Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 104252 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104252 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
“Have you spoken to Kayleen?” she asks.
“Not in a while,” I reply.
“You should give her a call. She’s going to need her friends,” she says cryptically.
I work my jaw. I don’t know why I thought I would get to come here and not talk about Kay. I haven’t forgotten about her. I’ve just been enjoying life without the drama.
Amina and I have been bowling, skating, and the movies. We’ve even had study sessions on late nights at a coffee shop not far from our neighborhood where not too many people would recognize us.
I’m getting used to smiling and laughing more in my life. Opening that door to Kay will open the door to all that shit I want to get away from. I want to enjoy this peace for a little while longer before I deal with Kayleen and the final decision on our future.
However, as her friend, I don’t want to leave her high and dry if she needs someone to lean on. Kay has tons of friends, but we’re her closest friend group. We’re her safe place.
“Okay, I’ll bite. What are you talking about?”
“Tammy Bell and Jimmy Dean are getting a divorce. I haven’t got all the details just yet, but there’s some stuff about the firm, a lawyer, and about some missing money. Somehow Jimmy Dean is caught up in the middle of everything and Tammy wants out,” Mama says.
I scrub a hand up and down my face. That is fucked up, and knowing Kay like I do, she’s probably taking it hard. I’m not ready to deal with us, but I can’t allow her to go through this on her own.
“That’s fucked up,” Caleb says out of nowhere.
I turn to look at him and he’s looking between me and my mama. I groan. He’s not going to allow me to ignore this, just like my mama ain’t.
“I’ll give her a call,” I grumble.
“That’s my boy. Kay is family. We help our family in need,” Mama says.
“You can be her support, but don’t let that family’s mess become your problem,” Daddy says.
“How can you say that? Tammy Bell is like a sister to me,” Mama gasps.
“And if I lost every dime tonight, would she be there to hold your hand?”
“I … I.” Mama gives a nervous laugh.
“I don’t think so,” Daddy says with a frown. “She’d run away from you faster than a plate of wings trying to get away from a pan of grease. I think you’re forgetting we have funds tied up in all this. It might be wise to separate ourselves from it all sooner rather than later.”
“Tammy Bell and Kayleen have nothing to do with the mess Jimmy Dean has gotten himself into. I always knew Howell was good for nothing—he’s the real one to blame.
“Jimmy Dean allowed him too much access. We’re all getting burned because of that scumbag. This is probably why Jimmy couldn’t make things happen for Kay to go to school with the boys,” Mama huffs.
“I don’t want to talk about this at this table. I thought we agreed we weren’t going to share the details with the boys. You don’t even know what Tammy and Jimmy told Kay. Cam, I’d use caution in what you say to Kay if you do talk to her. This is still a very delicate situation.”
From the pointed look on my daddy’s face, I get that my mama has shared a bunch of other folk’s business that ain’t none of mine. I’ll keep that in mind.
I frown down at my unfinished food, no longer having an appetite. Pushing my plate away, I grab my glass and wash down the food I didn’t get to finish enjoying.
Welcome home, Mama.
CHAPTER 13
Chemistry
Cameron
They finally changed my late afternoon chemistry class for a morning one. Thank God for Dakota. She’s been sitting in for me, taking notes for the last four weeks. The professor is super cool and understands the situation.
He even allowed me to take the two exams I missed during his office hours. He was actually the one who got me into his morning session. Friday was the only class I could get with him as my professor.
I’m dragging this morning because I was up all night talking to Kay. She’s really fucked up over her parents. I still can’t get my head around all the shit that’s come to light since my mama brought it all up a week ago.
I’m lost in thought as I walk to class with my hands in my hoodie and my head down. I never got around to calling Amina yesterday. I hope I get to see her in the science building this morning.
She has a class here around this time. I remember that from the morning I ran her down. I hope we can hang out this weekend. After all the shit going on with Kay, I could use one of our good talks and a few laughs.