Page 42 of The Dating Prohibition

“Remind me again why you couldn’t take your time and hire movers like a normal person?” Lani grimaced and struggled, trying

to shove one last box into the back of Kendra’s car. “Girl, I’m sorry, but I was never good at Tetris . You gon’ have to get this one.”

Kendra rolled her eyes and stepped next to her cousin, taking the box from her. “I know it’s sudden, but I just felt like

I needed to get out of here. Plus, getting down there earlier lets the owners move on with their plans. Why make them wait

if there’s nothing keeping me here?”

Lani nodded in understanding.

“I really appreciate you coming with me.”

Lani had officially been made assistant manager of PALATE, but she asked to put the promotion on hold until she got Kendra

situated. Logan agreed in a heartbeat.

“There was never a question. It was always gonna happen, cuz. I can’t leave you by yourself, plus I get to come check on Mom.”

“Yeah, but I just really appreciate it. I know I’m going out on my own and all that stuff, but I am nervous and it means so much to have your support.”

“You’re always gonna have my support, cousin. And honestly, I’d be moving back with you if Stanley and I weren’t a thing now.”

Lani’s cheeks tinted as she laced her fingers together.

“So, you think it’s gonna get serious?”

Lani’s face went from pink to red in seconds. “It’s definitely looking like it could.”

Kendra squealed. “I knew that there was a possibility, and I was hoping that y’all would. Oh, this makes me so happy,” she

gushed.

“Yeah, it feels really natural with him. Easy. I look forward to spending time with him or just talking to him. I think it’s

easier since we’ve known him for so long.”

Kendra nodded. “I’m excited for you! He’s such a good guy.”

“He is and he’s loyal and sweet and really funny. I know he’s quiet around the group, but he’s such an introvert. He just

kind of chameleons up and blends into the background,” she giggled. “But when we’re alone, he talks his head off.”

“Really?!” Kendra exclaimed. “I kind of wish we could witness that at some point.”

“I think he’ll get there eventually. He’s one of the newest to the friend group, even though he’s been around a while at this

point. I think he was still finding his sea legs, but especially if he’s with me, he’s a part of the family, so he’ll feel

even more settled in pretty quickly.”

“Look at you talking about he’s getting into the family!”

“Well, I don’t want to overthink it or anything—” Lani held up a hand to try to slow things down “—but I have a really good

feeling.”

“Well, I’m so happy for you, cousin, and if there’s anything that I can do to support you and Stanley, let me know.”

“Of course. But first, let’s get this car packed so we can get on the road, because you know damn well I’m no good driving long routes once it gets dark.”

“I fully expect that I’ll probably drive the whole thing.” Kendra eyed her cousin, knowing her passenger princess ass had

no intention of actually driving.

“Even better, because I brought snacks and I’m happy to DJ!” Lani exclaimed.

“Okay. Well, let me just get this in here. Hmm.” The box wasn’t going to fit in the back of the SUV at all, so she opened

up one back seat passenger-side door and shoved the box on the floor behind Lani’s chair. She grabbed their luggage and laid

that across the back seats, setting her purse on the floor behind the driver’s seat.

“Okay,” Lani said. “I’ve got snacks, we’ve got our iced coffees and water, we have our music and a charger.” Lani ticked the

list off on her fingers. “Are we forgetting anything?”

“Do you have some sunglasses?”

“You. Are. Brilliant! How did you know that was what was missing?” Lani ran back into her room to grab a pair from a drawer

in the closet. “Okay, that’s it.” She threw her tote bag in the back and set a carton of goodies in the middle of the back

seats so that she could reach it easily while Kendra drove.

“Let me say bye to Shonda and Logan and then we can go.”

Lani nodded.

At that moment, the two in question stepped out onto the porch. Shonda crossed her arms over her chest, holding her elbows.

“Are you really doing this, sis?” she asked.

“I am, yep.” Kendra smiled. The closer she’d gotten to the move, the more at peace she’d become with her decision.

It hurt to leave Ben behind, but at the same time, she knew that the excitement of getting her business off the ground would keep her occupied until she had time to sort through her feelings with her therapist.

“Well, then, I’m excited for you, and I can’t wait to see what you build down there. You know we’re gonna be there for your

opening, and we’ll be ready to cut up.” Shonda wrapped her arms around Kendra. “I love you, sis. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you. It means the world that I have your support. And I love you back.” Shonda clasped her hands, squeezing them gently

before Kendra turned to her brother.

He gave her that same tight-lipped smile he always did. “I wish you were gonna be closer,” he said gently.

“I do too, but I think I need the distance to do what I came here to do, and you’re only a phone call away and you know I’m

gonna be blowin’ you up.” She grinned.

“I hope so,” he said, nodding.

Kendra stepped into his arms and squeezed him tight. “I’m going to miss you.”

“Listen, you’ve got this. I’m going to see you in a couple weeks’ time. And before that, you’re going to see me on FaceTime

on a regular basis,” he warned. “So no funny business, because I’m going to be checking on you.”

“Yes, brother. No funny business,” she parroted.

“But no matter what you need, you call me. Hear?”

Kendra’s eyes glistened. “Okay.”

“I can be down there if need be.”

“Come on now, don’t worry. Mom and Pop are not too far away and Auntie Mack is right there. I feel supported and Lani’s going

to connect me with some of her local friends, so I will have people.”

“Well, just remember who you had first.” They smiled at each other.

“Love you, bro.”

“Love you, sis.”

She kissed him on the cheek and headed to the car.

As she opened the door, Logan shouted after her. “Call me if you need me!”

“Always.”

As they got on the road, Lani played some of their favorite music for their own personal singing tour. She brought back Mariah

Carey and Whitney Houston from some of their favorite early albums before leaning into Jazmine Sullivan and Jill Scott.

By the time they made it to North Carolina, they were ready for a stop and to stretch their legs. “Wow, we’re making good

time, Kendra. I’m really surprised.”

“I don’t know why you would be. I don’t exactly have a lead foot, but I’m not trying to dawdle.”

“Oh my god, you sound like your mother.”

“Oh shut up, I do,” Kendra groaned.

Lani snickered. “Have you talked to BJ?”

“No, we haven’t talked since the dinner. Things have been radio silent. I can’t tell if he’s mad at me or what, but I can’t

focus on him right now.”

Lani nodded. “Understood.”

“Why do you ask?” Kendra’s eyes narrowed.

“I mean... all the guys talk.”

“So you heard something from Stanley?”

Lani nodded. “I think he’s pretty miserable.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Stanley said he and Logan went to check on him one day, and he looked kind of rough. He hadn’t shaven, and he looked like

he wasn’t sleeping well. They couldn’t get him to go out, so they just hung out at his place and ordered some pizza.”

“Interesting,” Kendra mumbled. She ran her hand over her hair, fluffing her ponytail—a cloud of curls in her rearview.

A lump formed in her throat with the possibility that he could feel even a fraction of what she felt, but she pushed it down before the thought could consume her.

“Well, let’s run inside real quick so we can get back on the road. ”

“Bet.”

As they exited the car, she pictured Ben with his normal stoic face. It was hard for her to imagine him down, and she didn’t

want to be the cause, but she could feel that same wavelength. It was silly of her, but she sometimes imagined him deciding

to pick up and come with her. But of course, that wasn’t in the cards. He had a highly coveted tenured position at a DC university.

She locked up the car and straightened her shoulders as they headed inside.

“Oh look, this place has a coffee bar,” Lani whispered.

“Perfect. I could use some more caffeine,” Kendra said, her shaky voice betraying her mask.

Lani wrapped an arm around Kendra’s waist and Kendra leaned her head on her cousin’s shoulder.

Kendra’s brave face began to crumble as a tear slid down her cheek.

“I’ve got you, cuz,” Lani whispered into her hair as she squeezed her. “I’ve got you.”

“We made it. Home sweet home,” Kendra sighed. She and Lani had just pulled up to a charming duplex three streets down from

Auntie Mack. Though Auntie Mack had offered for her to stay at her house, Kendra felt certain that she would be coming and

going at all hours—her anxiety keeping her up at night––and she didn’t want to wake her aunt or disturb her rest, so she found

an apartment nearby.

“You really could have stayed at the house. Mom wouldn’t have minded,” Lani chided, looking up at the house.

The large wraparound porch had two front doors—Kendra’s was on the left, and her neighbor’s was on the right.

Both of their units were trilevel housing.

The main living space included the living room, kitchen, dining room, a small office and a powder room.

Upstairs were two bedrooms, and in the basement was plenty of space with a kitchenette.

Kendra planned to use part of it as storage for her business.

“I think this is gonna work well. And it gives me another layer of autonomy so that I don’t freak your mom out if I’m coming

home at two in the morning.”

“No, I get you. I wouldn’t want to scare her or worry her either, and I know she appreciates that you’re being so thoughtful.”

“She’s already done so much, and I’m super grateful for everything.”

Lani nodded. “She knows, believe me. But she’s so proud of you.”

“I don’t know how I’d be able to repay everything that all of you have done.” Kendra teared up.

Lani closed the distance wrapping her arms around her cousin as Auntie Mack’s sedan pulled into the driveway. “Okay, crybaby,

pull it together.”

Mack arrived moments before multiple deliveries came—one with flowers from her parents congratulating her on her new venture

and promising to be up to visit within the week, a second box of supplies and special decorative items for her place from

Shonda, and a shipment of booze from her brother.

“He would send the good stuff,” Kendra murmured, admiring the bottles.

“I mean, the man has taste.” Lani nodded. “I think he sent you something else too.” She gestured behind them as another delivery

truck arrived. Auntie Mack went inside to put the flowers in water.

“Are you Miss Porter?” the man called.

“Yes!”

“Okay, great.” He ran to the back of the truck, and once he’d lowered the lift, he maneuvered a huge box on a dolly toward

them.

“What in the world is this?”

“I believe that there’s a note with the packaging slip. Where would you like for me to put this?”

“Um.” She gestured for him to follow them up the porch steps and she opened the front door. “Right here is fine.” She pointed

to the area that would be the dining room.

“Great. And then I’ll just have you sign.” She nodded as he handed her a tablet from his pocket.

“Wow, I wonder what this is.”

“Do you need a box cutter?”

“No, I’ve got one, but thank you.”

“Okay, for sure. Have a great day,” he called over his shoulder as he left.

“Well, let’s open this.”

“Okay.” Lani pulled a box cutter from her pocket. It was a small plastic cloud with a blade that slid out.

“Well, isn’t that adorable?” Kendra mused.

“Yeah, some influencer was organizing their office and they had these in a drawer, thought they were so cute.”

“TikTok shop?”

“I mean, they are the queens of aesthetic.” Lani shrugged like it was obvious. “Whatever, let’s just open the box. Here’s

the packing slip.” She handed it over as she made quick work of cutting through the packaging tape.

“It looks like some sort of appliance.” Kendra unfolded the packaging slip to find a printed note taped to it.

“‘Dear Keke, yes, yes, we know your name is Kendra, but you’re Keke to us. We just want you to know how proud of you we are. The entire DC crew pitched in to give this to you. Though you’ll have plenty of special product to celebrate in your new workplace, we want to make sure that you celebrate your milestones at home too. ’ Well, that’s so sweet. What is this?”

Lani sliced through more tape to expose the front of the appliance. The stainless steel and black exterior looked like something

Kendra had seen before. “It looks like a fridge,” Lani said. “But one side is different... Oh! One side holds wine, the

other side holds cigars.”

Kendra’s smile grew wide. “Oh my god, what an awesome gift. And we’re in the perfect place for it. Here.” She and Lani pulled

the box away from the appliance completely. “This is perfect and it’s counter level. A Fridgidor. I can put this next to a

buffet against that wall. And then the dining table would span right here, parallel to it.”

“Perfect. Yeah.”

“What a thoughtful gift!” Auntie Mack exclaimed. “You know for sure that your brother intends to visit if he bought you bourbon

and a space to hold his cigars.”

Kendra chuckled. “Too true.” As she turned, she imagined the layout of the rest of the room. “I love that it’s such an open

concept, right? So we’ll put some stools at that island, and we’ll put a big L-shaped couch in that corner over there.”

Lani surveyed the space. “Most importantly, where are you going to put a TV? It doesn’t really seem like there’s a good space

for it.”

“Well, we can either put a projector screen that kind of covers the banister here—” she gestured “—or, we could make part

of the basement a family room so that we have, like, a full movie bar situation.”

“Oh, that could be fun! Not that you’ll be home all that often to use it, but when I am home, I could see myself coming over

and using it quite a bit.”

Kendra shook her head as she laughed. “True. Okay, let’s start unloading these boxes.

” She decided to ship some of her things to make life easier on her.

She didn’t have enough furniture to justify hiring movers.

“I shipped boxes of books through the post office, and I’ve got a couple of boxes of clothes coming, but other than that, almost everything that I have is here.

I’ll buy furniture pieces bit by bit—I think my bed is being delivered tomorrow, so we’re going back to Auntie Mack’s tonight. ”

Lani nodded. “Bet. Let’s get it.”