Love T.K.O.

“It’s always crazy in there when the teenagers take on staff.”

“Why aren’t they playing out on the field?” he wondered out loud. It was a sunny day and he couldn’t understand why kids would want to be cooped up inside. Rain was expected tomorrow and most residents were taking advantage of the weather while it lasted. Beyond the community center doors, people were gardening, mowing their lawns and clearing the trash off their properties.

“Too many needles and drug paraphernalia.”

Shaking his head, Rashawn opened the door and allowed Niobie to precede him into the gymnasium. Sprinting full speed toward the soccer net in a blue tank top, shorts, kneepads and sneakers, was Dr. Yasmin Ohaji. She kicked the ball and spectators cheered the impending goal. The robust goalie blocked the shot and the soccer ball sailed through the air and smacked Yasmin hard in the face. The blow stunned her temporarily, but once the ball hit the ground, she was off and running again.

Propping a foot behind him against the wall, Rashawn crossed an arm across his chest. Smiling broadly, he watched Yasmin move effortlessly around the court. The therapist was unlike anyone he had ever met. Not only did she leave every man she passed breathless, she stood up for herself, demanded respect and had one hell of a front kick. Rashawn knew a lot of professional women, but he didn’t know any who played soccer with such tenacity. Yasmin was competitive, aggressive and seemed bent on scoring a goal before the time on the scoreboard ran out.

“Ready to finish the rest of the tour?”

Caught up in his thoughts, he’d forgotten that Niobie was standing beside him.

“Maybe later.” Rashawn wasn’t leaving until he saw how the match played out. Yasmin and her teammates had five minutes to tie the game and something told him she would be the one to score the goal her team needed.

Niobie chatted beside him, but Rashawn wasn’t listening. He was focused on Yasmin and when she shot down the court toward the goal, he cheered along with the crowd. She kicked the ball to a lanky man, who outran his defender, dodged the goalie and scored in the open net. The buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the game and, once the teams had shaken hands, the audience filed out of the gym.

Niobie touched a hand to his forearm. “We should go. I’m sure Miles and the others are back now.”

“You go on. I’m going to hang back.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” he said, momentarily pulling his attention away from the court. Appreciative of the time she had spent showing him around and introducing him to the staff, he said, “Thanks for the tour. See you later?”

“Ah, okay, bye.”

Rashawn caught Yasmin’s eye. Her sweat-drenched T-shirt clung to her body, outlining each and every luscious curve. She would look good in a brown paper bag, he speculated, admiring her thick, childbearing hips. Clapping his hands, he gave her a hearty smile. “You got one hell of a kick, Doc. Who knew a therapist could play soccer like a pro? You’re going to have to teach me some of your fancy footwork.”

Smiling, she smoothed the base of her ponytail. “Don’t let the business suits fool you. I played volleyball, soccer and basketball throughout high school.”

“I thought you said you didn’t like sports?”

“No, I said I didn’t watch sports. I’d much rather play than watch, especially football. It’s a great feeling chasing someone down and tackling them.”

“Damn, Doc! I’m scared of you.” His eyes were wide with admiration, conveying just how impressed he was. “And for the record, you can tackle me anytime.”

He licked his lips and Yasmin felt her legs go weak. Not only was Rashawn handsome, he had a likeable nature and a winning smile. If she could stop drooling over him long enough to speak, she could ask him to emcee the fund-raiser. This was the perfect time. He was in a good mood and it was unlikely he would turn her down, especially once she showed him all the repairs that needed to be done. “Are you going to be here for a while? Once I get changed I’d love to give you a tour.”

Rashawn thought of telling her that Niobie had beat her to it, but decided against it. Quality time spent with Yasmin would help her see him in another light. Based on his initial observations, he sensed she was an optimistic, fun-loving woman who knew how to take care of herself. He liked that. Soft on the inside but tough on the outside. He loved the rise and fall of her voice, the femininity of her laugh and the quickness of her smile. They would get along great. All he had to do was show her he posed no harm. If she could see that he was a good guy, with no ulterior motives, she would say yes when he asked her out.

“I’d like that. But don’t change,” he said, his gaze sliding down the slant of her hips. “I like your shorts.”

A tiny, frizzy-haired black woman in a crumpled apron interrupted their conversation. “There you are, Yasmin. I’ve been looking all over for you!”

“What is it, Ms. McClure?” A gentle and caring woman, Melba McClure planned and prepared all of the meals at the community center and donated more time than any other volunteer. A retired postal worker, she was the grandmother of six, dated regularly and was a stern but loving presence. “I thought you’d be in the kitchen getting things ready for dinner.”

“I was until Mr. Santos came down with a fever. I begged him to stay until the end of the six o’clock session but he could hardly stand. His wife came to pick him up a few minutes ago.”

Yasmin’s face crumpled. “B-b-but he’s facilitating the M.O.I. session tonight! Who’s going to lead the group now that he’s gone?”

“I’ve called and left messages for Walter, Tarik and Emilio, but I haven’t heard back from any of them.”

Yasmin knew Melba was trying to help, but she secretly hoped her calls weren’t returned. Walter was a pleasant middle-aged man who spoke in a dull monotone and was known to put the kids to sleep, Tarik was a recovering drug addict, fresh out of rehab, and Emilio flirted relentlessly with the female staff. No, she would just have to chair the meeting herself. “Thanks for giving me the heads-up, Melba. Let the boys in the Men of Initiative program know that—”

“Men of Initiative? What’s that?” Rashawn asked.

“It’s a new program designed to get teenage boys off the street,” she explained. “The purpose is to help kids between the ages of thirteen and eighteen develop a positive sense of self and to set high education goals. Tonight’s was supposed to be an open forum, basically a question-and-answer period where the boys could speak freely about the struggles they’re having at school, at home and on the streets.”

“I don’t mind helping out,” he said, directing his comment to Yasmin.

Melba eyed him warily. “Normally we do an extensive background check before we let anyone around the kids, but since we’re understaffed and Yasmin will be supervising, I guess it would be okay. What’s your name, son?”

“Rashawn.”

“You’re not a drug dealer are you?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Don’t smoke pot, do you?”

“No.”

“Do you abuse or exploit women?”

“No. Never.”

Melba stared into his eyes to judge his sincerity. Confident he was telling the truth, she said, “Don’t mind me, Rashawn. I’m just mighty careful about who I let around these boys. As you can see we’re short-staffed and we could really use your help.” Clapping her hands together, her eyes expanded to the size of cue balls. “This is going to be swell! I can feel it in my bones. Why don’t you follow me to the kitchen? We’ll get some food into you before the session starts. Do you like red beans and rice?”

Yasmin glanced at her watch, amazed that a five-minute discussion about respect could last three-quarters of an hour. At the back of the room, away from the group, she wrote a brief outline of the goals, objectives and purpose of the Men of Initiative program. The more teens who joined the program, the more government funding the center would receive.

Counting the number of teenagers seated in the semicircle, she noticed the intense expression on each young face. Rashawn easily held the attention of his young audience. Not only did the man have a way with women, he appealed to children and teenagers, as well. Affable and laid-back, he had the type of personality people took to immediately. In the cafeteria, kids had crammed onto his bench and more than half of the adults had made their way over to chitchat. Yasmin had sat across from the charismatic boxer, in the hopes of discussing the charity fund-raiser, but every time she opened her mouth, they were interrupted by an adoring fan. Eating dinner with Rashawn had been an eye-opener. Strangers clamored for his attention and made utter fools of themselves just to have ten seconds of his time.

Yasmin watched him now, sitting in the middle of the circle. His arms dangled between his legs and he had a relaxed, carefree expression on his face. His body language suggested he was open, bare, willing to share himself with the world. And he was.

Yasmin had learned some shocking truths about Rashawn Bishop, facts that further underlined just how different they were. His father had abandoned the family when he was five, his mother had raised him and his three brothers single-handedly and had struggled to provide food and shelter. But it was the story of his life on the streets that had left her slack-jawed. He’d stolen cars, went joyriding with his crew and had a lengthy rap sheet by the time he was thirteen.

Tate, one of her favorite kids at the center, lifted his hand and waited for the discussion to die down before he spoke. “Did you ever sling rock?”

Rashawn locked eyes with Yasmin. He couldn’t read the expression on her face. Trepidation fell upon him. Was she regretting her decision to let him lead the session? Or disappointed about what she had learned about him? This was not how she was supposed to find out about his past, but he couldn’t let this opportunity to share with these teenagers pass him by. If Yasmin couldn’t appreciate the fact that he’d changed his life and made something of himself, then she wasn’t the right woman for him anyway. “I didn’t sell dope, but I used to run errands for the local drug dealer. I’m not proud of it, but I did what I had to do to survive. I was the oldest and had to help my mom take care of my brothers. Everyone else was doing it and I wanted to fit in with my crew. They were my family.”

Nods and murmurs of assent filled the room.

“In tenth grade I discovered boxing and that changed my life for the better. Boxing was my ticket out of the ’hood and I took advantage of all the opportunities afforded to me.”

“But what if you ain’t got no talent?” asked an unsmiling kid with buck teeth. “What if all you know how to do is jack cars and beat down punks for what they got?”

“I don’t believe that, Chaz. Everyone’s good at something.”