“I'm not leaving. I need you to hear me say that clearly. Not maybe, not it depends. I’m not going anywhere. Your uncle and I are just getting an understanding.”
Monroe’s jaw worked. “You sure? Because people say that. My mom has said a million times.”
“I know they do.” Kennedi held her gaze. “And I can’t make you believe me tonight. But I'm going to be here tomorrow to prove it. And the day after that. Y’all are my family.”
Monroe glanced past her to Rolani. An unspoken understanding, forged through years together, passed between them.
He nodded once.
Monroe looked back at Kennedi for a long moment, then dropped her arms. “Okay, y’all had me scared.”
“Go back to your room, Woo,” Rolani said quietly.
She turned and walked away down the hall without saying anything more.
The house settled. Rolani stood in the middle of the living room, hands in his pockets, staring at the floor like a child in trouble.
Kennedi watched him for a moment and felt the familiar pull of frustration rising, soft but real.
“I get it,” she said. “I do. I know what I did. I left, I kept the pregnancy to myself longer than I should have, and I made you wait on me to get it together. That’s on me, and I've owned it. But Rolani, I came back. I stayed. I said yes when you asked me to marry you. I am standing here, in your house, carrying your son, and you still can't give me the benefit of the doubt?”
He looked up. “My bad, Ken. I…”
“If you heard that call and spent a whole day thinking I was about to disappear on you again, what does that mean? What are we doing here if that's still where your head goes?”
He remained quiet.
“I’m not her," she said, softer now. “I'm not the woman from that plane anymore. And I know I have to keep proving that, I know it takes time, and I'm willing to do that work. But I need you to meet me somewhere, Ro. I can’t keep running toward a man who’s holding me at arm’s length.”
The silence stretched between them.
“You’re right,” he said finally. Low. Honest. “I heard that call, and I filled in the rest myself. I didn’t give you a chance to tell me what you decided. Just assumed.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “That ain’t fair to you.”
“It's not.” She exhaled. “And I’m sorry I didn't tell you about it myself. That was me still moving like my decisions are only mine to make. I’m working on that.”
He crossed the room and pulled her in before she could finish the sentence.
“I trust you,” he said against her hair. “I just forget sometimes that trusting you means letting you be who you are without bracing for you to leave. That would kill me, Ken. Completely end me.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips softly.
“I earned that fear,” she said quietly. “But I’m here to stay.”
“I love you, Kennedi. I love the life we are building. I just… we just gotta deal with our shit. I‘ve been thinking about therapy for Monroe and for me. Because I know this ain't really about you.” He shook his head.
“I love you, so yes, it is,” she said softly. “And that's okay.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Today was his birthday,and Kennedi had so much planned for him.
She’d been up since six, waddling around the kitchen in his t-shirt, trying to make breakfast without waking him. She was making all his favorites the way he liked them, fresh fruit because Dr. Khalifa stayed on her about eating balanced. The smell of coffee filled the house—his coffee, not hers, because RJ apparently hated caffeine now and made her nauseous every time she tried.
She moved through his kitchen like it was hers. Because it was now.
Six months ago, she would’ve laughed at this scene. Her, barefoot and pregnant, cooking breakfast for a man in a house she’d moved into without a second thought. The old Kennedi, that woman wouldn't recognize who she was now.
But standing here now, belly round with his son, diamond ring on her finger, his shirt falling off her shoulder. This was the best decision she’d ever made.
