Chapter 18
BEING HEARD
Kenzie spotted Nelson before he’d noticed her.
The minute their eyes met, his smile lifted and hers matched it. He inhaled deeply and confidently marched to her next to her parents while her heart thumped in her chest.
Was it fear? Nervousness? Or something more she was afraid to touch on?
This was it.
Not that she’d change her mind, but it would darken her mood in an instant if her parents gave her a hard time.
They still weren’t happy with her. She didn’t expect any different.
But they were accepting of the situation and at least content she was going to work it out... or make the best of it.
“Hi,” she said, her hand going out for his.
He grabbed it and then put his arm around her shoulder.
Her father frowned, her mother forced a smile.
What did they expect? The guy was her husband.
Maybe he was a stranger to them but not to her.
They’d been married three weeks but shared only a handful of days. And they spent most of the first two trying to make sense of what the heck had happened to them.
But what he made her feel the moment she saw him was something else entirely.
The fluttering tingles deep in her belly, the warmth spreading through her chest like wildfire, the gentle buzz ringing in her ears, and the stars that suddenly filled her eyes.
It was a rush of life and longing, a silent promise of something more.
She wanted more. She wanted to grasp it with both hands, curl her fingers around and make the tightest fist of her life holding on with everything she had.
The last thing she was going to do was say she hadn’t given them a chance.
There would be no regrets when she was done. She just hoped there was no heartache either.
But what did she really know about him other than what he’d told her and what she’d read?
Time would give her more.
“Hey. Congratulations,” he said. He turned. “I’m Nelson.” His hand went out to her parents.
Her father shook, her mother did the same but then dropped her hand quickly.
“Nelson, my parents, Jacob and Missy.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” he said. “I know you’ve got a lot of questions and even more doubts. I’ll answer what I can for you, but I promise to take care of your daughter.”
Her lips pursed.
She didn’t need anyone to take care of her.
But the tension left her father’s shoulders with that statement. Maybe he was just saying those things to ease the concern her parents had over this move.
“That’s a husband’s job. To provide, care and support. It’s always been my wish that Kenzie would find that, just didn’t think it’d be this way or so far away.”
“I understand,” he said. “Kenzie can come home as often as she wishes. That won’t be an issue. I’m sure she explained that she’ll be back to take the bar here.”
“No,” her mother said. “Why is that happening?”
“Why don’t we go get some food and I’ll explain it more?” she said. Kenzie hadn’t expected Nelson to be so chatty. Or at least this soon. “It makes sense to do what I am doing, and I already applied and paid for it before Nelson came into my life.”
That seemed the easiest way to explain her sudden marriage. That the marriage didn’t exist to many.
Her roommates busted her about the new guy in her life.
There was no way she could confess the truth of what had happened.
They might not believe her anyway.
And the last thing she wanted was to be judged for her actions when most thought she was dull and boring.
“Kenzie said that you made reservations for a late lunch,” her mother said.
“I did,” he said. “I hope the place is okay? Kenzie picked it.”
“It’s a place my parents brought me to for my twenty-first birthday,” she said.
It was more than her parents could afford, but she’d talked about wanting to try it for years. The fact they’d splurged a few hundred dollars on one meal that could have gone to so much more had meant the world to her.
Not for the gift or the food, but the thoughtfulness of being heard.
Her parents were thrifty. Food was made at home, not purchased for takeout, nor a relaxing night out.
“They’ve got good food,” her father said, nodding his head.
She hadn’t felt bad picking a more expensive place. Nelson had made sure she had. Said it was a celebration for all her hard work and he wanted to impress her parents.
She supposed looking back, having a guy in her life who cared enough about that was more important.
“Why don’t we meet you there?” she asked. “I’m going to ride with Nelson.”
“You didn’t drive?” her mother asked.
“No. I came over with Amanda.”
Her roommate was graduating also. It was easier for them to ride together.
She left her parents, both of them walking in other directions toward different parking lots.
She wouldn’t be embarrassed about her parents’ attire.
Her mother was in nice black pants that she wore to Sunday mass, with a cotton button-down shirt. Her father had his best jeans on, a polo shirt and brown leather shoes that he’d had for decades, but rarely wore.
Their clothes weren’t high end. They didn’t have fancy labels on them either.
Nelson was only in jeans and a nice shirt too, even had sneakers on his feet.
But his wealth radiated off him, and she knew her parents were going to have issues with it.
She still hadn’t told them who Nelson’s brother was. Or the kind of money he made.
To her parents, he was a young guy with a great job in a fancy town.
“I can’t make out what your father is thinking,” he said when they reached his car. They’d been skirting people as they walked, the silence not bothering her, as it’d be hard to carry on a conversation anyway.
“He’s not someone to get an easy read on,” she said.
She wished she knew also but was positive they’d find out soon enough.
She took her gown off, her cap had been in her hand and she hoped her hair wasn’t too messed up from it.
The summer dress she had on with comfortable sandals probably wasn’t up to Nelson’s standards, but he had said she looked pretty before she climbed into the car.
She had to get over comparing and doubting if she was good enough for him.
For now, they were married, and she couldn’t change anything about her past.
“I’m used to men like that,” he said. “West rarely shows much emotion.”
“He has a reason for it,” she said.
“He’s not as bad as he used to be, but I get it.”
“Sounds to me like he’s there when you need him the most.”
“Always,” he said. “Just like I’m going to be for you. I mean that. I’m not just saying it for your parents.”
She reached over and patted his leg. “I know. But I’m pretty independent and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m a little nervous over those things.”
His hands went up after he started the car and turned to look at her. “Being there for you is different from telling you what to do. I’ve had that happen enough in my life that I’m not doing it to another person.”
Her eyes were almost slits, the corner of her lip lifted. “You find other ways to get what you want.”
“Hey, you weren’t complaining last night.” His defensive actions with his hands relaxed and he laughed.
She slapped his thigh. “I didn’t mean sex.”
“Oh. What did you mean?”
She pointed her finger at his face. “That adorable innocent-looking grin that isn’t so innocent at all. You know how to play to your strengths. It’s cute and scary at the same time.”
“I might have heard that before,” he said. “But no playing. I promise.”
He pulled out of the parking lot and followed the long line of cars to exit the grounds, got on the main road and she directed him where to go.
Her parents pulled in a minute after them.
Once they were inside and seated, her parents ordered soda, she got a glass of wine to celebrate and ignored their dirty looks. Nelson got a beer. She hadn’t told him that her parents didn’t drink.
She didn’t follow the same rules in her life and they knew it.
“So,” her father said. “This place you’ve got that my daughter is moving into, tell us about it.”
“It’s a two bedroom, two bath townhouse in New Jersey. Only twenty minutes from the New York border. I can get to my office in Manhattan within forty minutes in a taxi, but normally just hop on the subway. It’s a little faster, but then I have to walk a block.”
“I’m not sure I like the idea of Kenzie not having a car there,” her mother said.
“She’ll have access to my car anytime she wants. I rarely drive it. Never when I go into the city. Parking is scarce. All she has to do is drop me at the subway and it’s hers.”
“But if you aren’t driving around the city, then I’m not sure I want her doing it either,” her father said.
“And the subway has crime on it, right?”
Kenzie rolled her eyes, then turned to look at Nelson.
Maybe she had some of these thoughts too, but she wasn’t going to express them to her parents.
“There is crime everywhere,” he said. “That’s life, but the subway is fairly safe during commuting hours.
There would be no reason for Kenzie to be on it at night, and if she was, I’d be with her.
If we don’t take a taxi or Uber in, I’ve got a driver at my disposal.
But as for her moving around in my car, it will be in New Jersey and the area we live in, which is much milder.
More like Salt Lake City traffic, if that. ”
“A driver?” her mother asked, frowning. “You’re awfully young to be spending the way you do. Kenzie has a lot of debt that we don’t approve of, but I’d hate for her to be taking on someone else’s debt with hers.”
Nelson frowned as he glanced her way, but she shook her head sharply, signaling him to keep quiet.
When the time was right, she’d let her parents know who Nelson really was. Or who his family was.
“I’m very careful with my finances,” he said. “Don’t worry about those things.”
“Kenzie, explain to us about you coming back to take the bar here? Or is Nelson considering relocating?” her father asked.
She looked at him, his eyebrow lifted, and she appreciated he was letting her explain this.
“We don’t know what the future is going to hold,” she said.
“I told you we are trying this for several reasons. But I was already set to take the exam in July here and I’m going to do that.
I’ll also apply to take the bar in either New York or New Jersey in February.
I’ll figure that out in the coming months.
This way, I’m covered whatever the future holds. ”
“Are you okay with this, Nelson?” her mother asked. “It sounds as if she’s trying to have an escape clause.”
“Mom! That’s not true at all.”
She didn’t understand how her mother could be so close-minded about the progression of women wanting a career or being independent.
“It was my idea,” he said. “I get why Kenzie doesn’t want to fall behind if things go sideways.
I don’t want that either, and I believe both of us want to see this work out.
But the honest truth is, this is a long shot.
Going in open and raw, listening to each other’s needs, that’s how we build something real and strong. ”
Her eyes stung and itched, tears flooding in faster than she could blink.
She put her head on his shoulder and her hand on his knee under the table.
Her parents watched the interaction, then nodded their heads.
It was the best she could hope to get out of them.
Would things be okay? Who knew?
Did she want to believe in what Nelson was saying?
Absolutely!