Decision Time by Earl Sewell Page A

blame him for feeling that way. I had no place to go. I was low on cash and I longed for a hot shower. I placed my face in my hands and cried some more. I heard my phone vibrating. I opened up my purse, removed the phone and glanced at the caller ID. It was Maya.
    â€œHello,” I answered tearfully.
    â€œOh, wow. You don’t sound too good.” Maya picked up on the sorrow in my voice right away. “What’s going on, Keysha?”
    â€œI’ve seen better days,” I muttered, confirming her suspicions.
    â€œWell, what happened? Did you make it there safely? Did you see Wesley? Is he okay? Is he paralyzed? Come on, Keysha, talk to me.” Maya was eager to learn every detail.
    â€œMaya, I’ve screwed up so badly,” I said, sniffling.
    â€œKeysha, what happened? You’re scaring me,” Maya admitted.
    I took a few deep breaths and said, “My dad caught me at the bus station and gave me an ultimatum. He told me that if I came to see Wesley, I shouldn’t bother coming back home.”
    â€œDamn. So you’re still at home?” I could hear the disappointment in her voice.
    â€œNo,” I answered. “I’m not at home.”
    â€œYou mean you actually stood up against your dadand went anyway?” Maya’s voice rose to an earsplitting pitch.
    â€œYes,” I admitted, realizing that I’d made a very foolish decision.
    â€œIt sounds as if you’ve found your true love. True passion makes you do extreme stuff like standing up to your parents. I read about this sort of stuff all of the time in my mother’s old romance novels. You remind me so much of the characters in those books. Standing up to your father for the sake of your one true love.” Maya was going off on some rose-colored fantasy.
    â€œWell, it’s too bad that my Prince Charming has eyes for another girl,” I said, obliterating Maya’s romantic pipe dream.
    â€œAnother girl?”
    â€œYes. Another girl. I think Wesley’s the type of guy who likes to go around rescuing girls as if he’s on some type of crusade to save every brokenhearted chickenhead he can find,” I said earnestly.
    â€œWhat kind of sense does that make? That doesn’t even sound right, Keysha.”
    â€œMaya, there was another girl in the room spoon-feeding him. It was the girl he’d taken the bullet for.”
    â€œWell, did you beat her down?” Maya asked.
    â€œI almost did, but I didn’t have the strength because I was so hurt by his betrayal. I risked everything to be with him—I thought he loved me the same way that I loved him.” I began crying once again. I couldn’t help it. I was an emotional wreck.
    â€œDon’t cry, Keysha.” Maya paused and listened as Isobbed. “You’re making me cry,” she said, sniffling along with me. “What are you going to do now, Keysha? Do you think your dad will let you come back home?”
    â€œI don’t think so,” I answered.
    â€œI could talk to my mom and see if she’ll let you crash here at my place for a few days until you can figure something out.”
    â€œThanks, Maya,” I said, wondering what it would be like staying at her place for a little while.
    â€œWhat a jerk!” Maya said, now furious with Wesley. “How could he do that to you!”
    â€œI don’t know. All I know is that right now I want to leave this hospital, but I can’t because I don’t know where to go. I’m homeless, Maya. I am literally homeless.”
    â€œNo, you’re not. If my mom won’t allow you to stay then I’ll sneak you into my house.” Maya wanted to make sure that I understood how far she’d go to support me during this difficult time.
    â€œThank you,” I said as I exhaled while simultaneously smearing away my streaming tears. “Let me call you back. I need to find a bathroom so I can get myself