Hired To Love

Chapter Thirty

"I'm fine."

"This have anything to do with Keon?"

I didn't answer. I just looked at her.

"Kyle and Brianna told me about him going to see his real father."

"Oh."

"Are you okay?"

I stood up and walked to Elijah's crib to lay him down. "I'm fine. Just feeling remorse for how things went down between Keon and I."

"Like forcing him to marry Naiya?"

"A little bit. Marrying Keon was the best thing that happened to her. It got her out of a hell hole."

"True. But in doing so you made Keon make a choice he wasn't ready for. Had he not married her that would've risked her going back to her foster home."

"Which I would've never done."

"All for some money."

"Which I no longer want."

"Shocking. What changed your mind?"

"This is going to sound like something made up and completely out of a sorry movie but...when Elijah opened his eyes and looked at me for the first time, it all hit me. I want to be better for him. And that means stopping what I've been trying to do with this money scheme. I can't see myself being better for Elijah and not trying to make things right between me and Keon and even Kyle. I've said and done unforgivable things to them and I need to not only apologize but I need to pledge to be a better person."

Reese looked at me for a while before shaking her head. "You're right that does sound like it's out of a movie. But this is you. I believe it.  Just be prepared to give them a lot of time to believe it."

That goes without saying.

             When I arrived back home, Keon and Naiya were just coming in with their luggage. I joined them by the black SUV out front and took Naiya's bag from her hand.

"Thanks." She stated, smiling a little at me.

I nodded and waited until she was walking up to the house. Keon was looking at me with an unreadable look on his face. "Aye uhm...can we talk?"

"About?"

"About your visit with your dad...and some other things regarding your marriage."

We started to walk up to the house, him holding his duffel bag. "This got anything to do with the money you're trying to scalpel out of me?"

"The money that I was trying to get. Not anymore."

I heard him chuckle. "This should be good. Let me get Naiya to sleep and then I'll meet you in the backyard. Her trial starts tomorrow morning and she's a little antsy."

"Oh sure of course. I'll meet you back there."

About fifteen minutes later, Keon came out back to where I was sitting. He pulled up a chair and plopped down.

"How was Chicago?"

"It was cool."

"Did you two talk?"

"Yup."

Keon was leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table giving me a harsh stare. "Look, I'm sorry for the part I played in keeping that secret from you from so long. You probably think this is full of shit but I've had a change of heart about the way I've been towards you and even your brother on occasion and I just wanted to apologize."