Chapter 13 Khloe
Khloe
The kitchen smelled like garlic, onions, and comfort. My knife was hitting the cutting board while Solange’s A Seat at the Table played softly from the record player.
Cranes in the Sky floated through and I didn’t realize how badly I needed the album until it was spinning.
I popped one AirPod into my ear before calling Coffee. Kennedi was home, and even though she stayed in her room, that girl could hear through walls like the FBI.
She answered immediately.
“Ayyyyye,” Coffee said. “That’s my song.”
I smiled to myself. “Girl, I’ve been jamming. This vinyl record player might be my favorite purchase yet.”
“Hold on,” she said, suddenly alert. “You found that album in stores?”
“Yes!” I whispered-shouted, excited all over again. “I screamed when I saw it. Like I almost lost my mind.”
“Of course you did.” Coffee laughed because we used to blast the album together.
“And Stacks was just standing there looking at me like I was crazy.”
Coffee sighed long and loud. I paused mid-chop and frowned. “What?”
“Oh nothing,” she said dryly. “Just this Tupac wanna be nigga with the nose-ring is trying to take all your damn time. He’s seen you almost every day this week.”
I laughed so hard I had to put the knife down. Thank God for AirPods. Kennedi didn’t need to hear any of that.
“First of all,” I said, “he has not seen me every day. He’s only seen me twice in person. And both times we ate breakfast and went record shopping.”
“Mmmhmm,” Coffee said. “Well, he’s definitely taking up my phone time.”
She wasn’t lying. From the moment I dropped Kennedi off at school to the time I picked her up from cheer practice, my phone barely left my hand. We talked about nothing and everything. Music. Random theories about life. Stupid jokes that didn’t even make sense but still had me laughing.
It was just… easy and fun.
“Coffee, please,” I said, chopping bell peppers. “We’re literally just getting to know each other.”
“For what?” she shot back. “For the thousandth time.. You are doing all that just to use your hall pass and fuck him once? What sense does that make?”
I rolled my eyes even though she couldn’t see me. “You’re thinking about this all wrong. I’m just enjoying the conversation. We haven’t even talked about sex. The man hasn’t touched me outside of a friendly hug and that was only the two times we met.”
“Mmhmm,” she said.
I hesitated, then felt my face curve into a smile. “Can I tell you something he does every morning to start my day? But you can’t judge me?”
Coffee groaned. “What, bitch?”
“He sends me songs,” I admitted excitedly. “Like… a love song he’s had on repeat that morning.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
“He’s real big on music,” I continued. “Since he’s a day trader, he’s up early watching trends, stocks, or whatever it is he does. He’s up like four hours before me, drinking his coffee, listening to music while he works.”
I swallowed.
“By the time I wake up,” I said, “there’s already a good morning text and a song waiting. I listen to it while I’m getting ready.”
It sounded small but it didn’t feel small.
Coffee finally spoke. “Bitch.”
I frowned. “What?”
“Bitch,” she repeated slowly, “you can’t even tell that the man is mind-fucking you.”
I stopped chopping my peppers.
“He doesn’t give a damn about the pussy,” she continued, “because he’s mentally making love to your crazy-ass mind.”
I leaned against the counter, heart thudding.
“That’s not—” I started.
“Yes it is,” Coffee said. “And the wild part is that you’re letting it happen right under your nose.”
“Coffee, you are so dramatic,” I said, sauteing my peppers. “You swear you know everything.”
“Oh, I do,” she replied calmly. “Especially when it comes to mind fucking.”
I snorted. “And how exactly would you know anything about that?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Uh… because I kinda let someone do it to me all the time.”
I froze.
“…Excuse me?”
“Yeah. So trust me when I tell you, I know exactly what that man is doing.”
I shook my head, even though my heart thumped a little faster. “You’re crazy and over analyzing this entire situation.”
“Mmmhmm,” she hummed. “That’s what we always say right before our life shifts.”
I wasn’t about to keep sitting in the hot seat, so I changed the subject.
“You never said anything else about the embryo conversation,” I said. “How did that go?”
Coffee groaned before I heard ice clink and liquid pour.
“You must be fixing your drink?” I asked.
“Absolutely,” she confirmed. “Today’s cocktail is something citrusy with tequila.”
I smiled. “So?”
“He came to my office,” she said. “Conversation started… but he wanted to finish it later. He said he needed time to think.”
“Well,” I said carefully, “that makes sense.”
“Think for what?” she snapped. “I didn’t ask him to help me fucking parent.”
I sighed. “Coffee, he doesn’t have kids. Of course he’s gonna want to be part of the parenting.”
“I guess,” she said, not caring about any of that. “But yeah, he wanted to come over that night so we could talk.’”
“And did you let him?”
“Hell no,” she said immediately. “For what? So we could not talk and fuck instead? Unlike you, I know my weaknesses.”
“What?!”
“We don’t need to talk in private,” she continued. “The same way I don’t need closure about this or that.”
“Coffee,” I said gently, “there’s nothing wrong with closure.”
She scoffed. “Why would I need closure when we aren’t even gonna scratch the surface of it? Because let’s be real, we’re gonna fuck. And that’s it.”
I felt Kairo before I saw him. His arms slid around my waist while his chin brushed my shoulder before kissing my cheek. He smelled so damn good.
I turned and kissed him back. “Hey, baby.”
From my ear, Coffee gagged. “Ew. Are y’all making out?”
“Girl,” I said, forgetting that she was even on the phone once I smelled Kairo.
“Disgusting,” she replied. “Call me back tomorrow.”
I laughed. “I will.”
We hung up just as Kairo asked, “Food almost ready?”
“Almost,” I said, surprised he was home so early.
I was so happy that I immediately grabbed plates and started setting the table.
As we sat at the dinner table, the only sounds were forks against plates. That alone told me the food was hitting.
Kairo took another bite and finally shook my head. “Damn, baby… this is good.”
I smiled, feeling that little swell of pride, then nodded toward Kennedi.
“Thank your baby girl. When I asked what she wanted, she sent me a whole video, so I had to try it.”
Kennedi grinned. “My friend was telling me about it the other day. He said it was fire. I couldn’t even remember having pepper steak and gravy before, so I wanted to see.”
Kairo laughed. “Well, good call, Kennedi Kai. Your mom’s gonna have to add this to the monthly rotation.”
I soaked in the compliments, especially because Kennedi was actually in a good mood. With her ass, I never knew what version I was getting. Then my ears caught up with her wording.
“Did I hear friend,” I asked slowly, “and then he?”
Kennedi groaned immediately. “Mom, don’t start. This is why I never say anything.”
I looked at Kairo, waiting for backup. “So you’re just gonna let that slide?”
She beat him to it. “Dad already knows, and he didn’t make a big deal about it like you.”
I turned to Kairo. “Oh. So you knew and didn’t tell me. What other secrets are you holding for her?”
“Relax, baby. I know she has a friend. And like you heard, that’s all it is. No harm. I didn’t want to make it a thing since it was just something we shared.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.”
Then I looked back at Kennedi. “Just be careful. If you start feeling things you don’t understand, you come to me. I understand hormones and sex and—”
She leaned back dramatically. “See? There you go reaching again, Ma.”
Kairo jumped in before I could keep going. “So how was school today?”
Her face brightened instantly. “Today was actually really good, Daddy.”
“That’s good,” he said. “Practice go okay?”
“Yeah. We nailed the routine.”
Then she looked at him. “How was your day?”
“It was good,” he said. “Your Uncle Kordai came by the office. We talked for a bit.”
I was surprised and glad that he was getting out the house more. “Really? How’s he doing? I need to call and check on him.”
“He’s good,” Kairo said. “Still adjusting, but he’s good.”
I nodded, watching Kennedi smile to herself. She adored her uncles, even if she’d never admit who her favorite really was. Between Kordai and Kendrix, she stayed spoiled. Kross was too strict, so she couldn’t run circles around him the way she could the other two.
I was lifting my glass to take a sip when Kairo said, “Yeah… He’s been thinking about getting into day trading.”
I almost choked. I coughed, eyes watering, hand flying to my chest while Kennedi jumped.
“Mom, are you okay?”
Kairo leaned forward instantly. “Baby, what happened?”
I waved them off, still coughing. “I’m fine. I just tried to drink and inhale at the same time like an idiot.”
Kennedi laughed while Kairo shook his head, amused but still watching me like he needed to be sure.
I looked at him. “Day trading?” I repeated. “What made him consider that?”
He shrugged casually, not knowing that he’d just thrown my mind into a spiral.
“He’s been doing research. And honestly…
He has the money, so why not?He came by the office to talk to dad about it,” he continued.
“They were going to make a few calls. We don’t know anyone personally in that space, but I’m hoping he finds someone solid and maybe even a mentor.
Someone who really knows what they’re doing. ”
I nodded slowly, my mind already on Stacks. The way he talked about trading so effortlessly. I’d never been to his home to see the way he lived but from the car he drove and the way he paid for everything without blinking, that showed that he knew what he was doing.
I’d always held a soft spot for Kordai, and if he was trying to rebuild his life the right way, I wanted to help however I could.