Friends Forever Or Not 2 The Betrayal Continues

Chapter 2

Kaleigh and Cristiano stopped at Market Chicken on the way to Kaleigh's house. And brought four rotisserie chickens, potato salad, roasted vegetables, mixed greens, kale and quinoa salad, and six jugs of sweet tea.

Cristiano kept throwing out reasons Kaleigh wants to talk to him. Americus repeatedly told him she didn’t know.

When they arrived, Americus hugged Kaleigh for a little over five minutes while whispering in her ear. Kaleigh nods while listening. Her parents are wondering what Americus is saying. Cristiano sits down, drinking a bottle of mineral water. He isn’t thinking about what his wife is saying to Kaleigh.

“Where are the kids?” Americus asks when she releases Kaleigh.

Hayley said they’re putting their shoes on. He and Alycia are taking them out for a while; he thought the grandchildren needed to get out of the house.

Marisol, Knight, and Hellevi run into the room to Americus. She squats down, hugging all three at the same time. “I want you three to be extra good for your mommy. Give her a little quiet time every once in a while.”

“Daddy gone to heaven.” Hellivi looked at her mother, then at Americus.

“Yes, sweetie, your daddy is gone to be an angel. So he can always watch over you, your sister, brother, and your mommy.” Americus kisses her forehead.

Alycia and Hayley are staring at Americus, thinking, "Damn, she's good. She should have been an actor."

Kaleigh sits down waiting for her parents to leave with the kids. As soon as they left, she handed Americus Dexter’s letter. “I can’t believe Dexter went through that alone. Why didn’t he confide in any of us? Cristiano, I know you and Dexter had some problems. If you don’t feel comfortable about what I’m about to ask of you. I’ll understand. Will you do the eurolgy?”

Cristiano looks at Americus. "This was the last thing he expected. “Sure, I would be honored.”

Americus had no idea that's what Kaleigh was going to ask Cristiano. She knew when he said he would be honored that he meant that from his heart. Americus hands her the letter back. “Dexter didn’t want you to worry about him. I know Dexter has done some bad things, but I also know that you still love him. To get through this, you only need to think about the good times and not look in the mirror. Quasimodo.”

Kaleigh laughs, then rubs her face. “Girl, don't make me laugh."

Cristiano laughs, looking at Americus, making different faces and saying that she, Tanesha, and Zulyeka will walk around looking like that, so she won't be alone.

****

Pernell didn’t return to the hospital after he had lunch with Terrance and Stevie. He went to his parents' house instead.

His mother was expecting him; she had spoken with him last night and earlier this morning. Te’a knew he was upset about what happened to Kaleigh and that he felt helpless.

“I should never have agreed to break up with Kaleigh. She wouldn’t have been hurt.” He says as soon as he enters the house. “I never thought she would marry that jerk.”

She hugs him, “Don’t dwell on what you shouldn’t have done. Right now, just be there for Kaleigh and the kids. That’s all you can do. What was Dexter thinking when he did her like that? On top of that, he took his life.”

He cut his eyes at her. “Who knew what Dexter was thinking. I’m not going to be a hypocrite. I’ll just say he got what he deserved.”

Tea' looks at him, "alrighty then."

****

Garner and Eden had gone to the funeral home this morning because Kekoa’s body arrived late last night. Courtney offered to pay for Kekoa’s service, but Garner said no. Because he had taken a life insurance policy on her when she was fifteen, because she was already wild. He never thought she would live to be eighteen.

On the way home, they stopped at Bigfoot BBQ to pick up something for lunch and dinner. Eden is making him a plate, looking at him, staring at a picture of him, Courtney, and Kekoa. She’s worried about him because he hasn’t been eating. Eden thought about calling Courtney, but didn’t want him to worry.

He looks at her. "I was thinking that sometimes things work out the way they're supposed to be. Kekoa was never going to clear herself or her life up. That night, when she threatened us, I was truly fed up with her. Now that she's no longer with us, I admit it hurt like hell to lose a child. At least we don't have to worry about her coming after the kids, interrupting their lives."

Eden had been thinking the same thing, but didn’t want to say it. She walks behind him, wraps her arms around his neck. “Now we don’t have to worry about her hurting herself either, maybe now you won’t have any more nightmares about her doing that.”

Garner nods, “I hope you’re right.” He looks at his ringing phone and sees that Courtney is calling him. Garner answered, and only for a few minutes before he hung up. "Damn," he says and tells her about Dexter committing suicide, and Courtney said to arrange Kekoa's funeral a day or two after Dexter's funeral. They want to be there for Kaleigh and the kids.

Eden goes on about how young Dexter was and his beautiful family. Garner agrees with her and said, Who knows what he was hiding from his wife and friends that he couldn't deal with anymore. Also, guilt could be the reason.

****

Tanesha and Courtney went to Kaleigh after Tanesha met with her client. She wanted to reschedule it so they would be there when Americus and Cristiano were there. Courtney didn’t know why they had bought more food. He heard Americus telling her what she and Crisitano took to Kaleigh. So when they went to Craif’s to pick American chopped salad, pid in a blanket, meatballs, buffalo wing pizza, pepperoni margherita pizza, short ribs, chicken parmigiana, broccoli, mac n cheese, three 2-liter bottles of 7-up, and three 2-liter bottles of orange soda.

Tanesha hugs her and whispers, “I’m sure Americus already told you. Kaleigh nods and gives her Dexter’s letter.

“Me, Ferris, Cristiano, Hamilton, Malik, and Mekhi will be Dexter’s pallbearers. If there is anything else you want or need us to do, then tell us.” Courtney looks at her concerned.

"Thank you, I’m fine, with you handling that and Cristiano doing the eurolgy is a lot off me.” She’s looking at Tanesha.

“Dexter had a lot on his plate. That still doesn’t make right what he did. It seems that he loved you in his own way and that he thought about you and the kids more than we thought he did. That’s all that matters.” Tanesha put the letter back in the envelope. "Where are the kids?"

Kaleigh told her that her parents had taken them out for a while. They were feeling restless and needed to get some fresh air and different surroundings. She needed a break from her parents. She knows it's going to take a while for things to get back to normal, and she's keeping the kids out of school until after the funeral. Her thoughts went on the day Dexter hit her, she was wondering if he snapped because she mentioned divorce, or that that boy wasn't his child. Kaleigh doesn't hear Lorrie telling her that she has a FedEx overnight envelope.

Tanesha touches Kaleigh's arm. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sure. I was thinking about something." Kaleigh looks at Lorrie, who is holding out an envelope. She looks at the slip, "Bitch." Kaleigh mumbles as she's opening the envelope. "You know what, I'm going to let you read it. I'm sure it's bullshit." She gives the envelope to Tanesha.

"This lunatic has lost her damn mind. Her ass is lucky that this was delivered after Americus was gone. Because if she were here, we would be on a road trip. A beat a w***e road trip." Tanesha's reading a letter from Yara.

"s**t," Courtney mumbles and wipes his forehead. "Couldn't whoever she is have waited until after Dexter's funeral?"