Page 11 of Klutch's Kryptonite

In seconds, the kitchen fills with the rich aroma of coffee.

“Here.” She hands me the first cup.

I doctor it with two spoonfuls of sugar and a splash of milk then take a sip. My eyes close. God that’s really good. So maybe she wasn’t wrong about us needing coffee for this.

Kenny moves back to the Keurig, pops in another K-cup and hits the button again. Once the cup is filled, she grabs it and moves back over to the table and drops into the chair across from me.

“Okay.” She wraps her hands around her mug, takes a long sip, then her eyes lock onto mine. “Whose body are we hiding?”

Despite everything, my lips turn up into a big smile.

Kenny has been my ride-or-die since the fifth grade when she punched Tiffany Hawkins for calling me trash after finding out where I lived. We’ve been inseparable ever since.

“It’s my dad,” I say, the smile on my face fading. “I found him on the floor yesterday when I got home. He was beaten to a pulp.”

Her brows shoot up. “Holy shit, Dems. Is he okay?”

I laugh bitterly thinking about the guilt he laid on me last night. What kind of father puts his screw ups on his daughter’s shoulders? “Define ‘okay.’ He’s alive, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“What happened?”

I blow out a breath. “He owes Frankie Fish ten G’s.”

“Ten thousand dollars?” McKenna’s voice rises. “What the actual fuck?”

“Yep.” I stare into my coffee. “Apparently he borrowed it to make a bet on ‘a sure thing.’”

“Nooooo,” she groans. “He can’t seriously be that stupid. Can he?”

I nod. “Those suits we saw in the stairwell yesterday? I’m pretty sure that was them. According to my dad, they said they’d be back in two weeks for the money. If he doesn’t have it...” I can’t finish the sentence.

“So what’s the plan? Because I’m guessing he doesn’t have ten grand lying around.”

I scoff. “Bobby Cross have money? Now that would be funny if the shit hadn’t just hit the fan.” Sighing heavily, I continue, “I worked a double at Mel’s last night. All I made was forty bucks.”

“Ouch.” Kenny winces.

I laugh, but there’s not a trace of humor in it. “Right? At this rate, it’ll take me six months to come up with the money.”

“By which time your dad will be somewhere at the bottom of the Mississippi,” Kenny says absentmindedly.

I jerk back in my chair.

“Shit, I’m sorry, Dems. I wasn’t thinking.” She reaches across the table and places her hand over mine. “You’re my best friend in the whole world and you know I love you.”

“But…?” I can hear it in her tone that one is on the tip of her tongue.

Her face softens. “But, Bobby is a grown ass man. His problems are his own. It’s bullshit how he always expects you to come in and clean them up.”

“It’s not like that?—”

“Yes. It is, sweetie. When are you going to stop setting yourself on fire to keep him warm?”

I turn my head and stare at the alphabet magnets on the fridge. “I know, but he’s my dad.” Before I can stop it, a tear slips down my cheek. “He’s the only family I have left.”

Kenny squeezes my hand.

When I turn back to look at her, I can see the wheels in her head are spinning. Suddenly her eyes pop open. “I think I might have an idea.”

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