Page 17 of Love Set Me Free

Kydrick chewed the food in his mouth slowly while making eye contact with Janelle. Finally, he nodded once and said, “I’m better now that I’m home, Nelle. How are you? How are the kids?”

A tear traveled down her face, and she seemed flustered by his response. Paisley was surprised too. Kydrick wasn’t a rude man, but he had become hardened while in prison. It surprised her that he didn’t take on a harsher tone with Janelle.

“I… they’re good. I’m good,” she muttered. “I’m happy you’re home, Kydrick. Really happy.”

Her eyes found her plate, and she used her fork to play around with the food on it. Kydrick didn’t respond to her. Hesimply continued eating, and Nasir picked up a conversation with him, the awkward moment passing. Paisley squeezed Kydrick’s hand under the table, and he squeezed hers back.

The rest of the dinner was spent with everyone overwhelming Kydrick with questions while Paisley took it all in. She was more than okay with playing the background and observing. It had been a long time since she had been able to do that. Any time she was around her family or the Cooper family, they always had questions about Kydrick and his case. Now, they could ask him themselves, and she felt relieved.

When they finished eating, everyone tried to convince them to stay awhile and hang out, but Paisley could tell Kydrick was overstimulated and needed to get home. She didn’t want to put him in the position to have to tell them no, so she was okay with being the bad guy that night.

“We’ve had a really long day, and I think we’re both tired. We’ll come over again tomorrow or the next day. I promise,” Paisley told the parents as she stood from the dining room table, causing Kydrick to follow.

They picked up their plates, but Alyssa stopped them. “Leave them. Are you sure you can’t stay?”

“We can if you want to watch us sleep on the couch,” Paisley said with a grin on her face. “Seriously, Mom, I promise we will come back within the next day or so.”

Alyssa nodded, sadness rimming her eyes. Linda stood and walked around the table, squeezing Kydrick around his waist. He reciprocated the hug with one arm since he still held Paisley’s hand with the other.

“And what about me?” Linda asked. “You’ll come visit an old woman?”

“And an old man?” Charles asked, standing to shake Kydrick’s hand and then looking at Paisley. “I wouldn’t mind a visit from you, too, Paisley P.”

Paisley smiled and hugged them while Kydrick answered for them both. “You know I gotta come by and check y’all. We got you.”

Next, Paisley’s parents stood to hug them, her mom barely containing tears as she held onto each of them extra tight. Alyssa knew how much this day meant to Paisley, and she was happy for them both to experience this freedom together.

After her siblings bickered some more as they said their goodbyes, all that was left was Janelle. Paisley didn’t want to make it awkward. In fact, she wanted to spare the poor girl another tense moment, so she attempted to turn on her heels and walk toward the door, but Kydrick’s voice stopped her.

“Good seeing you, Janelle. Maybe one of these days, I can meet your kids and husband.”

Paisley looked up at him in confusion before masking her emotions as she looked at Janelle, who once again looked shocked.

“Oh… yeah. That would be nice. I can make that happen. I mean, it can happen whenever it happens. Like, if we have another family dinner or whatever. My husband just didn’t want to come out of respect, but of course… I can… yes. I can make that happen.”

Paisley cringed at Janelle’s rambling, her cheeks tinting red from second-hand embarrassment.

Kydrick simply nodded at her politely before moving toward the front of the house. Paisley felt like they had an entourage as they walked out the front door with everyone saying goodbye again and waving as they walked toward the car.

“Let me drive.”

Paisley stopped and turned to Kydrick with her eyes squinted. “I don’t know about that, mister.”

“Come on. I got my Ls earlier. What’s the problem?”

She turned her head to the side. “Do you even know how to drive still?”

He chuckled, showing those dimples she loved so much. After snatching her keys from her, he said, “Girl, watch out. Get in the passenger seat. What they call that? Passenger princess.”

Paisley giggled. “What the hell do you know about a passenger princess?”

Kydrick opened her door. “Just get in.”

“Yes, sir.”

When he got into the car, they pulled away from her parents’ house with another round of waves from the people still standing on the front steps and on the lawn before Paisley turned to Kydrick. She stared at the side of his head for several seconds before he sighed and placed a hand on her thigh.

“What, Paisley Pooh?”

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