Can't Stop Loving You (19 page)

T
he hours turned into days without a word from Kaycee. Kendrick realized that she needed time to process everything, but he trusted that their love would have her call him back into her life, but she didn't.

The fact that she might be gone broke his heart. Kendrick pulled the staff together and broke the news. Everyone rallied around him in support and took up the slack caused by Kaycee's absence.

Day in and day out, Kendrick didn't know if he was coming or going. He left home early in the day to come back late into the night without time to do anything but sleep. When he was feeling particularly sentimental he slept in his office, refusing to be around anything that reminded him of his beautiful brown-skinned, brown-eyed beauty.

On one particular evening he was stretched out in his recliner watching the sports channel, and he thought of the last time he and Kaycee had been together watching television and cheering on the team du jour. They'd had so much fun laughing, hollering at referees or players when they made bad calls or plays and recreating plays. He also remembered soft tackling her on the sofa where he proceeded to make a touchdown of his own.

He smiled as he remembered her gasping and then exhaling with satisfaction as he brought her completely under his submission with a stroke of his tongue against her sensitive and intimate places. When her body quivered uncontrollably in release, he mounted her with the urgency of all the stored love and passion that he felt for her. Later as he wrapped her body up against him, he professed his love to her over and over like a mantra until he fell asleep with Kaycee fulfilling his fantasies in his dreams.

Reality sank in quickly, bringing him back to the present, where he sat in his home all alone. Kaycee was gone. All they shared was gone. A pang of disappointment hit his heart. He turned off the television and closed his eyes, allowing the mourning process to begin.

 

“Where are you going?” Katherine Jordan asked her daughter as she entered the guest room and saw that Kaycee was packing. It had been almost two weeks since the fiasco at the reunion and she had grown accustomed to having her daughter home again in their protective custody.

“Mom, I do have my own place you know,” Kaycee gently reminded her.

“I know, but do you have to go now? Your father was about to fire up the grill.”

“Then you need to fire it up without me. I'm going home to get some things. I have to be at the airport in two hours.”

Thank God for perfect timing. She was on her way to Detroit to be with her best cousin Alexa. She and her husband Darius were expecting their first baby, and she had promised to be there for the birth.

Besides, they needed to talk. Since they were kids, Kaycee had always admired her older cousin. Alexa was not only beautiful, but she was also very smart and knew what she wanted in life. While these were admirable characteristics, Alexa would be the first to say that they also became her downfall. However, she was able to overcome herself, reunite with her first love and start up a ministry helping women realize their purpose in life.

Alexa and Darius's testimony on how they had to fight through many devils to be together touched Kaycee's life and she needed to be in the company of someone who had walked in her shoes and who could give her good advice. So she'd called Alexa, who was more than happy to have her come.

“Kaycee, do you think it's a good idea to go home?”

Kaycee whirled around with irritation. “Yes, it's a good idea. If you're worried about me seeing Kendrick, don't. I'm capable of handling myself.”

“I just don't want to see you hurt again,” her mother calmly replied.

Kaycee immediately felt bad for snapping off. She walked across the room to give her mother a hug. “You're right, Ma. I'm sorry for yelling. You just don't understand.”

Katherine took Kaycee's hand and led her over to the sofa.

“Try me.”

Kaycee was thrown off by her mother's attempt at objectivity concerning her relationship with Kendrick, but she looked at it as a window of opportunity to bare her soul and perhaps build an alliance in the process.

“Ma, Kendrick is really a very nice man. He cares for me and about me. He's never disrespected me. I never questioned his love for me.”

“But he lied.”

“He didn't lie,” Kaycee challenged. “He had no reason to tell me about that. He didn't even know we are related.”

“Kayce, I know Kendrick Thompson. As far back as I can remember he's always been this pretty-boy playboy. He's the kind of man who's used to women approaching him and doing all of the work in a relationship, and then he walks away when he gets bored or tired. Look what happened to Vickie.”

“Well, the Kendrick I know is not any of those things. Since we've met, he's been nothing but kind, loving and thoughtful.”

Katherine groaned. “But why him, baby? He's old enough to be your daddy. You need to be with a man who is your age so you can grow together and someday have children.”

“Mom, can't you see? I don't want any other man. Kendrick and I have this connection. We share the same goals, we both have the same likes and dislikes. I never thought I would find a man who loved James Bond or eating popcorn with M&Ms as much as I do.

“In the beginning, we thought about our age gap and the possibility of having a family. We tried to keep our relationship on the professional level, but we couldn't fight our feelings.

“You know how you can be with someone and not have to say any words, and when you do, sometimes you finish each other's sentences? Well, that's what it's like with Kendrick. Everything is so in sync. Right now, I think the most important thing is that we love each other.” She reached over and grasped her mother's hands and looked her square in the eyes. “We really do. I know you know what I'm talking about because I've seen it in your relationship with daddy.”

Katherine was quiet for a minute before softly replying, “I understand.”

Kaycee exhaled with relief. “I have to try and talk to him, Mom.”

“Like you said, you are an adult. I need more time to mull this over, maybe search my heart before I can give my blessing.”

Kaycee gave her mother a big hug and kiss and ran off to finish packing.

It wasn't long before Kaycee was turning into her subdivision. She prayed that she wouldn't see Kendrick because she didn't know how she would respond to him. However, her prayers were thwarted when she approached her house and saw his car alongside another in his driveway.

She quickly pressed the button on the garage-door opener and drove inside, closing it before she could be seen. From there she went directly to her bedroom where she began to pack.

About an hour later, Kaycee descended the stairs, suitcase in hand. She placed it on the bottom step beside her carry-on bag and purse and went to the kitchen to straighten before she left.

As she stood at the kitchen window, she noticed movement in Kendrick's backyard. She leaned closer to the window to find him standing beside, of all people, Martinique Rivers!

The glass that she was holding fell from her hand and shattered into a hundred pieces. She cursed lightly and reached into the sink to pick up the shards while trying to figure out why Martinique was at her fiancé's house. A piece of glass grazed her finger, breaking the skin.

“Oh, my!” she exclaimed and quickly turned on the cold water. When it looked as if the blood had coagulated enough to cut back on the bleeding, she wrapped her wound in a paper towel. She walked around to the dining room, which gave her a better view of Kendrick's backyard, but by this time the pair were gone.

She hurried to the library in the front of the house and peeked through the curtains just in time to see what she feared—Kendrick embracing Martinique. Kaycee couldn't believe her eyes. When he released his hold on her, he opened her car door, allowed her to get settled inside and shut it behind her. Leaning down, he said some final words before she pulled off. As he turned back to go inside, Kendrick paused long enough to look at her house. Kaycee froze at her place in the window, wondering if she had been seen, but he made no acknowledgement and went inside.

She stepped away from the window, holding her stomach. She felt like throwing up. One week away from him and he brings another woman into the picture.

Quickly, she gathered her things and carried them out to her car. She didn't have time to ponder over what had taken place in the last week. She might go crazy. She just needed to get out of Atlanta.

“K
aycee, I'm sorry,” Alexa apologized for the umpteenth time since she'd arrived in Detroit.

The pair were in Alexa's car whizzing down the expressway back to her side of town in Southfield.

“Alex, it's okay,” Kaycee assured her again.

“I forgot that I rescheduled this session because of the upcoming holiday. I couldn't disappoint them,” she said, referring to the women's business support group that was a spin-off of her magazine.

“I'm surprised that you're still having sessions in your condition.” She said referring to her cousin's expanded girth. Alexa was in her ninth month, due any day.

“Why not?” she asked matter-of-factly. “If I was on someone's job I would have to work up to the time to deliver. Besides, I enjoy what I do. The women are so great.”

Kaycee was impressed by her cousin's recent success.

Since she and her husband had relocated to Detroit three years ago, Alexa had started up her own magazine,
Proverbs 31 Woman
. The magazine addressed areas of interest to the Christian woman, such as balancing marriage, family and career. She had firsthand experience in that arena. The magazine had been so well received that she'd started up incubator groups that helped women to identify their life purpose and how to make them into a reality in their lives.

As usual, Kaycee was very proud of the strides that her cousin had made in her personal and professional life. She hoped that she could glean from her the tools that she needed to work through her own issues.

About twenty minutes later, Alexa was parking her Volvo XC90 in the parking lot of a four-story office building. Kaycee jumped out first and ran around to help Alexa. Both laughed when Alexa had to put her seat back in order to get from behind the wheel.

“I know, I'm big as a house!” Alexa said with a giggle. “But my man likes it.”

“That's all that matters,” Kaycee said, laughing along with her.

They took the elevator up to the fourth floor to the headquarters of
Proverbs 31 Woman
. A young college-age-looking woman sitting behind the desk looked up to greet them.

“Your husband just called, Mrs. Riverside,” she informed Alexa, handing her the half-written message.

“Thanks, Dani,” she turned to Kaycee. “Dani works for me in the evenings. She's a student over at the university. Dani, this is my cousin, Kaycee Jordan.”

The young girl stood and extended her hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Kaycee replied.

She glanced around the office at the purple-and-gold decor and smiled. “I really like the color scheme. It looks so regal.”

Alexa nodded. “I knew you would get it.” She turned back to Dani. “Let me know when the ladies arrive.”

Alexa gave Kaycee a quick tour of the small office space before leading her back to her own office. She eased down onto a comfortable sofa with a groan. She closed her eyes and fanned herself with her hand.

“You okay?” Kaycee asked.

Alexa nodded. “I'm just ready to have the baby. I want my figure back.”

“Knowing you, you will be back on point in no time at all. That is one of many great things I can say about you. You are so committed.”

Alexa waved her comment off. “Little do you know that my only commitment throughout this pregnancy was to consistently put food in my mouth, but enough about me, what's going on with you? Did you get a chance to talk to Kendrick?”

Before Kaycee could reply, the intercom on Alexa's phone buzzed. It was Dani announcing the women's arrival. She gave Kaycee an apologetic look. “I'm sorry, Kayce.”

“Girl, please. We have all night to talk.”

With Kaycee's assistance, Alexa eased off the sofa and the pair went into what Alexa called the Creative Room. It was where the company held their staff meetings, but rather than do it around a large oval table, the room was outfitted with comfortable chairs and sofas.

The five women were already seated.

“Hello, ladies!” Alexa called out.

They each returned a greeting.

“I know this is our last meeting before the shuttle launches,” she said, referring to her pregnancy. “As you know I'm due any day and my wonderful cousin Kaycee decided to come up from Atlanta to help out.”

“How nice,” one of the ladies commented.

“It is, isn't it?” Alexa agreed. “But anyway, I forgot that her plane came in today and we literally just got in from the airport, so I hope you don't mind if she joins us in session.”

“Not at all,” a woman named Cathy replied.

Alexa made a motion welcoming Kaycee to the group. When she was seated, she opened her notebook.

“The last time we met we were talking about how other's expectations can hinder us from our dreams and goals. Who wants to begin?”

A tall woman with a low, natural hairstyle raised her hand.

Alexa acknowledged her with a nod and said, “Since Kaycee doesn't know everybody and she is a guest, can you all state your names when you have the floor.”

“Hi, Kaycee, I'm Diana. I'm trying to launch my first book and I'm having a problem because my family are not supportive of me. They depend on me to meet their needs, while setting mine to the side.”

“How does that make you feel?” Alexa asked.

“Like I don't matter,” Diana replied. “They know that since I was a small girl, I've been writing. God gave me the gift to write, but whenever I try to work on my book, they want me to set it aside to take care of their issues. They look at my writing as a hobby and not a career like I'm trying to make it into.”

The women grunted and clicked their tongues in response.

Kaycee looked around at each of the women. She could easily be one of them. Had she not felt the same yearning to be a part of Café Jireh? She sat up in her chair to hear more.

A short woman sitting beside Kaycee raised her hand.

“Yes, Valerie,” Alexa acknowledged her.

“I believe that God gives us all a desire for his purpose in our lives, but we have to recognize the strategies of the enemy to discourage us.”

“Good point,” Alexa replied. “So how can we—” she stopped when she saw Kaycee's hand shoot up in the air.

“Kaycee, you have a question?”

Kaycee nodded. “I'm sorry for interrupting, but I'm curious about the statement that Valerie made.”

“Okay.”

Kaycee hesitated as she searched for the right words. The whole idea that God would give every person a desire for something that was his purpose for them intrigued her.

“Well, does the desire that Valerie talked about pertain to jobs only? Can it apply to people, as well?”

“What do you mean?” Alexa asked.

“I mean, does God's purpose for our lives relate to careers or can it be a part of his plan for two people to come together?”

“I believe so,” Cathy piped up. “I first met my husband fifteen years ago when I was twenty-five. He was so determined to be with me, but I kept putting him off because I felt like he was stalking me. Despite this, he stayed near me and didn't give up. When I finally came to the Lord, it was revealed to me also that he was supposed to be my husband. We were married five years ago.”

A woman who had been sitting quietly in the back listening stood up. “Kaycee, my name is Gayla and I'm fairly new to the group. One thing I've observed since I've been here is that no one speaks in code. We are all upfront about our issues because we want real resolution.”

A host of “amens” filled the air.

Kaycee swallowed and looked at Alexa for support. Alexa gave her the nod. With a deep breath, Kaycee proceeded to tell the story of how she and Kendrick's lives had become entwined.

She talked about the immediate connection, the interests, companionship. She mentioned how he overcame his grieving-widower role and the objections of his grown daughter to be with her. With tears in her eyes and twirling the ring on her left finger, she told them how he'd asked her to be his wife.

Then she fast-forwarded the story to the scene at Kendrick's reunion, her parents' disappointed faces, her father's raging temper, and the true story about tragically losing her aunt. The conclusion involved her spying Martinique leaving the house. When she was finished there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Cathy found the box of tissues and passed it around.

Kaycee took a tissue and wiped her eyes. “I'm sorry,” she sobbed. “I didn't mean to take over your meeting like this.”

“It's okay,” Carla assured her, rubbing her back. “That's why we are here.”

“That's right, Kaycee,” Alexa added. “There's no set pattern to our meetings. I just introduce a topic and we free-talk, but in the end we all have to come up with viable solutions to our problems so that we can move forward.”

“I wanted to talk to him, but I didn't know what to say. What do you say to a man after you find out something like this? My dad is crushed. It's like his sister died all over again. Then seeing that—that
thang
over at his house made me so angry.”

“Kaycee, I know this may be hard, but you have got to pray and ask God if he is the one,” Valerie said.

“If you ask me, I think he is,” Diana retorted.

“But what about Ms. Thang!” Carla replied. “Is she supposed to pretend like that didn't happen?”

Gayla moved in closer to Kaycee. “Kaycee, Alexa is always telling us that when we handle adversity the first rule is to realize it's not about you and then jump to conclusions. That woman's visit could be totally innocent, you don't know until you ask.”

“That's right, girl,” Diana added.

Cathy got out of her seat and sat down on the sofa beside Kaycee. “Kaycee, remember how I said it was with my husband and me in the beginning? The signs were there, I just wasn't ready to accept them. You need to ask yourself if you're ready. Because if you are, nothing will stand in your way of believing the truth.”

Kaycee slowly nodded her head as she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. She was grateful to all of the ladies for helping her walk through her issue. She knew that it had been ordained for her to be there at that given moment.

“So, what are you going to do, girl?” Gayla asked.

“She's going to take me to the hospital,” Alexa cut in.

All eyes turned on her. “My water broke.”

 

Kendrick pushed the doorbell and waited. He looked around the Lincoln Street neighborhood in Savannah. The well-built Victorian homes were located in an older part of the city with stately oak trees lining the curbs. The neighborhood was on the mend with lots of the homes being rebuilt to their former glory because of their architectural, historical and cultural significance, thanks to concerned citizens.

The inner door opened and there stood Katherine.

“Can I help you?” she asked in a cold, distant voice.

“Hello, Katherine,” he greeted.

“Can I help you?” she repeated.

“Katherine, is Russell home? I would like to talk to you both.”

“Kendrick, what are you trying to prove coming to our home like this?” she hissed.

“Can we sit down and talk like adults?” he asked. “I wouldn't want your neighbors to have to be subjected to our conversation.”

“What is there to say?” Katherine asked.

“Kat, who's at the door?” Russell called from the hallway.

Katherine opened the door wide enough so that Russell could see Kendrick standing there.

“Man, you have got a lot of nerve coming to my house!” Russell shouted, adjusting his pants. “You want me to finish what was started?”

“Russell, hear me out. I just need to talk to Kaycee.”

“She's not here,” Katherine replied.

“She's got to be here,” he retorted. “I checked with her best friend Sidra and she said she hasn't heard from her in weeks.”

“If she was here, do you think I'd let you see her?” Russell challenged.

“Russ, you may be her father, but I'm her fiancé and I know she would talk to me.”

Russell grimaced. “Get the hell off my porch before I call the police!”

Kendrick stood there with a nonchalant look on his face. His hands were buried in his pockets and he rocked back and forth as though he had nothing better to do.

“She's not here, Kendrick,” Katherine announced again.

“Yes, she is.” He leaned closer to the screen and called out. “Kaycee!”

“Kendrick, she's not here,” she firmly repeated.

He ignored her comment. “Kaycee, come talk to me, please!”