Free Myself and I by Earl Sewell Page A

now on this line because I’m on it.” Anna seemed to take personal satisfaction in preventing me from talking to Maya.
    â€œWell, would you please let her know that I called?” I asked.
    â€œYeah, I’ll try to remember,” she said, and abruptly hung up on me. I removed the phone from my ear and looked at it.
    â€œWhy you little—” I caught myself before she made the ugly side of my personality come out. I decided to send Maya a text message in the hopes that she’d get it and contact me. I realized that she was refusing to take my calls because I’d hurt her feelings, which was something I did not mean to do.
    I went downstairs to the family room. I grabbed the television remote, sat down and turned on the TV. I flipped through the channels and stopped at VH1 to catch the end of a reality show called Fantasia for Real. Just as the show was getting really good, I heard someone coming into the house. I sprang to my feet and walked toward the door to see who it was. Barbara was entering the house with a box of files from her office, and I went over to help her.
    â€œLet me get that box for you,” I said, reaching out to take it.
    â€œOh, thank you, Keysha,” she said as she shut the door and locked it behind her.
    â€œJust set it on the kitchen table. I’m going to go through all of that stuff in a minute, once I put on dinner.”
    â€œWhat are we having?” I asked.
    â€œIs there any more salmon in the freezer?” she said as she squatted down and pulled off her shoes. “If there is, take out a few pieces.”
    â€œI’m not sure, but I’ll go check,” I answered as I took the box and placed it where she’d asked. After checking the freezer, I brought up several frozen planks of fish and placed them in a tub of cold water for thawing.
    â€œHow was your day?” I asked Barbara as I followed her into her bedroom.
    â€œExhausting. There is a large budget shortfall due to mismanagement of funds by the president of finance, and the mayor is not happy about it. There is talk of bringing criminal charges against the person responsible. I am on an investigative committee that has to take a look at everythingthe president of finance has done. Part of what I have to look at is what’s in the box,” Barbara exhaled. “When the media and voters find out about this, it’s not going to be pretty.”
    â€œIt sounds messy,” I admitted.
    â€œ Messy is an understatement. Enough about that drama. How was your day?” she asked.
    â€œIt was cool. Maya came over for a little while, but then she got mad at me and left,” I said, wanting Barbara to take an interest in my day and ask why.
    â€œWhat did she get mad for?”
    â€œBecause she wants me to take a lifeguard-certification class with her and—”
    â€œI think that’s a wonderful idea. You’d be able to get a great summer job with that type of certification. I know for a fact that the water parks are always searching for lifeguards.”
    â€œI’m glad you feel that way, because I wanted to find out if you were cool with it.”
    â€œAbsolutely,” Barbara said as she began removing her jewelry.
    â€œI’ll step out while you change,” I said, turning to walk out.
    â€œBefore you leave, do me a favor and unzip me out of this dress.” I walked over and unzipped her dress, noticing for the first time a tattoo on her back.
    â€œOh, my God! You have a tattoo in the center of your back. I never thought you were the type of person to have a tat. I want to get one,” I said, admiring the design.
    â€œTattoos are a big decision, Keysha,” Barbara said as she went into her walk-in closet and finished undressing. I decided to sit on the side of the bed and wait for her.
    â€œWhen did you get it, and what does the symbol mean?” I asked.
    â€œI got it when I was twenty-one years old. It’s a