Tears pulled in my eyes. My uncle had said something similar to me all those years ago. A few doors down the hall from this very spot.You have me.“Thanks, Kennedy. But I’m not going to put anyone else at risk.” I was so tired of losing everyone I loved. I was just so damned tired.
“I’m making the choice myself. I’m coming with you to this evil luncheon with daddy dearest,” she said and put her pinky in the air as she took a sip of tea.
I couldn’t help but laugh. That was the Kennedy I knew and loved. I wiped the remaining tears out of my eyes. “You look really happy by the way,” I said. “I’m so glad you’re good.”
The smile fell from her face, but only for a second. “Yeah.” She cleared her throat. “I have a lot to catch you up on.”
“Sixteen years’ worth of stuff.”
“Mhm.”
“And I want to hear all of it. What college was like, what you’re up to now. All of it.”
But it would have to wait because Jacob was up. He shoved the worn blanket off of him. He looked a little bewildered as he looked around. But then his eyes spotted mine and a smile spread across his face. He jumped off the couch and ran over to me.
I lifted him onto my lap. “Good morning, sweet boy.” I kissed his cheek. “Do you remember Mommy’s friend from last night? Kennedy.”
He shook his head and tried to tuck his head under my arm.
“He’s a little shy,” I said. “Jacob, look at me.”
He stopped squirming and looked up. I peppered his face in kisses until he was laughing. “This is my best friend. You’re going to love her too, I promise.”
“Noooo.”
“Jacob,” I said with a laugh.
He ducked under my arm again.
“It’s okay,” Kennedy said. “I have stranger danger too.” She scooted her chair back. “Don’t you dare get close to me, Stranger Jacob.”
He giggled when she pushed her chair back again.
“Does the little stranger want some breakfast?” she asked.
He smiled from his hiding spot. “Cuppycakes.”
I bit my lip. I’d been giving him whatever he wanted to eat. I’d really dropped the ball on the healthy eating because we both needed comfort food. “Is that okay if I whip up some cupcakes real quick?” I asked. “He loves them.”
“For breakfast?” Kennedy asked.
“Just…for now.”
She nodded. “Well, we probably have everything you need for normal cupcakes. But not granola flax seed cupcakes or whatever weird healthy thing you do to them.”
“I actually just make normal cupcakes.”
“No way,” Kennedy said with a smile. “With sugar and white flour and everything? That’s so unlike you.”
I laughed. “I know. Jacob gives me and his father plenty of exercise.” I pressed my lips together at the mention of Miller.
“I bet.” Kennedy smiled down at Jacob. “So…cuppycakes for breakfast?”
“Cuppycakes!” Jacob yelled and ducked out from under my arm. He seemed significantly less scared now that cuppycakes were going to be made.
“Jacob is my little helper in the kitchen,” I said. I stood up and plopped him back down in my seat. I started humming as I pulled ingredients out of the fridge and pantry. It only took me a few minutes to whip up some vanilla cupcakes with homemade cream cheese icing. I felt more like myself than I had in weeks as I poured the batter into the cupcake tin. I was even humming. I touched my throat after I closed the oven door. For just a second, after everything that happened, I felt a slice of normalcy.
I turned around to see Kennedy’s chair pulled up to Jacob’s. He was drawing something for her, pointing at it and describing what it was.
