“You’re far from goofy, Kennedy. I could tell from the way Shabu was trying to settle Relic that he was worried. So, if that’sthe reason you’re mad at him or hurt, because he wasn’t there for you last night, he tried. His lawyer and Shabu talked him out of it.”
“Why do you defend him so much?”
Savvy cocked back her head at the allegation but then sat up in bed. She stared at Kennedy, battling whether to give a minced explanation, before she chose to keep it one hundred with her friend.
“Relic is a villain, and I won’t try to convince you he’s not. What I will say is, he’s also the things they believe he isn’t. The more I’m around him, I see the good intentions behind his bad decisions. I even understand some of them to a degree. Yes, he’s flawed and mean as hell, but he’s not just that, Kennedy. You know why he’s so attached to my son?”
Kennedy swallowed the knot in her throat and shook her head before Savvy expounded, “He worries we won’t love Indigo as much because he has blue eyes. Relic sees a piece of himself in Indie and assumes no one will care for my baby. He equates himself to a man who isn’t lovable, and I hate that for him.”
Savvy wasn’t exposing anything new, but it still put a tightness in Kennedy’s chest while easing her shame about falling for Relic’s cunning ass. Savvy noticed the tragically beautiful pieces of Relic that she’d also witnessed.
“I’ve grown a soft spot for Relic for the same reasons I grew one for you.” Savvy explained her view straight with no chaser. “Y’all are a lot alike, Kennedy. You’re hardened and closed off like Relic, and both of you act as if showing emotions will kill you, so you avoid serious relationships, the same as him. You both have scars in your own ways that you try to cover up, too.”
Kennedy couldn’t stomach hearing their similarities, or her insecurities she tried to hide, so she dismissed it.
“You’re way off base, Savvy.”
“Am I, though?”
“You are,” she snapped, becoming defensive. “And if Relic is such a misunderstood soul but a good person deep down, then why did he use me as bait to smoke out Lomar after he found out the nigga had ties to Slim?”
“He did what?!” Savvy shrilled, her chin dropping to her chest. Her features softened, and she dabbed a knuckle at the crease of Kennedy’s eye to catch a tear before it fell. “Why would he do that? Didn’t he let you know about his play with Slim? What’s the difference?”
“Don’t know and don’t care.”
“You care. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be so torn up about it, and you damn sure wouldn’t be laid under me in bed. I never thought I’d see this day from you, Kennedy. I clearly gave Relic more credit than he earned, so I’m sorry that it hurt you in turn. What now? Do we hate him, or are you willing to talk it out? I’m with whatever you decide.”
Hearing Relic’s biggest cheerleader accept defeat sent Kennedy’s heart plummeting, although she held the same sentiments. A part of her hoped Savvy could convince her that his actions had carried no ill intent.
The room door creaking open gave her an out to the loaded question she didn’t have a definite answer for. She propped onto an elbow when Shabu stuck his head inside, giving a smile that made it seem as if he were oblivious to his brother’s wrongdoings. Her lips tucked inward to not frown as he squinted and examined them in skepticism.
“Ya’ll copasetic, Whoop? I heard elevated voices, so I had to check in.”
“Yes, we’re fine, nosey. Where are the kids?”
“Passed out on the living room floor, and hell no, I’m not moving them. They might wake up. Kenn Dog, I know your stomach is in your back. You ready to eat?”
“Nope.”
“Aight, then.” He held a liquor bottle with clear cups stacked on top through the door. “You ready to drink?”
“Yes, please. She needs it.” Savvy accepted it on her friend’s behalf.
Kennedy didn’t put up a fight as Shabu waltzed into the room shirtless, sporting the same pair of balling shorts she was wearing but in a different color. Her lids fluttered over rolling eyes, making him laugh once she spotted the bowl of food in his other hand.
“You can’t drink on an empty stomach. It ain’t even a lot, so stop acting like a baby. Get up, man.”
She pouted, proving him right, but sat up to take the warm bowl before bracing her back on the headboard. The braised short ribs over homemade mashed potatoes with roasted carrots and a side of cornbread sent her stomach in an uproar while she tensed up before shaking away the nostalgia that swept over her. She couldn’t even front like she didn’t want it as she grabbed her fork to dig in.
“Yea, that’s what I thought,” Shabu jested, copping a spot at the edge of the bed. He balanced the liquor bottle between his legs and flung his head back to tie up his locs before adding, “Give Whoop her tens. She was skipping Sunday dinner but cooked ‘cause yo ass is here.”
Kennedy finished chewing and licked her lips free of the flavorful sauce. “You got that. Savvy, this is good as hell. I appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome. I figured you need some TLC, so I called Tek. He told me this was one of your favorite meals your mom cooks.”
“I knew it!” she shouted, making them crack up. “The cuddling, playing in my hair, and then this food. Nobody does all that but my parents.”
“You mean, you don’tletanyone,” Savvy rephrased, gaining pursed lips as a silent response.
