Devastated

Using the end of a rat-tail comb, Keisha began to part the hair in rows. “So what is it you’re trying to do? Deny him your love so that he doesn’t get to have it all?”

Kimani made a face. “Who said anything about love?”

“You’re not fooling me, girl. See, you brainy types think you can reason or talk through anything, but your feelings—they’re obvious anyway.”

“I have mixed feelings about him.”

“That’s ’cause your brain is getting in the way, trying to make things more complicated than they really are.”

Kimani was silent in thought. Her basketball coach had once advised her not to overthink things. Trust your instincts and let it flow, her coach had said.

“He only wants me for three days,” Kimani said, “then he’s probably back off to China or wherever.”

“Then make the most of your three days, girl.”

Kimani met Keisha’s look in the mirror and smiled. “I should pay you for doing more than my hair.”

“Mmm-hmm. Damn right. Keisha won’t steer you wrong and you get super-sexy braids to boot.”

SPORTING HER NEW BRAIDED swoop, Kimani stopped by Gordon’s campaign headquarters. She didn’t feel like job hunting just yet.

“Kimani, I want to thank you again for putting together that event,” Gordon said to her. “I got a call from East Oakland Kids, and they couldn’t be happier. They even got an anonymous donation of ten thousand dollars today!”

Kimani smiled. “That’s great!”

“And Anthony tells me you’re a top-notch precinct walker. If I get elected, would you want a job at City Hall?”

“Oh wow. Umm...”

“I heard the Tribune closed.”

Kimani wondered if Ben had told his uncle. Probably not. Gordon didn’t seem like the kind of guy who would be okay with a move like that. Not that Ben wouldn’t do it anyway, with or without his uncle’s approval.

“I am in the market for a job,” Kimani said, “and working for you would be an honor.”

“The honor would be mine. So that’s a ‘yes?’”

“For now. I haven’t had a chance to see what’s out there in the field of journalism.”

Gordon nodded. “You just let me know when. My chances of winning have improved today. Dawson Chang just came out with his endorsement.”

“That’s great news, too,” Kimani said, surprised that everything had happened so fast. She was curious if Ben had anything to do with it, but she didn’t want to take away from the possibility that Gordon had earned the endorsement on his own merits.

Later tha

t day, Kimani met up Ron and Robin for drinks where Marissa worked. Ron and Robin were partially recovered and acclimating to their new state of unemployment.

“Do we get to collect unemployment insurance after our severance package ends?” Ron asked.

“Maybe that’s one of the questions Human Resources will answer at the employee meeting on Friday,” Robin said.

“Where’s this meeting again?”

“Some law office downtown. Jones and Finch.”

Kimani recalled the moment she had discovered that Ben was behind the Tribune’s closure. Had she been too self-righteous in her anger?

“Well, I say we make the most of our unemployment,” Ron said. “I’m going to take a trip to Costa Rica.”