A Lesson Learned

Chapter 11 - Indecent Exposure

Navarre walked up to the car in utter disbelief at who he was seeing. He wanted to turn around and head back into his new apartment but he had already been spotted.

"Yo Navarre come holla at me," The man said from his old model Nissan Altima gesturing Navarre towards him.

Navarre felt open and his heart raced as he finally approached the vehicle. He didn't understand how the man had managed to find him, in New York, of all places. "Mekhi? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing Varre, your school ain't around this way," Mekhi said using his old nickname for Navarre.

"I'm just doing me Mekhi, I'm living out here now." Navarre responded feeling nervous around Mekhi. Mekhi seemed to look right through him and Navarre didn't like it, it make him really uncomfortable.

"I see, well you got a new phone number or something," Mekhi inquired still looking at Navarre in deep thought.

"No same number," Navarre answered without thinking.

"I guess you just forgot to return phone calls then," Mekhi assumed changing his tone and demeanor, his voice turned cold and tempered.

"Mekhi I-" Navarre tried to explain.

"Save it Navarre, you know I'm too old for these childish games you like to play." Mekhi spat interrupting him.

Navarre eyes darted at Mekhi in astonishment, Mekhi had never spoke to him like that. Navarre looked back at the carseat in the back of Mekhi's car and the toys laid all over the floor and realized why he often avoided Mekhi.

"That's funny," Navarre starting saying, "Cuz you got kids yet you're too old for child games. You know what I'm too old for Mekhi?! I'm too old to be playing house with you all the damn time, nigga I ain't tryna have no family."

Mekhi looked at Navarre like he was going to kill him. His initial reaction was to get out of his car and whoop Navarre's ass on the busy city street but he wouldn't allow his judgment to become clouded. He wouldn't let Navarre get the best of him, and although the pain and anger had yet to surface there was a lot of tension between the two men.

"Ok Navarre, I see where shit is between us now. You take care." Mekhi said and pulled off down the street.

Navarre felt relieved and guilty at that moment. Here was a fine attractive man who towered over him at 6'4, 230 pounds of mostly muscle, bright red boned skin, and an 11 inch dick who wanted him badly yet Navarre was pushing him away. But there was a lot of baggage to deal with when it came to Mekhi. He was a father of two kids and a widower, and he wanted too much from Navarre. He wanted commitment and a future with Navarre raising his children. Navarre wasn't feeling the house husband situation, he cared about Mekhi a lot but he wasn't down for all the complications and issues that would arise if he went to that level with him. It was a road that would be hard to turn back from, and Navarre liked his freedom. He was young, hot, with a future of possibilities ahead of him and Mekhi was older and ready to settle down. Thus, from the beginning their relationship was a roller coaster of ups and downs, lasting on and off again for the past two years. Mekhi was 24 when he met Navarre who at the time was still in high school. His wife had recently died after having complications during labor with their second child leaving Mekhi to raise the children on his own. He ran into Navarre at the grocery store where Navarre was a bagger working after school and Mekhi fell for him from the first time he lay eyes on him. Mekhi was intrigued by the youngster from the minute he saw him and came to his line time and time again whenever he had to grocery shop not caring how long the register's line was just so he could interact with him. Navarre began to realize that Mekhi had a thing for him and one occasion he slid his phone number in one of Mekhi's bags hoping he would find it when he unpacked his groceries. Of course Mekhi did and called him that same night, from then on their relationship blossomed.