Page 134 of Fortunate Misfortune
This catches her attention, finally bringing glassy eyes back to mine. I stand up and wrap my arms around her waist, my nerves melting away when she loops her arms around my neck and sniffles. Happiness blooms in every softened feature as she looks up at me.
“Yes. Absolutely yes,” she whispers against my lips. “I’ll talk to Shay.”
“I can’t wait to create a home with you.”
“About time you get here!” Nan shrieks, even though we are ten minutes early.
“Yeah!” Jaxon yells, hopping off my mother’s lap. “What took you so long?”
Mallory releases my hand and crouches down to wipe his ruddy cheeks that are streaked with dried tears. “We went home so I could give Kenneth that special gift you helped me with.”
Home.Lake Anita is going to beourhome soon.
Jaxon’s stormy eyes shift to me, calming as he remembers the cologne bottle. “Did you like the picture me and Jules drew?
“Loved it. It’s the best gift I’ve ever gotten. Thank you.” I look around to find my other artist. “Where’s Jules?”
“In the restroom with the girls,” Jane says, appearing behind us. “She wanted to watch Adri fix her makeup. Shay and Adri convinced her and Jo to wear eye shadow too.”
Mallory’s mouth falls open. “Jo too? You’re kidding.”
Jaxon grips her cheeks, forcing her to look at him. “No more talking to them! Did you hear me screaming for you? I was super loud. I got a video! Come see!”
Mallory sighs. “Jeez,you’re so impatient.”
“I wonder where he gets that from,” I tease.
She gives me a quick jab in the side before being whisked away. As much as Jaxon likes me, he isn’t used to the fact the Mallory and I are dating. Jane says he’s jealous about having to share his favorite girl. Julie on the other hand is already planning the wedding.
“Sorry,” Jane says, patting my shoulder. “He’s fussy today. Julie too. They equate graduation to leaving, and neither can fathom you two leaving Clear Lake, even though I’ve already made it clear you guys are staying. Now if you’ll excuse me, both of my kids are occupied, and I need a drink.Bad. Pearl, wait!”
It’s no surprise we’re having our graduation party at Ida’s Kitchen. After eating here with Riley and Mallory, it became a regular occurrence for the three of us. Riley flew in once a month to visit. All the people in our life love it as much as we do.
Heavy doors slam as two more guests step through them. Their matching purple outfits are a blur as they cross the room. One pair of arms hug my leg, with the other around my shoulders.
“Kenneth,” Billie Owens beams. “I am so proud of you, son.”
Cade’s mother was the first woman to show me what a real mom looks like. Calling me son is natural because it’s the way she’s always treated me. When I left for college, she stepped in for me with Nan, stopping by throughout the week with treats and love. Even now that Nan’s living with Titus and Cade is in California, Billie is still a constant presence in our lives.
“Thank you for being here, Billie.” I ruffle Violet’s pigtails. “Hi, Vi. You look very pretty. Are you excited to meet Julie and Jaxon today?”
Violet nods, grinning in that lopsided way that reminds me so much of her brother. The only person missing today. Cade’s decision to enter the Major League Baseball draft after junior year wasn’t a shock to anyone. What was shocking was how quickly everything changed after that.Within a few weeks, he was under contract and on a plane to California for pre-season training, and he and Shay ended their arrangement.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, ESPN alerting me that his game will be starting soon.
I search for the remote to turn the game on, but my attention is frozen on the man standing at the front door. I blink once. Twice. Three times.
There’s no way. I must be hallucinating.
“Keaton?” Nan asks from behind me, which proves that I am not seeing things.
Nan, Karla, and my mother rush across the room to him, immediately touching his hair, smoothing out his tie, and commenting on the bags beneath his eyes. Keaton’s groans and grumbles, but I’m surprised that he doesn’t push them away.
With Mallory’s encouragement, I mustered the courage to invite him. I stopped believing he would come when he didn’t respond to my original text or the two follow-ups.
“Can you guys give us a second?” I say, stepping behind the women.
From the back corner, I catch Mallory’s eyes on me, even though she’s mid-conversation with Riley and Jane. She gives me a thumbs up before looking away to give us a moment of privacy. The boost of support has an immediate calming effect as I face my older brother.
