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RK- CheK

The Decks and the Road
Renegotiating Kaylin



Chapter 30- CheK 



Kaylin- We connected in New York.  The call came in as we were boarding our plane.  I couldn’t get to it.  I saw the text minutes later…  “Call me when you can”.  Maybe it’s his intuition that something’s up, and I don’t want to ruin things, so I ignore it.  Che’s studying each step as we make our way onto the plane, find our seats, and load the overhead. 

“Maybe we should have just said something.”  He’s right and yet we could both envision the outcome if we had.  It’s too late now.  In a while we’ll be asked to turn all our devices off, and finally maybe we can shut out all the chatter.  I’m sitting at the window, and he’s in the middle.  He props his head on my shoulders and kisses me on the chin. 

“I’m ready.”  I’m quiet, but I agree with a kiss.  It’s been a wild six months; a melting pot of past and future.  I don’t even know if I’m enough Kaylin to be taking such a leap, but we want to be together.  This is our first big secret together, and I feel at home.  I’m thinking about Jack and how I left the girls behind, and I know he’s thinking of his parents, but I lay my head a top his and close my eyes.


I did finally get the news about Rose when we landed.  It was just about the only thing that could have gotten me to turn back; death.  But I could hear her voice, and I’d called on the many pointers she’d given me, and I knew she only flowed in one direction. Three days have passed and we’re covered in tears.  We knew we’d be here; he heading back to New York and me to Miami.  It’s the line on the page where we jumped ahead and haven’t yet returned to fill in the gaps, but between each kiss and every smile there’s excitement and no regret. 

“I love you.  Call me as soon as you land.”
“I will.”



Part Two



I’d picked up all her updates on the way to the bathroom and whenever Chad-Ezra had gone to sleep. Every time I did, there was a voice saying, “What if he’s keeping something too?” but whenever I looked in his eyes, the voice and the question went away.  I think it was something about how I got into the situation that was holding me back.   Her final text was “Great news!” and I knew we would be together soon. 

 I’ve been listening to our first few exchanges over and over in my head.
“How was the trip?”
“Great!  Che and I got married. ”
“Are you out of your mind?”

That was one option.  The other was…

“How was the trip?”
“Good.”
“Is that a Wedding ring?”
“Actually…  I wanted to talk to you.  Che and I decided to get married.”

When the car pulled up, I gave a light wave.  I tossed my one bag in the back and hopped into the passenger side hoping to hide the small ring on my finger. 

“Hey…  So how did it go?” 
“Great!”
“I didn’t want to tell you over the phone, but I think you’re going to love the outcome.”
“So, how much are they going to pay?”
“Well, it’s a royalty, and I did negotiate for damages.  But, there’s something else.”
“What is it?”
“I’ve gotten you a…. wait.  Did I miss something?”  My hands were clasped together and sitting in my lap.  The ring was too small for her to see.  I didn’t assume what she was pointing to, but it would have to come out, so I filled her in.

“Chad-Ezra and I are married.”  There's some surprise, but no shock.
“I wish you would have said something.”  She’s glancing back and forth now; juggling her eyes on the road and looking back at me.

“We didn’t want to be discouraged.”  I could see her pinning down her words, and searching out others.

“Do you think you’re ready?”
“I don’t know…  I’m sure we’ll grow into it.  Tell me about the deal.”

“Right…  The deal.  Well, I thought I was negotiating for one and not two at the time…  But I got you a spot on tour with Radiance.  The label is willing to promote you two as a singer/songwriter team.”  I heard the words Radiance and team, but it was hard to picture.  It was also hard to picture a marriage with Chad-Ezra off at school and me bouncing around on tour.  Still, it was an exciting thought for the part of me that was still Kaylin Johnson.  The rest of the ride we were quiet.  Then I remembered how many weeks she’d spent, and where it all began; with me in a small pub trying to see my future as a songwriter, and I thought out loud “How’d you do that?”  




Renegotiating Kaylin, a novel
Copyright 2019 by Natisha Renee Williams and Grace Call Communications, LLC
All Rights Reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. 

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