CHAPTER EIGHTEEN #3
Najee listened. He already knew that much—had read it in her handwriting, felt it in the way she pressed her pen too hard. But hearing her say it out loud… landed different.
“I know it looks crazy,” she went on, gaze locked on the table.
“Ain’t no party, ain’t nobody comin’. But I been tryin’ to—” Her throat tightened, forcing her to pause.
“keep tradition alive. You miss one birthday, then two… next thing you know, they grown and don’t want to blow their candles out no more,” Her laugh cracked halfway through. “So I just light ’em anyway.”
Najee set his plate down carefully, elbows resting on his knees. “That don’t look crazy,” he said. His voice stayed low, calm, like he didn’t want to disturb the truth sitting between them. “That looks like love.” She blinked, caught between disbelief and relief. “You don’t gotta say that.”
“I ain’t sayin’ it to make you feel better,” he replied. “I’m sayin’ it ‘cause it’s true.” Najee watched, as Jackie looked away quick, eyes shining as she attempted to steady her voice.
“Guess grief just make you do weird shit.”
“Or,” he said softly. “Sometimes it just look like love with nowhere to go.”
She didn’t answer right away. Just sat there, staring at the table, her chopsticks idle in her hand.
After a beat, she exhaled through a laugh that didn’t quite land.
“You really don’t know how to turn that doctor shit off, huh?
” Najee’s mouth curved. “It’s not doctor shit,” he said. “It’s human shit.”
That silenced her. After a second, she looked down at her plate. “Well,” she murmured, “you eating with me, so I guess you stuck hearin’ me be sentimental.” Najee smiled faintly.
“I ain’t stuck,” he said. “I want to be here.” That made her glance up again and really look at him. The song shifted to a slower one, the kind that lingered. The candles flickered soft across her face, catching every quiet detail—her lashes, her lips, the line of her jaw when she tried not to cry.
Najee didn’t move, or try to fill the quiet with conversation, He just sat there, steady, giving her room to breathe.
And for the first time all night, she didn’t rush to fill the silence.
She just let it hold her. The air between them felt different now.
It was quiet, thick, and charged with something neither of them wanted to name.
Jackie’s gaze had just started to soften again when the sharp ding of the oven timer sliced through the silence.
Najee exhaled a small laugh, low and almost relieved.
“Guess that’s my cue.” Jackie stood, brushing her hands on her thighs. “Yeah. Sounds like the cobbler’s done.”
He watched her head toward the kitchen just as the front door opened, and a not— so familiar voice cut through the calm.
“Jackie, why you got all these candles lit like this? The electric off again?” Najee looked up and caught a glimpse of the woman in the doorway.
She was all noise and movement. She had long jet-black hair, pulled into a low ponytail under a Philadelphia Eagles Baseball Cap.
On her body, she wore a oversized Essential Brand Sweatsuit, he knew hid a shape similar to the woman in the kitchen.
They had to be family. Jackie groaned under her breath. “Kormia…”
“I told you I had you on the bill,” Kormia said, shrugging off her coat.
“You could’ve texted before you went all candlelight vigil on me.” She turned and froze mid-step when she finally saw Najee sitting on the floor surrounded by takeout cartons.
“Oh,” she said, as a grin spread slow across her face.
“Okay, I see what’s goin’ on. You ain’t tell me you had company cuzzy. You coulda put a sock on the door or somethin’!” Jackie’s eyes closed briefly. “It’s not like that, Kormia.”
“Uh-huh.” Kormia kicked her shoes off anyway and sauntered toward the coffee table, already peeking into one of the takeout containers.
“I can’t tell,” she said flashing a sly grin at Jackie, before turning to face Najee.
“I’m Kormia by the way she said flashing a Colgate smile and extending her hand.
How you know my cousin?” Najee couldn’t help it, he laughed.
The woman was pure chaos, loud and unfiltered in the best kind of way.
Jackie shot him a look that said don’t you dare encourage her.
But Kormia was already fishing for a fork, oblivious to the tension she’d just bulldozed through.
“So, who’s this fine man feedin’ you halal lo mein, and beef rib tips?” she teased, gesturing toward Najee. Jackie pinched the bridge of her nose. “Kormia, please.”
Najee just smiled, leaning back on his hand, amused. “Najee,” he said easily.
“Mmhm,” Kormia replied, mouth already full. Her eyes narrowed slightly, like she was trying to place him. “You look so familiar,” Kormia continued, chewing as she squinted.
“You do not know him, Mia.” Jackie cut in fast, heading for the kitchen.
“He’s Max’s therapist. He helped me out with an event, and I baked him a cobbler for his family dinner.” Kormia froze mid-bite, fork hovering in the air. “Wait…” Her head tilted, eyes widening as the realization clicked. “I know this ain’t the good doctor—Cash’s cousin?” Jackie groaned. “Kormia.”
Najee smiled politely, keeping his voice even. “That’d be me.”
“Oh, wow,” Kormia said, grinning wide now.
Jackie shot her a look sharp enough to slice through concrete. “Please don’t make this weird.”
“I’m not!” Kormia said quickly, laughing. “I’m just sayin’, I see the resemblance. Same jawline, same ‘I’m bout my business’ energy—y’all even got the same eyes!”