my, look at the time!" She glanced at her bare wrist and then wiggled out of the booth to stand. She came up to Tanner's wide shoulder. "We have to get moving, and uhm…buy diapers. Yes, diapers."

Uncle Devon, always the wisest man, simply did as told without question. My brother, who was pinned between me and the wall, smirked and stirred more sweetener into his coffee, playing, unaware of what my mother was doing.

"You too, Ornell," Mama firmly said.

"Takes three people to buy diapers?" Ornell asked and got the evil mama's eye. He sighed. "Fine. I have to open the gym, anyway. You got four hours to get a nap, then come relieve me or I will not be happy with you."

"I live in fear of your frowns," I countered, got up, and let my brother wiggle free of the booth. He grabbed his mug of coffee.

"I'm asking for a to-go cup," Ornell mumbled before clapping Tanner on the shoulder and heading off with my mother, who was whispering madly with my uncle and brother.

"Have a seat." I waved at the now-empty bench across from me. Soft cello music was playing from speakers hidden behind some fake ivy plants in the corners of the eatery. "Fair warning, Mama is probably planning our wedding as we speak." Tanner froze with his ass about six inches from the bench, hazel eyes wide. "I'm kidding," I hurried to tack on so he could finish sitting his tasty rump down. "Mostly," I added just to tease. But not really. Mama loved to matchmake. It was one of her favorite things to do. Right up there with reading, gardening, and making honey-do lists for Uncle Devon even though he wasn't her honey. "Sorry, I missed the game last night. I'm glad to hear that they won!"

"Yeah, they did good. The Comets are crazy skilled." He looked at my family leaving the café. "It's good to know you're mostly kidding. I mean, not that I have a thing against marriage," he replied as he lowered himself down and eased his leg under the table. "Speaking of which, an invitation to Liam and Tarcy's wedding arrived in the mail yesterday."

"Oh right, that is coming up. July right?" He bobbed a yes. "Those two are so in love that watching them together is like eating a dozen donuts in one sitting."

"They are pretty goopy." He chuckled. "Are you looking to get married one day?" His eyes flared. "I know it's really early in our…uhm, well, in our…what do you call what we're doing? Is there a new hip word for it?"

"I call it dating. Not sure what the kids are calling it these days. Probably something like entering a situationship. Who knows? Once I hit thirty, I lost all my cool."

"I disagree, you are plenty cool. So, can we ignore my last question about marriage and just talk about you being my date guy when time permits?"

He looked so tense. Bless this man. "I would love to be your date guy, but on one condition," he leaned over the table, "I get to show you my new nephews before we leave."

"That is a deal." He leaned up further, and I met him halfway. The kiss was chaste. We were in a busy cafeteria after all, but I could feel the heat just from the light brush of lips on lips. We sat there for a while longer. Just talking, playing footsie under the table. It was silly. Maybe it was just me that was silly. Exhaustion did make a man slaphappy, but I was grinning like a toad on a warm log when we left the booth to visit the family.

Etta was napping, but Lionel was awake, rocking one baby while the other little guy dozed in his bassinet.

"Hey," I whispered as I crept into the room, pulling Tanner along like a reluctant mule. "I wanted to show the boys to Tanner."

"Oh sure, they'd love to see Uncle Key again," Lionel said with a tired smile as he passed over Oscar…or was it Orwen? Didn't matter. I loved them both. "Can you hold him for like ten minutes? I need to go to the bathroom so damn bad. He's fussy and Etta is toast."

"Go, I got this," I bragged as I eased the tiny newborn into my arms. Lionel nodded at Tanner and then slipped into the bathroom, closing the door quietly. My sister was out, like snoring and drooling out. She had better get rested up now. Come this time tomorrow, she will be home with two new babies to care for. Course Mama would be there as well to help out the new parents. "Did you ever see such a pretty baby in all your life?"

Tanner made his way closer, his gaze soft, as he ran the back of a big, scarred finger over Oscar's or Orwen's smooth cheek.

"He is beautiful. How did they come up with those names? They're really old-fashioned sounding."

"Right? I teased Etta about Lionel going through his family tree, finding the whitest names he could, and tossing those two names into the hat." I cooed at the baby who was staring up at me with big brown eyes.

"Was there really a hat?" Tanner asked, pulling the babe's attention from me to him.

"No, they fussed and stewed over names for months and then settled on those two. I think they were Lionel's paternal grandfather's middle names, but I could be wrong."

"Well, they're fine names for fine boys." Tanner made a boop noise that made the little one in my arms smile. Or maybe it was a gas grimace. Hard to tell, but the baby seemed to like it, so he did it again and got a belch in reply. "Hearty. I've not heard a burp that loud since the last time Greck chugged a six-pack of seltzer water on a dare. We thought he might explode or float to the moon."

"That sounds like Greck," I replied. Etta snored herself awake, saw me and Tanner, and then went right back to sleep. "Guess she's too tired to worry about the strange man with a cane in her room."

"She saw you. She knew she and the little ones were safe."

Okay, that there was going to get him more than kisses the next time we were together and I wasn't holding a baby.