Forever and Always: wlw

Chapter 2: To The Light

"There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs." -Luke 12:2-3

Chapter 2- To The Light

Kenzie parked in front of Kaia's house, slurped on her Slurpee and waited for her best friend to grab her jacket, and put on some more lipgloss before rummaging through her bag for a tiny delicate bracelet. "I know you said you didn't want anything but you graduated today and you worked really hard for that."

Kenzie set her Slurpee down and took the bracelet only to have no words. Instead, she pulled her into a hug. Kaia grabbed her stuff and got out of the jeep before smiling at her and telling her goodnight.

The night was chilly but Kenzie rather liked it. She rolled down the windows and put her arm out the window as she drove, glancing at the new bracelet she got every few minutes. It was orange, black and white, with yellow beads, and a few charms, especially the cross. She didn't particularly like orange but now it didn't seem so bright and obnoxiously loud anymore.

A few hours had gone by and still no moxie, no sudden surge of verve, not even a drop of genuine excitement just dread. She didn't even know what college she was going to but she had a whole Summer to figure it out. It was either NYU, Ohio State, UFC, Berkeley or community college.

She'd gotten a scholarship for Berkeley but she really wanted NYU. Her mom knew she applied to Berkeley and to her, Berkeley was a no-brainer. UFC had her on the waitlist and she was still waiting to hear back from NYU. She never thought she'd get in. It was just wishful thinking, really. She was only ever hoping to get into NYU to get out of this small town where nothing ever happened and to a place where everything happened.

New York City was iconic, it was always alive, it was fast, very different from what she was used to. That and her mom wouldn't be within a thousand miles of her. Her mom had an aversion to New York, the same way Kenzie had an aversion to anything peanut or pineapples (she was allergic). Thus, why her mom had no idea she applied for NYU. Kenzie thought back to the homily at mass and what Father had said about things coming to light. She knew she'd eventually have to tell her mother, especially if she got in. Though she knew in her heart, that if she didn't get into NYU, she'd most likely keep it to herself. It was the guilt of keeping this to herself that made her feel icky and wrong.

All she could think about was how much more exciting her life would be to be going to college this fall finally. She had worked three jobs just to be able to pay for some of it herself and now, all her hard work would pay off and she could hang up her Chucky Cheese slacks and trade them in for her college dorm and Lit classes with Junot Diaz, a novelist. If she made it into NYU that is.

She parked the car in the driveway and slipped her cardigan on as she got out of the car. She entered the house to smell food and heard laughter coming from the kitchen. Her mom never cooked and if she see did, ramen noodles were most likely on the menu. She followed the haughty hysterics ricocheting off the walls. Kenzie slowly walked into the kitchen, peering around the corner to see her mother leaning forward against the island, a glass of red in hand, teary uncontrollable sniggering and a dimpled, 6-foot stranger, tall, dark and handsome was staring her mom down with an amused grin, sipping his wine. She internally scowled but her face was very pleasant, so pleasant that one could clearly see discomfort. Two pots were on the stove so no ramen noodles, empty dishes in the sink, not Ramen noodles.

The stranger sensed her presence and his body language changed, the casual leaning back against the kitchen counter, his arms crossed over his torso, into perfect posture and professionalism. It was hard to think of how relaxed he was seconds ago. A complete chameleon. The short haircut, pretty nice watch, brown dress shoes and a button-up? This was definitely a date. The kitchen was the heart of our home, the home of the sweet aromas that brought the best family discussions about Kenzie's future and apparently home to whatever these two were planning to do tonight.

Her mom felt the shift in energy and suddenly stopped laughing when she too noticed her daughter standing at the dining table, "Hey hun." She shifted her gaze from her daughter to the man standing in their kitchen, appearing quite guilty. "This is doctor Chidike."

He politely acknowledged Kenzie and gave her an awkward but confident smile, "Nice to meet you, Salem." At the name, she once again grimaced slightly ever so, but she nodded.

"Nice to meet you too, Doctor Chidike." She took his hand and shook it, mentally making a notice that his hand engulfed hers like Pac-man eating pellets around the videogame board and guessing that he'd been approached by basketball scouts in high school. She bet nine out of ten, that he was her mom's colleague.

He must've read her mind because he answered, "We work together in pediatrics." He glimpsed her mother as if requesting support. At this point, Kenzie was wondering why he was answering a question she didn't even ask. "Your mother tells me you want to become a surgeon." He said it so proudly like it was killing him to not flex his career all night.

But it wasn't true. Her mom wanted her to become a surgeon all Kenzie truly wanted was to write books and be published. She replied, not so enthused, "Yeah, going to college this fall."

"Where?"

Her mom interrupted, "Not sure yet, we're waiting to hear back from a few. UFC waitlisted her. No reply from Berkeley yet and she got accepted to Ohio State."

"Yeah but we're gunning for Berkeley," Kenzie said, looking at her mom.

He nodded, pleasantly surprised, Kenzie could tell her mom was proud, even from across the room under harsh lighting she could see the invisible smile.

"I'm an alumnus of Berkeley myself," He began but Kenzie zoned out. It finally made sense. "-I can put in a good word for you if you like."

"Really you'd do that?" Kenzie's mom piped up.

Kenzie answered him with a smile before her mom could say anything further, "That's very nice of you Doctor Chidike, but it's really not necessary."

"Please, call me Jabulani and if you change your mind, the offer still stands."

Kenzie smiled appreciatively and her mother changed the subject when the atmosphere became empty, "How was mass?" Her mom cleared her throat.

"Uh, mass was good, the homily was lovely," Kenzie informed her mother, nodding, "Father talked about Luke 12: 2-3." Kenzie smiled at her mom.

Kenzie's mother visibly swallowed, her cheeks tinged pink but slightly, she looked away from Kenzie before returning her gaze to her daughter. She pursed her lips and forced a smile, "That's good and Kaia?"

"She's good."

Silence ensued and Kenzie got started plotting her escape. She flashed them one last smile, "I had a pretty full day so I'm going to bed. Goodnight Doctor Chidike, mom."

They nodded, "Goodnight," her mom responded.

She left them and retired to her room. She changed her clothes and snuggled into bed but her mind was still noisy.

Men were greedy. Entrapped in their lust to share a woman's body for a night before they dipped the next morning or sent her away after they've had their fill. Kenzie had never felt safe with a man. She'd argue that she never had that prime role model of what a man should be but her mother made sure to let her know what a man wasn't.

Her mom dated a few men after her dad, heck, even married one but none ever stuck around long enough. It was a fair assumption that they didn't care much for her, after all, they signed up for the body, not the kid that came with it.

Kenzie was wondering if Doctor Chidike was like that. If he was just offering his help so he could into her mom's good graces or showcase that 'side' of him. He seemed so different from what her mom normally went for. He was nice and super polite but maybe there were just friends. Then again, she guessed they all started off as friends. Maybe friends who had crushes on each other.

Whatever the case, Kenzie couldn't be angry at her mother. Her mother never really introduced a man to her as her father, once as a friend, her husband and the rest didn't warrant an introduction but never, 'this is your dad now.' She was too young to understand everything anyway; when Kenzie was old enough, she noticed it was a game that was being played-the men. Her mom dated, had them eating out the palm of her hands and by the end of it, she got whatever she wanted. Sleeping with them was a choice but it really had always been Kenzie and her mom.