11. Colony Miles
It was her.
The woman I’d seen at the outlet that day was Demetria. She’d looked familiar to me because Kehlani heavily favored her. There were a few traces of Keondra in that pretty little face of hers, but other than that, she was her mother.
A week had passed since she unexpectedly showed up, and it was deeply affecting Keondra.
He was doing his best to navigate through his emotions, but I could tell it was taking a toll on him.
Whenever we were together, he wasn’t as present.
He’d get a far-off look in his eyes, and if I was telling him something, I’d have to repeat myself.
The only time he seemed normal was when we were with Kehlani.
He put on a strong face for her, and I admired that.
Praying for him and being there as he asked were the only things I could do.
The mental and emotional distance was bothering me.
I wasn’t quite sure what to do because I wanted to offer advice, but I also didn’t want to overstep.
The decision was up to him. He would always make the best decision for Kehlani.
Even though Keondra had been down, he offered to come with me to visit my parents. I wanted to check in and make sure they were okay. The last time I’d seen them was after Daddy’s surgery, but I talked to them often throughout the week.
“The roles have reversed, huh?” I half-joked when Keondra rubbed his hands over his shorts when we pulled into my parents’ driveway. Like I expected, the garage was open, and my father was working on one of his cars. When he saw us, he wiped his hands on his towel and waved for us to get out.
“They have.” Keondra agreed, chuckling. He glanced at a sleeping Kehlani in the back seat, and I saw a wave of sadness flash over his eyes.
“Hey.” I rubbed his arm, trying to keep my mind from wandering to dirty thoughts. We had a quickie before we hit the road, and my nails dug into those thick arms of his. Shaking off my thoughts, I went to say something, but Keondra winked at me.
“Better get your mind right before we go talk to your father. I know what you’re thinking.”
I smacked my lips and waved him off. “Oh, whatever. You ready? We better get out before he comes over here.”
“Let’s go.”
Even though I’d driven, I waited for Keondra to get Kehlani out the back seat before he came over to open my door for me. Hand in hand, we walked up to my father. When we were only a few feet away, I couldn’t stop myself from dropping Keondra’s hand and crashing into Daddy’s arms.
“Hey, old man.”
Daddy kissed my temple and squeezed me tighter. “Hey, baby. I needed this hug.”
“Me too.” I stepped back with his hands in mine and studied him. “You’re looking good. You’ve lost some weight, huh?”
“Because of that damn mama of yours. She only lets me eat the good stuff twice a week. I’m so tired of her shoving healthy food down my throat, but I won’t say anything. I know it’s all out of love, and I don’t want anyone else loving me.”
“See, exactly. It’s also benefitting you, so there’s no need to complain.” Glancing over my shoulder, I reached my hand back for Keondra, and he stepped up. “Daddy, this is my boyfriend, Keondra, and his daughter, Kehlani. Babe, this is my father, Martin Miles.”
Keondra and Daddy shook hands before Daddy walked around to peer at a sleeping Kehlani.
Smiling, he gently ran his hand over her hair like he used to do me and Serenity when we were younger.
Immediately, I could see the love forming in his eyes.
It was a love I knew all too well. A love I could never live without.
“She’s beautiful, Keondra,” Daddy complimented.
“Thank you. Don’t let the cute face fool you. She’s a handful.”
I jokingly gasped. “No, she’s not. Don’t do my girl like that because she’s asleep.”
Daddy patted Keondra’s shoulder. “I raised two girls, so I’m on your side.”
They shared a laugh and started up their own conversation. It was too hot for Kehlani to be sleeping on her father’s shoulder, so I took her from him and headed inside to find my mama. She was sitting in the living room, watching one of her shows while knitting.
“Hey, Colony. Oh! Is that Kehlani?”
I nodded. “Yes, with her little heavy self.”
Carefully, I set Kehlani on the couch and placed a blanket over her.
Rubbing her loose curls from her face, I leaned down to kiss her cheek.
For a moment, I stood there and stared at her, watching the rise and fall of her chest. My love for her had immensely grown.
We were connected on a different level, and I prayed nothing ever broke our bond.
Mama came up beside me and pulled me into her by the waist. “What’s on your mind, baby?”
“I love her, Mama. So much. I never thought I could love someone like this.” I released a shaky breath, attempting to keep my tears at bay. It was impossible, being in the comfort and warmth of my mother’s presence. “We’ve grown so close, and it feels so good, but I’m scared.”
“Scared of what?”
“Losing what we share. I mean, I have faith in my relationship with Keondra. It’s different, a good and confident different, but her mother popped back up.”
I hadn’t told anyone, but Demetria showing up worried me.
She was Kehlani’s mother. The woman who had brought her into the world.
Even with her being gone for so long, her and Kehlani’s bond was different.
Selfishly, I worried if she was to come back into Kehlani’s life, it would affect our relationship.
I worried she wouldn’t want to see me as much or spend time with me.
I worried she wouldn’t be excited to be around me or love me.
So much had been going through my mind, and I brushed off every thought because it sounded too selfish for my liking.
“Oh, goodness.” Mama placed her hand on her heart. “You said she was gone for what? Three years?” I nodded, and she asked, “How does Kehlani feel about it?”
“She doesn’t know. No one told her who she was. Surprisingly, she hasn’t said anything about it, but it’s majorly affecting Keondra. I know it feels like the world is on his shoulders trying to figure it all out.”
“And what do you think about it?”
“Honestly, I think he should give her a chance to step up and be a mother. Kehlani deserves it, and he deserves to have a healthy co-parenting relationship. Together, they created a beautiful, smart, and bright girl. Her mother is crazy for missing out on the time she did, but if she genuinely wants to be in her life, she should be. We all make mistakes. While hers was a major one, it doesn’t need to be held against her. ”
“That’s exactly what your father just told me too.”
Mama and I jumped at the sound of Keondra’s voice. We turned around to see him and Daddy standing there. They’d snuck in on us, and I wondered how much they heard. My cheeks warmed at the thought of Keondra possibly hearing everything I said.
Breaking away from me, Mama went over and greeted Keondra with a hug. She held onto him longer than normal, and from the way he melted into her, I could tell he needed it.
“It’s nice to meet you, Keondra. You have a beautiful daughter.”
“And so do you,” Keondra replied, smiling.
“Let’s go have a drink,” Daddy suggested, and Mama shot him a look.
“It’s not Friday, Martin.” She fussed.
I glanced at Kehlani to make sure she was good before going over to Mama and looping my arm in hers. “Let him have one drink.”
Mama playfully flitted her eyes upward, but she didn’t protest. We all filed into the kitchen where Daddy grabbed him and Keondra a beer before pouring me and Mama a glass of wine. I scooted my chair closer to Keondra and looked at him. He quickly pecked my lips, pushed his glasses up, and smiled.
“So, Keondra,” Daddy started, taking a seat at the table, “what are your intentions with my daughter?”
“Oh, hell.” I mumbled underneath my breath. My father could be a bit much at times, especially when it came to me and Serenity, so I wasn’t sure what direction the conversation was headed in.
“To love her, plain and simple. I believe we’re headed in the right direction.
” Keondra glanced over at me, and the softness in his eyes warmed my insides.
“She makes it easy for me to want to cater to her. I look forward to talking to and seeing her every day. The time we spend together heals me in ways that she probably doesn’t realize.
And the way she loves my daughter is the icing on the layered cake.
I want nothing but the best for her. The best for us. ”
Was it crazy that I looked at his response like a verbal love letter?
Keondra held my gaze as he talked, giving me the silent confirmation that his words rang true. Not once did he glance away or even give me a hint that he was unsure of anything he said. His head and chest were high, and his voice was bold. Just like that, he made me fall for him all over again.
“And I want the same,” I confirmed after a few seconds of silence.
“The happiness you’ve provided me with makes me feel like a schoolgirl who finally got a chance with her crush.
From the morning messages to the weekly flowers, you give me all the reason to have the feels about you, Keondra.
Like always, our intentions are aligned.
We’ve briefly talked about this, but there can never be enough confirmation. ”
Our lips briefly met before my father cleared his throat. I pursed mine together and shot Daddy a look that had him leaning forward with his hands clasped together on the table.