All of Me

XLV

10 YEARS LATER

"My baby is a high school graduate." Heather said as she kissed seventeen year old Killian's cheek once he met them in the front of FedEx Forum. "Your daddy is in pieces right now."

Killian laughed. "I'm already knowing. Let me get myself together." Heather grabbed his hand and they approached the rest of the family where Amaru was crying and ten year old Lennox was consoling him.

Killian and Amaru made eye contact and Killian could not hold back his tears. They met each other in the middle and engulfed each other in a hug. They were both the same height, but Killian was more built due to him being an athlete so he was almost suffocating his father. They were each other's best friends and for the first five years of Killian's life it was always the two of them. This moment was bittersweet and came too quickly for the both of them.

In a couple of months, Killian will be headed to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to attend the University of Alabama on a full ride where he will be playing football and studying mathematics. Everyone was extremely proud of him and was excited about his future.

"I would hate to see the NFL Draft and college graduation." Arman said.

"Boy, hush." Big Mama told him.

After a few minutes, the two of them separated and said a few words to each other before Killian went to show love to his siblings and relatives. He then saw his best friend Karis and gave her hugs as well.

"Are you ready for vacation?" Killian asked as he walked her over to his family.

Karis' relationship with her family is very rocky. Her mother passed away when she was much younger and her father remarried to their family friend a year later. They had two more kids and treated Karis as if she wasn't there. When the two of them met in middle school, Killian immediately adopted her in his family and Heather and Amaru were happy to accept her. She was always at their house and even joined them on any vacation they hosted.

"I've been ready." Karis replied. "I got into it with my dad and his wife last night so they didn't come to see me graduate."

"Why didn't you call me, mamas?" Killian asked. Not only did he take after his dad's looks, but he also took after his slang.

"They took my phone and broke it." Karis said as she teared up. "It was bad, Kill."

Killian took a deep breath to keep himself calm. "How'd you get here?"

"I took the bus." She said.

"C'mon, Kill!" Shakur shouted. "If you riding with us Karis then you can hop in with me and auntie!"

"Wait, uncle." Killian said as he motioned him over. Shakur walked over to them and looked at Karis, instantly knowing that something was wrong. "She needs to get her stuff for the trip and she needs a new phone."

"Aight, we got her." Shakur assured him. "C'mon, Karis."

Killian kissed her forehead before allowing her to leave with Shakur. Right when he was about to follow his family, a couple of girls approached him and asked for a picture. Before Killian could agree, he was pulled away by Lennox who did not play about her big brothers. Fourteen year old Micah and eleven year old Jaxon and Kennedi could be seen laughing because they were the ones who sent Lennox to get Killian.

-

"Chocolate, you need to go to keep still." Heather told Lennox as she wrapped her hair. They called her Chocolate because her skin was the shade of chocolate and her personality was very sweet. She was the spitting image of Big Mama who was very pleased with that.