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“I guess it’s my turn. I’ll be quick about it. I’d stand, but…yeah. I hope you don’t mind, but if it’s okay, I’d like to share a story about Rory.”
“Of course!” Felicity exclaimed. Everyone else joined in with their positive affirmations.
“Thank you,” I said, clearing my throat. “It was two years ago, and the local food bank was handing out boxes of turkey dinners, but the catch was that you had to stand out in the cold for them. The line was wrapped around the building, and despite the many layers of clothing—hats, scarves, gloves—we were freezing our butts off. We saw many people bail out of the line, but we were determined to get ours. We were halfway through the line, and I felt like a popsicle. My nose was running, I couldn’t feel my toesor fingers, and I could see my breath easily. Rory tried his best to keep me warm. He rubbed my arms, tried to zip me up in his coat with him, and made me do jumping jacks. When all that seemed to fail, he pulled out his phone, turned his music on full blast, and started to dance. I was mortified because he wasn’t the best dancer, but I wouldn’t leave my man on the struggle bus. I started dancing with him, and the whole line was dancing before you knew it. By the time we reached the front of the line, we were sweating and shedding off our outerwear. We got our food loot, and I spent all night cooking it on the jacked-up stove with the burner on the back right that never lit and the oven that was always 100 degrees hotter than it should be.”
“Let it out, Kierra. Don’t hold it in,” Anthony encouraged as I hid my face behind my napkin.
“Will…will you excuse me?”
Jonathan was quick to help me out of my chair and led me to his office. “Do you want me to stay or go?”
“Please stay. I’m sorry.”
“Kierra, you know better than to apologize,” he whispered, rubbing my shoulder. “That was an amazing story, and I’m thankful that Rory is and always will be a part of your life. Just so you know, I probably can’t dance much better.”
“S-stop making me laugh,” I pleaded as I held my side.
“I’m not trying to. I’m just being honest.”
He sat beside me on the couch, and I leaned my head on his shoulder. I’d reached my limit for the day, and fatigue was beginning to settle in. “I’m thankful that I was led to you. I almost gave up, but you gave me confidence before I even met you.”
“What do you mean?” he asked incredulously.
“I was given your business card by the lawyer before you. Your headshot was on the card; it was all glossy and professional. Your eyes were so kind, and your smile seemedso genuine. I almost didn’t go on the day of our meeting, but I pulled out your card again and thought…maybe this is the one. I was right. You are the one, Jonathan. The way I feel about you sometimes is unreal, and the love you give is indescribable. I will always have love for Rory, but I’ll always beinlove with you,” I mumbled.
The last thing I remembered before passing out was Jonathan kissing me and whispering how he loved me too.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Jonathan
“Yes! That’s what I’m talking about!” Anthony shouted when his favorite football team scored a touchdown.
“They’re still losing,” I chuckled, helping Daisy decorate her Christmas stocking while my mother and Simone decorated the tree.
“You’re a hater, Jon. They have time to catch up.”
“I might be a hater, but you’re delusional. They’re down by twenty-one and a two-point conversion with seven minutes to go in the last quarter and two time outs. Sit down before you hurt yourself.”
“I don’t need to sit,” he grumbled as he fell to the couch. A few seconds later, he was massaging his leg and wincing.
“Uh oh,” Casey mumbled from beside me. I held back my sigh at the sight of the red glitter he spilled all over the coffee table.
“It’s okay, Case. I think we have some more red glitter,” I reassured, rummaging around in the art box.
“I’m running out of glue,” Kiyah whined as she squeezed the tube with her tongue sticking out.
“There’s plenty of glue left. You just have to squeeze the bottle right,” I insisted, reaching for the bottle. I shook it untilthe glue filled the top and handed it back. “Grant, how is your stocking coming along?”
“It’s better than yours,” he laughed. Looking down at my uninspiring stocking, I had to agree with him.
I’m not the most artistic. I’ll admit. I’ll leave all that up to Kierra.
I glanced at the couch and noticed Nori sprawled out over my father’s lap. They both fell asleep shortly after their slice of pumpkin pie piled high with whipped cream. They resembled drunks with their arms thrown over their heads and open mouths.
Speaking of…
“Casey, you’re in charge of watching Daisy while I’m away.”
