Page 53 of Atlas Uncharted

Atlas was silent, so I pressed on. “For all the bad, there was some good in our friendship. That’s why I never completely turned my back on her. I just got tired of pretending I didn’t know who she really was.”

“I never thought you were jealous of Ashlen. You never had a reason to be. You're smart, beautiful inside and out,” he said softly, making my cheeks heat before continuing. “It makes sense why you even came here.”

We fell into silence again, but then Atlas broke it. “Kairi, you heard the call. Are you ready for Dion to meet my mother? I need to know where your head is at with all of this.”

I hesitated before answering. We were in a calm place, and I didn’t want to ruin it by mentioning how little I cared to meet his judgmental mother. “No, not yet,” I admitted gently. “But I want Dion to know all of his family. I want that for him. I just need to be sure it’s safe. I won’t have him around people who are toxic or who make him feel less than. We already have enough problems of our own, Atlas. I can’t add more.”

He reached out and gently touched my hand under the covers. “I get it. I won’t force anything. I’ll make sure it’s safe for him—for both of you. I promise.”

I nodded, feeling a small sense of relief, though the doubts lingered. “Thank you,” I whispered.

Atlas was quiet for another moment before he shifted the conversation. “What do you want to do for Dion’s birthday? I want it to be special.”

I thought about it. “Something small. I don’t know many people with kids here.”

He nodded. “I’ll handle it. I’ll make sure it’s perfect.”

I didn’t argue. I was exhausted—mentally and physically. My eyes started to close. Just as I was about to drift off, I felt Atlas shift beside me, his arm wrapping around my waist. He pulled me close, pressing a soft kiss to the back of my head.

“Goodnight, Kairi,” he whispered.

I let him hold me, feeling the tension in my body slowly melt away. We were at a crossroads, and I realized I needed to compromise for Dion’s sake.

Chapter 39

Atlas

My mother wasn’t coming for another week, despite her initial urgency. She claimed she had a surprise for us when she arrived. Kairi was anxious about meeting her, and I couldn’t blame her, given everything that had happened. I wanted to ease her nerves, so I planned something she'd never expect. I knew Kairi better than she realized. I’d read every one of her books and followed all her social media accounts under a fake name. I'd taken notes on her likes and dislikes since college. It might sound arrogant, but I was confident I knew how to give her a few days she'd remember.

I spent the morning getting everything ready while Kairi slept upstairs. I ordered breakfast from her favorite spot—pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, fruit platters, and pastries. Everything was laid out perfectly on the kitchen island.

I was washing my hands when the doorbell rang. It was part of Kairi’s surprise.

When I opened the door, the two women I’d been waiting for stepped inside. Ebony came first, immediately pulling me into an enthusiastic hug, as if we'd known each other for years instead of minutes.

“Atlas, right? Finally!” she said, stepping back with a bright smile. She was petite but carried herself with confidence, her dark skin glowing beneath her thick twists.

Behind her, Lu entered quietly, offering a polite but genuine smile as she adjusted the heavy bag on her shoulder. She stood tall, moving calmly and deliberately, her natural hair pulled back neatly into a sleek bun.

“We appreciate you doing this,” Lu said gently, her voice soft but sincere. “Though you really didn't need to cover everything. We could've handled our own flights.”

“No, I wanted to,” I replied, watching as they looked around. They exchanged glances and smiles, and I wondered what that was about. Even though I’d just met them, it was clear they were nothing like Ashlen’s friends, who always greeted me with fake politeness before whispering judgments behind their hands. I hated them.

Ebony bounced slightly on her toes, eyes shining. “Okay, so where’s Kairi? Does she suspect anything?”

I smiled, appreciating their excitement. For the first time in a while, I felt certain I’d made the right call.

Kairi came downstairs just as I hid them in the pantry, holding a sleepy-eyed Dion. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, and her oversized tee slipped off one shoulder. She looked more relaxed than she had since I’d barged into her life. I honestly regretted nothing because it had gotten us to this point, though I wished I'd been a little gentler with her.

“What is all this?” she asked, eyeing the spread on the kitchen island.

Ebony burst out of the pantry, clapping and bouncing. “Surprise!” she announced, grinning widely.

Kairi’s eyes widened, shifting between them and me. “How...?”

“Your baby daddy sent for us,” Ebony said, pulling her into a tight hug. “You’ve got a lot of explaining to do.”

Kairi’s mouth hung open for a second before she laughed. It was the kind of laugh I hadn’t heard in a long time.

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