"Kind of."
"Kind of?"
"I am no longer employed by Rosemont Center for Education," she says, waving her spoon in the air as she pronounces the name of the school in time with each wave.
"You're not? You quit? But, you loved that job."
"I did," she says, licking the back of her spoon and still refusing to look at me.
"Kayla?"
"Turns out I'm not Rosemont material."
"What are you talking about?" Frustration is in my voice, and I probably should have kept that in check. Especially when she turns to look at me and I see anger warring with sadness in her dark eyes.
"They don't want a woman teaching their children who sleeps with her stepbrother."
"I'm not your damn brother! Or fuck, even stepbrother."
"But, you are."
"No. I'm not. You were never legally my sister."
"No, but your mom did go to court. Some papers were signed, even if they weren’t full adoption papers. Everyone treated me like your sister.”
“I’ve never treated you like my sister!”
“No. Not you. Though to be fair, until recently, you didn't even realize I had boobs, so it’s kind of the same thing."
"The fuck it is!"
"Whatever, I don't want to talk about this anymore. I find I’m all talked out."
"Well, too fucking bad! If you think I'm going to let them get away with this shit, you're crazy. We'll fight it. Hell, we'll sue them!"
"I signed a morality clause," she says with a sigh, sitting up and putting the container of ice cream on the coffee table.
"Big fucking deal. You haven't done anything wrong."
"Just let it go, White. I've already got another job."
"You do?"
"Yeah, I accepted it today."
"That's great then, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then what's wrong?"
"I just never thought about all the fallout of you and I doing this. I just don't think it's worth it. I think it would be better if we just walked away and—"
"Do not even finish that sentence, Kayla."
"Why not? I'm just stating the truth. What's the point of all this, White? I mean, seriously. We haven't even had sex and it's already a catastrophe."
"This is just crazy. It will blow over and won’t even matter. Those fucking prudes at Rosemont will regret their decision, honey. You're a fantastic teacher. How many women do you know can find a job in less than a day? You’ve got this."
"It’s not a big deal, White. Listen, I appreciate you coming over and worrying about me and everything, but I'm tired. I'm gonna go to bed."
"It is a big thing, Kayla, but fine, we'll go to bed,” I tell her, standing up.
"I meant alone. You in your bed, and me in mine."
"That's not going to happen."
"I think it is."
"You should think again."
"Are you seriously going to fight with me on this, after the chaos of the last forty-eight hours?"
"I'm seriously going to fight you, if you think that I'm giving up what we've started."
"What we've started?"
"Exactly."
Kayla holds her head down and I'm kind of expecting her to cave at this point. That's why when she looks up at me, I'm surprised to see anger. She stands up, her body vibrating with it.
"Maybe now would be a good time to remind you that you agreed to sleep with me to help me have a baby—no other reason."
"I'm aware. I also know—"
"Then, it's also a good time to tell you that I no longer want a child."
"Why the hell not?"
"A number of reasons! But the most important being, I don't have a job!"
"Of course you do! You told me you got one—"
"With your brother!"
"What??" I yell, and this time my voice is louder than hers.
"I took a job from Green to teach his little boy, Allen."
"Why the fuck would you do that?"
"Because I needed a job!"
"No. I forbid it!"
"You… forbid it?"
"That's what I said. You are not going on the road with Green. And while we're on the subject, you are not to be around Blue, either."
"Have you lost your mind?"
"If I have, it's your fault."
"I doubt that!"
"I'm serious. You turn the tables on me until I can't remember what life was like without the taste of you on my lips. Then you leave town and don't even bother to return my damn texts or call me when you get back. You’re making me a raving lunatic!"
"You were the one who left me alone after our date on the Riverwalk, stud. Did you forget?"
"I was mad! You told that bitch I was your brother!"