Page 108 of Noble Neighbor
“My mom,” he replied.
“Oh.” She sighed. It was a big, long sigh, and she placed her bony elbows — he knew they were bony because his side smarted — on her knees, fitting her forearms together. She rested her chin on the heels of her palms and stared in front of her. “I don’t want to remember my father. He was a bad man.”
Clement blinked, and his heart thumped really hard in his chest. “How—” He stopped and cleared his throat. “How do you know that?”
She shrugged. “Just do,” she said, but so softly he could hardly hear her.
“Kenzie …” He nudged her with his shoulder. “You can tell me.”
“I remember … things.”
Clement put his arm around her shoulder and shifted closer. “What things?”
“Bits and pieces. We lived in a big house. I had a green bedroom with a frilly bed, kinda like Molly’s now. He — my father — he used to buy me dolls. But I couldn’t really play with them because they were special, and I had to keep them on a shelf. I think I was kinda scared of him. But he died. He did something bad, but I don’t know what. Oh, and I remember my grandpa, Clemmie. He looked like Mr. Pete.
“And we had an accident. Someone was chasing us. Mommy shouted at me to get out the car. And to get Molly away. But also, there’s a man. He’s yelling at us, calling us bad names, but he doesn’t help us. I think he wanted us to die, Clem,” she said, turning to look at him with sad eyes. “He hated us. It’s not nice when people hate us.”
Clement had to swallow the lump in his throat. And he held her tighter as she continued.
“Mommy went away after the accident. I thought she was dead, too, like my father, but then we flew on a plane to her. After … it was just us. Mom and me and Molly. Except when Uncle Aleck came to visit, and then Mom went to the hospital for an operation. And we moved. Like a lot.” She heaved another big sigh. “I don’t want to move again, Clement. I like the farm. And you and Oliver. And Michaela is my bestest friend. But I’m scared the bad man will find us and make us move again,” she ended with a sob.
He wanted to cry, too, but Clement knew he had to be brave for her. He was her protector now. Hers and Molly’s.
“You won’t ever have to move again,” he reassured.
“How do you know?”
“Because you’ve got me and Dad now. And we won’t let you move.”
“But what if Oliver finds out about my father being a bad man, and he hates us like that other man who wanted us to die?”
Oh, Kenzie.Clement turned to Kenzie and gripped her face with his hands. “Kenzie, look at me.” She lifted her pretty brown eyes to him. “I’m going to tell you a secret, but you must promise to never tell Dad or Sunny I told you. Promise me.”
Wide-eyed, she stared at him. “I promise.”
“Dad knowseverythingabout your father. So do I. We willneverhate you or Molly. Or Sunny.”
Clement thought it impossible for Kenzie’s eyes to grow bigger, yet they did. “You know … everything?”
“Yes.”
Kenzie gripped his wrists. “Was he a very bad man?”
“Yes.”
“Will you tell me? Please,” she begged.
Slowly, he shook his head. “Not now. But one day, Kenz, when you’re ready, I promise I will tell you everything. But only if you promise to believe something in return.”
“What?”
“Dad and me,welove you because you’reyou.” He dropped his forehead to hers. “Yeah?”
“Okay, Clemmie. I love you, too.”
I’m proud of you, son, and I love you, too.Clement looked up, half expecting to see Mom in front of him, her voice so close. So real.
Instead, Sunny was walking toward him and Kenzie, Molly skipping by her side. Sunny looked so pretty in a flowy, creamy-colored wedding dress with the sun dancing across her hair.
