Before I could spiral, the driver door opened. Stacks slid into the seat and handed me a small white box.
“Emergency kit,” he said.
“What is this?”
“Fried chicken,” he answered simply.
I couldn’t help but laugh. I opened the box and the smell alone made my stomach growl. It was still hot.
He looked over at me. “What’s wrong?”
I sighed, already reaching for a piece. “Kennedi did some dumb shit. Snuck off to see some boy when she’s supposed to be at her friend’s house.”
He nodded slowly. “Okay.”
“Okay?” I repeated. “Okay? She’s fifteen, Stacks.”
“Almost sixteen,” he corrected gently.
“Kairo says he has it handled,” I continued. “But I know he doesn’t. I need to go get her. I shouldn’t even be out right now.”
“Let me ask you something.”
“What.”
“Is that not his child too?”
I frowned. “Of course she is.”
“Then if that man says he got it… why don’t you let him have it?”
I stared at him.
“You don’t have to carry everything,” he continued. “You’re not Atlas. The world don’t sit on your shoulders just because you’re strong enough to hold it.”
“I know you want to fix everything,” he said. “But that’s why you’re exhausted. You want to be the mom, the wife, the attorney, the peacekeeper, the savior. That’s too many jobs for one woman.”
“She’s my baby,” I said, eating my chicken.
“And she’s his too.”
“You can’t control everything,” he added. “And the more you try, the more it controls you. If that man says he got it, let him have it.”
“I just…” I shook my head. “I just wanted one night.”
“And you got it,” he said softly. “Don’t let guilt steal it.”
“Take a break, Khloe,” he said gently. “The world will still be there tomorrow.”
I took another bite of chicken. It was so good I closed my eyes without realizing it.
Stacks laughed. “What?” I asked, opening one eye.
“You eating like you ain’t ate in days.”
I looked down at the bone in my hand and started laughing too. “Shut up.”
“No, I’m serious,” he said, grinning. “You over there moaning at this chicken.”
