Choices and Sacrifices Ch. 07 Pt. 2

The doctor was falling perfectly into Keegan's plot.

"At this moment, he's describing a woman." There was a small break of silence that the doctor used to piece together Keegan's life and his blooming novel.

"You fell in love while in Maryland." Keegan swallowed roughly before taking a calming breath. "But you were still with Bethany and couldn't shake her from 300 miles away. Is that it?" Keegan couldn't respond. This was the second person who understood his situation in its entirety. Quincy knew the significant parts of Keegan's story, but not enough to understand the sentiments that were behind it.

*

Keegan knocked on his parent's door. He was finally ready to confront them and try to explain what was happening in his life. He could see the blinds beside the door shift a little in the distance. His mother's thin black hair wisped in different directions from the way she flung the door open. They both stood staring at one another for a few moments, their faces solemn.

Somehow his mother knew he wasn't here for a casual visit. They wouldn't be hugging and she wouldn't be making a big dinner while he shared stories about how wonderful things were going. She could see the anguish written in the sagging creases below his eyes. His lids were heavy with sorrow and she knew that he wasn't enjoying the opportunity he'd chosen to take by moving so far away.

But she wouldn't pass judgment on him as she'd done over the phone. She'd let him handle his own situations and continue to love him as she'd always done. She raised a good man, and she trusted her handiwork.

"I don't want to hear about it—any of it." She said sternly, narrowing her hazel eyes and swallowing roughly. Keegan could feel the weight being taken off of his shoulders when she spoke. He was overcome with the urge to swallow his mother in his arms. He replicated the hug she'd given him the day he left Florida.

3 WEEKS LATER

Quincy gnawed on the outer corner of his thumb from the security of his car. He peered out the front window and squinted so that he could see. Sabrina was dressed for her walk and carried her dog in a quilt. Her hair was in a large puff on her head and she wore a loose, pink tee. After her dog was loaded in the back seat, she sat in the driver's seat and started the car up.

Before she backed out of her parking space and caught him, Quincy pulled off with a destination in mind.

Sabrina had been ignoring him for about two weeks. He used to text her and ask her out onto another date and she'd decline with one or two word answers. Then she'd start ignoring his calls and then she wouldn't even respond to his texts. He hadn't heard anything from her in 5 days.

Curiosity took over him and he found himself driving past her house just to see if she was home. He'd catch her car idle in the driveway but the lights off at an early 8:30. Sometimes he'd do that twice a week and soon he could figure out the fragments of her schedule. And every Tuesday after work—the same day he met her, she'd take her dog for a walk. Quincy figured it was some sort of ritual she formed with Keegan.

*

"There's a green Altima at the park on 26th. I need it towed for 3 days." Quincy announced as he approached the front counter. He tried not to touch anything around him and look the manager straight in his eyes. The towing shop was absolutely filthy which was what enticed him to enter from the beginning. The floors were cracked in some areas while the walls were laced with visible grime. The owner fit the environment perfectly; his tee-shirt had holes in random areas and his hair was thick with grease. He smiled, showing off a wide gap.

"It don't work like that." Quincy fought back a look of disgust. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out fifty, one hundred dollar bills and threw them on the counter between the two men. The hefty thud the money made caught the owner's attention immediately. Quincy watched the dazed expression on his face quickly come and go. "3 days, you'll get another 3 grand when the car is returned." Quincy proposed again.

The owner's muddy eyes glanced at the young man fleetingly before letting settling on the wad of cash again. The agreement was sealed when his thick fingers wrapped around the paper. Quincy nodded,a grimace on his face just as he turned on his heel and headed back out to his car.

His steps were full of triumph; he felt untouchable. It seemed as if he were playing a game with Sabrina and Keegan, and so far he was in the lead. If Sabrina didn't want him, he was okay with that. But he wanted her, so the only way for this to work was to make her need him.

*

Sabrina was almost done her mile when it began to pour. She and Venice began jogging out of the park to reach the parking lot. She stopped in her tracks once she was a few yards away. Her parking spot was occupied by a completely different car. Her feet were grounded into the cement for a good minute. The odds were playing against her, as usual.

She would've just caught a bus if she hadn't left her wallet in the glove compartment after fearing someone might snatch if from her while she walked through the park. It was a weird paranoia that she wished she hadn't had. Although she did have her keys and cell phone. She couldn't even sit in a shop until the rain paused because of the waist high wet dog resting against her.

She grew frustrated as she tried to figure out why her car would ever be towed. She was parked in the right spot, she didn't owe too many tickets, her payment was up to date—there was no reason for this inconvenience. She unlocked her phone in preparation to call Rochelle, but she wasn't even on the continent. She hadn't spoken to her mom in two months and she refused to call for a favor while Quincy fell in the same boat.

She had no one to turn to.

She didn't have time to feel sorry for herself. Her landlord would be home in an hour and she needed to get home before him if she would walk through her apartment complex with Venice uncovered. She started journeying the hour long hike through town while soaking wet.

Her body was numb when she finally could see her apartment. It was still far away, but seeing it gave her hope. The rain had yet to let up and she could see beautiful streaks of lightening at the horizon. She gazed down on Venice to see that she was shivering. Her short coat and nonexistent body fat did nothing to protect her from the outside air. Sabrina considered carrying her, but when she looked down on her own cold wet shirt, she figured it'd only make her feel worse.

They were nearing her landlord's house and Sabrina picked up some pace; his car was in its normal space. Venice lagged behind a little and Sabrina looked down on her.

"Come on girl." Sooner than later, they passed the house and Sabrina sighed in relief. She'd be in heaps of trouble if her landlord found that she'd owned such a huge dog. An earsplitting crack of thunder, along with a blinding flash of lighting hit from no more than three miles away. Sabrina's recoil from the sound forced her hand to loosen around Venice's leash. Sabrina could feel the fabric leave her grasp and she prepared to bend down and pick it up but it was nowhere in sight.

Venice took off down the street—back toward her landlord's home with her tail between her legs.

"Venice!" Sabrina called, chasing after her. The fast greyhound sprinted behind her a building and out of sight. Sabrina stomped through the mucky grass and dirt trying to follow. The back of the apartment homes featured extra parking, small fenced yards and lots of dumpsters. She searched around for her but found it difficult to see through the thick sheet of rain. She wandered down the narrow asphalt road. She looked to her left and into the tall shrubs acting as barriers.

A small yelp caught her attention ahead.

She spotted Venice, but she was 6 feet off the ground. Her property-owner held her by the scruff as the dog quivered, frightened half to death. Venice was a rescued dog that was afraid of anything significantly larger than her. So Sabrina knew that a 6 foot stranger yanking her by her skin had her scared. The sight enraged her.

"Put her down, right now." Instead of screaming the sentence, she turned it into a menacing whisper. He seemed to stare her down for a moment, as if testing how angry he could make her.

Her manager's stringy grey hair was pulled into a tight ponytail. His wrinkles were deep and his body was muscular. His brown eyes smiled while they competed in a staring match. He practically threw the dog into her arms. Sabrina disregarded the mud Venice's paws put over her clothes and tried to anticipate her landlord's words.

"Get rid of the dog." He said it simply. Sabrina snorted on a chortle, smiling genuinely.

She knew that'd never happen.

"I'll be out by next month." She prepared to turn around and continue walking to her apartment when his voice halted her.

"Oh no," She turned around to see him grinning slyly. "3 days."

"You can't give me a notice for 3 days."

"Yes I can. A violation of the lease can result in 3 days notice." Sabrina wouldn't argue, she'd just research it herself. She was completely exhausted.

*

Sabrina was swaddled in towels with Venice snuggled on her lap. She had called every tow service in her area and none of them answered. It had been well past 6:30 so she figured working hours were over. Another clap of thunder sounded outside the window.

She tried to think of something she could've done to deserve all she was going through. She doubted that Keegan was wondering the same, wherever he was. He was probably enjoying himself, not even giving her a moment to consume his thoughts. She hoped that whatever was happening to her had some purpose. Sabrina was never the type of person to doubt God, but today was an exception. She just couldn't see what good would come from this large casualty. To be evicted and have your car towed in one day was something unheard of. She was sure in a few years, she'd tell someone the story and they'd laugh at the odds.

But right then, nothing was humorous. She had nowhere to live and no one she felt comfortable asking for help. She'd be more than happy to stay in a hotel, but they probably didn't allow dogs and all of her money sat in the glove compartment in her car, which she had no location of. Sabrina groaned piercingly before letting her neck rest on the back of the chair.

The deep noise of her phone vibrating on the leather couch startled her. She knew she should've checked it but she couldn't find the reason to. It couldn't have been anyone that could help her, so they were unimportant. After 30 seconds, it buzzed again. Sabrina finally decided to see who it was.

*Hello Sabrina*

She shook her head lightly while opening the next message

*Dinner?*

Finally, she had a truthful reply.

*Had a terrible day, can't.* She put down her phone, thinking that she had successfully declined Quincy's date proposal and was free of any interruptions.

*What happened?*

*Too many things.*

*Well I'm here, if u need anything or some1 to talk to.* Sabrina stared at the words for a moment before she began to feel guilty. She'd been so rude to him the past few weeks, but here he was, willing to help her just when she needed it the most. She couldn't accept his kindness—she'd been too cruel.

*Thanks, appreciate it.*

Sabrina slid down on her couch and tried to fall asleep.

*

Dr Windsor suggested that Keegan bring Bethany into their first group session, disregarding the fact that she was still mute after a month of being hospitalized. So Bethany sat next to Keegan on the love seat and all three of them stared onto the streets of downtown Florida. There was a long, brisk silence among them until the doctor spoke.

"So Bethany, I think I'm going to start asking Keegan some questions, and if you feel like chiming in at any point don't be afraid to jump in." The doctor swallowed lightly before readjusting himself in his seat.

"Tell me how you feel about Bethany." Keegan snapped his head over to the doctor.

They had multiple sessions after the doctor found out about Sabrina. Every meeting since had revolved around her. The doctor asked questions about her personal life, what had Keegan so smitten over her and how he'd go about getting her back. The spoke about Quincy and what his motives might've been as well. It felt as if the doctor understood that Keegan felt nothing more for Bethany than a burdening sense of obligation. But then he asked this question. After weeks of not bringing up her name, he'd asked him to explain his emotions toward her.

"I... I uh," Keegan fumbled uncontrollably while trying to find the right words. "I think she's a great woman. She's very loving and—"

"Keegan," The doctor called. "How do you feel about Bethany." Keegan took a moment to assess what the doctor was asking.

"I feel a little betrayed by her." Bethany turned her head to look at Keegan, the first reaction he'd seen from her all month. It wasn't verbal, but it was expressive. He briefly looked into her dull green eyes and the pale white of her skin. Keegan took his hint to continue. "I care about her and I know she has a lot to offer this world. We may not be the way we once were, but I love her as a person. It hurts to know that she'd end her life over me even after I think so highly of her."

"What is it that you think she has to offer?"

"She's a great teacher." Keegan knew she always loved working with kids. She was patient yet still could get things done. Linda informed him that she'd resigned from the small private school she'd been eager to call him about. "She's hardworking and kindhearted."

"I'm sorry." Bethany whispered the word so faintly, Keegan almost hadn't heard her. He didn't want to make a big deal out of the fact that she was finally speaking so he just replied.

"I'm sorry too."

*

Sabrina managed to call every tow company in Maryland, although there was one that didn't answer. She figured, with her luck that was the one place that probably had her car. She didn't even have a way of getting there to knock on the door and see someone in person. She didn't have boxes to start packing up her things up either.

She was feeling undoubtedly hopeless which was unusual for her. Typically, if she didn't have faith in herself she usually left it up to her beliefs. But she didn't even feel as if she deserved God's help; she hadn't spoken to him in months. She was never a super-Christian like her sister Brittany but she'd done enough to express her devotion. Although she'd done almost nothing but dote on herself.

"That's probably why all of this is happening in the first place." She said quietly to while she cut of sausage for her spaghetti. She needed to get to church tomorrow—somehow.

Her cell phone rang from across the room, and she sprinted for it with hopes that it'd be the tow company calling her back with news about her car. But she was disappointed to find that it was Quincy. She considered ignoring him, but then she remembered how kind he'd been the day before.

He was genuinely into her and she would appreciate his interest because it was a compliment after how horribly she treated him. She hadn't done anything to deserve half the attention and sympathy he was showing her.

"Hey," She answered coolly. She sauntered back over to the kitchen so that she could finish preparing her dinner. She freed her hands by capturing the phone between her neck and shoulder. Venice slid up against her ankles and sat quietly beside her foot.

A soft chortle filled the receiver. "It feels so nice to finally hear your voice; I didn't think you'd answer." Sabrina basked in the velvet sound of his voice.

"Yeah—I'm sorry about how I've been treating you. To be honest," Sabrina stopped cutting so that she could focus on her words. She turned her body so that she could rest her weight on the counter. Her eyes were preoccupied with the small pieces of meat on her nail, and then she caught sight of her tattoo. "when we went out for dinner that night, I'd just gotten out of a relationship a few weeks before. I'm not saying that that's a reason for me to be so unkind to you, but I've really been going through a lot. And yesterday—" She sighed deeply, remembering the freakish bad luck she had. "I had a hell of a day." She laughed lightly to subdue the true seriousness that only she knew about.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Quincy tried to sound sincere. "I could tell something was going on with you, but I figured you just needed some time. But what happened yesterday? I'm curious." Quincy just wanted to hear her views of the hassle he set up for her.

"Well, I got evicted." Sabrina snickered lightly before exhaling noisily. Quincy was surprised that he was taken by surprise. He had a reply prepared for when she said her car was towed but he wasn't expecting something so drastic.

"What? Why?"

"Because my car got towed and I had to walk home with my dog in the rain." Quincy felt like shit. He wanted to have an opportunity to be involved in her life but he didn't want to ruin it.

"Do you have somewhere to go?" The pureness of his concern scared Sabrina.

"I think I have some idea, yes." That was a blatant lie. She had no idea where she was going; she had no idea what to do. But she wouldn't take any handouts from a man with a 100,000 dollar car; there was no way that could work well for her.

"Sabrina, you don't sound too sure."

"I am sure."

"Tomorrow I'm going to pick you up and we can do whatever you need to do. I'll take you to get your car and everything." He said it all in one small breath, overwhelming her with his selflessness. She had to admit that his proposition would be helpful. She'd get to see if that tow company had her car, pick up some boxes to start packing her things and maybe drop by church for some well needed motivation.

"You really don't need to do—" She began her decline but he stopped her short.

"Where do you need to go first and what time should I be there to pick you up?" Sabrina let a tiny grin push at the corners of her lips.

"I would like to go to church, at around 8—if that isn't too early for you." A seconds worth of silence passed.

"Okay," He snorted innocently. "I actually have a meeting with a client around 7:30. But I can pick you up at 8:30." Sabrina bit the corner of his cheek. She wanted to get into the service early so that she could avoid people spotting Quincy dropping her off. After bringing Keegan to church only 4 months earlier, they'd be sure to pull up rumors after they see her jumping out of Quincy's Audi.

She came to the conclusion that she didn't care. They didn't know her circumstances so their opinions didn't matter. A nose congregation was inevitable. She was an adult and she wouldn't sneak around as if she wasn't.

"That'll be fine—thank you Quincy." She said the last bit as candidly as she could to get across just how much she valued him.

*

After spending the entire day inside and in front of the TV, Sabrina was getting ready for bed. Her shower was relaxing and soothing music played in the background.

She lay on her bed with only a towel wrapped around her. The ceiling fan's hypnotic spinning captured her attention. The tiny wind it created brushed her wet arms and she could feel goose bumps rising on her skin. Her lids slid shut and she focused on her inhalation. The hushed R&B melody steadied her pulse and she felt at ease.

A supple pair of lips could be felt on her shoulder. It was strange enough to steal her breath but the feeling itself was wonderful. The flesh branded her skin in a familiar way and she suddenly knew where she'd felt it before. Another kiss was placed deep into the crease of her neck. Sabrina was tempted to open her eyes and confirm with her conscious that she was alone in her apartment, but fear of the sensation never returning kept her eyes sealed shut. The classic fluttering of her stomach was addictive.