Chapter 42 Forty Two
The call came late in the afternoon, just as Kennedy was finishing up a meeting he barely remembered agreeing to attend.
His office had grown quiet again, the glass walls reflecting a version of himself he barely recognized these days. Tired eyes, rigid posture, a man who had mastered the art of control but lost something unnamed along the way.
His phone buzzed.
Mom.
He exhaled softly before answering. “Hi, Mom.”
“Kennedy,” Priscillia’s voice came through warm but firm, the way it always was. “Do you have a few minutes?”
“For you? Always.”
She chuckled lightly. “Flatterer. Sit down. I want to talk business.”
Kennedy straightened in his chair. “Alright. What’s going on?”
There was a pause on the other end, a measured one. “I’ve been thinking. And I’ve decided it’s time I employed a new manager for the restaurant.”
Kennedy frowned slightly. “That soon?”
“It’s overdue,” she replied calmly. “Since my former manager passed, I’ve been handling everything myself. Inventory, staff disputes, scheduling, finances, everything.”
He leaned back, rubbing his temple. “You never complain.”
“That doesn’t mean I’m not exhausted.”
Guilt pricked at him. “You should’ve told me.”
“You have your own responsibilities,” she said gently. “But I won’t pretend anymore. I need professional assistance.”
He nodded, even though she couldn’t see him. “I agree with you. Completely. You’ve done more than enough.”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” Priscillia replied. “I want someone experienced in the food industry. Someone stable. Someone who understands structure, and how to run a restaurant.”
“Of course,” Kennedy said. “When do you want to start the process?”
“I’ve already placed the advert.”
He blinked. “You’ve what?”
She laughed softly. “Kennedy, I didn’t raise a son who thinks decisions need to wait until they’re discussed endlessly.”
Despite himself, he smiled. “Fair enough.”
“I was hoping you could come around during the interviews,” she continued. “Your judgment has always been sharp.”
“I’ll make time,” he promised without hesitation. “You won’t have to do this alone.”
“Thank you.”
There was a brief silence, comfortable, familial, until Priscillia cleared her throat.
“There’s something else.”
Kennedy stiffened slightly. “What is it?”
“I’ve added a requirement to the application.”
He raised an eyebrow. “A requirement?”
“Yes.”
“Like qualifications? Years of experience?”
“Those too,” she said smoothly. “But this one is… non-negotiable.”
Something about her tone made his stomach tighten. “Alright,” he said cautiously. “What is it?”
“They must be married.”
The words landed heavier than he expected.
“Married?” Kennedy repeated.
“Yes.”
He let out a short breath. “Mom, that’s… unusual.”
“Unusual doesn’t mean unreasonable.”
He sat forward now. “Why would marital status matter for managing a restaurant?”
Priscillia didn’t hesitate. “Because I’ve seen what instability does to leadership. I want someone grounded. Someone who understands commitment. Responsibility beyond themselves.”
Kennedy frowned. “There are plenty of capable single people.”
“I’m sure there are,” she said calmly. “But this is my business. My legacy. And I want someone whose life already demands balance.”
His jaw tightened slightly. “That feels… limiting.”
“It’s intentional,” she replied. “I don’t want someone distracted by chasing their next phase in life. I want someone settled.”
Kennedy leaned back again, unease creeping in. “You know this might narrow your pool drastically.”
“That’s the point.”
He exhaled slowly. “Mom…”
She interrupted gently. “Kennedy, I’m not asking your permission. I’m telling you my decision.”
Silence stretched between them.
He stared at the window, at the city below, at lives moving forward while his felt suspended.
“Does this requirement come from business logic,” he asked quietly, “or something else?”
Priscillia paused this time.
“Perhaps,” she said carefully, “it comes from experience.”
Kennedy closed his eyes briefly.
“Is this about me?” he asked.
She didn’t answer immediately.
“When you take on responsibilities alone for too long,” she finally said, “you begin to realize how much easier life is when you don’t carry everything by yourself.”
His throat tightened.
“I’ve watched you isolate yourself,” she continued. “Convince yourself that independence is strength. That control is safety.”
“Mom...”
“I won’t apologize for wanting better for you,” she said firmly. “And I won’t pretend I don’t hope the people around me reflect the values I believe in.”
Kennedy swallowed hard. “This is a job interview, not a marriage seminar.”
“And yet,” she said softly, “marriage reveals character in ways resumes never do.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “You’re asking me to sit in interviews and judge people based on their personal lives.”
“I’m asking you to help me choose someone I can trust.”
Trust.
The word echoed painfully.
If only she knew the truth.
“Fine,” he said at last. “I’ll be there. I’ll support you.”
Priscillia smiled, he could hear it in her voice. “I knew you would.”
But as the call ended and Kennedy lowered his phone, a strange discomfort settled in his chest.
Married.
Committed.
Settled.
Words that now felt foreign.
Unreachable.
For him.
He had made it so.
And for reasons he wasn't sure he understood anymore. A quiet, unwelcome thought surfaced in his mind, one that unsettled him far more than he cared to admit.
Antonia Adams.
It's been months since he heard from her.
After he had sent her that message, she never replied. Never called.
It's been radio silence ever since, and that chewed him inside.
But his ego, still held him back from reaching out.
It was better like this, he convinced himself.
But what if he had really let something good slip through his fingers?
The thought lingered.
Unanswered.
Uncomfortable.
And impossible to ignore.