Chapter Twenty-Five Aisles and Awkwardness
“We didn’t plan for this… but here we are.”
The fluorescent lights of the Target in Cordova buzzed softly overhead.
Sunni pushed the red cart through the shoe aisle, Natty clinging to the side, Bunny skipping ahead holding a box of sparkly sandals.
Kane walked beside her, AirPods in but not playing anything. Prince trailed behind with Dexter, holding a pair of socks and silently judging Bunny’s fashion choices.
It had been a good day.
Normal, even.
Until they turned the corner into the kids’ section.
And the air shifted.
Sunni saw them first.
Marcus, standing tall but clearly uncomfortable in his own skin.
Keisha beside him, holding onto Zora and KJ—dressed just like any other family on a Saturday, except they weren’t just any family.
They locked eyes.
Keisha stiffened.
Marcus blinked like he didn’t expect to see them outside of nightmares.
Sunni instinctively pulled the cart to a slow stop.
Kane stopped beside her. “Oh, hell.”
Prince said nothing—but his whole body tensed.
Bunny whispered, “Mama… is that—?”
“Yeah,” Sunni said softly. “That’s them.”
Marcus stepped forward a little.
“Sunni,” he said, voice low.
She nodded once. “Marcus.”
Keisha offered a tight smile, polite but unsure. “Hey.”
The two sets of kids stared at each other—Zora and KJ confused but curious, Bunny frowning, Dexter crossing his arms.
Natty clung tighter to her mama’s side.
Marcus looked at the kids, his voice full of something between guilt and desperate calm. “Wasn’t expectin’ to see y’all.”
Kane spoke before Sunni could.
“We didn’t plan for this either.”
Marcus glanced at her, and something in his face cracked just a little.
“I’ve been wantin’ to reach out.”
Sunni raised a hand gently. “Now’s not the time for all that.”
Keisha nodded. “We understand. We just… we hope one day—”
Sunni cut her off—not rude, just clear.
“Look. We’re all tryin’ to find our way through this mess. But that don’t mean it’s time to blend lives in the middle of Target. Let the kids be kids. Let healing be what it is.”
Zora tugged Keisha’s hand. “Is that my sister?”
The question hung there.
Sunni looked down at Natty, then across at Keisha’s kids.
“They’re family,” she said carefully. “But sometimes family needs space before they can understand what that really means.”
Marcus nodded slowly, as if trying to accept whatever scraps of dignity were left.
“Can I say something?” he asked, looking at the kids.
Prince stepped forward, gaze cold.
“Say it quick.”
Marcus sighed. “I miss y’all every day.”
Nobody responded.
Sunni looked at him.
“You should’ve thought about that on the days you didn’t come back.”
She turned the cart around.
“Come on, babies.”
One by one, her children followed.
Kane didn’t even look back.
Bunny stared just long enough to burn the moment into memory.
And Prince?
He didn’t say a word… but he was watching.
Taking notes.