Running Deeper Than a Race Read online

  “I’m not,” she lied.

  “Don’t cry. That’s why I wanted to leave without seeing you.”

  “You tried that last night. Why would you want to do that? That would be so rude,” she tried to laugh.

  “Because of this. Don’t die on me.”

  “I’m not going to die. I really wish that I could leave with you though because I’m going to be so sad. You should take one last run with me before you head out.”

  “I can’t do that. We would cry the whole run and then there wouldn’t’ be a run,” she laughed.

  “I agree. Let me brush my teeth and I’ll walk out with you.”

  “Brinley, I really don’t want you to. Please, don’t make this harder than it already is.”

  “Damn, you’re going to really do me like this?”

  “You act like we’re dating and we’re breaking up,” Quinn laughed.

  “Whatever. You’re always trying to get out the easy way.”

  “No, I’m trying to save both of our faces and emotions.”

  Brinley let out a deep breath before she reached in to hug her.

  “I can’t tell you what to do but I’m going to miss you.”

  “It’s going to be a life changing decision. It’s going to benefit the both of us.”

  “I don’t think so but okay.”

  Quinn pulled away from the hug first but Brinley tightened her grip.

  “Boo, you’re going to be just fine.”

  “I know.”

  Quinn was finally able to pull away and locked eyes with her. “We always said when one of us makes it big we’re going to take care of each other. Let me go and do this. I’ll be back to get you.”

  “I’ll make it my business to have everything packed up and ready to go.”

  Quinn started laughing. “I know you will.”

  “Why does this feel like a goodbye and not a see you later?”

  “Because you’re always extra.”

  “Get out,” Brinley laughed.

  “I—

  “Don’t say anything else. You have said enough. Make sure to text me when you get to the airport—

  “Yes, when I land and when I get settled into my location. I got it. You know this isn’t new to me. I know the routine.”

  Brinley dropped her head. There was something in her heart that let her know that she wasn’t going to see her again. She couldn’t shake the feeling.

  “I love you,” Brinley whispered as she tried to speak up.

  “I love you too. I’ll call you a little later.”

  The door clicked when it closed as Brinley stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. She wiped her eyes and tried to focus but the tears kept falling. She managed to brush her teeth, wash her face, blow her nose several times and put her shoes on to get ready for her run.

  “Good morning.”

  Brinley tried to block him out but he repeated himself. “Good morning.”

  She adjusted her headphones so that she could hear him good.

  “Excuse me?” she asked confused.

  “Good morning. I see that you’re alone this morning.”

  Brinley looked down at his dog before waving and taking off again.

  “These people are weird.” She adjusted her mace before picking up her pace. A car rolled by her as she moved over on the side so they wouldn’t mistakenly hit her for being in the way.

  “Time 9 minutes and 40 seconds. 1 mile and half way. Average time 9 minutes and 40 seconds,” the voice on the run app called out.

  Another car pulled up behind her but this time this one slowed down and stopped right beside her.

  “Do you need any help? Looks like you’re struggling to walk.”

  Brinley kept walking and the car inched up beside her.

  “Ma’am, I don’t mean to sound stalkerish but do you need any help?”

  She rolled her eyes and stopped. “Sir, I don’t know you and I don’t want to know you. Can you please move along before I have to use my weapons?”

  “What weapons?”

  Brinley started back walking as her heart rate increased and her nervousness set in.

  “Breath in, breath out,” the voice on her watch encouraged.

  The car sped up before catching Brinley.

  Brinley took off running. You better run for your life. And don’t look back.

  Somehow she was off track and a mile away from her house in the wrong direction. She wasn’t quite sure how she got so far away and outside of her normal route but she needed to get back before another car pulled up behind her.

  Brinley closed her eyes and envisioned herself sitting on the pouch on a summer’s evening with a glass of cold cherry Kool-Aid. She smiled as she remembered what warmth felt like, the cold was playing with her joints and she knew she needed to make it home before she started limping.

  “Hello!”

  “Hey,” she answered as she caught her breath during her cooldown.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m cooling off from my run. What are you doing?”

  “Getting ready for work.”

  “Oh, I didn’t think that you were going to call me until later.”

  “Yeah, I thought the same thing until I woke up thinking about you.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Yes. Yes, it is. You need to stop tripping and let me wife you up.”

  “Maverick, don’t start tripping. I’m not trying to start my week off talking about being in a relationship.”

  “You say that every time.”

  “You aren’t ready.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because I do. I’m not ready.”

  “That’s different. Don’t put your insecurities and uncertainties off on me.”

  “I’m not. I don’t think that you’re ready to deal with me 24/7, 365 days.”

  “Why? Answer the why and I’ll let you know if I’m ready.”

  “Let me unlock my door and I’ll tell you.”

  “Make sure you’re paying attention to your surroundings. People are crazy.”

  “You can say that again.”

  “What happened? Don’t make me come down there and show my ass because I don’t mind.”

  Brinley started laughing.

  “I’m serious. All jokes aside. I’m not playing.”

  “Okay.”

  “What? Your whole mood and voice changed. I really don’t mind. Send me the address and I’m on the way.”

  “Maverick.”

  “What? Don’t start calling my name unless you’re trying to send me the information that I need. See, now I’m going to ask every day if you’re running. I know those damn racist people are out there bothering you. I can’t stand that shit.”

  “I can’t either.”

  “So, they are bothering you? What happened? For real, don’t lie.”

  “Bad vibes. Nothing too crazy today.”

  “What do you mean today?”

  “My run was different. People don’t know how to let others be.”

  “Brinley?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Please don’t call me sir.”

  Brinley met Maverick at the local natural store when she was shopping for elderberry syrup. He was shopping for his vitamins when they walked right into each other.

  “Excuse me,” she answered as she gathered herself and made sure she didn’t knock over the shelfing that she bumped into.

  “I’m sorry. I was too busy looking for my vitamins that I didn’t realize that I stepped back. I’ll buy that for you.”

  Brinley was confused.

  “I’ll get that for you since I almost knocked it out of your hand.”

  “No, I got it.” She smiled as she turned the corner and walked down another aisle.

  Maverick wasn’t one that took no for an answer and today wasn’t any exceptions.

  Brinley picked up a bottle of castor oil before walking to the cash register. Maverick was right beh
ind her.

  “Did you find everything okay today?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I hate to interfere but can you ring this up together but put them in separate bags?”

  “Are you two together?”

  Brinley smiled and stepped back. “You’re persistent.”

  “Sometimes,” he answered without looking in her direction.

  “Your total today is 106.54.”

  Brinley blinked a few times before stepping forward.

  “I can pay for mine.”

  Maverick pulled out his credit card before swiping it.

  “You two seem like, what’s the word?”

  “Strangers?” Brinley cut in.

  “No, I wouldn’t say strangers. There is something there, I just can’t put my finger on it.”

  Maverick smiled as she handed him his receipt.

  “Both of your bags,” she smiled handing the bags off.

  “Thank you. Have a great day. We’ll be back.”

  “See you. I’ll be back. I don’t know if he’ll be with me but I’ll be back.”

  The cashier smiled and waved.

  “Here is my card. Call me sometimes.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Yes. Call me sometimes,” she repeated.

  “That took an unexpected turn. I wasn’t expecting this.”

  “Well, the ball is in your court now. It’s up to you if we talk again.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Yes, because I have no way of contacting you. Thanks for getting my stuff in there.”

  “It was the least that I can do.”

  “Brinley!”

  “I hope you aren’t going around town paying for everybody else’s stuff.”

  “I am not. You were that one rule that I broke.”

  Maverick called her name again, “Brinley!”

  “Huh?” she answered.

  “That’s my second time calling you. What’s going on?”

  “Oh,” she smiled. “I was thinking back to that day in the store when you paid for my stuff and I gave you my number. Do you remember that day?”

  “I do but why?”

  “Because I just realized that I was the one that initiated to continue the conversation after you paid for my stuff. And now I’m saying that I’m not ready.”

  “Exactly an excuse. If you don’t think that I’m attractive, just let me know. I mean, I’m sure I can find another ugly soul that will put up with me.”

  “Shut up,” she laughed.

  “What? I’m serious,” he joined in on the laughter.

  “I’m glad you called me. I needed to hear your voice.”

  “Aww, don’t make me blush.”

  “Hush, I’m serious. I can’t tell you why exactly but I needed this. I was having a hard time this morning but I needed this.”

  “Any time. You know you can call me anytime and I’ll answer.”

  “Yeah right?”

  “What? We’ve been talking how long? Six months? You should know by now that I’m interested in you. Stop trying to play hard to get and give in and let me love you.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “You do that. I need to get ready for work and head out the door.”

  “Don’t be late.”

  “Too late,” he laughed.

  Chapter Five

  The temperature in her house dropped as she kicked off her shoes at the door and started undressing. She walked over to the thermostat as she turned the heat on. She wasn’t quite sure when it fully became winter but she wasn’t excited about it.

  “It skipped over fall and went start to winter and I need to talk to someone about it.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “It’s cold as hell right now. And I’m not happy about it.”

  “You’re always surprised when it gets cold like this doesn’t happen every year.”

  “And every year it gets colder and colder. I’m ready to move somewhere where it’s comfortable all year long.”

  “Well, North Carolina isn’t the place for that.”

  “No shit,” she laughed.

  “I guess asking how your day was is out of the question? You didn’t even say hello or anything.”

  “You know how I do.”

  “And why are you calling me? We haven’t talked in about a year.”

  “Damn. It’s like that?”

  “Yes, the hell it is. I’m salty about you not calling me. You know I’m in love with your crazy ass,” he joked.

  “Stop playing all the time. That’s why we aren’t together now. You play too much.”

  “Yeah, I know.”

  “Gavin, why did you answer if you didn’t want to talk to me?”

  “I never said that I didn’t want to talk to you. I asked why you never said hey and why you haven’t been calling me? I miss you every day. I know we can’t be together right now, per our last conversation.”

  Brinley started laughing.

  “What?”

  “You actually pay attention and listen when I don’t need you to.”

  “Man, whatever. I know you told me to get better at that so that’s what I was trying to do. Why has it been a year?”

  “Because the phone line goes both ways. I actually thought you got your number changed.”

  “And if I did. You know good in hell well that I would text or call you with the new number,” he laughed.

  “You might be right.”

  “You’ll always hold a special place in my heart.”

  “Why didn’t you want to do right?”

  “Because I wasn’t ready. I was stuck hanging with the whores of the town. You know how that goes?”

  “No, I really don’t. I’ve never been in that situation.”

  “You’re right,” he laughed.

  Brinley stepped out of her slacks and slipped on her robe.

  “I see you still walk around getting undressed before you sit down and look over your mail and stuff.”

  “How did you know that I was doing that?”

  “Because I heard you open the bottle of water just now. You don’t remember me timing you when you used to get home and call me?”

  Brinley started laughing so hard she started choking on her water.

  “Breathe, Brinley. You can’t die on the phone with me,” he laughed.

  “Gavin, you still ain’t shit.”

  “And you know this man.”

  “Are you at work?”

  “No, I’m on third shift this week.”

  “What?”

  “Yes, a lot has changed in a year boo. You know what they say?”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “Hell, I don’t either but yes a lot has changed.”

  “Where are you working?”

  “I can’t disclose all of that,” he laughed.

  “Yes, a lot has changed because you used to tell me everything but when you would cheat.”

  “Hey, now. Don’t bring that up. I’m a better man.”

  “It took me leaving to do that?”

  “No, it took this damn shift change to do that. I couldn’t cheat and work. It wasn’t working.”

  “Haha. That’s what your ass gets.”

  “I know right. Things changed for me. I like what I do but I’ll be glad when I get through this training so I can get back to working my regular morning hours.”

  “You don’t like it?”

  “I don’t because I’m used to sleeping during the night and not working.”

  “I do recall you being out all times of night without sleep before. What’s different?”

  “Those nights were for pleasure.”

  “These should be for pleasure too. You are getting paid for your services. You weren’t getting paid before.”

  “You’re right but I still don’t like it.”

  “Maverick.”

  “Excuse me? Who? Who is Maverick?”

  Brinley didn’t catch herself.
It was too late.

  “Brinley, who is Maverick?”

  “My friend.”

  “Is that right? Does he know that you’re calling me?”

  “No. Why?”

  “I was only asking.”

  “You act like I told you that I loved you or something. I’m not trying to get back with you yet.”

  “Yet? What does that mean?”

  “That the option could be on the table one day.”

  Gavin let out a laugh. “I’m so glad that you called me with this comedy today. I was feeling down about going in tonight.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why didn’t you reach out to me?”

  “Because I wanted to grant your wishes. You don’t remember telling me to go to hell and to never contact you again?”

  “I do. But that never stopped you before.”

  “Times have changed. I wanted to let you heal in peace. I know how it feels to not be at peace.”

  “Gavin, marry me?”

  “If you don’t be quiet. I know something.”

  Brinley let out a laugh.

  “I knew your ass was lying. You don’t even know what I look like. I could be unkept and everything.”

  “That’s not in your nature to do that. Especially for someone that used to take at least three showers a day.”

  “I don’t have time to do that now. Plus, I only did that to get the other woman’s smell off of me.”

  “And you weren’t shit for it. I still knew that you were stepping out.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “For what? You weren’t going to change until you were ready.”

  “You’re right. I still wanted you to fight for me.”

  “I tried. You don’t remember that night you went to that hole in the wall club and I pulled up. I almost knocked that heffa’s head off of her shoulders but you wouldn’t let me get to her.”

  “Oh yeah.”

  “That was my first and last time. I knew then, that you would always protect them over me. So what was the point?”

  “But you stayed together two more years after that?”

  “I stayed physically but I was out emotionally right after that incident.”

  “How did you know that I was there?”

  “I overheard one of your conversations with the boys. You don’t remember talking all of your shit loudly around the apartment. You never paid me any mind.”

  “I did. I didn’t mention meeting a female there though?”

  “You didn’t have to. I’m not stupid. I know what that club was for.”