AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“As long as I’m here, we do. She’s a good woman and you should be happy for your son,” Mom argued. Dad opened his mouth to argue, but Mom quickly continued. “We’ve always said we would love those that found love for our children, well that’s Kemara. You don’t know her and if you keep this up, then you’re going to lose it all.”
The fire in my dad’s stare could melt ice. He glared at Mom, a look of distaste oozing from him. “Don’t you speak back to me,” he said, scolding her. “I’m the man of this house and what I say…goes.”
I held Kemara close to me and watched it unfold as Mom and Dad argued. When I looked at Kemara, her eyes were darting back and forth. I was impressed that my mom was holding her own but didn’t want to cause trouble between them. I just wanted what was right to prevail.
“You need to allow our sons, both of them, to do as they so choose. They’re both of age and you have them pinned down underneath your thumb doing what you want them to do. It’s a new world, Chad. For God’s sake, let them breathe.”
Damon tried to get in the mix, by defending our father. “Mom, I’m happy with the life I lead. Channing just doesn’t know what’s good in life. This black bitch must have him fooled.” Damon turned to me.
I moved a step closer to him, but Kemara didn’t let up her grasp on me. “Don’t call her names, or you will have hell to pay,” I warned him.
Damon laughed. “You and what army? Hey…maybe her black gang can come protect you. Do you need their protection, little brother?”
I would have gone one step further to go after him, but I heard Kemara’s soft words. “Please…don’t,” she whispered, softly exhaling. I turned to look at her and our eyes met. She was right. I couldn’t get into a fight with my brother. Nothing good would come of it. One of us would win the fight, but the war was a losing battle for me. He had too much hate in his heart for me to stamp out with a beating.
I stepped away from Damon and he snickered. “Damn straight, you know you need to back down. Let the little lady put you in your place.”
I shook my head. I just wanted out of there. “We are done here,” I said and moved my arm down, until my hand rested in hers.
Dad turned to me, glaring in my direction. “I just want to know is she worth losing your family? We’ve been here for you all your life, and now you’re ready to throw us away for her. Is she worth it?” he asked me, basically cutting Kemara out of the equation.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her jaw drop slightly. When she was done looking at my father, she turned to me. I didn’t even need a second to respond to his question. I knew that answer. I was ready to prove to him, and anyone else that asked the burning question, that our love was real. No matter what anyone thought, Kemara was the one for me.
“Yes, because I love her and nothing is going to change that. If that means walking out of here and never seeing you again, it will hurt me as a man to not be around my family, but I will live with that.” My heart pounded in my chest. That’s when I felt some hesitation from Kemara. I glanced at her.
She shook her head slightly, as if telling me I shouldn’t have responded that way. I ignored it. I turned back to him. “I’m done with the cult you drug me into, and if I have to be done with you, too, then so be it. It’s time for me to start living for myself anyway.”
Dad smirked, shooting me a devilish gleam. “Fine! Then get your ass out of here! You and her should leave and never come back. I stand by my decision and you and your black whore aren’t welcome in this house as long as I live.”
“I’m not a whore or a bitch, Mr. Holloway. I’m just a girl that loves your son. And, I will forever love him.”
“So, you two should leave now,” he said without acknowledging Kemara. He looked away from me.
I nodded slowly, fuming that he would call her the degrading name. However, I didn’t expect anything more from him. He had a right to his opinion, no matter how small-minded that opinion was. Before leaving, I looked at Mom. “Thank you for trying, and I love you!”
I pulled Kemara after me and we left the house and I never looked back. A part of me was sad that I had to walk away from my mom like that. A bigger part of me was relieved I never had to go back there and live a lie. I was finally free.
When we got back to the truck, she stopped me. “He’s your father, Channing. Make things right with him. You shouldn’t screw up things between your family. If that means that we have to stop this…”
I broke her words off with a kiss. When I parted, I touched my thumb to her lips and her eyes locked on mine. “Do you love me?” I asked.
“You know I do,” she softly stated.
“Do you trust me?”
“With all of my heart,” she responded.
“Then, you should trust that you are all I need. I mean that when I say it. I don’t want you to ever doubt that what I’m doing comes from a deeply sincere place.” I reached for the door. “Let’s get out of here.” I opened her door, and she slid into the seat. I looked up towards the house that held so many childhood memories for me. Tears stung the backs of my lids, but they didn’t fall. I had a feeling that was it. I would never walk through those doors again, and I would be able to handle that.
With just one look, Kemara always made me feel that I was the only person in the world. I respected her as a person, as a friend, and as a lover. I couldn’t lose her. We’d gotten to know one another heart to heart, soul to soul, body to body, and I truly felt that I would do anything for her.
It was just vital that I proved that to myself and to her. By walking away from my family, I wasn’t just doing it for Kemara, I was doing it for myself. I was tired of doing everything my father wanted me to. It was time I did something to make myself happy, and by all regards that was being with Kemara. I got in the driver’s seat and turned to her. She still looked unsure, so I lifted her hand in mine and softly kissed her knuckles.
“Everything is going to be alright. I’ll make certain of that. As long as, you’re willing to give me your love, I’ll do anything to prove I deserved it,” I poured my heart out to the woman I would one day marry, God willing. When the slightest smile broke through her barriers of doubt, I cranked my truck and drove away.
Chapter Seventeen
Kemara
