Still Waters

Chapter 58

When it was over, the girls came up and gave all of the speakers hugs. Some thanked us, some said how much what we said meant to them. None of them asked for help, even though I knew for a fact that many of them needed it. That was the whole reason why they were with the group to begin with. But I knew that, like everything else, asking for help takes time.

Eventually I made it over to my crew, but the closer I got to them, the more awkward I felt. Shayna, of course, gave me the biggest hug ever, followed by Jasmine's hug and quiet "Good job little sister." Kenney was the last to hug me and the one who hugged me the longest. My mom just stood back and watched. Kenney actually thanked me. I wasn't sure what for, and my dad walked up before I had the chance to ask him.

He put his hand on Kenney's shoulder before Kenney had completely let me go. Kenney pulled away quickly, kind of startled, and turned around to stare at my dad like we were twelve years old and he had just gotten busted feeling me up. Then, probably subconsciously, he looked guiltily over at Jasmine like my dad had just threatened to call Kenney's parents.

"Son," my dad put his other hand on Kenney's other shoulder. "I guess I had the wrong man."

They stood eye to eye, reading each other, and a strange sense of relief visibly washed over Kenney...almost like he finally didn't have to keep my secret anymore. Like finally someone else was on watch with him and he didn't have to stay awake all the time. I never thought about it like that, but it made sense that he would feel this way since, with the exception of the very last time, I only ever called Kenney for help.

"I owe you an apology, son," my dad continued and shook Kenney's hand. "Thank you for looking out for my daughter. I really had the wrong man."

Kenney and I both knew that he was talking about that day in the hospital when my father...and mother...had squared off on Kenney instead of Collin.

Kenney, because his heart was made of pure gold, only nodded at my father and said "It's ok."

My mom, who had been standing by with the baby and watching how all of us interacted with one another, also walked over to Kenney, baby first.

"Kenney, I owe you an apology, too. Thank you for protecting my baby girl." Then she handed Sammie over to him, as if she were handing over my baby girl as a peace offering.

Kenney looked awkwardly over at me. I was too busy staring at my mom in disbelief to look back at him. Shayna, as always, swooped in just in time. She scooped the baby out of Kenney's arms and twirled her around, then paraded her over to the few remaining girls and adults, who were still standing around talking, like she was showing them the cuuutest baby they had ever seen.

And she was. The. Cutest.

Drama chuckled at Kenney's awkwardness and patted him on the shoulder, then walked over to the sea of ooohs and aaahs to stand beside his wife. Jasmine, who had stepped away to speak privately with one of the girls and was just finishing up, remained where she was, and now she was the one watching us from a distance. She looked just as amused by the exchange, and also a little bothered, but she didn't say anything. She was still super protective of Kenney, even now that we were adults, and I couldn't blame her. He had an openness about him that you couldn't really see, but could accidentally wander right into if you...and he...weren't careful. It was years before I even realized just how wide open he was, and by then it was already too late. I was all the way in there and we were both just...stuck.

"Sweetie," my mom put her hand on my arm. "I want you to come home with us for the weekend. We want to spend time with you and the baby."

Kenney bristled immediately, probably thinking about how every time I went home in the past, I would come back to Virginia talking all that fairytale shit, and how I was always somehow "back in love with Collin."

Everyone noticed his reaction, but my dad was the only one who addressed it.

"It's ok, son." He put his hand on Kenney's shoulder again. "This is my daughter and I will be there with her."

Kenney didn't even bat an eye at the fact that my dad had been there all of the other times, too. He just nodded and said "Yes sir."

Jasmine walked up then and put a protective hand on Kenney's back. I guess she had heard my dad's tone of voice and seen Kenney's reaction, but hadn't actually heard what was said. After reading the situation for a minute, she gave me a big hug.

"You were so good up there, little sister. Just beautiful. And strong." She turned to my parents. "What a great kid you raised. A strong, resilient woman. I'm so proud of her." She gave me something similar to the secret shortcake handshake without the explosion. "Right on, sis." Jasmine was sooo 70's. I chuckled and wondered if Drama hadn't gotten that handshake from her. Jasmine put her arm around my shoulders again and then looked over at her nephew. "Kenney?" He nodded, looking like he was too ready to go.

Jasmine hugged my parents, Kenney hugged me and my mom and shook my dad's hand, nodding at him, "Sir." My dad nodded back. Jasmine waved at Shayna and Drama, Kenney gave them his patented gangsta nod, and then they headed for the door.

They were almost outside when Sammie yelled "Tenney!" from all the way across the room and waved. "Bye-bye..." Shayna had probably put her up to that. Kenney turned around and smiled, waving back, but he didn't go over to her. Then he gave me one more look before following his aunt out the door.

I was pretty sure that I wouldn't see him again before he went back to Chicago.