My head swiveled around. Was he serious? All eyes flew to me as I stood there speechless.

“Okay, miss. Is there anything you want to do?” Sabrina asked.

I didn’t know. I was expecting to follow Kellon around the park.

“Umm… I don’t know.” I shrugged.

“Come on. You’ve waited your whole life for this. I know you’ve thought about it,” Kellon said. He was right. I had thought about it. I’d spent many days as a kid daydreaming about visiting here.

“I have always wanted to ride the flying elephants,” I confessed.

“Okay. Elephants it is.” Kellon nodded, and the staff scribbled something into their tablets. “That’s it?”

“Umm… and I want to get pictures with the black princess,” I added. I couldn’t believe he was allowing me to dictate the day.

“Black princess it is.”

He took me by the hand, and I didn’t know if it was my baby moving or butterflies swirling in my stomach.

“If that is all, you can follow Nicky. She’ll be escorting you around today.”

“Let’s do it.”

We exited the hotel lobby and climbed into a waiting polka dot SUV. Ms. Barnes slid in first.

“After you,” Kellon instructed me, and I slid across the seat next to Ms. Barnes before he climbed in next to me followed by security. I didn’t know how we all fit in this SUV, but we did.

“I’m glad to see the clothes worked out.” Ms. Barned greeted me with her nose turned up.

“Yes. Thank you so much for the clothes and everything.”

“No problem. Where do I send the bill?”

My eyes bulged at her statement. She wasn’t playing nice. My mouth opened and closed before I settled for biting my lip. I wasn’t raised to talk back to my elders. Besides, this was Kellon’s mom.

“Mom! I took care of it already.”

He patted my knee, and Ms. Barnes scoffed.

“Oh, I wasn’t aware,” she stated.

“All of Phileigh’s expenses are on me.”

I turned to Kellon. I had a few thousand in savings. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to cover my expenses while I was here. It was clear Ms. Barnes thought I was some gold digger, and it was never that.

“That’s not necessary… I can cover my⁠—”

“No need. It’s on me,” he reiterated, shutting me up. “Everybody got it?”

I nodded, and Ms. Barnes turned to the window.

“Sure.”

She looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn’t, and I was glad. We rode in silence for the rest of the drive. Kellon fiddled with his phone, and I joined Ms. Barnes in looking out the window and taking in the scenery.

Chapter 6

“Oh shit! This is high!” Phileigh squealed as we crept up the tracks.