“Yea, we can eat. It’s no telling when your dad will walk through that door.”
“Can I open my gifts, too?”
Kennedy stood and glanced at their gifts, that she had gotten boxed and labeled, stacked neatly on the island for them to open after dinner. Her eyes rolled as she stomped toward the stove to plate Jahleel’s meal since her appetite was lost.
“Go ahead. At least someone appreciates my effort.”
“Yes!”
She could hear him grabbing and shaking boxes that probably weren’t his as she popped open the oven, sliding outthe slabs of ribeye steak she’d seared on the stove and set inside it to rest while keeping warm. Kennedy plopped the tray on the stove top and kicked shut the over door as she reached for two plates, deciding to make Relic’s so he wouldn’t have to once he got in, even though he’d pissed her off by ignoring her message to do whatever the hell he was doing. She doubted he was at his studio as often as he claimed, but unlike him, she didn’t stalk his moves when one call to Tekken could clear up his whereabouts. If she was being honest; she didn’t care to know what Relic did while out of her sight.
The adage that said out of sight, out of mind rang true for Kennedy, and what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her rang truer. It was the beast unleashed once she found shit out that was her problem.
“Ms. Kennedy, these gloves and cleats are dope! And my chain is like Relic’s eyes! Did you get him one, too?”
“I did,” she answered, scooping a spoonful of loaded mash potatoes to put on his plate.
After adding a small side of broccoli, she grabbed his utensils and took it all to him like the junior king he swore he was since his dad was rubbing off on him. She laughed at him swiping his gifts aside before ogling the plate with hungry eyes.
“That looks so good. My granny never made us steak, but she eats it. Relic let me eat lamb chops with him once, but he cooked it, so it wasn’t that good.”
“Yea, he made me a steak once, and it was bland. We have to show him how it’s done. Can you cut a steak?”
“Yes, but can you do it for me and then help me put on my chain?”
Kennedy stared at him before shaking her head at the same boy, she knew ran around their huge house doing everything for himself, playing helpless. She found it cute. Jahleel made her feel needed, and she hadn’t experienced that since Tekkendecided to just grow up one day and not call on her even half as much as he used to. As she cut his steak, she pondered on if having a child was equivalent to experiencing that tenfold. Kennedy shook that thought off with a quickness before helping to put on his necklace.
“So, me and Relic will match, right?” Jahleel verified, stabbing a piece of steak. He paused and then lowered his head, and Kennedy waited until he lifted it and stuffed the steak in his mouth before she spoke since she knew he was praying.
“You will. Relic had one already, but it broke. When I got it fixed, I saw a smaller one and thought about you. If you haven’t noticed, you might not have his eyes, but you and him have a lot of similarities.”
“Grann Judy said the same thing.”
Kennedy moved from behind him so she could see his face. “Oh, did she? How does she think y’all are alike?”
“She said I’m headstrong like him sometimes, and too smart for my own good. Oh, and that I have the same look in my eyes when I get upset but don’t say nothing. Grann asked me if I’m thinking bad stuff ‘bout her when I do it.”
“Are you?”
Jahleel picked at his broccoli before he nodded. “But I didn’t tell her that ‘cause it’d hurt her feelings. My granny told me if I don’t have nothing nice to say, don’t talk, so I stay quiet when Grann Judy makes me mad. Is that bad?”
“No, not at all. We all have bad thoughts when we get upset, but it’s if we act on them that matters. You said you didn’t tell Judith that because you don’t want to hurt her. I think that’s sweet of you, Jah. I can tell you love both your grandmas very much.”
“I do, but I don’t like it when granny says stuff about Relic or Grann Judy isn’t nice to you. We should invite her with us, so you can talk to her, too.”
“Don’t let your food get cold, Jah. Eat.” She switched the subject fast as hell to avoid admitting she was cool on giving Judith a chance.
As if someone knew she needed an escape from their discussion, her purse vibrated on the island. Kennedy was hesitant, stealing a glance at her regular phone, before she headed to grab her prepaid one to power down, assuming it was Sonny. Her gut pitted at seeing his brother’s name instead when she pulled it out.
After her talk with Sonny about Ezekiel going missing in action, and him interrogating Sonny about the story she told him, curiosity made her decide to pick up. She had to figure out if the nigga was coming for her before she could send for him.
“Jah, I’m going to the bathroom. I’ll be right back,” she rushed out, catching his quick hand wave as he kept scarfing down his food. She dashed past the living room and headed toward the hall where Relic’s office was.
She answered so that Sarge wouldn’t hang up on her and then slipped inside the half-bathroom, flicking on the light while taking a deep breath, preparing for whatever he could drop on her next. When she put the phone to her hear, nothing could have prepared her for the instant rage that knotted her insides and ignited a heat in her chest far worse than any that Relic had ever incited.
“Why in the fuck are you on my phone?” she seethed after hearing Ezekiel call her name since she didn’t greet him.
“Kennedy, why do you want to play fucking games with me? I don’t know if that nigga you’re dealing with has you smelling yourself or what but—”
