Kelly was in Dani's house helping her make dinner. The cozy, open-plan kitchen was filled with warm lighting and the faint aroma of vanilla candles. Framed family photos and art Raymond had brought home from daycare adorned the walls, giving the space a personal, inviting touch. They were back from picking Raymond up from the daycare, and Dr. Johnson, Kelly's therapist who was helping him navigate his memory loss and personal struggles, had postponed their session.
"What's on your mind?" Dani questioned, her voice curious but tinged with concern, as she helped him cut vegetables.
"What are you? Facebook?" He smirked with a raised brow, his lips curving into a playful grin as he glanced at her slightly. Dani shook her head, a small laugh escaping, her expression caught between amusement and exasperation.
She chuckled at his humor. "Fool." She stopped her chopping and looked at him. "You've been quiet. What's up?" She asked softly.
He sighed as he stopped washing the fish. "What Treon said about me at Anita's... Am I really that bad?"
Flashback
The rooftop of Anita's had a breathtaking view of the city skyline, with strings of lights twinkling above. The air was filled with the faint aroma of Kelly's signature dishes being served downstairs. Despite the festive ambiance, tension thickened the air between the three of them.
"I thought you said he wasn't going to be here." Treon spoke with a frown, his dark eyes narrowing as he eyed Kelly.
"I thought so, but turns out I thought wrong." Dani shrugged, her voice neutral, though her eyes darted nervously between the two men.
Treon sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I need to talk to you, Dani." He glanced at Kelly, whose jaw clenched as he shot Treon a frown. "In private."
"Why can't you say it here?" Dani frowned, crossing her arms defensively.
"Because you wouldn't want him to hear what I'm about to say." Treon motioned his head slightly toward Kelly, who took a step closer, his patience visibly thinning.
"Why?" Dani's brow arched, suspicion creeping into her tone.
"It's about him," Treon said bluntly.
Kelly frowned, his voice rising as he glared at his younger brother. "Would you stop talking about me like I'm not here?"
Treon ignored him, turning back to Dani. "Dani–"
"What the hell, man? You keep being cold to me—what did I even do to you?" Kelly cut in with a snap, his frustration boiling over.
Treon sauntered toward him, his expression hard as he looked Kelly straight in the eye. Both men stood at eye level, the tension between them palpable.
"You wanna know what you did?" Treon questioned, his voice low but charged with anger.
"Yes," Kelly answered, his voice steady, though his eyes betrayed his unease. He was determined to know why his brother had been acting this way toward him.
Treon's fists clenched at his sides as he began. "Six months ago, when you just started dating your girl, you changed. At first, I was like, 'okay, he's in love' and all that shit. I didn't have a problem with it 'cause I was happy you were happy. But then you started ignoring your family—"
"What? That's not true," Kelly cut in, shaking his head in disbelief.
Treon shot Dani a glance, seeking confirmation. She stood off to the side, her face blank but her eyes betraying a flicker of discomfort.
"They ain't gonna say it 'cause they don't wanna hurt your feelings," Treon continued. "But I'll say it 'cause I'm fed up. Kelly, I needed you when I was having issues with my publishers. You promised you'd show up but nah. I even had to call you, and you were like, 'Yo, something came up with my girl, sorry. You'll figure it out, okay?'"
"Tre—" Kelly started, his voice low.
"I'll figure it out? Luckily, Liv stepped in, and everything went smoothly. Liv had a work thing she needed you to help her with—you agreed at first, but then 'something came up with my girl, sorry.' Dad and Dani needed you for some corporate shit at D & D, but where were you? With your girl. Your girl who doesn't actually give two fucks about your family. We all know she's with you for what she's getting—"
"That's enough, Treon," Dani snapped, her tone sharp as she placed herself between the two brothers. Her expression was a mix of irritation and concern.
Treon looked at his sister, his anger unyielding. "No, Dani. He doesn't realize how—"
Dani opened her mouth to interrupt, but Kelly beat her to it.
"Dani, it's a'ight," Kelly said, raising a hand slightly to stop her. His voice softened as he turned to Treon. His eyes held an emotion that showed he was genuinely sorry. "I had no idea I did all that, Trey. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there."
Treon shook his head, his jaw tight with frustration. "It's too late now." His tone was clipped, but there was a flicker of hurt in his voice. He turned back to Dani. "Dani, I need to talk to you."
Flashback Ends
Back in Dani's warm, welcoming kitchen, Kelly leaned against the counter, the faint hum of Cocomelon playing in the background from the living room. Dani set down the knife she was using and looked at him, her expression softer now.
"No, you're not bad," Dani said softly, her tone filled with sincerity.
"But everything he said was true. I ignored you all because I was with Jane," Kelly admitted, guilt heavy in his voice. His shoulders slumped as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, you weren't there, but we figured our shit out. It's all good, Kelly," Dani said with a small smile, her voice soothing.
"I'm sorry," he apologized again, the weight of it evident in his tone.
"It's fine. You just have to learn to balance it out. You have a family too. Never forget that," she reminded him gently, her smile reassuring.
"Thanks," Kelly replied, managing a small smile of his own.
They went back to their cooking, a comfortable silence settling between them. The only sounds were the crackling from the stove and the cheerful giggles of Raymond in the living room.
"So, what did Treon talk about?" Kelly asked as he stirred the pot, his curiosity evident.
"Nothing much, just stuff," Dani replied with a shrug, her tone casual, though her eyes briefly flickered with something unspoken.
"Okay," Kelly nodded, sensing she didn't want to delve into the details.
The sound of the front door opening was followed by Raymond squealing in delight and Cody barking excitedly.
"Robbie's back," Dani said with a smile, her face lighting up.
Just then, Robert Kim entered the kitchen with Raymond perched on his shoulders and Cody trotting happily beside him. Robert, a tall, handsome Asian-American man, flashed a bright smile. His parents had immigrated from South Korea when he was a child, and he carried himself with a warmth that made him instantly likable.
"Hey, baby. Hey, Kel," Robbie greeted, setting Raymond down and leaning over to give his wife a quick peck on the lips.
"Hey, Rob. Welcome back," Kelly greeted, returning his smile.
"Thanks, man," Robbie said warmly.
"How was Chicago?" Dani asked, concern and curiosity in her tone.
"Stressful. But we closed the deal," Robbie replied, relief evident in his voice.
"That's good news!" Dani said, her wide smile showing how proud she was of him.
"Congrats," Kelly added sincerely.
"Thanks, Kel," Robbie said before glancing toward the stove. "I'm gonna freshen up. The food smells amazing."
"Thanks," Kelly replied with a slight grin as Robbie left the kitchen, Cody loyally following behind.
Once the food was ready, they set the table together, chatting lightly as they worked. Robbie rejoined them after freshening up, now dressed comfortably in sweatpants and a T-shirt. The family sat together, sharing a warm, hearty meal, laughter and conversation filling the space. Even Cody had his share of dinner, contentedly chewing on his bowl of food nearby.
After dinner, Kelly bade them goodnight and drove home. His mind wandered as he replayed Treon's words, wondering how he could make it up to his brother.
_N