Chapter Four - Kenya
Chapter Four
Kenya
K enya pulled her locks into a bun on top of her head. With her denim jeans rolled up at the ankles and her cropped plaid top tied at the waist, she walked the stretch of the beach from her home toward Lu’s inn carrying a laptop computer in her hand. She closed her eyes briefly and yawned. The hour commute from her firm in Atlantic City to Cape May always left her feeling drained. One of the benefits of living near the ocean was that she could always retreat after a hard day and unwind. And it had certainly been a hard day dealing with Zach’s shenanigans.
She removed her embellished sandals from her feet. The water felt good between her toes. Kenya stared at them. She didn’t know how she’d allowed her nail tech to talk her into that hot pink color. Hot pink didn’t go with everything, particularly when it was the beginning of the summer and most of her summer heels were open toe.
Those stilettos sure were cute, and though they made her feet ache like crazy, she wore them anyway. She thought of Glen. He used to tell her that she was crazy wearing those heels every day, that they were going to catch up with her one day, ruin her feet and leave her with bunions, corns, and calluses. He would laugh at his own jokes about it. She laughed now as she thought about it. Though he’d admonished her, he always gave the best foot massages on the planet—the most glorious in-between-the-toe action a girl could ask for.
Oh how she missed him.
Kenya and Glen met Brooklyn. They were high school sweethearts and he’d been equally as tough. Bigger than life, he stood at six feet tall at the age of seventeen and weighed about two hundred pounds. He’d played varsity football, though football was never his first love. No, he loved American history, calculus, and working at his father’s corner store after school. And though he’d been offered both academic and athletic scholarships, he’d opted for the Coast Guard after high school.
“Wherever I end up being stationed, I’ll send for you,” he’d told Kenya.
“And I’ll come to wherever you are, but only after I finish undergrad.”
But Kenya had plans of her own, and her dreams were just as big as his. She’d attended NYU on a track scholarship, and by the time she’d graduated, Glen was stationed in Japan. He wanted her to join him there. Though she loved him and wanted to follow him around the world, their career paths were different. She wasn’t willing to sacrifice hers for his, at least not at first.
“I brought the wine.” Natalia startled her; shaking her out of her thoughts of Glen. Her long flowy white dress blew in the wind and her sun-kissed brown hair danced as she held a bottle of Pinot Noir in the air.
“Thank God. I need a glass so badly.” Kenya locked arms with Natalia as they continued the stretch to Lu’s place. “Today was exhausting, and then traffic from the city was even worse.”
“I don’t know how you do it every day.”
“Now I understand why Lu quit the firm. I didn’t understand it at the time, but I know now.”
It was at Taylor, Taylor, and Fisch where Kenya first met Lu. It was six years since Lu traded the courtroom for a full-blown inn, but it seemed like decades ago. As associate attorneys at the prestigious Atlantic City law firm, at first they’d been competitors, clamoring for the coveted cases that would position them for partner. Both bright and ambitious, the competition was tough, but because they were the only two women of color at the firm, it forced them to form a bond—a bond that withstood the test of time.
They stepped onto the veranda to see Lu pacing before she plopped down at the table. She seemed a bit agitated and kept glancing at her watch. She peered at Kenya’s laptop. “I know you did not bring work!”
The aroma from something delightful tickled Kenya’s nose and made her stomach growl. Lu’s chef had prepared dinner for them, as he did every Friday. She couldn’t wait to see what it was.
“I won’t be long, I promise.” Kenya took a seat at the table next to Lu.
“Kenya! You know the rules. We leave work at the office. Our Friday nights are sacred . . . a time for us to unwind, catch up, let our hair down after a long week.”
It was something they had done almost every week for the past five years. Even though Lu’s inn was always fully booked, she made sure to carve some time and space for her friends. Natalia took a seat at the table, the crisp white tablecloth blowing in the wind as the waves whispered in the distance. A bouquet of red poppies was situated at the center of the table.
“I know, I just need to wrap up the notes from this deposition. I bolted from the office so quickly, I didn’t have time to do it. I just need five minutes,” said Kenya.
“Five minutes and not a minute longer,” Lu warned.
“I promise.”
“Pinkie swear.” Lu held her pinkie in the air.
“Seriously?” Kenya gave Lu a crooked smile before opening her laptop and began pecking keys.
“Yes, seriously. We need to talk about the wedding. Plus, I have something I need to share with you both.”
Lu’s and Zach’s wedding day was quickly approaching. The elegant affair would take place on the beach in front of her seaside inn, with a reception to follow. Kenya thought that September in Cape May was perfect for a wedding, with milder temperatures and less tourist traffic. But honestly, as happy as she was for Lu, all she could think of was Zach’s secret, and how she’d been dragged in on it. Carrying it around made her physically ill.
“I have everything lined up for the rehearsal dinner.” Natalia opened the red wine and immediately poured three glasses, handed one to Lu, and slid another in front of Kenya’s laptop.
“You should be proud of me,” Kenya said. “I finally scheduled some time with the seamstress. I’m meeting with her this weekend to have my dress altered.” She peeked over the top of her laptop, sipped her wine, closed her eyes, and savored it. “This is good.”
“I’m glad you finally scheduled with her. You were making me nervous,” Lu said.
“I know. I procrastinated a little.”
“Yes, ma’am, you did procrastinate. Had me worried to death.” Lu giggled. “But you ladies are the best. I couldn’t possibly pull off this wedding without you.”
“We’re here for you. Always.” Kenya pecked a few keys on the keyboard. She stopped typing for a moment, almost got misty-eyed. Talk of Lu’s wedding made her think of Glen again. Her eyes veered upward to the skies toward the dark clouds. It looked like rain.
In a short-sleeved chef’s jacket, Lorenzo stood near the door, awaiting Lu’s signal that they were ready for dinner to be served. She motioned for him to bring their salads.
“Okay, now on to more interesting conversation, like how Kenya’s date went last night. Particularly since she didn’t call either of us afterward.”
Kenya gave Lu the side-eye.
Lu giggled. “Judging from that look, I take it things didn’t go well.”
“Not at all. He wasn’t really my type.”
Her type was Glen . Her friends knew it and so did she . No one could compare to him. He was the reason she lived in Cape May to begin with. She was a city girl at heart, loved living in the city, the rat race, the energy of it all. He was the one who’d convinced her to sell her posh Alpine, New Jersey apartment and move to Cape May with him. He had asked for her hand in marriage and wed her in a quaint ceremony before a justice of the peace, and then, two years later, he’d abandoned her.
Every time she said that, Lu was straightforward with her. “He didn’t abandon you, Kenya. He died.”
Glen’s car accident and untimely death two years after their courthouse wedding had left her volatile, questioning God, challenging everyone and everything. Lu and Natalia had helped her through it, forced her to get out of bed. To bathe. To eat. To breathe.
That was three years earlier, yet the loss still felt like yesterday. And though she told herself she was ready to move on, to date again, here was yet another date gone south.
“Was he at least a gentleman?” Natalia asked.
“He was the perfect gentleman.”
“Then what was it?” Natalia leaned back in her chair and sipped her wine.
Lu’s voice was gentle. “Glen would want you to be happy. He was one of the most unselfish people I’ve ever known.”
“I know. But he wouldn’t want me to settle.”
“Settle? You won’t let anyone in. If anyone gets close—” Lu began.
“You’ll know when it’s right, honey.” Natalia placed her hand on top of Kenya’s.
Kenya nodded, but she’d already decided she was never entrusting her heart to anyone again. She had no intentions of ever settling down or remarrying. She went back to pecking on her computer keys.
Natalia changed the subject and looked at Lu. “So, what is this thing you wanted to talk to us about? It sounded serious over the phone.”
Lu started to explain the details of her call from John Samuels. “So today, I received this . . . crazy . . . phone call from a man claiming to be my father. After I finally tracked down Yana to demand an explanation, she says, I thought it better that you thought he was dead. I didn’t want you to go looking for him. Can you believe it?”
“Oh Yana.” Natalia smiled.
“I know she was wrong, but cut her some slack.” Kenya laughed. She knew Lu’s eccentric mother all too well, a woman who danced to her own beat.
“I’m furious with her right now.”
“She was just protecting you.”
“You two.” Lu pointed at Kenya and then at Natalia. “Don’t give her grace right now. She doesn’t deserve it. She let me go my entire life without knowing my father. I don’t know if I can forgive her for that.”
Listening to Lu carry on about forgiveness for Yana, her own mother, made Zach’s secret even more troublesome to Kenya. It would be difficult to hand her friend yet another platter of betrayal, though she knew at some point she’d have to tell her, and she knew it wouldn’t be easy. In fact, she hoped it would be long after she’d said I do at the altar, and then it would all be water under the bridge. But for now, keeping Zach’s secret seemed to be the best option, even though she hated it.
“Oh, you will forgive her. She’s your mother.” Kenya hoped that Lu would offer her the same forgiveness that she was advocating for Yana.
“Doesn’t give her a right to lie.”
“No, it doesn’t, but think about it, Lu . . . you were her baby . . . still are her baby. She didn’t want to share you with Papa John,” said Kenya.
“Well, she doesn’t have a choice now.”
“So, does that mean you’re going?” Natalia asked.
“Thinking about it. Zach thinks I should.”
Natalia gave her friend a warm smile. “I think you should, too. I think it’s wonderful that he reached out and wants to see you.”
“But what took him so long? I mean, why now? Because he’s dying?” Kenya never let anyone off the hook.
“He claims that Yana forced him to stay away.”
“He should’ve fought harder. I’d have questions,” said Kenya. “I’m just saying.”
“Well, now is the time to get those questions answered. You should go,” said Natalia.
“If I do . . . and I’m not saying that I will, but if I do, Zach will take some time off from his practice and we would both fly out there next week. Which is what I needed to talk to you two about.”
Kenya shut her computer to give Lu her undivided attention. “What do you need from us? You know we’re here for you.”
“Natalia, I would need for you to finish handling the details of the rehearsal dinner without me. And maybe meet with the wedding planner to finalize the plans for the ceremony, and follow up with the vendors in my absence. Everything is all set; I would just need for you to be my eyes and ears while I’m gone.”
“Consider it done.”
She turned to Kenya. “Huge favor.”
“What is it?” Kenya’s eyes held deep concern as she watched Lu.
Lu clasped her hands. “I need you to run the inn, only because you’ve done it before and you know how things work. Not to mention you really look like you could use a break.”
Running Lu’s inn while she traveled to California would require that Kenya take a vacation from the firm. It had been years since she’d taken one. After Glen died, she’d taken a few days to make the arrangements at the funeral home and to attend the service. But just as quickly, she was right back at the firm. Vacations offered too much idle time to dwell on things that needed to be put to rest, in her opinion. She needed to stay busy. Work had been her coping mechanism back then, and Lu and Natalia believed it still was.
“Wow,” Kenya exclaimed.
“I know how busy you are, and everything you have going on at the firm. I would totally understand if you can’t. I can hire someone.”
The timing couldn’t have been worse for Kenya, considering she was in the middle of a high-profile murder case, and not just any case. Deacon Charles had been like an uncle to Kenya. She couldn’t remember a time before he became a part of her life. He was always there—birthdays, Christmas, Sunday dinner. He’d even attended her graduation from law school. His wife, Eleanor, had done the alterations for Kenya’s dress for the occasion. Deacon Charles was a long-time member of her father’s church, someone she had known for most of her life, and he was being accused of murdering his business partner. She hadn’t wanted to take the case, but her father urged her to since he and Deacon Charles were good friends, almost brothers. He was like an uncle to Kenya, so she obliged. The entire congregation of Cornerstone Baptist Church had eyes on the case, and her . She wanted to make sure their beloved deacon was handled with care. However, the trial wouldn’t be for a couple of months. She had a couple of weeks to spare.
“No. I’ll do it. You’re right, I do need a break.” She couldn’t believe those words had come out of her mouth.
Natalia and Lu looked at each other, undoubtedly astonished by her words. They were always advocating for her to take time off.
“Really?” they said in unison.
“Of course. Why are you two so surprised?”
“You’ve literally never taken a real vacation,” Natalia said.
“Well, this is important.” And it was. This was her chance to be there for Lu, like she’d been there for her so many times.
“What will you do about your case?” Lu asked.
“I have time before he goes to trial. Much of the prep work I can do from here. It’s not like you have a lot of traffic at the inn. It’s a nonissue.” She said it was a nonissue, but really Deacon Charles had already become a thorn in her side, talking to the press when she’d warned against it. And switching up his routine when she’d already explained the importance of sticking with his normal everyday functions. People were watching and he needed to maintain as much normalcy as possible. He did the opposite. Deacon Charles was working on her last nerve. She’d have dropped him as a client had it not been for her father.
Natalia turned to Lu. “So, I guess you’re going to Sacramento, then.”
Lu exhaled. It was obvious that she’d expected Kenya to say no, to let her off the hook. But Kenya knew that the seaside inn was Lu’s baby. She wouldn’t entrust its operations to just anyone. Though she threatened to hire a manager to run the inn, she wouldn’t, and Kenya knew it.
“Well, then. I guess I am.”
She was happy for Lu. She had her reservations about this whole John Samuels thing, but she would allow it to play out. Kenya had grown up in a two-parent household and had always known her father. Yes, Pastor Lewis had been an active figure in her life, all up in her social life, trying to rearrange things since as far back as she could remember. She also had two dysfunctional siblings who drove her crazy on a regular basis. Lu didn’t have any of these people in her life. It was time she experienced a real family, and all that came along with it.