Keegan’s eyes met mine. She reached out without taking any steps closer to James she took the bag he offered her from his fingertips where it dangled. Like a peace offering? Her eyes never left my face.
“Thank you James. Could you leave now?” I asked.
His eyes dropped to the ground. “You still planning on being gone in two days.”
“That’s what we agreed. Most likely before.”
“Well then. Okay. Congratulations Keegan. Good luck in New York.”
She didn’t respond. We all stood still. No one moving while he made his way back to his car at the end of the driveway. He climbed inside and started the car. James backed the Lexus out of the driveway.
“Kerry,” I cried softly before nearly crumbling to the ground in a heap. He caught me before my butt hit the dirt.
“Mom,” Keegan said my name in alarm.
“I’m all right,” I said too shakily. “That son of a bitch is not ruining this party. Everybody got that.” My body trembled as Kerry held me in his strong embrace soothing the fear that James had caused.
We got that, I heard the many responses.
Chapter Eighteen
Sitting on the bed with my back against the headboard knowing that I had to talk with Kerry about our future I waited for him to come out of the bathroom where he was brushing his teeth. I heard him turn off the water and then I heard his toothbrush clinking against the porcelain sink as he laid it on the counter.
When he came into the bedroom in his boxer shorts he said, “You look like you have something you want to say.”
“Kerry my mother is dying. She told me this afternoon before graduation.”
The relief that I felt telling someone about this news was intense. I had been keeping the secret bottled inside me until I thought I would burst and tell my sisters which would have been a bad thing.
“This explains a lot about your mood this afternoon.”
“You know what is coming,” I stated.
He crossed the room and sat down facing me on the bed. He laid his fingers against my lips. “Don’t. Let me make the decision this time. You’ll spend less time worrying about it then. You need to be with Yancy until she’s gone. However long that takes you will need to live in Hell. I will live there as well for as many days of the week as I can so I can be with you because you will need me.”
I knew that he was right. I would spend less time with worrying about regrets if he told me that I needed to be with my mother. I also knew the road ahead was a difficult one and that I would need him for moral support.
Then he said, “When I need to be in Chicago or Dallas or wherever my business needs me I will be. Okay?” He asked.
Tearfully I nodded.
“I’ve already made arrangements to stay here to help you wrap up whatever you need to move to Hell.”
“How?” I asked softly.
“I had hoped it would be to move you to Chicago but for now it will have to be Hell.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?” He asked caressing my face so lovingly that I thought I would cry harder than the few tears that had soaked my cheeks.
“For loving me,” I replied unable to think of anything else.
“That part is easy…just don’t keep any more secrets from me,” he said laying his hand on my rounded stomach.
Thump. Thump. Thump. I had been worried. Our child had been abnormally quiet this evening.
“I won’t,” I promised covering his hand with mine.