Chapter 19 Kennedy #2
“Someone call my name?” Judith waltzed through the patio door, dusting her hands on her apron. Her brow rose after Kennedy raised her hand. “Can I help you, honey?”
Kennedy ignored the snippiness in her tone and told her, “Shabu should be here soon, so can you let them deal with whatever’s left? His sash is on the island. Make sure to put it on him before he walks out the door.”
“Child, what are you talking about?”
“You have to walk him out like a mock wedding. Did Relic not explain this to you?”
Shock spread over Judith’s face, and Kennedy glared at Relic over her shoulder. He shrugged.
“It slipped my mind.”
“I really want to curse your ass out right now, but we don’t have time. Everyone else, go!”
She shooed them out of the house before scurrying to Judith, grabbing the sash and mom of the groom pin off the island along the way.
Judith rushed out of her apron and adjusted her floral blue blouse she’d tucked in high waist trousers.
Kennedy inspected the woman’s locs styled into a side bang and petal bun before nodding her approval.
“You look really nice, Ms. Judith.”
“Have you seen my sons? Of course, I do. If I didn’t do anything else, I passed down good genes,” she boasted. Kennedy laughed while pinning the button on her chest. “But thank you. You look nice as well, although the dress could be looser, especially given the occasion.”
“You both look nice, now hurry this shit up. I checked the camera, and they’re walking to the door. I’ll make sure everyone is seated,” Relic said, stalking past them outside as Judith’s gaze followed him before she blinked like she’d heard him wrong.
Kennedy smirked at him giving Judith an unexpected compliment while also butting in, so she couldn’t respond to the backhanded one Judith had given her.
The doorbell rang on cue, and she rushed to the door while tugging down her skintight midi dress.
The moment she opened it, Navy dashed inside with her curly ponytail bouncing along the way.
She squealed a laugh when Titan caught her by the belt of her denim dress before she could get far and scooped her up to place on his neck.
Michi was behind them with a knocked-out Indigo on her shoulder.
The biggest smile burst onto Kennedy’s face when Shabu and Savvy scrolled in last, looking like they knew exactly their reason for being here.
“Savvy, you look fine as shit, boo!” She fawned over her friend’s eye-catching white spaghetti strap mini dress with floral embellishments. Silver diamanté heel sandals donned her feet, setting it off.
“I know, right! Shabu bought it for me earlier today. I had a simple sundress.”
Kennedy squinted at Shabu, who burst into laughter and flung his crinkled locs back before tucking both hands inside the pockets of his trousers that matched Relic’s but in white.
Kennedy knew right then; Relic spilled the beans about the party.
As long as it was a surprise for Savvy, she didn’t mind.
“Aight, but I’m hungry as shit, and I smell the grill going. Where the food at?”
Shabu rubbed his hands together and started toward the kitchen, getting the ball rolling. Titan placed his niece down, and Michi took her hand, moving to the side so that Titan could start recording while Kennedy led them to the patio doors.
“Pitit gason,” Judith greeted, holding out her arms for a hug the moment she spotted Shabu. He pulled her into his embrace but frowned when she flung the white groom sash over his head with a laugh.
“What the hell is this?”
He peered down, and Kennedy tried not to snicker as she realized Relic hadn’t told Shabu everything. In typical fashion, he’d given his brother just enough information for things to align as they should.
“It’s your wedding shower slash fake wedding,” she explained, holding out both hands. “Surprise!”
Shabu cracked up with a shake of his head. “Y’all are wild as fuck, but I’m with it. Come on, Whoop,” he called for his wife, holding out a hand before turning when Relic cleared his throat from the patio doorway.
“Actually, she’s walking with me. You’re going with Judith, but we’ll meet you there. I won’t remind her that she married the wrong brother along the way, I promise.”
“Nigga, fuck you.” Shabu flipped him the bird as they laughed.
“Aww, see, I knew he couldn’t wait to walk me down the aisle!”
Savvy beamed as she skittered to her brother-in-law and wrapped her arm around his. Relic was careful not to mess up her straightened hair as he placed her bride sash over her head and moved aside to allow Judith and Shabu to walk out first.
Titan stepped out to get it on camera, and Michi eased outside in the opposite direction with the kids to locate a seat.
Kennedy slipped out behind her, feeling Relic’s hand brush hers in passing, causing her stomach to flutter while those buried emotions clawed their way to the surface as a reminder that she didn’t run shit.
They did and always had, especially with matters of the heart.
She tried not to acknowledge that truth as she trekked along the perimeter of Relic’s gorgeous backyard to avoid disrupting the special moment.
Her eyes swept across the rows of resin folding chairs filled with their family, blown up images of Savvy and Shabu posted around the yard, a backdrop with a balloon arch for pictures, and the dozens of blue shaded rose petals scattered inside his pool to the point they couldn’t see the water.
He’d spared no expense, and if the measures he’d gone told her nothing else; it told her, Relic loved the hell out of Shabu.
It told her that even if he claimed he couldn’t, he could love someone with his whole heart, but letting anyone love him back was his real issue.
Her attention coasted to where Shabu and Judith met Los at the ceremony arch, before it shifted to the door once Relic and Savvy walked out.
She sucked in air through her pursed lips and watched Relic gait down the aisle runner with an arrogance and energy that stole the fucking show in her eyes.
Like he knew she was observing him, or he could detect her in a yard full of bodies, his gaze skimmed the space before locating her with ease. Relic winked and kept it moving.
“Who gives this woman away today?” Los quizzed, playing their mock officiant. Relic raised his chin with an air of pride.
“I do.”
Kennedy inhaled and blinked back tears when Savvy threw her arms around his waist. She swallowed her own emotions when her friend’s shoulders visibly shook as she cried because it wasn’t real for them, but for Savvy, it was.
It was a reminder of the family she never had and the one she’d gained the day she met Shabu.
Shabu stepped down to take over, cradling Savvy into his side while hugging Relic with his free arm. Kennedy stared in fleeting surprise after Relic meshed his forehead against Shabu’s, like he did her on occasion, before he let his brother go and walked away.
Her chest tightened when Relic fished a pair of shades from his pocket to slip on and took a seat in the front row. Kennedy knew the hug he’d given Shabu was bigger and more meaningful than anyone in attendance could truly understand.
“Aye, let me... hold up, hold up! Let me make a toast right quick!”
Kennedy cracked up as Shabu held up his umpteenth drink with an arm around Savvy’s shoulder, sending her body swaying with his each time he wobbled.
They’d been turning up for hours on end, and everyone was enjoying themselves with no drama or spats, while the children had left with their grandmothers because Relic paid the adults to babysit once the sun started setting.
Jahleel was the only kid there because he begged to stay, and Kennedy caved, although Relic had been hesitant about it.
“How many toasts are you gon’ do, Shabu?” Savvy whined, and he grilled her.
“As many as I fucking want, Whoop. This our shit!”
“Nigga, this is my shit,” Relic corrected from where he sat under Kennedy with an outstretched leg and both hands on her thighs. Shabu fanned him off.
“As I was saying! I want to toast my folks, man. All y’all came through to celebrate us, and we feel the fucking love. Shoutout to Kenn Dog for putting this together at the last minute and thinking about including me. To my bro who—”
“Don’t start yo shit, Shabu.”
“To my fucking big brother!” Shabu shouted anyway, and everyone hooted behind him.
Relic pushed his shades up with a sigh as Shabu expressed, “To the nigga who acts like he don’t like nobody.
Like muthafuckas don’t love his ass because he be tweaking sometimes.
If ain’t nobody else told you, I love you, bro.
I ain’t gon’ say too much because I’m fucked up, but I appreciate you.
Anybody who don’t gon’ fucking miss yo ass and wish they had when you’re gone. ”
Shabu lifted his cup and then chugged his drink, and Savvy stared with worried eyes while Kennedy cut Relic a side glance. Relic sighed and scratched his facial hair.
“That nigga just went dark as hell,” Pierre jumped in to shift the energy. He chuckled and tossed an arm around Treasure’s neck before finishing, “I think what he meant is thank y’all, he loves everybody, and enjoy this shit ‘cause Relic ain’t inviting us over again. Cheers!”
Everyone followed his lead and raised their cups in celebration before finishing their drinks.
As soon as they were done, Pierre bopped over to Shabu and pulled him aside while Savvy looked on, and Treasure stood by her sister in silent support.
The rest of their family members seemed oblivious to Shabu’s concerning speech and went back to their card games, eating, and chatting like nothing had gone down.
Kennedy angled in Relic’s lap to see his face, but she couldn’t gauge where his head was behind his shades.
“You want to go talk to him?”
“No.”
“Do you wish you hadn’t told him?”