The next day was Black Friday. Kem loved a bargain but unlike years past, she didn’t have the energy to deal with long lines. It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford to buy items at regular price. The thrill was being able to lay her hands on a hot item before anyone else could. This year, she didn’t move from her bed. She watched Brent get dressed.
“Where are you going again?” Kem asked. She didn’t want to come across as an obsessive controlling girlfriend, but she was surprised Brent didn’t extend an invitation to her to go with him to lunch.
“I’m meeting a reporter for lunch so I will be back as soon as possible. I’ll probably swing by my place and pick up a few more items.”
“You have your own closet here so you can bring as much as you want and leave it here.”
Brent put on his jacket. “I wish you would consider moving in with me.”
“I told you my thoughts on living together. I like having my own place.”
Brent now stood in front of her. “You’re not in this alone anymore. We’re a couple and I’m not going anywhere so please reconsider.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Brent kissed her on the lips. “That’s all I ask. Let me go because you know how traffic can be.”
Brent left Kem alone. Kem increased the volume on the television and got under the covers. She faced the television but her mind drifted. She thought of her mom and dad during happier times. Her childhood memories never picked up the rift between her parents. Her memory grasped a loving family. She’d had no idea her parents were going through their own drama.
Kem reached over to the nightstand and got her cell phone. She dialed the number saved for her dad. He answered on the second ring.
“Dad, I need to talk to somebody and you’re the only person I can talk to about this right now.”
“Baby girl, you can call me anytime. You don’t need a special reason.”
Kem lay on her back as she talked. “For twenty-two years I thought you abandoned me. Because of that, I feel strongly about any man not being there for their child. I’ve stopped dating several men because they were not a part of their child’s lives. I’m trying to heal from my past. I need for you to be honest with me and tell me the real reason why you didn’t fight for me.”
There was brief silence on the other end of the phone. Kyle cleared his throat. “I was a coward. I was afraid people would believe Suzette. I should have risked it but I didn’t. I thought eventually she would change her mind and let me see you, but she never did. By the time you got to high school, I felt it was too late…too late to be a part of your life. I came to your high school graduation. I saw you. You looked happy. I didn’t want to approach you and be the cause of your unhappiness, so I walked away.”
“But that’s just it. When I graduated, you could have reached out to me, but you didn’t.”
“I heard the announcer mention you had the scholarship in Los Angeles. I didn’t want to complicate your life. I wanted you to have the opportunity I didn’t have.”
Kem tried to understand it from his point of view but still felt like he could have reached out to her after she graduated from high school. Maybe she wouldn’t have had some of the screwed-up ideas she had about relationships. The only time relationships seemed to work out was in her fictional world.
Brent picked up his sunglasses off the table. He’d been waiting for Sandy for over thirty minutes and was moments from leaving when she waltzed in wearing a bright yellow minidress suit. The top was too tight. She showed cleavage exposing her silicon-type breasts.
“Sorry I’m late but I got stuck in traffic,” Sandy said as she sat down across from him.
“I was just about to leave,” Brent responded.
Sandy reached across the table for his hand. Brent jerked his hand away so hers wouldn’t touch his.
“Maybe you’ll change your attitude when I share the information I have.”
A waiter came to the table. “Have you decided on what you will eat today?”
“I’m not hungry, but she may want something,” Brent said, now looking at Sandy.
Sandy looked at the menu. “I’ll have a chicken salad and a diet Coke. A girl has to watch her figure.”
“I’ll get that out to you as soon as it’s ready,” the waiter responded, taking the menu from her.
Sandy looked at Brent. “You should have ordered something. Lunch is on me.”
“No, thanks. I’m good.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your girlfriend’s mother. How’s she doing?”
“Cut the pleasantries. We both know you don’t give a rat’s tail about how Kem’s doing.”
“Brent, no need to be hostile.”
“And another thing—please stop stalking me on social media.”
“You have millions of fans and you’re paying attention to little ol’ me. I feel special.” Sandy batted her eyes.
Brent wanted to reach across the table and slap the smirk off her face but knew he couldn’t because not only would he be arrested for assault, it would definitely make every news wire in the country. He clenched his fists under the table and quickly inhaled and exhaled to calm himself down.
“Why am I here, Sandy?” Brent asked.
“Because you don’t want your little girlfriend to know about your secret.” Sandy leaned forward. She exposed cleavage as her breasts touched the table.
Brent used his hand as he spoke. “Those fake things there don’t entice me so you can stop with the antics.”
Sandy laughed. “You aren’t gay, are you? Is that why you keep turning down my advances?”
Brent reached for his keys. “You know what? I’m out of here. I don’t have time for your games.”
“Does the name Alize Jenkins ring a bell?” Sandy asked.
Brent stopped before he could stand. He looked Sandy directly in the face. “Say that again.”
Sandy leaned back in her chair and smiled. “Alize Jenkins. You know her, don’t you?”
“You wanted to meet up with me to discuss an ex-girlfriend? Sandy, I don’t know what you think you know, but you need to fact-check.”
“That’s why I wanted to meet and talk to you face-to-face. Alize claims you’re the father of her seven-year-old son.”
“I don’t have any kids and I refuse to discuss anything further with you about her or anything else. Stay out of my life and leave me alone.” Brent pushed away from the table and stormed out of the restaurant, not giving Sandy an opportunity to respond.
Brent was fuming. He lived with few regrets and Alize was one of them. Alize had caught him at a vulnerable time. His father had just passed and she provided the comfort he needed. He wasn’t making as much as he was now as an actor, but he was a rising star and financially doing okay. When he realized Alize was only with him because she thought he was her own personal ATM machine, he dropped her real fast. Alize was his past and he’d moved on.
Brent decided on his ride home not to share what happened with Kem. She was already dealing with her own issues. He didn’t want to dump this on her too. If Sandy did her research, she would know Alize was lying. Alize was a woman from his past that he wished he could erase.