Chapter 35
KENYA WASN’T at her office. Or at the physical therapy clinic.
She had left Solomon a message that she needed to talk to him. He’d been so busy reestablishing his temporary license and registering for the next test, he’d missed her call.
He passed the library and chuckled, remembering the hesitation in her steps, and then sobered when he remembered the fear in her eyes. She hadn’t been exaggerating. He wished he’d done more to encourage her, but even then, she had recovered and turned that hour into a memorable one for everyone.
He circled back to downtown and pulled into a parking space across from the hotel Auntie Thea and his mom were opening their boutique in. And that’s when he saw her. Walking out of the adjacent Starbucks.
She looked so unlike herself that he almost didn’t recognize her.
Yet she was still Kenya, just with her hair in a ponytail, wearing exercise leggings and a T-shirt.
She had a stack of magazines under one arm, and after placing them in her back seat, she got into her car and started it up. He was too late to call out her name.
Instead, he decided to take a chance and jumped back into his Volvo. He waited until she pulled out and then began to follow her.
Hopefully she didn’t have spy skills as part of her portfolio and wouldn’t figure out someone was tailing her. He kept one to two cars between them and followed her all the way to Monte Sano Mountain. She parked in the lot next to the overlook.
She stepped out, and he chuckled when he saw her pull a long stick out of the trunk of her Honda.
“Is she about to beat somebody with that?” he whispered to himself. But instead of looking like she was about to head to some martial arts class, she pulled out a jug of water, closed the trunk, and then started using that stick to walk toward the overlook.
He got out of his car and walked to where Kenya sat perched on a large rock, her back to him. “Kenya?” he whispered, trying not to startle her as she gazed out over the valley.
After two seconds of no answer, he crouched to her level and said her name again. “Kenya.”
She jumped, not so much that she would injure herself but enough to make her whip her head around, eyes widening when she saw him.
“Solomon.” She placed a hand to her chest. Shook her head. Flexed the foot that had gotten them both where they were. And then, to his surprise, she wrapped her arms around him, almost pulling him off-balance.
“Thank you,” she whispered into his ear. “Thank you for what you did.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Great answer, Dr. Anruchi.
She released him, setting her eyes back on the valley. “You said everything when you called Robert Bluestone. But why would you do that for me?”
“You know why.”
Her lips pursed then, her chin lifted as her head dropped to the side, her lovely eyes on him. “Do I?”
He paused, praying for the courage to say what he needed to.
She filled the silence first. “I’ve started to recognize why I’ve always loved coming up here.”
“The movement helps you cope?”
She stretched her arms behind her and leaned back. “I remember this moment when I was little and sitting on the grass, and all these ants began to crawl over me. I got so frustrated and scared. Thank God they were not red ants.”
“Oh, I hate red ants.” Solomon shuddered.
“Me too.” She made a face that made him laugh. “But I remember my daddy scooping me up and putting me in his lap and saying, ‘Kenya, you’re safe here.’ Or the time we were at a concert, and he scooped me up and said, ‘Here, baby girl, you can see better from here.’ I think that’s never left me.”
Kenya took a deep breath. “When I can sit on top of the mountain, it’s like I’m in those moments again.
My daddy protecting me from all the little things trying to get at me or lifting me up so I can change my view.
I can see the big picture, and it reminds me not to get discouraged by all the small things or all the ways I mess up.
I just can’t forget to see the way God sees, and even if I don’t know the steps, he knows the way. ”
She released her breath, her shoulders loosening. “I’m still learning to find my way.”
Solomon motioned toward her ankle. “That injury sure didn’t help.”
“No, it didn’t. But if it wasn’t for this, maybe I wouldn’t have slowed down long enough to really see all the ways I was letting little things like my issues from dyslexia get to me. And how I was letting even what I loved to do box me in.”
“Speaking of this . . .” Solomon shifted in front of her. “May I . . . ?” He gestured to her right foot.
Kenya nodded. He took a moment to survey her ankle, carefully taking off her shoe to get a better look.
“I’ll have to confirm with Dr. Allen, but it looks like your ankle healed nicely.”
He set her foot gently back on the ground. Eased her sneaker back on as if she were made of glass.
“That’s good to hear,” she breathed.
He looked up at her, wanting, ready to kiss her as she stared back at him.
After a beat, she lifted her face to the sun, grinning into its warmth. “This mountain has been like good medicine for me.”
Solomon moved to sit back beside her, his throat thickening as he sensed his moment coming.
“You know what I realized has been good medicine for me?” he asked.
“Playing video games? Or passing that test of yours?” she offered.
He grimaced. “No, not that. And especially since I failed, and I can’t take another for a few months.”
“Oh no, Solomon, I’m sorry.” She gasped, bringing her hands to her mouth. “Oh goodness, I hope everything with me didn’t distract you from what you were supposed to be working on.”
“I admit that failing was not a fun experience, but I think it was just the nail in the coffin that I needed.”
“For what?”
“My pride. My self-righteousness. Thinking that I was better than my parents because I was choosing to do something impactful while they only focused on expanding their business. Forgetting that they’re good people, and the reasons behind some of their moves are not always as materialistic as I think.
And the pride that I had thinking I had to hide that part, especially with you. ”
“But Solomon, you didn’t lie to me. I was just hurt and frustrated and, honestly, embarrassed.”
“But I had plenty of opportunities to give you more information. I didn’t because I wondered if who I was and the family that I came from would affect how you felt about me.”
Kenya sat up, slowly stretched her legs out. She inhaled and exhaled and turned her head to him.
“How do you feel about me?” she breathed.
He glanced at her and then looked out over the valley below. After a few moments, he lifted his hands, placing them into the shape he’d seen her do several times.
She glanced over and cackled. “Do you need help with directions, Dr. Solomon?”
Remaining quiet he dropped his right hand, leaving the left one formed into an L.
Heat crept up his neck, lodged in his throat. “I want this to mean more to you than what direction to take. I want you to know that I love you, and I need to tell you what I would have said—”
“What? I—” Her voice sounded thick. “I love you too.”
“Wait before you kiss me.”
She giggled at his words.
“I need to tell you what I would have said if I had had the guts to call you back that—”
“Oh, Solomon, you don’t have to do that. I’m good. I—”
“Hi, my name is Solomon Anruchi.” He wouldn’t let her finish her excuses.
“I’m a doctor of physical therapy working under a temporary license until I take another test in January.
My parents own Fayson Couture, along with Fayson Incorporated, and although they always wanted me to take over the business, that is not what my heart wants to do.
I like to plan because I’m afraid of being out of control, and when I met this incredible woman, my heart”—he placed his hand on his chest—“lost control. And it scared me. Because this woman was not only beautiful but vibrant and exciting, full of life and passion that blew open my boxes. And I knew my life would not be the same as soon as I met her.”
“Now who is the dramatic one?” Kenya swiped at her eyes.
“What I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry—”
Kenya put her hand out, turning her face away. “Solomon, you don’t have to—”
He grabbed her hand, tugging her until she was a breath away. “Let me finish, woman.”
Her eyes widened, but she stayed silent, a smile toying at her lips.
“I’m sorry I, or anyone else, made you feel like you weren’t good enough. I’m sorry for your shame, and I pray . . .” He reached over to brush imaginary debris off her shoulders. “I pray shame off you. Hit the door, Jack.”
“And don’t come back. No more,” she breathed.
“No more,” he echoed. “Now we kiss.”
She grinned like the setting sun, placed a hand on either side of his face, and pressed her lips to his.