"And I want you to see, I can walk on water…"
Kelly sang along to Hurricane by Kanye West, Lil Baby, and The Weeknd as he moved around his kitchen, preparing breakfast. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as he plated his eggs and toast. Just as he was about to take his first bite, his phone rang.
Frowning, he glanced at the caller ID. Eric.
With a sigh, he picked up. "Hello?"
"Good morning, Kelly. Are you coming on set today?" Eric's raspy voice came through the line.
"Yes." Kelly rolled his eyes, even though Eric couldn't see him.
"Good, 'cause we're wrapping this season up."
"I know."
Eric chuckled. "Just checking. I'll see you in an hour, boss." He hung up before Kelly could respond.
Kelly sighed, setting his phone down. He was already in a bad mood, still carrying the weight of the weekend. Jane.
They had a heated argument on the morning of Treon's party. She accused him of not paying enough attention to her, of keeping their relationship private because he had another woman on the side. He had no idea where she got those ideas from, but she was relentless. The fight left a bitter taste in his mouth, and when he arrived at Treon's party alone, she didn't stop blowing up his phone.
Annoyed, he turned it off, but Jane wasn't one to back down. She called Liv instead, using her as a middleman. Unaware of their fight, Liv handed Kelly her phone. And that was when Jane dropped the bomb.
"If you don't come home right now, I'll kill myself."
Kelly didn't think twice. Love had a way of making him foolish. He left the party in a rush, not even getting the chance to give Treon the gift he brought. But when he got home, Jane was sitting on his couch, sipping wine like nothing had happened.
Furious, he yelled at her. She simply shrugged and admitted she lied—just to get him to come home. She missed him.
That was the moment something in him snapped.
He ended things right there, and Jane didn't take it well. She promised he'd regret it. The next day, she came back, took her things, and left. And that was the last he heard from her.
Shaking off the memory, Kelly finished his food and headed to his room. After showering, he got dressed in his signature white button-down shirt and black pants. A few spritzes of cologne, his wristwatch, two black wooden bracelets, and his signet ring completed the look.
Grabbing his keys and wallet, he left the house, sliding into his black Lotus Exige S Coupe. The engine purred to life, and he drove to the set.
***
"And don't forget, eating healthy is the key to a long life. I remain your favorite chef, Chef K." Kelly flashed his signature smirk at the camera.
"And cut!" the director called.
"That was perfect, Kelly," Dave, the director, said as Kelly removed his toque Blanche, handing it to one of the crew members responsible for wardrobe.
"Thanks, Dave. This season's over, right?"
"Yep," Dave nodded.
"A'ight. I need to bounce."
"Okay."
Kelly spotted Eric nearby and called him over. "I need to leave now. I have somewhere to be."
Eric frowned. "But you have a photoshoot session—"
"Cancel it. I'll see you later." Kelly didn't wait for a response. He headed to his dressing room, changed back into his earlier outfit, and left the set.
He got into his car and drove.
Not home.
Not to Anita's.
He drove to the one place that always gave him clarity. Because right now, his mind was clouded with too many thoughts—especially about Jane.
For a long time, he thought what they had was real. But after that rooftop confrontation with Treon, it hit him. Jane was manipulative.
She never compromised for him—only the other way around. She said cruel things, and he let them slide, excusing them as jokes. She used his love for her against him.
He sighed, gripping the steering wheel tighter as he thought back to how they met.
It was during a Dior photoshoot. He was a brand ambassador, and Jane—being a top model—was modeling for the same campaign. They'd seen each other before, but that day, she really caught his eye. Fiery red hair, hazel eyes, porcelain skin, striking features, and endless legs.
After the shoot, he followed her on Instagram. They started talking. The conversations were deep, meaningful. Then he asked her out, adding that he wanted to keep the relationship private. She agreed.
So what changed?
That was the part that stung the most.
With a frustrated sigh, Kelly pulled into the parking lot of Wood-Shaw Daycare.
His sanctuary.
This daycare wasn't just a business. It was a piece of his mother's dream.
When he first mentioned his plan to open a daycare, his father was the first to mock him. "How could a man own a daycare?" But Kelly didn't care.
His mother, Anita, had always dreamed of opening one. She never got the chance, so Kelly did it for her. Wood-Shaw Daycare was his tribute to her. Most people didn't know he owned it. They assumed it was part of D & D Inc., but that didn't matter to him.
He parked his car and stepped out, immediately spotting Mary Sanderson standing by the entrance. She was more than just an employee—she was a friend.
He had texted her earlier, letting her know he was coming.
"Hey." He greeted with a small smile.
"You look stressed." Mary spoke with concern.
"I ended things with Jane." He said gloomily.
"Oh, my! Are you okay?"
"Yeah, just tired."
"Wanna see the kids?" She questioned, knowing it would cheer him up.
"Sure." He answered, and Mary led him to where the kids were. His nephew, Raymond, wasn't in today as Dani had called and said he was running a temperature. The kids squealed and ran to Kelly, making him smile as he hugged them.
"I missed you." One little girl named Sara pouted.
"I missed you too, Sara." He said with a smile.
"Did you bring us ice cream?" Elle, another girl, asked.
"No." He said, and the kids started yelling in protest.
"A'ight, a'ight, I'll buy y'all ice cream tomorrow."
"Yay!" They all jubilated, jumping up and down, making Kelly laugh. He noticed a little girl on her own, drawing something on a paper.
"That's Ayla Decker. She started recently," Mary told him. He nodded and walked to where Ayla was seated. The little girl was really beautiful, and she looked familiar, like he had seen her somewhere before. He crouched down to Ayla's level and smiled.
"Hello." He said, and she looked up from her drawing at him. Her big blue eyes sparkled with curiosity. Damn, such beautiful eyes.
"What are you drawing?" He asked.
"A bird." She answered.
"Can I see it?" He asked, and Ayla showed him her work. It was a mess, but it was good for a three-year-old.
"You're very good." He complimented her.
She shook her head, "I'm not."
"Yes, you are. You're better than me."
"You're lying."
He chuckled, "Should I join you?"
"Are you cool?" She asked, making Kelly laugh.
"Why don't you find out?"
"Okay." She said, and Kelly sat on the floor, which surprised Mary.
"Sir-" Mary started.
"It's a'ight." He said and turned to Ayla.
"Let's begin."
***
Ayla stayed with Mary as she waited for her mommy. Kelly left earlier because Jane had called. He stared at her name flashing on the screen, debating whether to answer. With a deep sigh, he picked up the call.
"What do you want, Jane?" His voice was flat.
"So you really ended things? Just like that?" Her voice was laced with bitterness.
"I should have done it sooner."
"Kelly, I love you," she whispered. "You can't just throw us away."
"You lied about wanting to kill yourself just to manipulate me. There's no 'us,' Jane. There never was." He ended the call before she could respond. His chest felt heavy, but not with regret—with relief.
"Is my mommy coming?" Ayla asked Mary.
"Yes, Ayla. Your mommy's gonna be here soon."
"How soon?"
"I'm so sorry I'm late." Emily said as she entered the daycare.
"Mommy!" Ayla called happily and ran to her, hugging her legs. Emily hugged her back.
"Sorry I'm late, baby." She said to Ayla before looking at Mary.
"Thank you for being with her, Ms. Sanderson. Today was really hectic, and there was traffic." Emily explained.
"It's okay. Try to close earlier next time."
"I'll try. Let's go, baby. Say goodbye to Ms. Sanderson."
"Bye, Ms. Sanders." Ayla said and waved.
"Bye, Ayla." Mary said, and Emily left with her child. They entered a cab that took them home.
***
"I saw God today." Ayla spoke after they finished having dinner. Emily was preparing her for bed.
"God?" Emily asked as she dressed Ayla in her pajamas.
"Yes, Mommy. He looked like an angel."
"An angel?" Emily asked as she laid Ayla on the bed. Ayla nodded.
"He's so beautiful, Mommy."
"Where did you see him?"
"He played with me."
"Wow, okay."
"You believe me, Mommy?"
Emily hesitated for a second before smiling. "Of course I believe you, baby."
Emily covered Ayla with the duvet.
"I wuv you, Mommy."
"I love you too, baby." Emily said and kissed Ayla's forehead.
"Night, baby." She said, and Ayla hummed softly. Emily smiled and left her daughter's room after turning off the light. She went to her room and did some work, but her mind circled back to what her daughter claimed.
God? An angel? She sighed and shook her head, then finally went to sleep.