Page 48 of Grown

Mom regards him, and there’s a slight flicker in her eyes. Like sheknows. My lungs squeeze shut.

“Then why was the door locked?” she says in that familiar accusatory tone she gives my siblings when something is broken or missing.

I shoot her a pleading look. Please don’t embarrass me. Please don’t embarrass me. Please don’t embarrass me.

“My bad, Mrs. Jones,” Korey chuckles with a shrug. “Habit. But glad you’re here! Mary J. Blige’s Christmas show is next week. Gonna hook you and your husband up. She’d love to meet you.”

Mom’s shoulders relax, her face smoothing.

Chapter 33

Once Upon a Dream

“You ready?” Korey says behind me, breath on the nape of my neck.

“No.”

He chuckles. “Stop lying. You were born ready!”

Korey always knows the right things to say, even when my pulse is hammering.

Is this really happening?

One minute, I’m on my first plane ride, to Chicago, head dizzy with the altitude, next I’m here... standing shoulder to shoulder with Korey Fields, lacing our fingers together in a way no one can see.

“Let’s do it,” he whispers, with a quick kiss to the temple.

Korey walks out onstage, waving, and the crowd screams. A drum set sitting in the middle of the stage is moved up.

“What’s up, Chi-Town! Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being with us tonight. I’d like to bring out... a very special guest.”

Eyes closed, I press my lips together, breathing through my nose.

“A girl you’ve probably seen before, but here for the very first time onstage...”

There’s water in my ears, the sounds of lazy, calm waves licking the shore. As much as I miss living in my seashell, there’s nothing like hearing your name through a million speakers.

“I introduce you to Miss... Enchanted!”

The cheers crash through the curtains. Jessica shoves my back and I stumble onto the stage, the lights blinding, gawking at the most people I’ve ever seen in my entire life.

Cheers. They are cheering for me.

I shuffle up to the mic on his left and it yells back at me. I shoot Korey an unsure glance. He plops on the stool behind the drum set, adjusting his mic. We catch eyes, something unsaid passing between us as the familiar rush of heat creeps up my neck. But then he smiles and an overwhelming sense of calm washes over me.

And then we perform “Fool for You” by CeeLo Green.

With only eyes for each other. We’re in our own world in front of the entire world, but it feels like just the two of us.

“So! How’s it going?” Mom asks on FaceTime, the Littles surrounding her. We talk twice a day, every single day, in my hotel room.

“It’s... amazing, Mom. Did Jessica send you pictures?”

“Yeah,” Shea says. “Chant, your makeup looks fire!”

“Thanks. Is Daddy there?”

Mom gives me a strained smile. “No. He’s out right now.”