Jesus Freaks: The Prodigal (Jesus Freaks #2)(9)

“If you ladies will excuse me,” Jahara says to me and Mom—who I forgot was standing right behind me, “I’ve got some PR work to do in my office. I’ll be over at Roland’s house at six o’clock in the morning to go over things for the Today Show. Please be ready by then, Kennedy.”

“Of course,” I answer politely, not wanting to overstep my bounds with her more than I already have.

Once Jahara moves through the doorway, Matt, Roland, and the semi-mystery man join Mom and me in the center of the otherwise empty room.

“Kennedy,” Matt says my name with a depressing amount of formality. I want the adults to all go away. “This is my father, Joseph Wells.”

I take the sweaty palm of the super-sized Matt and smile. “It’s nice to meet you. Your son has been incredibly kind to me.”

Wistfully, Joseph looks at his son. “He’s growing to be a good man.”

When my eyes shift to Matt, I find nothing accepting of this compliment. Another reason I’m wishing the adults away—I want to know what is going on between those two.

“Buck,” Mom’s voice dials up an octave as she pulls him into a hug. An affection I’ve yet to see her share with Roland. “It’s so good to see you.”

“Wendy,” he replies as if she’s a sight for sore eyes, “you too. You too.”

I look at Matt again who’s face is scrunched in the same confusion mine is.

“All right,” I interrupt, waving my hands. “What is all of this? Mom knows Buck, Buck knows dad, and Matt and I just can’t connect the dots.”

“We went to college together.” Mom waves her hand as though this is the most obvious thing in the world.

Matt and I turn toward each other again before Matt addresses his dad. “But, you told me you and Roland connected at a conference ten years ago.”

Buck shrugs. “I was helping him get off the ground, Matthew. I didn’t want to get too comfortable talking about his past when he wasn’t sure how he wanted to handle it.”

Roland’s face greys. “Buck was on the basketball team with me, and tried to keep me away from the drugs, but …”

“They were stronger for him than God was at the time,” Buck enters.

“And,” Roland continues, “he was a good friend to your mom during that time and after I left school.”

Suddenly it’s the adults who don’t know where to look, and Matt and I are left seemingly in charge of the next move.

“Food?” I shrug, tilting my head to the side.

Matt laughs a little too hard at my non-joke, highlighting the tension he must be feeling toward his dad. “Please.”

“We’d like food,” I repeat to the three adults in front of us who each look a little lost in their own way. “And not this stuff.” I point to the untouched table of deli meats.

“If you don’t mind,” Mom says, snapping out of the past first, “I’d like if Roland and I could talk to Kennedy for a little bit alone.”

Sigh.

I know she wants to investigate “Picturegate, Part Two”, but I desperately want lunch with my friend. Time to act like the teenager I still am.

I sigh audibly this time. “Do we have to do this now?”

“Actually, I’d like to have some time with my son one-on-one, since I couldn’t make it to Parents’ Weekend,” Buck so unhelpfully adds.

I click my tongue and roll my eyes toward Matt. “See you in OT class tomorrow?” My resignation is swift as I’m mentally preparing for the dicey situation ahead.

Matt shrugs, giving me a half frown-half grin. “Guess so. Take it easy on the news tomorrow, okay?”

“I will.”

As Buck and Matt walk stiffly out of the room, Matt plays with his phone, and a second later my phone vibrates with a text. Despite myself, I smile as I swipe my phone to read it.



Matt: We’re gonna need to talk.



Me: I’ll say. Don’t know what’s going on with you and your dad, but keep your head on, okay?



Matt: You too K. Sawyer.



Still grinning like a fool, I slide my phone back into my pocket.

“All set there?” Mom asks dryly, slinging her handbag over her shoulder.

I roll my eyes and fight the urge to ask them what the deal is with Matt and his dad. If either of them knows, I don’t want to hear it from them.

“Where do you want to go for lunch?” I ask, hoping Mom will say anything except what I fear she’s about to.

“We need to go to Roland’s, I think,” she answers. “There are a few things we still need to discuss.”

Damn.





CHAPTER FIVE





Wake Me Up


Kennedy.




Roland heats up left over pizza, and Mom wastes no time getting down to business.

“What’s the deal about this picture Kennedy tells me about, Roland?”

I bury my face in my hands.

Roland turns slowly from the counter. “Picture? The one from Joy?” Naturally, Roland is focused on the most recent picture scandal, given he hasn’t a clue she would be talking about anything else.

Mom huffs impatiently. “The one you told Kennedy I sent you on her fifth birthday, when I never did such a thing.”