Kem grabbed his hand with the towel. “Thank you for all you’ve done. I wouldn’t have been able to get through all of this without you.”
“Baby, I love you. I haven’t done anything out of the ordinary. When you love someone, you show it and that means being there for them during bleak times not just when things are going well.”
Kem forced a smile. “I trust you. It seems you’re the only person in my entire life besides Charlotte and Mona that I can trust.”
“You can always trust me. Don’t ever forget that.”
The doorbell rang. “I thought you said he would be here at six.”
“I did. That’s probably the food I ordered.”
“Thanks for helping me with my bath.”
Kem watched Brent leave the room. A few minutes later, she got out of the tub and dried off. She went to get dressed so she could meet her dad. A meeting between them was long overdue.
Brent sat in the living room on the opposite end of the couch from Kem’s dad. “You know women. It can sometimes take them forever to get dressed. She’ll be out in a minute.”
“Maybe me coming over wasn’t a good idea,” Kyle responded.
“No. She’s fine with you being here.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” Brent could tell he was nervous. He kept glancing at his watch and tapping his foot.
“Would you like something to drink while we wait on her?” Brent asked.
“Water. I’m a recovering alcoholic so no alcohol for me.”
Brent went to the kitchen and returned with a cold bottle of water. “Here you go.”
Kyle took the bottle and drank it.
“I’ll be right back. Let me go check on Kem.”
Brent knocked on the bedroom door. “Baby, your father’s out here waiting. The food is getting cold.”
Kem opened the door. “I’ve been standing here staring at the door. It’s like I’m glued to this spot.”
“Come on, baby, you can do this.”
“How does he seem? You’ve had a chance to talk to him. Tell me.”
“He seems nice. He’s just as nervous as you are.”
“Nobody can be as nervous as I am. My whole world has turned upside down in less than one week.”
“It won’t bring your mom back, but it could possibly help you heal in other ways,” Brent said.
“Did you take psychology courses in college? Are you a psychologist now?” Kem asked.
“No, but I play one on TV, remember?” Brent winked his left eye.
“Okay, I think I’m ready.” Kem held Brent’s extended hand and he led her to the living room.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Kem stared at the man who was her father. He stood but neither moved. He was over six feet tall. Gray hairs had replaced the jet-black hair that used to cover his head. His hazel eyes stared at Kem with fear in them.
He opened his arms.
Brent said, “It’s okay.”
Kem walked into her father’s arms and he hugged her. He held her. She hadn’t felt her father’s arms around her since she was eight years old. She did what she’d promised she wouldn’t do—she cried.
Kyle said, “It’s okay, baby. Daddy’s here now.”
He held on to her. Kem was the first to pull away. Brent handed her a tissue and she wiped her face.
“The food’s on the table if you guys are ready to eat,” Brent said.
“Yes, let’s eat,” Kem said, while walking toward the kitchen area.
Brent fixed them each a plate of Southern-fried fish, shrimp, and potato salad. Kem didn’t really have an appetite but the shrimp looked good, so she ate a few pieces. She picked up her fork and played with the rest of the food on her plate.
Kyle said, “Kem, I’m so proud of you. I’ve been keeping up with what you’ve been doing. Well, through the Internet of course.”
“You can’t always believe what you read,” Kem snapped.
Brent gave her a look that said, “ease up.” Brent interjected himself into their conversation. “I’m sure you’re proud of the awards she’s received.”
“I sure am. Suzette did a wonderful job of raising you. I just hate I wasn’t around for it all.”
Kem placed the fork beside her plate. “Why did you let Mom bully you into not seeing me? You should have fought for me. You shouldn’t have given up so easily.”
“Kem, I know it seems like I took the coward’s way out, but I did what I thought was best. I loved you. Suzette loved you, but she didn’t love me.”
“You could have gotten joint custody. Something that would have kept you a part of my life.”
“I looked at the alternatives and my lawyer said people would believe Suzette. Suzette threatened to tell the world I was abusing you but I never laid a hand on you. I didn’t want that on my record. I’d hoped that one day you would reach out to me. I didn’t want you to grow up and think the court records of me abusing you were true.”
“I remembered everything about you, Dad. I remember the day you left. I remember begging you not to leave but you left anyway.”
“I didn’t want to. Lord knows I didn’t. And you’re probably right. I should have fought for you. Reading about it and being a part of your life are two different things and I missed out because I wasn’t there.”
“You’re here now. This is your opportunity to be the father Kem needs and deserves,” Brent stated.
Kem looked at Brent and then at Kyle. “Too much time has gone by. I’m not sure if we can bridge that gap.”
“I’m willing to try if you are,” Kyle said.
Kem pouted.
“Baby, come on. You’ll never know unless you try,” Brent pleaded.
“Brent’s right,” Kem agreed.
“We can take this thing as slow as you want. I’m just glad you’re giving us a chance,” Kyle said.
“Well, this calls for a celebration,” Brent said. “My Aunt Edna dropped over a pound cake.”
Kem found herself getting her appetite back. “I think I’ll have a slice.”
“Great. What about you, Kyle?”
“Sure. It looks good and moist, so give me a big slice.”
After they ate dessert, Kem and Kyle went to the living room. Brent insisted on staying behind to clean up.
Kem asked, “Did you ever remarry? Do you have another family?”
Kyle responded, “No, I never did. To be honest, after what your mom did, it was hard for me to trust women. Now, your pops wasn’t a hermit. I had my share of women. In fact, I became a player. If a woman started to catch feelings for me,, I ran. I never wanted to experience pain like when I found out your mom betrayed me. And with my best friend, too. I almost caught a murder charge behind it.”
“I can imagine. I wonder what Mom was thinking.”
“She wasn’t. Sam had a reputation of sleeping with other men’s women. I just never thought he would do it to me—his own best friend. I loved that man like a brother. We’d been friends since we were both knee-high.”
“What happened to Sam?” Kem asked.
“He married a few times. I heard he died in a train accident about ten years ago.”
“Oh. In my mom’s letter, she mentioned you were willing to stay married to her because of me. Is that true?”
“Yes. I knew your mom didn’t love me, but I was willing to sacrifice my own happiness for your sake. Excuse me for what I’m about to say but I have to get it off my chest. At the time Suzette wanted to take everything away from me. She didn’t understand it wasn’t my fault Sam didn’t really want her like she thought. He sold her a pipe dream and she believed it. She was foolish and I told her that in so many words.”
“I wish she were here so I could ask her a few questions.”
Kyle laughed. “Suzette loved being i
n control. Maybe if I had put my foot down on issues, she wouldn’t have disrespected me like she did. But your mom didn’t tell you when she was alive because she didn’t want to face you for what she’d done. She knew she was wrong.”
“I may be mad at her right now, but I won’t sit here and let you talk about my mama like that.” Kem folded her arms.
“I’m not being disrespectful. I’m just sharing with you a personality flaw your mom had. You now know for yourself that she wasn’t the saint she portrayed herself to be.”
Kem couldn’t deny what her father was saying but she didn’t feel right discussing it with him.
Kem noticed Kyle looking towards the window.
“I really hate to leave but I can’t see well at night so I try not to drive late unless I have to.”
“I understand.”
“Let’s exchange numbers. When are you leaving?” Kyle asked.
“Day after tomorrow. Wait right here. Let me get my cell phone.”
Kem searched for her cell phone until she located it in the bathroom. She returned and stood in front of Kyle who was now standing near the front door. He held his phone in his hand.
“Let me see it,” Kem said.
She took his phone and dialed her number. Her phone rang. She programmed her name into his phone and handed it back to him.
“Do you mind if I see you tomorrow since it’s your last day here?” he asked.
“No, of course not. Why don’t you let Brent and me take you out for dinner,” she said.
“Sure. I’m on a fixed income, so I’m not turning down a free meal.” Kyle grinned.
They hugged and Kyle left. Kem closed the door. She looked upward. “Mom, Dad’s right. You’re still trying to control things. I’m mad at you but I love you.”
She blew a kiss up toward heaven.
Brent wrapped his arm around Kem’s waist. “Aren’t you glad I had him come over?”
“Yes. Thank you.” Kem squeezed him tight as she hugged him.
Chapter Thirty
Brent and Kem were seated in first class on a return flight to Los Angeles. Kem stared out the window as the plane ascended, leaving the Shreveport Regional Airport.
Tears flowed down Kem’s face. She placed her hand on the window. “Bye, Mama.”
Brent wiped her face with his hand. “It’s all right, baby. It takes time.”
Kem ached inside. She wondered when the pain would subside or if it would ever stop. Music usually soothed her so she placed her headphones in her phone and located an old school mix on her playlist.
She listened to music until the plane landed at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
“Come on. We have to find our connecting flight,” Brent said.
They rushed off the plane to go catch their next flight, which would take them into Los Angeles. Four hours later, they were at the baggage claim area at LAX waiting on their luggage.
“I can always come back and get them,” Brent said.
“No. We’re waiting. If you don’t get them now, they will disappear into the atmosphere,” Kem said.
It took thirty minutes, but their luggage finally scrolled by on the conveyor belt. Brent grabbed their luggage. He had one bag over his shoulder and pulled two of the big suitcases while Kem pulled one.
“There goes our ride,” Brent said.
A limousine driver met Brent and helped him with the bags.
An hour later, they were at Kem’s.
“Home sweet home,” Kem said the moment she walked through the door.
“Let me make sure everything’s okay.” Brent left and did a walk-through.
Kem went straight to her bedroom. She fell back on her bed.
“You all right, babe?”
Kem opened her eyes. “I will be after I soak in the tub.”
“Get your clothes together. I’ll run your bath water,” Brent said.
“Clothes. Who needs clothes? I’m home and I’m going to walk around naked.”
“I’d love to see that.” Brent smiled and went to the bathroom.
Kem would deal with unpacking later. She removed her clothes and placed them in the dirty clothes hamper.
She heard the running water before she could open the bathroom door. She smiled when she saw Brent naked in the tub with the bubbles floating.
“What? You didn’t think you were going to be taking a bath alone, did you?”
“I’m glad. Some things are not meant to do alone.”
Brent had been patient with Kem. He cuddled her at night, but up until now she’d had no desire to have sex. But seeing Brent in the tub excited Kem. She wanted him. She needed to feel him inside her. Only then would she be satisfied.
Kem got in the tub facing Brent. She eased on top of his already erect penis.
“Aweee,” she moaned as she enjoyed every inch of him.
He cupped one of her breasts and placed one of her nipples in his mouth. He flickered his tongue back and forth on her nipple. The more he sucked on her breasts, the wetter Kem got. She bounced up and down on him and they made love until they were both moaning in pleasure.
“I love you,” Brent said. Not waiting on a response, Brent covered her lips with his. He eased his tongue inside her mouth.
Kem moaned with pleasure. She felt Brent getting hard again. They kissed and made love some more.
Their bath lasted over an hour. Exhausted, Kem was now under the covers with Brent’s arms wrapped around her.
Brent’s cell phone rang. “That’s Aunt Edna’s ring tone. I forgot to let her know we made it.”
Kem advised, “You better answer or she will be calling back.”
Brent got out the bed and returned her call. “She’s in bed. I will tell her you called.”
“Thank you,” Kem mouthed. She had grown to love Aunt Edna, but she didn’t feel like talking to anyone.
“She gives you her love,” Brent said as he slipped back in the bed beside her.
“I need to do something special for her. She helped out a lot while she was there too.”
“She could use a day at the spa,” Brent suggested.
“I’ll schedule her a day at my favorite spa. On second thought, I can hook it up while she’s still in Shreveport. For her and a few of her friends.”
“Oh, she would love that.”
“Don’t let me forget.”
Kem snuggled closer to Brent and drifted off to sleep. When Kem awoke, the bed next to her was empty. She glanced at the clock. It was after noon the following day.
“Brent,” she called out, but didn’t get an answer.
She grabbed her robe and left the bedroom.
Brent was in the living room watching television. He looked at her. “I came in here because I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“Why did you let me sleep so late?”
“Baby, you haven’t been sleeping well. You needed your rest.”
“I can’t believe I slept until twelve thirty.”
“And there’s nothing wrong with it. I hope you don’t mind but I turned your phone off because it kept ringing and I didn’t want it disturbing you.”
“No, I’m fine with it. Where is it? I know I have a ton of messages. I need to start returning folks’ calls.”
“Slow down. You don’t have to rush and do everything all in one day,” Brent said.
Brent was right but the sooner she got back to doing normal things, the better. She located her phone then responded to the emails of those who showed concern.
Chapter Thirty-One
It’d only been a week since Kem buried her mother. She’d talked to her dad on the phone once. The conversation was awkward. He did most of the talking while she listened. She still wasn’t ready to let her guard down.
Kem curled up on t
he couch reading the latest book in Farrah Rochon’s Bayou Dreams romance novel series. Being from Louisiana, Kem loved it when she ran across a book with Louisiana as the setting.
“Baby, it’s almost time to leave and you haven’t gotten dressed,” Brent said as he walked into the room.
“Let me finish this one last chapter then I’ll get dressed.” Kem finished the last chapter of the book. She loved a happy ending.
An hour later, she was dressed in a black pants suit with a gold silk top. She slid her feet into a pair of black-and-gold wedge sandals to match.
Brent wore a matching black suit with a gold tie that matched her top.
“Can you fasten these for me?” Kem asked, holding up her mother’s pearls.
Brent placed the pearls around her neck and fastened the clasp.
An hour later, Brent pulled his car behind another car in the circular driveway of Mona and Terrance’s house.
Kem stared out the window. She wasn’t too sure if she was in a festive mood. She thought she was ready but it had only been a week since she’d buried her mom and this was the first holiday that she couldn’t call and hear her voice.
As if Brent could read her mind, he said, “We don’t have to be here. I can call and let them know we’re having a private Thanksgiving dinner instead.”
“No. You’ve driven all the way over here. Besides, I haven’t seen them since I’ve been back. I need this. I need to get out and get back to some form of normalcy.”
“If at anytime you feel uncomfortable and want to leave, just say the word,” Brent said.
“I’ll be fine,” Kem tried to assure him, although she wasn’t too sure she would be.
Brent got out and then opened the passenger door. Kem exhaled as she exited.
If it was up to Brent, he and Kem would have spent a nice evening alone with a catered meal but Kem wanted to attend her friends’ Thanksgiving dinner event.
Mona’s family and Terrance’s mom and his mom’s husband, along with Charlotte and Sean were in attendance. The table had all the Thanksgiving fixings from a huge turkey to a ham and a variety of side items including the traditional dressing.
Brent kept a watchful eye on Kem. Although she put on a good front, he knew her. He’d gotten to know her well and he knew she was just putting on a show right now.
Secrets Uncovered Page 11
