They Excluded Me From the Family, So I Built a New One novel · Chapter 9 of 24
Chapter 9: Grilled Cheese
Rosalie did not answer Kenzie.
She put her sunglasses back on, walked to the red SUV, and got in.
"Kenzie," she said through the window. "Now."
"No."
"Kenzie."
"I'm staying," Kenzie said, and her voice shook on the last word.
Rosalie's hands tightened on the wheel.
She looked at Desmond, who stood beside his sedan with his keys in his fist.
"You can handle this, can't you?" she said.
He opened his mouth, and nothing came out.
She backed out over the curb and drove off with a squeal.
The two neighbors across the street went back to weeding in perfect silence.
Kenzie stood on my walk in her white sundress from Friday, which she hadn't changed.
"Aunt Sue," she said. "Can I come in?"
I looked at Desmond.
"Go home, Desmond."
"I don't have a home," he said.
"You have a car and a credit card. I'd use them."
He got into the sedan and sat there without starting it.
Inside, I put Kenzie at the kitchen table and put a glass of water in front of her.
Libby made grilled cheese, because it was the only thing she ever made when somebody cried.
The three of us ate at the old oak table, and nobody said anything for a long time.
Kenzie ate half a sandwich.
Then she said, "I haven't read it. The whole chat. I swear."
"I believe you."
"I only ever read the pings. I thought it was where Mom and Dad coordinated things for me." She pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes. "Can I read it now?"
I got out the tablet and slid it across.
Keep reading free with an account. Start They Excluded Me From the Family, So I Built a New One from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.
← Chapter 8 · All chapters · Chapter 10 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend