Off Record

/Nineteen/

September 26, 1990

"Hey! Ms. S!"

I turn around to see Tyrie walking down the street toward me. I was outside the rec center waiting for my cab to pick me up.

"Hey Ty, why didn't you leave on the bus?"

"I got a job at the hotel a few blocks away, I'm a bellboy." He smiles, opening his jacket to reveal his black button down shirt.

"Oh, congratulations! What happened to the job at McDonald's?"

"I still work there. They cut my hours because of school so I had to find another job."

"Ty that's a lot of work on top of class. Are you sure you want to do this during your senior year?"

He shrugs, putting his hands in his pockets. "I don't have a choice. I have siblings and my mom is only getting sicker. She won't be able to work in a few months."

Ty's mom was diagnosed with breast cancer 6 months ago and although she had a mastectomy on the one that had the cancer, it's came back on the other.

"I know Ms. Jackson doesn't want you working so hard that you could possibly not graduate."

He looks away from me, shrugging again.

"Would you stop working if I could get your mom a grant? She's in the early stages of Chemo and I know some people that could help with your rent and groceries."

"We're not looking for handouts Ms. S—"

"It's not a handout. Cancer affects everyone in some way and there are organizations that love to help. Trust me Ty.."

Thinking about it for a moment, rubbing the back of his head, he finally nods. "Yeah, okay. Do I need my mom's signature or something?"

"No, I'll just have them give your mom a call."

"Alright, thank you Ms. S.." He hesitates at first but gives me a hug. "It's no problem at all."

•••

Instead of going home I came to my mother's house to tell her about Ty's mom. Even though I had access to my trust and could spend it however I liked, I still wanted her opinion.

"So, what do you think?" I ask, sitting across from her on the couch.

"I think it's your money and if you want to help your student out, you can. You were right to tell him it would be from someone else though. I'm going to pray his mother makes a full recovery."

"Me too." I take another sip on my tea.

"Is that all you have to tell me?" She looks at me intently, awaiting a response that she probably already knows.

"What do you mean?"

"About the man you've been seeing. When am I going to meet him?"

"Ma.." I sigh.

"You might as well. You know I liked that Signs album he put out a couple years ago."

Surprised, I put my cup down on the coaster. "Who told you?"

"Nobody. You think I'm stupid? All of a sudden he's in town giving out money and you're unavailable to go to breakfast. Then you come back from your 'work trip' asking about how I dealt with your father being famous when we first met."