“Oh, baby, I know.” She wiped the fresh tears that had started to stream down Kendra’s face.
“I feel stupid even saying this, but Mr. Williamson felt like a dad to me these past two years.” Her eyes went wide. “Not that I don’t appreciate everything you do, Shanti! I just mean—”
“Shhh, it’s okay, Ken. I know what you mean,” she said, wrapping her up in her arms again.
Ashanti rubbed between her shoulders, gently rocking her back and forth. It reminded her so much of those nights just after their parents died, when she would have one girl on either side of her, comforting them as they all cried themselves to sleep.
She sat up straight and took Kendra’s chin in her hand. “You have a right to feel everything that you are feeling. Mr. Williamson is—was like a dad to you. He’s the reason you want to go into journalism. It’s okay to be hurt and disappointed that someone you looked up to turned out to be so horrible.”
Ashanti tilted her head to the side as something occurred to her.
“Ken, are you up for meeting someone?”
“Who? Your new boyfriend?”
“He’s not—yes,” Ashanti said. “I’m talking about my new boyfriend, Thad.”
“It’s about time you got a new boyfriend. I don’t know how you’ve gone this long without—”
Ashanti held up a hand. “Don’t finish that statement.” Relief swelled in her chest at the sight of Kendra’s smile. It was the first genuine one she had seen on her face in a long time. “I don’t want to spring Thad on you if you’re not up for it,” Ashanti continued. “But I think this would be a good time—the perfect time—for you two to meet.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I’m up for meeting him.”
“I’ll go downstairs and get him.”
“You left him downstairs with Kara? You don’t plan on having him for a boyfriend for very long, do you?”
She grimaced. “Let’s hope she hasn’t run him away.”
Ashanti pressed a kiss to Kendra’s forehead. She went downstairs and found Thad and Kara sitting at the dining room table, attaching labels to Duchess Delights packaging. Duchess and Puddin’ sat at the foot of Thad’s chair, waiting for a treat to drop to the floor.
“Is Kendra okay?” Kara asked the moment she spotted Ashanti.
Thad immediately rose from the table and came to stand next to her.
“You two officially meet?” Ashanti asked.
“Yeah, we met,” Kara said. “He’s much better with Puddin’ now, so I have no objections to him.” She brought her palms together and bowed. “You have my blessings.”
Ashanti rolled her eyes.
“Can you watch the dogs?” she asked Kara. “I need to talk to Thad.”
Kara eyed her suspiciously. “Did something really bad happen and you’re just not telling me?”
“Everything is going to be okay,” Ashanti said. “It’s just that Thad recently experienced something that’s very similar to the situation Kendra is going through.” She looked up at him. “I think you may be able to help her.”
His brow furrowed, but he didn’t question her.
Ashanti took him by the hand and started for the stairs. She stopped midway, right next to her parents’ picture, and in a lowered voice gave him a summary of what Kendra had shared.
“That motherfucker needs to go down,” Thad said.
“My sentiments exactly,” Ashanti said. “But that’s on the agenda for Monday. Right now, all I care about is Kendra, and making sure she’s okay. It’s a lot to ask of you, but as someone who knows what it’s like to have a father figure you thought hung the moon turn out not to be the person you thought they were, I thought it would help to have you talk to her. You don’t have to tell her what happened with your grandfather, but you understand the disappointment she’s feeling right now better than anyone.”
He remained quiet, his expression unreadable. A knot of regret formed in her throat.
“I’m sorry for assuming that you—”
