9. Colony Miles #2
We rode through the city, hand in hand, and vibed to the music. I texted Olive to check in on everything, and she told me not to contact her again unless it was personal and not work related. All I could do was shake my head.
“Whenever you’re off, are you really off, or do you still feel the need to work in some type of way?” I asked Keondra.
“I’m never really off, especially mentally. Like now, it’s taking everything in me not to stop by the restaurant to see how things are going. It’s hard when you own a business and truly love what you do and the people who make it possible.”
“If that’s not the truth. I just texted Olive to check in, and she had the nerve to tell me to leave her alone.”
Keondra chuckled. “Alivia would do me the same way if I contacted her.”
“Do you think it’s a trust issue?”
Many times, I’d heard that I was too hands-on with my business because I didn’t trust the people I had working for me.
I didn’t find that to be true one bit. If I didn’t trust them, I wouldn’t have hired them.
If I didn’t trust them, I would be at the center every single second of the day, working myself like a dog.
I was hands-on for personal reasons and because I truly loved what I did.
“I can’t say for you, but for me, it’s always been a way to keep my mind in gear.
Also, because the love I have for cooking and my business is something I can’t just turn off.
I am learning to take the days off and allow the people I hired to do their thing without me being present, but nah, I don’t think it’s a trust issue. I think it’s a blessing.”
It was refreshing to date a man who was on the same page as me in numerous ways. Keondra was a true boss like me, and it was nice to have those types of conversations with someone who understood.
We arrived at the outlet, and Keondra spared absolutely no expense when it came to Kehlani. From the toys to the clothes, he went all out for her. He claimed he needed my help, but to me, he had it all figured out. I’d picked Kehlani a few things out for me to gift her.
Hours passed before we were finally done, and I was ready to eat again.
Keondra went to put the bags in his truck while I headed to the food court.
My mouth watered upon smelling the Chinese food from one of my favorite places.
I sat at a table near it and scrolled through my phone as I waited for Keondra.
An eerie feeling crept up my spine. I looked up and observed my surroundings.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but there was a beautiful woman who caught my attention.
She was standing in line at one of the restaurants, and for some reason, something about her seemed familiar.
I watched her until she received her food and walked away, wondering what it was about her that commanded my attention.
“Are you okay, Colony?”
The sound of Keondra’s voice from behind me caused me to jump. My hand flew to my heart as I took slow breaths to stop it from racing.
“Yes, but you scared me.”
“My bad. You seemed to be in deep thought.”
“I was, but I’m good.” I peered up at him and smiled. “You mind eating Chinese? I’ve been craving it since I smelled it. We can take it on the picnic.”
“I’m down. It’s the best spot here.”
“Perfect.”
We went to order our food while the mystery woman settled into the back of my mind. I wasn’t sure who she was, but something told me I’d cross paths with her again.
“Colony! I didn’t think I’d get to see you today.” Kehlani squealed as Keondra opened the back door and placed her in her car seat.
“Hey, Sweet Pea. Did you have a good day?”
“I did! We went outside to play today, and Ms. Olive got us all shaved ice. I got the blue kind. It was so good.”
I giggled at her enthusiasm. “That sounds like a wonderful day.”
“Have you been with my daddy all day?”
My attention went to Keondra who was climbing into the truck. He glanced back at Kehlani. “You know, you’re nosy, KeKe.”
“You told me to always ask questions if I wanted to know something,” she countered, and he held his palms up in surrender.
“You’re right.”
Turning in my seat, I looked at Kehlani, whose round eyes seemed bigger than normal as she waited for me to answer. “Yes, I have been.”
“Are you his friend or girlfriend?”
“His friend.”
Kehlani surprised me when she crossed her arms and pouted. “I want you to be his girlfriend.”
Keondra chimed in. “She will be. We’re just getting to know one another better before we take that step.”
That response perked Kehlani up as well as myself. She bounced in her seat and giddily clapped her hands. “Does that mean she’ll be my new mommy?”
My gaze immediately went to Keondra. His jaw tightened as well as his grip on the steering wheel.
I sat back straight in my seat and waited for his reply.
That was a sensitive topic for him, and I didn’t want to insert myself.
In no way did I want to take the place of Kehlani’s mother.
Even though she’d been absent, that was a title I didn’t hold.
A title I would never hold.
The thought had me looking out the window, praying I didn’t cry.
Of course, I’d made peace with it, but it didn’t stop the pain it caused.
There was nothing more I yearned for in life than to be a mother.
God didn’t see fit for me to have biological children, so I was grateful there were other options.
Keondra’s fingers lacing with mine instantly calmed my nervous system.
He rubbed the pad of his thumb against the back of my hand and softly spoke.
“I know we haven’t talked about this in a while, KeKe, but you do have a mother.
You wouldn’t be here without her, and you should love her so much for that.
As for Colony, she’s already like a mother-figure to you.
She’s with you at the center and now, whenever she’s with me.
As my relationship with Colony grows, we can talk more about the possibility of her being a bonus mommy to you. How does that sound?”
“It sounds good to me, Daddy! I hope your relationship grows as big as the world. Did you know Earth is over three thousand miles? We learned that at the day care today.”
And just like that, Kehlani’s little mind went elsewhere. I glanced over at Keondra who winked at me. The reassurance and security he provided gave me every reason to believe we were on the right path. Our lives crossed for a reason, and I prayed nothing or no one threw us off-kilter.