“That’s what I said,” Rhonda replied, satisfied.
Nova leaned back against the counter, one ankle crossing over the other, her gaze moving through the room like she was taking inventory without being obvious about it. When her eyes landed on me, it was quick, easy.
“Hey.”
“Hi.”
The doorbell rang. I was already moving toward it before Simone could say anything slick about it. When I opened the door, Kendra stood there with a small smile that widened when she saw me, like she’d decided ahead of time she was going to enjoy the day no matter what.
“Hello, stranger,” she said, shifting her bag higher on her shoulder.
“Hey, Ken,” I answered, stepping aside to let her in.
She paused just inside the doorway, taking in the room with a quiet attention.
“Hi,” she said to everyone, her voice warm.
“Hey, baby,” Auntie Rhonda said, crossing the room and pulling Kendra into a hug that managed to be warm and evaluative at the same time. She leaned back just enough to get a proper look at her, hands still resting lightly on Kendra’s arms. “You found us all right?”
“I did,” Kendra said, laughing softly as she lifted her phone like evidence. “GPS didn’t fail me.”
“It better not,” Rhonda replied, giving a small, approving nod. “I don’t have the patience for technology acting up when I’ve got a schedule to keep.”
Kendra smiled in a way that was open and inviting.
However, introductions didn’t line up neatly. They never did with us. Marcus stepped in first, offering his hand with a calm politeness that made people straighten up without realizing they were doing it.
“Marcus,” he said. “Good to finally meet you.”
“Kendra,” she replied, matching his tone. “I’ve heard wonderful things.”
“That means somebody lied to you,” Simone said, sliding in just over Marcus’s shoulder, her eyes already taking in details she would absolutely revisit later. “We’re going to have to get you a more accurate briefing.”
“Simone,” Kendra said, smiling like she understood exactly what kind of room she had walked into. “I’ve heard a little about you too.”
Simone paused just long enough to appreciate that. “Only a little?” she asked. “That feels like an oversight.”
“It feels like mercy,” Marcus muttered.
Jerome leaned in from the side, hands in his pockets, looking between Nova and Kendra like he had just tuned into a show already in progress.
“Yeah,” he said, nodding slowly. “I’m not going to pretend in any way, shape, or form, but this feels like a moment.”
I should’ve let that pass. “What kind of moment?” I asked anyway.
Jerome glanced at me like I had set him up. “The kind where the girlfriend meets the female best friend and everybody decides to act regular even though nothing about this is regular,” he said, gesturing lightly betweenthem. “Y’all smiling, but it’s tension in the room. I can hear it snap-crackle-poppin’ all up in here.”
“Jerome is narrating again,” Marcus said, not even looking at him. “Please ignore him.”
“I’m not narrating,” Jerome replied. “I’m providing context.”
“You are providing commentary no one asked for,” Simone said.
“That’s how context works,” he shot back.
Kendra laughed, a real one this time, her shoulders easing as she glanced toward me like she was checking whether this was how we always were. It was.
Nova stepped forward then, not rushing, not hesitating, just moving into the space like she had always had a place in it.
