Chapter 6
Present Day
“What are you doing here?” Fateema asked Cornell.
“It sounded like Mr. Patton was very important to you, so I came to support you.”
“Were you at the funeral too?”
“Yes, and the burial.”
After sitting through the services and burial for someone she didn’t know, she would probably want a free meal too. She felt guilty for her sudden annoyance at his presence at the repast because it was very thoughtful of him.
“And you’re just now saying something?”
“I’ve been trying to catch up with you, but there were too many people. I kept losing you in the crowd.”
“Oh, well, thank you. I appreciate your support, and I’m sure Lynx does as well.”
“No problem. I didn’t want to come empty-handed, so I bought a card and signed our names.”
“Thank you, Cornell. You really didn’t have to do that.”
“I know, but it’s the least I could do.” He gave her the card with a satisfied look as he scanned the venue.
“I was headed to the kitchen to help prepare the food to serve. Do you want to sit down?”
“Where are Meaghan and Octavia? I’ll sit with them since I don’t know anyone else,” he suggested.
“They’re already in the kitchen. You can sit in any empty spot, and I’ll come and find you when I get a free moment.”
“Bunny, I’ve been looking all over for you.”
Lynx didn’t notice Cornell as he put his hands around her waist and rested them on the small of her back. Their bodies were barely an inch apart, but neither thought to put space between them because it felt so natural.
“What do you need?”
“You. I’m tired of talking to my fake ass family. I haven’t seen most of these people since my mother died.”
“Excuse me, I’m Cornell.”
Lynx finally realized there was another person present.
“Do I know you?” he asked. Fateema could’ve sworn he tightened his hold on her.
“No, I’m—”
“Lynx, there you are. I’ve been trying to catch up with you all day.”
They turned toward the voice, and the woman didn’t look familiar to Fateema.
“Shyla, what are you doing here?” Lynx asked.
“That’s a silly question. I came here to support you during your time of need. I tried to get here sooner but—”
“It’s cool, but you should’ve let me know you were coming, and I would’ve told you it wasn’t necessary.”
“A thank you will suffice. Besides, you’ve been gone for two weeks, and I miss you. Who are your friends?”
“Oh, this is my best friend, Fateema. Bunny, this is—”
“His girlfriend, Shyla.”
Lynx and Fateema were still standing dangerously close, and his hands remained comfortably teetering just above her ass. It wasn’t until Shyla extended her hand toward Fateema that they put some space between them.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Fateema said, shaking Shyla’s hand. “Cornell, I’ll help you find a seat before I head to the kitchen.”
She walked away, but Lynx grabbed her wrist, keeping her in place. “Bunny, hold up.”
“What?”
“I told you I needed you.”
“Shyla is here now. I’m sure she can take care of you.”
When she walked away this time, he didn’t stop her but watched as Cornell walked beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders.
“Is that her boyfriend?” Shyla asked.
“No, and why would you introduce yourself as my girlfriend?”
She smiled coyly before saying, “You didn’t correct me.”
“That doesn’t make it true. Where are you staying?” He walked away as he spoke, and she was right on his heels.
“My flight landed at eight. I freshened up and changed at the airport, picked up the rental car, and drove straight to the church. Thank God all the information was posted online.”
“Sounds like a busy morning, but you didn’t answer my question.”
“I didn’t get a room because I assumed I’d stay with you.”
He expected her to say that, but it still made his blood boil.
He’d been seeing Shyla for a few months, and most times, he liked her well enough.
However, as much as he tried to keep things between them casual, she would do the opposite.
Her personality could be a tad bit much, which made Lynx anxious.
He stopped walking, and she ran into his back. Before turning around, he took a few deep breaths to calm himself because the last thing he wanted to do was hurt Shyla’s feelings. She was a nice woman, just overbearing.
“You shouldn’t have assumed anything, but I appreciate you going through so much trouble and coming all this way to support me. There’s plenty of room at my father’s house.”
“Thank you.”
“How long do you plan to be in town?”
“I have a late flight tomorrow.”
He nodded. “I have to take care of a few things. Why don’t you get some food and find somewhere to chill? I’ll come and find you when I’m heading out.”
Lynx walked away before she agreed. Before he could get too far, he was stopped by some relatives he barely knew. It seemed that every time one pair or group walked away, another would appear. His head was pounding, and he was starving, but he respected them enough not to send them on their way.
“Lynx, there you are. I made you a plate. Come on so you can eat,” Fateema said, politely pulling him away from a small group.
When they entered the kitchen, they ducked off into the pantry, closing the door behind them.
“Thank you for rescuing me, Bunny. I was about to lose it.”
“I would’ve done it sooner, but I got caught up talking to one of your older cousins. I think she said her name was Pearl.”
He chuckled. “If she talks a lot, it was definitely Pearl.”
“Sit down. I hid our plates in here earlier. I figured you’d have sensory overload at some point.”
“And you wonder why I love you so fucking much.” He briefly pressed his lips against hers. “Thank you.”
His words made her blush, even though she’d heard it hundreds of times. “You’re welcome. I warmed it before coming to find you.”
He ate a fork full of food and moaned. “This is the first time I’ve eaten all day.”
She sat on the stool across from him and did the same. “I told you to eat this morning, but I understood why you may not have had an appetite. How are you feeling?”
He shrugged. “All this shit is surreal. Everything from him having cancer and not telling me to finding out he cheated on my mother, and the biggest kicker, meeting my baby sister.”
“Yeah, it’s been a lot.”
“A tragic-ass movie, and I’m glad this scene is almost over.”
“I’m sure. I haven’t seen Kena and her mother.”
“They decided to go home after the burial. Kena wasn’t comfortable with all the awkward glances and whispers. I wish I could’ve done a formal introduction, but I didn’t want to put her and her mother on the spot. I don’t blame them for leaving.”
“Me either. Maybe you can get a few family members together before you head back to DC and introduce her.”
“I doubt if I can put anything together before I leave.”
“When will that be?”
“Friday, and I still have a lot to take care of before then.”
“Let me know if I can help… or maybe your girlfriend can stick around to help you.”
He sighed as he filled his mouth with his last bite of food. “She’s not my girlfriend. I don’t know why she said that shit.”
“You didn’t correct her, so she must be someone special.”
“You’re the only special person in my life. I didn’t invite her here.”
“It was nice of her to come.”
“It was nice but unnecessary.”
Fateema wanted to ask him more about her but decided against it. She had enough to worry about with Cornell’s surprise attendance.
“I thought the same thing when I saw Cornell.”
“Did you tell him to come?”
She shook her head. “Absolutely not. He said your father seemed very important to me, and he wanted to show his support.”
“That nigga is weird.”
“No weirder than Shyla.”
“Nah, I can’t let you do her like that. She has some weird shit about her, but she came to support the person who lost their father. That nigga is here to support the friend of the person who lost their father, and that makes no damn sense.”
They laughed at Cornell’s expense. “I guess you have a point. He actually bought a card and signed our names because he didn’t want to come empty-handed.”
“You really like that lame ass nigga?”
“Do you really like Shyla?” she countered.
Lynx changed the subject because he didn’t want to talk about Shyla or Cornell.
“You know what this reminds me of?”
“What?”
“When we used to sneak off to the treehouse and hide for hours.”
She smiled at the memory. The treehouse was their solace, and they spent more time there than they did inside their homes. “Yeah, when life wasn’t so complex.”
“Shit, at the time we thought it was. We had no idea the future would prove us wrong.”
“Seriously. I’d do anything to go back to the complexities of middle and high school.”
Another bout of silence filled the pantry as they reflected on moments from their childhood.
“Do you remember the promise we made?” he asked.
“We made a lot of promises.”
“You know what promise I’m talking about.”
“Why don’t you remind me?”