Real Men Knit(59)

Just as they were finishing their second class, their often-missing director, Linda Perkins, walked by with Mr. Watkins and another man. He was youngish. Early thirties. Brown skin, low-cut hair, broad shoulders and dark, deep-set eyes that seemed to see everything all at once. He had full lips that he held in a serious set, but as he passed the art room and looked in, he nodded at Kerry and Val, and those loose, stern lips transformed into something worldly once he broke into a smile. His whole face did, becoming bright and open and almost angelic. For a moment Kerry thought Val would legit swoon right there, but thankfully Linda Perkins was there to break the potential swoonation.

“Valencia, Kerry, this is Mr. Webb. He’ll be shadowing me this next week,” Linda started, her voice clipped, her words coming out tight as if she was holding something back.

Mr. Webb smiled and held out his hand. “Please call me Gabriel.” His voice was rumbly and deep.

And upon hearing it, Imara turned and jumped from her seat. “Daddy! You’re here!”

Both Kerry and Val went wide-eyed as Gabriel Webb’s smile went even more cinematic and lethal and he accepted Imara’s hug around his waist, giving her a big squeeze in return. What star had this one fallen from? “I told you I would be.”

“Yeah, I know you did, but I still didn’t think you really would,” she said with a huge smile. “I’m glad.” It was then that Kerry saw the similarities. They had the same deep-set eyes, chestnut coloring and bright smiles. She looked to Imara’s dad’s left hand. Nope. No ring, though. Not that it told the whole story, but still it was interesting.

He looked from Kerry to Val, then back down at Imara. “You want to introduce me to your teachers?” he said.

She grinned. “Sure. This is Miss Val. She teaches us art and she’s a great singer and dancer. She’s also good with puzzles too. And hair braiding! She’s fixed me up a few times when grandma was busy or running late,” the young girl said in a lower tone.

Linda’s face went slightly twisted but Val just smiled at Gabriel. It was suspiciously shy, bordering on coy. “It was nothing,” she said softly.

“Well, it seems like it was something big to Imara.”

Val shrugged, which was so uncharacteristically not her, since she was usually front and center ready to take her praise, or better yet she’d have something to say to this dad, giving him tips on hair and how to get it done.

Imara turned toward Kerry. “Miss Kerry is really good at lots of things. She’s great with color and really great with yarn. She can crochet and even knit. Can you believe that? She’s the one who works at the yarn shop I told you about.”

“Is she now?” he said with a voice full of wonder, though the bit of information didn’t call for so much wonderment. Kerry had to give it to Imara, she’d be a wiz at matchmaking and making introductions. The little girl was a natural.

Just then Alison came in. Today she was wearing farmer’s overalls and had her hair done up in box braids. She’d gelled her edges down to Instagram perfection and had a bright pink bandana topping off the look. Imara looked at her with wide eyes and waved a hand. “And that’s Mizz Ali. She likes to be called Mizz Ali.” She turned and went back to her seat, intros over.

Linda looked at Alison and blinked. She gave her a quick introduction to Gabriel Webb but kept it about as short as little Imara’s and left. Her displeasure over Alison’s appearance was clear. They didn’t have much of a dress code at the center, it being casual and a summer season, but Alison did take things to the limit when it came to professionalism and her position. But what did it matter? She had her position, and that was the bottom line.

But the question remained—what was Gabriel Webb, Imara’s father, doing there, and why was he shadowing Linda? When they left, Kerry, Val and Alison looked at each other.

“I hear he and the mother are over. Been over. He used to work out of town, but he’s back because the mother was a bit of a train wreck,” Alison whispered in a voice that wasn’t near whispery enough.

Kerry looked around the classroom. “You mind shutting it, please?” Thankfully Imara was on the other side of the class, but still, she didn’t need the teachers talking about her home life like this.

“Oh yes, sure, you’re right,” Alison said. She began to walk out of the class, but turned back toward Kerry and Val. “One more thing though.”

“What is it, Fanny Farmer?” Val said, clearly done with her.

Alison laughed. “I call dibs!” And she practically ran out of the classroom, the kids all looking after her.

Val sucked in a breath. “The hell she does,” Val said through clenched teeth.

Kerry looked at Val, whose brown cheeks were purpling. “Hold on, girl. You don’t know that man, and remember, you’re at work.” Kerry barely held back on her laughter.

Val glared at her. “The man doesn’t matter. He was just okay. It’s the principle of it all. And I won’t be on the clock after three, now, will I?”

“Lord help our lil Fanny Farmer! She’d better watch out.”





18




Coming back into the shop that afternoon, Kerry was surprised to see that it wasn’t technically closed. Yes, the sign on the door was flipped to the closed position, but Mrs. Hamilton, Ms. Diaz, Ms. June, Ms. Cherry and Sister Purnell were all there and gathered around the table knitting away as if it was their normal Monday Old Knitting Gang circle and Mama Joy would come out of the kitchen and join them at any moment. Kerry greeted each of them with smiles and hugs, and looked at Jesse with questioning eyes when he surprised her by walking out from the kitchen area with a tray of mugs.