“I didn’t mean to fall for Keith,” Iris went on. “I loved your father too, but Keith just came at a time when we were drifting apart, and he was there for me when I needed someone. I needed to feel loved and beautiful again and Keith did that.”

“So, you cheated on Daddy.” Deven said with disdain. She didn’t give a damn if her words were hurting her mother.

“I . . . made a mistake,” Iris murmured. “Jamie and I were on a break and Keith called, one thing led to another . . .”

Deven grimaced. She had never heard the complete story, but this certainly put a different perspective on her entire childhood.

“Your dad, of course he was upset when I got pregnant because I didn’t know if he was the father. But he was there throughout the entire pregnancy and by the time I had the baby, he and I had decided to make it work. He loved me so much and he took care of us and—”

“But you loved Keith,” Deven spat. “You just thought you should stay with my Daddy because he had money and took care of his family instead of a bum ass dope boy.”

“It wasn’t like that.” Iris’s voice cracked as she spoke, signaling that it was exactly like that. “I did love your father. He was sweet, and kind, and gentle. But I loved Kennedy’s father, too. It was a different kind of love, sweetie.” She swiped away more tears. “I loved them both in equal but different ways. I didn’t plan to, but it happened.”

Deven had never taken her mother for a gold digger. All this time, she idolized her parents because of what they perpetuated. They made it seem like they were the perfect, loving, couple that had achieved the American dream and overcame adversity. But now, Iris was telling her otherwise. She loved her husband, but more so for what he could do for her. She loved the image and what being with him represented. But Keith, he was the one that always had her heart. Deven wondered if her father died hurting in the truth or comforted by the lies.

Iris sighed, closing her eyes. “Kennedy was born, we did the DNA testing and confirmed Keith was the father. I didn’t even know if I wanted to tell him. We hadn’t talked in nine months because I promised your father that I would cut it off completely. But when I talked to him, all of those feelings came rushing back. He wanted to be part of Kennedy’s life. So, we had to make it work.”

Deven remembered the argument she heard between her parents. She’d always known her sister was a source of contention in her family. But she had no idea how much. Nor why. Now that she did, it certainly made everything worse as opposed to better.