“All of it, my dear. All of it is experience.” His father laid one hand over the other on the table. “You see, what he is doing currently is not the final destination. Doing this little hobby now will allow him to be stronger and more focused later. Very soon, in fact.”
“Okay, Pops, enough about me.” Solomon sat up straighter.
“No, no, son. We are getting to know your friend.”
Kenya looked from Solomon to his father. “What did you mean by hobby? Being a doctor of physical therapy seems to be much more than a hobby.”
His father chuckled. “It is when his true role is to step back into our business.”
Kenya grinned. “Oh, the Etsy shop. I didn’t know that was a whole-family affair.”
Simon coughed and pressed his fist to his mouth, trying to control his laugh. Kenya’s smile dipped a little, her eyes filling with confusion.
“What isEtsy?” His father said the name as if it was an unknown bug.
His mother leaned in. “It is an online shop. Something Nneka told me to consider for some of our future lines.”
His father shrugged.
“We can talk about this later.” Solomon put his hands up. “I had an idea for—”
His father waved his words away. “Kenya, Fayson Couture does not sell on this Etsy. We have offices in Lagos, London, Houston, and Atlanta and have moved our main one to New York, which Solomon will be leading as soon as he completes his test.”
“Father.”
“Although, I don’t see why it is necessary for him to receive that certification. He is thesonin Fayson, of course.”
Solomon’s mother smiled, her pride palpable. “Fayson has been growing over the years and is continuing to expand further south. We have acquired brands like Renew Global and the Taler Group most recently, and we hope to make our mark here as well.”
Solomon looked to his brother for help. Simon shrugged, choosing instead to go get another drink.
His eyes darted to Kenya, whose face was a cloud of shock and confusion. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it again.
His mother clapped her hands together. “You must be proud. Your boyfriend is doing big things, and you are a big part of it.”
“Am I?” Kenya finally stammered, looking lost, hurt replacing the joy that had been in her eyes.
“Yes, of course.”
Solomon blinked, unable to focus on Kenya’s confused visage. Behind her sat a table of close acquaintances, including Robert Bluestone, his cousin-in-law’s associate.
He needed to move fast. He couldn’t let her lose focus on this opportunity just because she was hearing something about him that he hadn’t had the courage to share before.
“Did I tell you what a great host Kenya can be?”
“What?” She blinked.
“Simon said that the MC is sick, and we need someone to share the written blessings.”
All eyes at the table turned to Solomon. “Since the DJ cannot, maybe Kenya can be the one to go up and read them.” He grinned. “You all should have seen how she acted out a book I read in the library a few weeks ago.” He sent a look of encouragement her way. “She’s good at talking with groups of people.” And this would be a great way to add something memorable about her before he introduced her to Bluestone later.
SWEAT TRICKLEDdown Kenya’s back and ventured a few other places she would have preferred it didn’t. Solomon was the heir to an international fashion brand, and he wanted her to read?
He opened a small box and pulled out a stack of cards.
“You want me to read?”
“Just a few ... to the guests ... funny ... be you.” His voice felt far away, no longer close and wrapping her in warmth.
