Free Youngin' Blues: The Story of Reed and RaKeem by Mercy B Page B

be.
    “That’s all I needed to hear.” Dade sat back, taking another swig from his bottle.

6
     
     
    “Please!” KinZu begged.
    “No. I don’t feel like it, Kin.”
    “You ain’t doing nothing. Besides, I have something that I want to tell you.”
    “Like what?” Reed perked up. She was trying to fall asleep, but KinZu was insisting that she trailed to the laundry room with her.
    RaKeem made sure that Rosa did all of Reed’s laundry, so she was never in the laundry room. KinZu wasn’t as fortunate, so she had to do what she needed to. It was no big deal. KinZu enjoyed her quiet time while washing her clothes. She never really had much, so her runs were pretty quick.
    “Like, you’ll find out once we get downstairs.”
    “I swear you’re worrisome.” Reed huffed, flipping the covers from over her body. She slid her feet into her Chanel tennis shoes and threw a hoodie over her head. She was wearing a pair of sweats under the cover, so she didn’t bother changing them. “Come on!”
    “Don’t be having no attitude with me cause you’re bleeding.” KinZu laughed.
    “I’m not even bleeding anymore.” Reed had come off two days prior. “Speaking of which, we come on at the same time. I haven’t heard you mention a pad.”
    “Cause I’m stressed. Jonathan, that boy is going to drive me into an early grave.”
    “Only if you let him.” Reed grabbed one of KinZu’s laundry bags and threw it over her shoulder. She pulled the door open and lead the way downstairs.
    “I know. I know.” KinZu sighed. “I think things are getting much better.”
    “Since when, last week? Cause that’s when you were in bed crying your eyes out.” Reed’s eyes drew into slits. She couldn’t believe how naïve KinZu sounded.
    “Well, actually, yeah.” KinZu nodded. “Since last week.”
    “I should just hit your ass with this bag of clothes.” Reed laughed.
     
    “Here, start these.” KinZu handed Reed a handful of quarters.
    “I didn’t come to work, Kin.” Reed huffed. “I came to watch and listen.”
    “I know, but to your dismay you’re going to help move this along faster. If we both start a load at the same time, we will be able to dry them at the same time. This cuts our time in half.” KinZu reasoned.
    “It’s cutting your time in half because after you tell me whatever it is you need to, I’m gone.” Reed joked, but she was serious.
    “You’d leave me for real?”
    “Hell yeah.” Reed shook her head.
    Standing up, she made her way to an empty washing machine. Being that it was late night, the laundry mat was pretty empty. Besides one other student and the worker, Reed and KinZu were the only ones inside.
    Reed dumped the entire bag of white clothes into the huge machine. She poured a tad bit of bleach inside before placing the quarters into their slots. The machine started and Reed adjusted the controls. Soon after, she was all set. Sitting down in the chair nearest the dryers, Reed waited for KinZu to finish up.
    It wasn’t long before KinZu was joining her. “Now, what’s the secret?”
    “Dang. Can I please catch a breath before I start talking?” KinZu laughed, nervously.
    “Not really.” Reed answered.
    “I went to the doctor.” KinZu cleared her throat.
    “When?” Reed asked.
    “Just two days ago. You were out with Keem.” She reminded Reed. “It was on Monday.”
    “Oh yeah, we’ve been working with a client all week in New York.”
    “Yeah. That’s where you said you guys were headed.” KinZu remembered.
    “You went to the doctor and…”
     
    As KinZu begin to, the door bell chimed –alerting everyone that someone had just entered the laundry mat. Reed looked up, out of curiosity. She had to do a double take when she saw what looked like a familiar article of clothing.
    Upon further examination, she saw that the girl who’d just entered the laundry mat was wearing a shirt just like the one Keem had worn the day prior. Reed couldn’t forget it, because