AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He was the only one that got away with calling me Kiki.
“Thank you, Kenny. So do you! It’s so good to see you!”
“Good to see you too. What are you doing around these parts?”
“I own a childcare center down the street.”
“You followed your dreams. I’m proud of you,” Kenny smiled.
“I heard you were on the West Coast somewhere kicking ass and taking names.”
“I was in LA. I’m in New York now,” he explained.
“New York is cool. Kenzie mentioned wanting to go there to look for her wedding dress.”
“Wedding? My namesake is getting married?” Kenny asked.
“Yep,” I smiled. “She’s marrying the same guy she was dating in high school.”
“You Patterson women know how to stick with one guy, huh?”
“Yeah, basically,” I answered.
“Tretina? Is she in New York with you?”
Kenny met Tretina our second year of college. She’d transferred in from New Orleans and had Kenny’s attention immediately. Tretina and I were not friends at all, but we were friendly because of Kenny. Honestly, she hated my guts, and sometimes, being immature, I fueled her hatred. I crossed boundaries she’d set like popping up at his room without calling. Joining them at the table when they were in the Commons on campus, or asking Kenny to hang out with me on the weekends when it was their time. She told me to quit, but I felt like if Kenny didn’t want me around, he would’ve told me. Looking back, I realized that I was jealous that she had my friend’s attention. It was never anything romantic with Kenny and me, but he was my friend. My mother told me that if I cared for him as a friend, I would need to give him space to develop his relationship with Tretina, the same way he’d given me space to build my relationship with Kerem.
I stopped popping up. I stopped calling him, and eventually, I stopped answering his calls. I didn’t want to be that selfish friend, so I gave him his space. So much space that we lost contact and he moved away.
“She is in LA. We are sort of doing the long distance thing right now. I see Kerem is still around,” he said motioning to my wedding ring.
“Eh…” I shrugged.
“What does that mean?”
“It means it’s a long story and I can’t get into it right now. I have to get back to my center,” I answered while looking at my watch. I needed to get back for a potential family’s walk through.
“Still blowing me off, huh?”
“What? I didn’t blow you off,” I responded.
“Never mind. Here, take my number. Call me,” he said while reaching into his suit jacket and retrieving a business card.
“Dang, we all formal like this now? I gotta get a business card?” I joked.
“I will be in town for a couple of days, but aye, if you decide to come to New York, give me a call. I would love to show you around my city. Call me. I’m serious,” he looked into my eyes to make sure I heard him.
“I will,” I said, tucking the card inside my purse.
We hugged again before I left the smoothie shop.
* * *
“Talking about a blast from the past,” I said out loud while examining Kenny’s white business card with blue lettering. It was a simple design, heavy cardstock, with his name and title, but it was elegant. I wasn’t surprised he’d chosen that design. Even when we were kids, he always had excellent taste.
I toyed with the idea of calling him, but I wasn’t sure if I should. He was still with his wife even if it was long distance. She never wanted me around. I didn’t think that she would be open to me being around now, either.
I tucked the card in my nightstand drawer then sat back to watch reality tv. I was trying to figure out who was lying during a confrontation with two of the females on the show when my work cell phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number on the caller ID, but I gave my work cell number out to all my parents just in case something happened after business hours, and they needed to get in touch with me.
