“Thank you,” I whispered, barely able to speak.
He brushed his thumb across my cheek. “You deserved to hear that a long time ago.”
The DJ’s voice suddenly boomed through the speakers.
“Everybody make your way outside to the front entrance!”
Kairo kissed me again. “It’s time,” he said, stepping back. He walked toward the entrance to help gather everyone, leaving me standing there with my thoughts. And my guilt.
In that moment, everything became painfully clear. Stacks fulfilled me in pieces. Excitement. Escape. Attention. Fantasy. But Kairo… Kairo was my entire life. My history. My family. My home. He wasn’t a chapter. He was the whole book. My hands trembled as I pulled my phone from my clutch.
A message from Stacks sat waiting.
Stacks:You good? Just checking on you.
My chest tightened. For a second, I almost didn’t do it. I almost convinced myself I could keep balancing both worlds. But Kairo’s words echoed in my mind.
I see you.
I typed before I could change my mind.
Please don’t make me explain this in person. Our friendship… everything… has to end today. I’m married, and I need to work on my marriage. Please take care of yourself. I’m sorry for any hurt I may have caused you.
Then I pressed send. The message disappeared and with it… the illusion I had been living in did too. I slipped my phone back into my bag just as the doors opened again and Kennedi stepped outside.
Her custom pink Grand Cherokee sat glowing under the lights like it had been waiting her entire life for that moment.
She froze before her hands flew to her mouth.
“Oh my God… OH MY GOD!” She screamed, jumping up and down before bursting into tears. I laughed through my own tears as she ran toward us, throwing her arms around both me and Kairo.
“I love y’all so much!” she cried. We hugged her tightly, both of us emotional watching her reaction. Seeing her happy like that made every stressful moment worth it. Every sacrifice. Every sleepless night. Every worry. She pulled back, wiping her face, staring at the car like it might disappear if she blinked too long.
Kairo had begged her to choose something more luxurious, but Kennedi wanted a pink Grand Cherokee. It was her dream car. Maybe it was my fault—years of Barbie Jeeps and toy SUVs for her dolls—but I loved how humble she was despite everything we could give her. Kairo still upgraded it to the newest model with every feature imaginable.
She posed for pictures nonstop—with us, with friends, with family—laughing harder each time. We assumed she’d want to drive off immediately, but instead she waved us off.
“I wanna finish my party first!”
Kairo laughed. “That’s my girl.”
I didn’t mind. She wanted to soak in the moment to laugh, dance, and just be sixteen. As everyone flooded back inside, music growing louder again, I stood there for a second longer watching her through the glass doors happy, free, and unburdened. I felt like I had finally chosen the life I didn’t want to lose.
I walked back inside while everyone ran back to the dance floor. I saw Mamma G standing off to the side near one of the tall cocktail tables, watching everything like she always did when she was proud but trying not to cry.
She wasn’t watching the crowd, she was watching Kennedi.
Watching her laugh, dance, and become a young woman right before all our eyes. I walked over and wrapped my arms around her. She hugged me tight, rubbing my back the same way she had when I told her that I was pregnant and terrified of motherhood.
“Our little baby is just growing up,” she said. “I remember when you and Kairo were sixteen… and now she is.”
I smiled, blinking back tears. “I know. It makes me cry every time I think about it… we were babies raising a baby.”
“Tell me about it.” She laughed. “And y’all stubborn asses wanted to be so independent.”
I laughed too because that conversation never changed. We had it at least three times a year.
“Because I wanted to be mature,” I admitted. “We made that decision. She was our responsibility. I felt like if I was grown enough to lay down and make a baby, then I needed to be grown enough to raise her.”
