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“I’ll make sure we don’t,” Jamal said, grabbing her hand and leading her out the door. “That’s one good thing I can use my fame for. One thing’s for certain.”
“What?” she asked quietly.
“That bastard will never come near you again.”
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CHAPTER FORTY
“Whaddya mean you’ve never seenA Christmas Story?” JJ stared at Cassie, a look of disbelief on her face. “I thoughteveryonehad seenthatmovie!”
Cassie shrugged her shoulders. She, JJ and Jamal were in his kitchen where they were attempting to decipher Irma’s Christmas dinner recipes. They had told JJ that Cassie had fallen down the stairs in her apartment complex because of the slick ice on the landing. She thankfully seemed to believe their story.
“My house wasn’t that big on Christmas. Or movies. Or fun, now that I really think about it,” Cassie shrugged.
“Boy, your house soundstotally. Lame.I’m gladIdidn’t live there.”
“JJ!” Jamal chastised. “Don’t be rude.”
“Sorry, dad. But seriously, does her house sound likeanyfun?”
Cassie gave JJ a smile. “You’re right, kiddo. It wasn’tanyfun. Except when my mom was alive. Then there were some fun times then.”
“Aw, man, Cass. I didn’t know your mom died,” JJ said, coming around the island to wrap her skinny arms around Cassie’s waist. Cassie tried not to cringe and JJ squeezed hard on her ribs. “I’m sorry. My mom took off on us, ain’t that right, daddy-o?”
Cassie leaned down so she was eye-level with JJ. “Well, your mom must have not been very smart at all, because there’s no way someone couldn’t loveyou.”
JJ tightened her arms around Cassie’s waist and shoved her face into Cassie’s stomach. “I bet you’re better than my mom would be, anyway, Cass. I love you.”
Jamal felt himself tearing up and it wasn’t because of the onions he was failing at dicing. What the hell was a dice, anyway? Dice to him mean the little cubes you shook and rolled when you were playing a board game. Or gambling. But he had no clue how to make any food look like something even remotely resemblingdiced.
“Hey, you, two,” he said, shaking his knife at the two girls in his life, “No more mushy stuff. I know what you’re doing.”
Cassie and JJ looked at him, a blank expression on both their faces. “Huh?” JJ asked. “What are we doing, dad?”
“You,” he said, dropping his knife and pulling his daughter to his side so he could ruffle the hair on top of her head, “Are trying to get out of helping me cook.”
Cassie rolled her eyes. “Yep. You caught us. Because wewantto eat a disgusting mess for Christmas dinner.”
Jamal shot a wink her way. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Bobby Flay ain’t got nothin’ on this boy.”
Irma’s gravy that Jamal had been trying to replicate took that moment to bubble over the top of the pan and land on the stove top with a sizzle.
“I can see that,” Cassie said with a small smile that immediately turned into a wince as she held her bruised cheek softly in her hand.
“Are you ok, Bambi?” Jamal asked softly, gently pulling her face up so he could investigate her cheek. “I still think you need to go to the hospital.”
“I’m fine,” she whispered, leaning her face into his palm. “I just want to stay here with you guys and try to forget anything happened.”
Jamal pulled her into his chest and kissed her on top of the head. “Whatever you want.”
“Uh, guys,” JJ said from her perch in front of the oven window. “I think the stuff you put in the oven isburning.”
Cassie and Jamal leaned down to look as well. Smoke was coming out of the stuffing and the top was nothing but a black char.
“It ain’t gonna stopburningjust cuz y’all are lookin’ at it!” JJ squealed. “Where’s those big glove things Nanny uses to get hot stuff out of the oven?”
Jamal and Cassie started opening every drawer in the kitchen.
