CHAPTER 15 #3
“Daddy catch me.”
Zaviyah looked at Kavon.
He stood in the doorway looking sick.
“I was right there.”
Zaviyah’s anger rose.
“Kavon.”
“I turned for one second.”
“KAVON.”
Samaria grabbed Zaviyah’s arm.
“Viyah.”
“I trusted you with him!”
“I know.”
“One fucking day!”
“I know!”
“You were supposed to watch him!”
“I WAS!”
Kyren started crying.
Everybody froze.
Samaria picked him up.
“Come here, baby.”
Zaviyah stepped toward Kavon.
“You said you had him.”
“I did.”
“Clearly the fuck not.”
Kavon’s face changed.
“That’s not fair.”
“I don’t give a fuck!”
“He fell.”
“WITH YOU!”
“Kids fall!”
“Not mine!”
Kavon stared at her.
Then quietly said.
“You can’t protect him from everything.”
Zaviyah slapped him.
Silence.
Patrice stood.
“Zaviyah.”
Zaviyah’s hand froze.
Kavon touched his cheek.
Samaria stared.
Kyren cried harder.
“Daddy!”
Zaviyah’s anger disappeared immediately.
Fuck.
She had done it in front of him.
Kavon went to Kyren.
“It’s okay.”
Kyren reached for him.
Zaviyah watched her son choose his father’s arms.
That hurt.
Not because Kyren loved Kavon.
Because she had just scared him.
Kavon held him.
“It’s okay, little man.”
Kyren touched Kavon’s cheek.
“Mama hit.”
Kavon kissed his forehead.
“Mama was scared.”
Zaviyah’s eyes filled.
“I’m sorry.”
Kavon looked at her.
She meant it.
“I’m sorry.”
He nodded.
Samaria watched both of them.
Something in her face changed.
Later, after Kyren was discharged, Patrice took him home with Loretta.
Zaviyah stayed behind filling out paperwork.
Samaria went to get the car.
Kavon stood beside Zaviyah in the parking lot.
Neither spoke.
Then Zaviyah whispered.
“I shouldn’t have hit you.”
“No.”
“I was scared.”
“I know.”
“I saw blood.”
“I know.”
Kavon looked wrecked.
“I thought I killed him.”
Zaviyah frowned.
“What?”
“When he fell.”
His voice cracked.
“He wasn’t moving for like three seconds.”
Her anger vanished.
Kavon wiped his face.
“I swear to God I thought.”
He couldn’t finish.
Zaviyah stepped closer.
“Kavon.”
“I fucked up.”
“No.”
“You trusted me.”
“Kavon.”
“I should’ve been looking.”
“He’s okay.”
“I know.”
She touched his arm.
He looked down at her hand.
Zaviyah started to move it.
Kavon grabbed it.
Not hard.
Just held it.
Her heart stopped.
“Kavon.”
His eyes met hers.
He was crying.
She was crying.
They were both scared.
Both relieved.
Both too fucking emotional.
And for one dangerous second, Zaviyah forgot everything else.
Samaria.
Boundaries.
Promises.
All of it.
Kavon stepped closer.
Zaviyah didn’t move.
His forehead touched hers.
She closed her eyes.
“Kavon.”
“I know.”
“Move.”
“I know.”
Neither moved.
Then his mouth touched hers.
Soft.
Barely.
One second.
Maybe two.
Zaviyah kissed him back.
And the second she realized she was doing it, she shoved him away.
“No.”
Kavon froze.
Zaviyah covered her mouth.
“No. No. Fuck.”
“Kavon didn’t speak.
She looked toward the parking lot.
Samaria was standing beside her car.
Keys in her hand.
Watching them.
Zaviyah’s entire body went cold.
“Mari.”
Samaria laughed.
Not loud.
Not angry.
Just broken.
Zaviyah ran toward her.
“Mari, wait.”
Samaria held up her hand.
“No.”
“It happened so fast.”
Samaria nodded.
“Yep.”
“I stopped it.”
“After you kissed him back.”
Zaviyah froze.
Samaria’s eyes filled.
“You promised me.”
“I know.”
“Today.”
“I know.”
“You promised me today.”
“Mari.”
Samaria stepped backward.
“I came here because your baby got hurt.”
“I know.”
“I held you together.”
“I know.”
“I drove you here.”
“I KNOW.”
“And the second my back turned.”
“No.”
Samaria laughed.
“Don’t.”
“I wasn’t trying to.”
“But you did.”
Zaviyah started crying.
Samaria looked at Kavon.
“You happy?”
Kavon stepped forward.
“No.”
“You finally got what you wanted.”
“No.”
“You got your little family now.”
“Samaria.”
“Fuck you.”
She opened the car door.
Zaviyah grabbed her arm.
“Mari, please.”
Samaria snatched away.
“Don’t touch me.”
Zaviyah froze.
Samaria looked at her sister.
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“You ain’t gotta worry about losing me over Kavon anymore.”
Zaviyah’s face crumbled.
“Mari.”
“You already did.”
Samaria got into her car.
She drove away.
Zaviyah stood in the urgent care parking lot crying.
Kavon came toward her.
She turned on him immediately.
“Don’t fucking touch me.”
He stopped.
“Zaviyah.”
“You ruined everything.”
His face changed.
“We both.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“No. Don’t do that.”
“You kissed me back.”
“I KNOW!”
Her scream echoed across the parking lot.
“I fucking know.”
Kavon went quiet.
Zaviyah wiped her face.
“That’s what makes it worse.”
She walked toward her car.
Then stopped.
Turned around.
And looked at him.
“From now on, you see Kyren through my mama.”
Kavon’s face fell.
“What?”
“I can’t be around you.”
“Zaviyah.”
“I mean it.”
“You can’t avoid me forever.”
“Watch me.”
She got into the car.
Locked the doors.
And cried the entire way home.
Because this time Samaria couldn’t blame a trip.
Couldn’t blame timing.
Couldn’t blame not knowing.
This time Zaviyah knew exactly who Kavon was.
Her sister’s ex.
The man her sister still loved.
And she kissed him anyway.