Paradox of Being - Sukani's Return

Just as I was about to bolt out, my mom entered the kitchen, looking like she was in a race to get out the door herself.

She was all flustered, her hair barely tied back, keys jingling in her hand.

I could tell she was about to launch into some task or errand. Without thinking, I dropped my spoon onto the table, cereal splashing a bit.

“Gotta go,” I said quickly, standing up from the table.

“Go where?” she asked, her eyes narrowing. She looked genuinely clueless, as if I’d just told her I was heading to Mars.

I sighed, trying to keep calm. “Mom, I need to go see someone. It’s really important.”

She planted her hands firmly on her hips. "Who the hell are you going to see this early in the morning? And what about the deal? What about Aunt Marlo?" She raised her eyebrows, clearly not ready for this.

“I’m coming right back, I swear. It won’t take long. Please, Mom. My life literally depends on this,” I said, pleading now, practically begging her to just let it slide.

She scoffed, crossing her arms. “Chester, you know I’m not falling for that. You always say that.”

“Mom, come on! I’m begging you.” I looked over at Dad, hoping he’d step in and back me up.

He did.

“Oh, just let him go, honey,” he said with a sigh, giving me a small nod of approval. I muttered a silent thank you in his direction.

Mom’s eyebrows shot up, furrowing in disbelief. “Let me see this anonymous person all of a sudden,” she said, adding air quotes around anonymous with her fingers.

“It’s a friend!” I defended, feeling like I was on trial. Why was this so hard?

“What friend?” she shot back.“Oh, just let it slide,” my dad repeated, leaning in to kiss her on the forehead.

Yeah, yeah, love, we get it.

He turned to me with a stern but understanding look. “Don’t stay too long.”

Mom’s shoulders sagged in defeat, her hands dropping to her sides. “You are the reason this boy is like this,” she muttered, turning to face Dad. His arm gently wrapped around her waist.

“Aunt Marlo is already on her way, so make it quick,” she added, a bit of frustration still lingering in her voice.

“Thanks, Mom! You’re the best! I love you,” I shouted, already halfway out the door, my excitement getting the best of me.

“Chester!” she called after me. I stopped in my tracks and turned around. She pointed to the breakfast table, where my Chronicle lay abandoned next to the bowl of cereal.

How could I have forgotten? There was no way I was leaving my Chronicle behind—it had too many secrets in it, too many personal thoughts. No way was I trusting my parents to keep it safe. I thought about running back and hiding it in my room, but I didn’t have time for that.

So, without another thought, I rushed back to grab it, tucked it under my arm, and hurried out the door.

The Chronicle was coming with me.

I stepped out of the house, the cool morning air hitting my face as I closed the door behind me. My neighborhood was still waking up. The sun was casting a soft glow over the houses, making the familiar streets look almost golden.

A few early risers were out walking their dogs, nodding at me as I passed by. The trees along the sidewalk swayed gently in the breeze, their leaves rustling in a soothing rhythm.

For a second, it felt like everything was calm.

Normal.

But my mind was racing. I walked faster, trying to focus on the sound of my sneakers hitting the pavement instead of the growing knot in my stomach. What was so urgent that Kimberly had to see me right away? I shoved my hands into my pockets, glancing around as I crossed the street. A couple of kids zoomed past on their bikes, laughing, totally carefree. I wished I could feel that way.

Mikey's came into view after a few more blocks. The place was unlike any coffee shop around. It looked more like a modern art piece than a café. The glass windows stretched from the ground up, reflecting the morning light in a way that made the building seem to glow. Ivy crawled up the sides, giving it a natural touch. Inside, I could already see the usual Saturday crowd—people huddled over their laptops, couples chatting over steaming cups of coffee, the smell of freshly baked pastries filling the air. I pushed the door open, and the little bell above the entrance chimed softly. The warmth inside hit me immediately, the scent of coffee and vanilla wrapping around me like a blanket. The soft murmur of conversation filled the space, and the sound of the espresso machine whirring added to the cozy atmosphere.

And then I saw her. Kimberly was sitting at a small table near the window, her face partially hidden behind a large, pink scarf that she had loosely draped around her neck. She looked beautiful, as always, her hair catching the sunlight that streamed through the window. But something about her seemed...off. Detached. Her eyes were lost in thought, staring out the window, her fingers tracing patterns on the table absentmindedly.

I swallowed hard and made my way over, trying to ignore the sudden nervousness that crept up on me. She didn’t notice me at first, and for a moment, I just stood there, taking in the sight of her. Even in her quiet state, she had this way of lighting up the room.

"Kimberly?" I said softly, pulling out the chair across from her and sitting down. She blinked, her gaze snapping to me as if she hadn’t even realized I was there.

"Chester," she said, her voice soft, almost distant.

"Hey," I said, trying to sound casual, but it came out a little strained. "You...uh, you okay?"

She gave me a small smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "Yeah...yeah, I’m fine."

But I knew that wasn’t true. Something was definitely wrong. I shifted in my seat, glancing down at my hands before looking back at her.

"You sure? You sounded...I don’t know, different, on the phone."

She bit her lip, her eyes drifting back to the window for a second before she sighed. "Chester, I...I just didn’t know who else to call."

Suddenly, I felt like the weight of whatever was going on was about to come crashing down on both of us.

Kimberly sighed again, her eyes drifting to the table. I leaned forward, concern building in my chest.

"Kimberly, what's going on? You know you can talk to me," I said softly.

She hesitated, then finally spoke, her voice low. "Chester, I need to talk to you about Kevin."

My heart sank.

The most obvious thought that Kimberly had only gotten close to me to get closer to Kevin hit me like a punch to the gut. For a split second, I felt the sting of betrayal, but I quickly shook my head, trying to push the thought away.

No, it couldn't be that.

Before I could say anything, the sensation of something cold hit me.

I jumped up, shocked, realizing that a waiter had spilled iced coffee all over me. I whipped around to see him, wide-eyed and stammering.

"I’m so sorry, sir! I didn’t mean to!" he blurted out, panic clear on his face.

I sighed, feeling the cold soak through my clothes. "Great, just great," I muttered under my breath, trying to keep my temper in check.

Kimberly, still sitting calmly, looked up at me, composed.

"Chester, just calm down. It’s okay," she said, her voice soft.

I let out a deep breath, running my hand through my hair. "Yeah... just give me a second to take care of this." I nodded toward the restroom, needing a moment to clean up.

As I walked away, I couldn't help but wonder what on earth she wanted to say about Kevin.

It didn’t take long to clean off most of the mess, and soon I was heading back to the table, still feeling the coldness clinging to my shirt.

When I returned, Kimberly was sitting quietly, staring at the table, looking even more detached than before.

I sat down, raising an eyebrow. "Everything okay?" I asked, trying to read her expression.

She glanced up at me, her voice soft but steady. "Your mom called. And Kevin, too," she added, almost casually.

My phone buzzed slightly on the table, and I picked it up, seeing the missed calls. "Oh. Thanks, I’ll call them back later." I said, slightly distracted, but still curious about what she had to say about Kevin.

Just as I was about to say something, my phone buzzed again. "Jeez," I muttered, seeing my mom's name flash across the screen. I turned the phone face down on the table, hoping to ignore it for just a moment longer.

"Aren't you going to pick that up?" Kimberly asked.

"I'll get it later," I said, trying to focus on her. But she didn’t seem convinced.

"Chester, maybe it's important."

I sighed, reluctantly grabbing the phone and answering. "Mom, I'm in the middle of something. What’s—"

Before I could finish, my mom’s voice blasted through the speaker. "Chester!" I winced.

"Mom, mom, I'm sorry. I'll be right there, okay?" I said hurriedly, trying to diffuse whatever situation she was yelling about.

"Plans have changed," she said, not missing a beat. "Aunt Marlo left Momo and Jojo at the park, and she’s gotta go somewhere. So you need to pick them up. Like, right now."

My eyes widened. "Wait, what? The park? She just left them there? And can't they like navigate their way home?"

"Chester, we made a deal. You said you'd help out, plus you know they've only been here once since we moved. They can't really do that, so get your butt down there mister." She said, her voice firm but clearly in a rush.

I let out a long sigh. "Fine, fine. I'll go grab them."

"Thanks. And hurry!" she added before hanging up.

I stared at my phone for a second, exhaling heavily, then turned to Kimberly, trying to hide my frustration.