Page 92 of Rematch
“I own a soul food restaurant called Sunflower Soul.”
“What? No way! My dad owns a restaurant too!”
“Oh, cool! We’ll have to stop by one of these days and check it out!”
“Yes, please do! I’m sure my dad would love you just from your accent alone!”
“Is he from the South too?”
“Yeah, he’s from Alabama.”
“Oh, he was just one state over. I’m from Louisiana - just outside of New Orleans. Have you always lived here in L.A.?”
“No, I went to college and lived in Pennsylvania for a while, but L.A. has always been home. But, back to your restaurant: how’s business going?”
“Business is good,” she said with a nod. “We have two locations, and we’re opening a third in the spring next year. I never thought it’d become such a staple in the community, but I’m grateful for the success. It’s been a hell of a ride, that’s for sure.”
“That’s amazing, though. I’m glad everything is working out so well for you.”
“Yeah, you as well.”
“So, you already know how I met Max. May I ask how you met Adrian?”
“At a club after my grand opening. I was celebrating with my friends and he bought me a drink and we danced and I puked on him.”
I couldn’t hide my laugh. “You didn’t!”
“Well, my vomit didn’t get on him, but I did…I puked in the stall and he held my hair.” She laughed at the memory. “I was so embarrassed and my friends pulled me out so fast that I didn’t even get his number.”
“How’d you reconnect then?”
“He popped up at my restaurant and, you know… Aninterestingplethora of events unfolded from there.”
I laughed at her expression, a mix of exasperation and fondness as the memories crossed through her brain. “Well, now that you’ve got the business and the marriage, what’s next?”
As I was asking the question, a shade of green suddenly washed over her face. Kiara masked the discomfort with a smile as she held up her hand. “One second,” she told me. “I’ll beright back.” She tapped Adrian to let her out from the booth and hurried down the hall towards the bathrooms.
“Is she alright?” I asked, casting a glance at her husband.
His creased brow mirrored mine. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “She was feeling sick on the flight here, but we thought it might’ve just been the turbulence.”
“I’ll go check on her,” I told him. I slid out of the booth and followed Kiara’s path.
Coughs and gags greeted me as I walked through the bathroom door. “Kiara?” I called.
“I’m alright,” she called back. All reassurance went out the window when I heard her cough again. This time it was coupled with the splashes of contents falling into water.
I followed the sound of her voice into one of the stalls.
Kiara hunched over the toilet, her arms trembling as she gripped the rim
Wordlessly, I grabbed the ends of her braids and held them back behind her neck.
“Thanks,” she murmured before jerking forward again. Behind her head, I could see she was throwing up bile.
“Have you eaten anything today?”
“I ate earlier, but I threw that up too.”
