I Can't Let Go

by Chenell Parker

  She had a busy morning and she was happy to finally have a break. She had a little over two hours before her next client arrived and she was starving.

  “It doesn’t matter. We’re professionals and we’re gonna act like it,” Nita said, right as someone walked in. Her face lit up and Kimora loved seeing her happy.

  “Hey Mr. James.” Kimora smiled and waved at her mother’s boyfriend.

  “Hey sweetheart. I got you some lunch baby.” James smiled while handing Nita a bag of food.

  “Thanks my love,” Nita replied.

  Kimora’s parents were divorced and Nita was living her best life. She had been dating James for a little over a year and he made her realize just what she had been missing. Kimora’s father dated occasionally but he was too stuck in his ways to make it work with anyone. He was controlling and no grown ass woman was going to put up with that. He had a better relationship with his kids and he loved his grandkids to death.

  Dirty and Miko had one year old twin boys and she had just given birth to a daughter two weeks ago. Al and his girlfriend had a son and were engaged to be married the following year. Prince and Autumn were still going strong but they hadn’t tied the knot yet. They were talking about it but they hadn’t gone through with it yet. Their daughter, Princess, was two years old and they swore that they were done with babies. They both agreed that one was more than enough. Prince was scared at first but he turned out to be a great father.

  “Mommy!” Tina yelled when she ran into the office.

  “Hey baby.” Kimora smiled as she bent down to kiss her. She smiled when her son ran up to her with his father coming in right behind him.

  “Hey mommy,” Buddy said as he ran up to his mother.

  “Hey handsome,” Kimora replied while giving him a hug.

  Kimora didn’t know why Ced started calling her son Buddy but the nickname stuck. He and his sister looked so much like their father and sometimes acted like him too.

  “Y’all better come give your grandma a hug,” Nita said as she held her arms out to them. She smiled when they ran over to her and hugged her tight.

  Tino spoke to Nita and her boyfriend before following his wife into her office. Kimora had moved from the officer she started in and purchased one of her own. She had so much business that she had to turn a few clients away. Her business was booming and her name was known in just about every law firm in New Orleans and the surrounding areas.

  “Did you figure out what you wanted to eat yet?” Tino asked. He sat behind Kimora’s desk and pulled her onto his lap.

  “Too much to list,” Kimora replied.

  “Those cravings be kicking your ass,” Tino laughed as he rubbed her small baby bump.

  Kimora was four months pregnant with another girl and Tino was already asking for baby number four. Kimora didn’t mind but she told him that four kids was her limit. Tina was six and Buddy was two, so that was a nice space in between.

  “I know but I can’t eat too much. I don’t want to fall asleep on my client,” Kimora said.

  “Reschedule that shit if you have to,” Tino replied. He really didn’t want his wife to work anyway but Kimora insisted. She loved being her own boss and she loved what she did for a living.

  “You know I can’t do that. I might cancel on Zoe though. I don’t know if I’ll feel like going to see a movie when I get off,” Kimora said.

  After she had her son, Kimora and Zoe got close. Since she was best friends with Venus, Kimora never really got a chance to get to know her. Zoe was a sweetheart and she would give the shirt off her back if someone needed it. She had a genuine heart and that was hard to find these days. She and Miguel were able to sell their house a few months after Venus’ death and they now lived in the same subdivision as Kimora and Tino. It took a while but Zoe was finally able to be in Franco’s company without getting in her feelings. Amari was still in jail and Franco was still a hoe. He didn’t divorce his wife like everybody thought he would but he had more women than they could count. He was doing a great job of raising the kids on his own, with the help of his and Amari’s mother.

  Aside from Zoe, Shakira and Sydnee visited Kimora a few times a year. They fell in love with New Orleans and they always found a reason to come back. Shakira had divorced Ben and was now dating someone else. Instead of getting a food truck, she ended up keeping the restaurant in Carmel and Sydnee helped her run it. The building went into foreclosure and she got it for a good price. Hassan and Ben were still locked up but his mother ended up dying a year ago. His father was serving a ten year prison sentence but he had nothing to go home to when he was released.

  “Daddy, I’m hungry,” Tina said when she walked into the office.

  “Me too,” Buddy walked in right behind her and agreed.

  “What do you want to eat?” Kimora asked while looking at her son. She already knew what he was about to say but she asked him anyway.

  “Shrimp,” Buddy said as she and Tino laughed. He said it all wrong, but they knew what he meant. Tina still loved chicken tenders and their son loved shrimp.

  “Come on, I’m ready,” Kimora said as she tried to stand up. She giggled when Tino held her down and started kissing her neck.

  “I love you baby,” he whispered while kissing her ear.

  “I love you too.” Kimora smiled.

  “We’re gonna starve,” Santina said dramatically.

  “You’re not gonna starve drama queen,” Kimora laughed.

  “Come on daddy. We’re hungry. Let her go,” Santina said as she tried to pry her father’s hands from around her mother’s waist.

  “I can’t,” Tino smirked.

  “You can’t what?” Kimora asked.

  “I can’t let go,” he replied with a smile.