Page 11 of Follow Me to Your Heart

“Oh, Korren! I’m so happy to see you, sweetie,” my mama, Sabrina, exclaimed, walking right by me to her.

They embraced, rocking side to side as Korren stuck her tongue out at me.

She already knew I felt some type of way.

I gave her the finger and went inside to find Symone.

Mama was about to take Korren and Taylor all around the house and talk their heads off, so I’d give them their time.

I sauntered through the house, making note of the changes Mama had made.

She’d been in her house for five years now, and she was always doing something different to it.

When we were younger, she didn’t have the means to do so.

I could remember the exact layout of our home and how it was decorated back in the hood.

Now, I could hardly keep up with what she did.

As I expected, Symone was in the kitchen, finishing dinner. I crept up behind her, watching as she stirred the Alfredo, and joked. “Don’t burn anything up in here. Don’t think I forgot about how you burned the noodles in the microwave that one time.”

Symone glared at me before playfully flitting her eyes upward toward the ceiling. “And you would still eat it if it was burnt. You know good and well I can throw down like Mama, so don’t play with me. Where are Korren and Taylor?”

“Somewhere with Mama. I was completely ignored by her, so I don’t even think she knows I’m back here.”

“Don’t be dramatic, Cage. You know she saw you. You’ve literally only been gone for like half an hour. You had all the time with her last night. Plus, she had to see about her future daughter-in-law first.”

“Whoa, Symone. What did you just say?” I questioned with my hand cupping my ear. I’d heard her loud and clear, but I wanted to see if she’d repeat it with the same confidence as before.

With a kiss of her teeth, Symone expressed, “You heard me. I don’t know why you and Korren try to act as if your feelings for each other aren’t deeper then only being friends. The two of you are in love, brother.”

“Of course, I love her. She’s my best friend.”

“You heard exactly what I said. I said in love. I know y’all love each other, but being in love is different.”

“And how would you know? Got something you need to tell me?”

“I’m not even on that type of time with any of these boys.

I know from watching the two of you. It’s the way you look at her.

It’s the way you talk to and about her. It’s the way you show up for her.

It’s all that plus more, and she does the same for you.

Any woman would be lucky to have you, Cage, but be real with yourself and admit everything you do for Korren is because you’re in love with her. ”

Symone’s words had my mind in overdrive.

While I’d come to terms with my feelings for Korren being deeper than what I let on, being in love with her never crossed my mind.

Mainly because I’d never been in love before.

My actions toward Korren were natural for me.

I never had to put any thought into anything for her, just as I did for my mother and sister.

Without a doubt, my love for them were beyond what words could express.

I thought it was the same for Korren, but Symone had me second-guessing.

I washed my hands and set the table as my mother, Korren, and Taylor trickled into the kitchen. Korren introduced Symone and Taylor, and they immediately hit it off. They were engrossed in their own conversation, so Korren came over and finished helping me set the table.

“Why are you so quiet, Cage?” she interrogated with her head tipped to the side.

“It’s not much to say when you’re the only male present. Keith should be here soon, and I won’t be alone.”

“You’re dramatic. We’re not that bad.”

I playfully bucked my eyes at her, and she threw a spoon at me. My first reaction was to run around the table to her. She squealed as I chased her, laughing as she continuously called my mama’s name until she appeared.

“Cage! Leave Korren alone. Why are you in here chasing her?”

I pointed at Korren. “Tell her what you did, KoKo.”

“Told him he was being dramatic.”

“And? What else?”

“Nothing,” Korren lied, smirking. “That’s how you know he was being dramatic.”

Before Mama could open her mouth to speak, I was running around the table again. I caught up to Korren and pulled her into me, trapping her in a bear hug. She laughed and wiggled until her face was red.

“Okay, okay!” She surrendered, trying to catch her breath. “I threw a spoon at him.”

Mama snickered with her hands up. “I can’t help you there, Korren.”

The doorbell rang, so I quickly kissed Korren’s temple and freed her before going to let Keith in. I dapped him up and gave him a brotherly hug. “What’s good, my man?”

“Not shit. Thank you for inviting me. It smells good in here.”

“Mama and Symone always throw down in the kitchen. I think everything’s ready, so come on.”

I led Keith to the kitchen where they were putting the food on the table. Keith stopped in his tracks, tapping my chest with the back of his hand. “Aye, who is that?”

My eyes followed his, and my lips curved upward. “That’s Taylor, Korren’s best friend. She came home with her for the week.”

“Let me make sure I sit across from her.”

Keith and I shared a laugh as we joined the ladies.

He gave Mama, Symone, and Korren love, then I introduced him to Taylor.

She had the same look in her eyes as he did.

All throughout dinner, I caught them gazing at one another.

Korren and I kept hitting each other underneath the table anytime they locked eyes.

Once dinner was over, Mama sent us to go get dessert while she and Symone cleaned the kitchen up. We went to her favorite frozen custard spot downtown. Keith took that as his opportunity to pull Taylor to the side, leaving Korren and me to share a sundae at the opposite table.

“Look at them. Why didn’t we think about putting them together before?” Korren giggled as she popped a cherry in her mouth. “They would be cute together.”

“Taylor would give Keith a run for his money. You know he’s laid-back and goes with the flow. I could bet she’d have him wrapped around her finger.”

“Just like I have you.”

I chuckled and shook my head. “I guess you can say that, but don’t think you run shit. I know how to keep you in check.”

“You are not Ali. He is the only man who can keep me in check. I would say you more so ground me. Balance me if that makes sense.”

“It does because you do the same for me, KoKo. My life is hectic as hell, but you’ve always been my calm in the middle of a storm.”

“Because you’re the chaos that makes sense in my life, Cage. You know how I am. I don’t do well with the shit you do, but you’re the only person I will ever put up with it for. You know why?”

“Because you love me?”

Korren nodded, shoved some ice cream in her mouth, and continued.

“That, and because I know the shit you do doesn’t define the person you are.

I know that you got in the streets to solely provide for your mother and sister.

I commend you for that, but I also want better for you.

I don’t want you becoming so consumed in it that the only way out is prison or death.

You’re smart as hell, so I know there’s something else you can do now that you’ve gotten this far. ”

She was right. There was something else I could do, but I needed to act on it. The fear of failure was the only thing stopping me.

We sat there, staring at one another. The world around us stopped, and it felt as if we were the only two people who existed.

Was that what it was like to be in love? To only see one person with so many around you? With Korren, it happened often. We could be among a sea of people, and the only person who captivated me was her. Her captivity was one of my favorite places to be.

“Don’t let your sundae melt ogling over one another,” Taylor spoke, breaking us from our trance. She scooted in the booth next to Korren, smirking.

“Where’s Keith?” I questioned, glancing around the shop.

“He went to the restroom. Korren, I’m ditching you and Ali one night to go on a date with Keith. I’m sure y’all will have no trouble finding something to do.”

“She’ll be with me, so she’ll be good.” I spoke up.

Korren lowered her eyes. “How do you know I don’t want to spend some alone time with my daddy?”

“Spoiled ass. I guess you got a point.”

“Knowing Daddy, he’ll be asleep by nine, so you can come get me then.”

“I was going to do that anyway, KoKo.”