Time may change me

 Cedric couldn't remember the last time he went to a dance. Actually, he'd never been to the River Festival. And here he was with Dory. It made him smile. Dory smiled as if he was feeling comfortable being a part of Old Towne.

Everyone seemed to know him. Dory talked with students and their families. They found a table and ate barbecue with Chili and Axton before the music started. It was such a sweet hometown affair.

It was good catching up. Chili's belly was showing, and she was a goddess and definitely Axton's equal. They talked about the baby's nursery. She reminded them they needed to come to the Coffee Shop more often. "We have lots of microgreens now on the menu."

"Yeah, she read up on it, and everything. She's been growing them on the rooftop, and it's good produce," Axton chimed in as if it might be her new side business.

"I never had'm before," Cedric looked at them as if he wasn't sure he'd go for such tiny greens from seeds that she talked about.

"We'll try some," Dory told her to put him down for some sunflower greens.

Cedric smiled even if he wanted to say, No, thank you.

Axton asked if there was anything new going on.

"Well, you were there when we got married," Cedric shrugged. It wasn't a big event even if he and Dory got married at the Coffee Shop. It was a cupcake wedding, and Dory's boss and his family were there, along with people Dory knew. Actually, no one from Cedric's family showed up, but it wasn't a big deal. Sure, his grandmother said she was happy for them, and a cousin or two had sent Amazon gift cards. It was cool. 

"Um, I got a text from my cousin Connie down in KC. It was kind of a mystery," he shrugged. "She just said she'd keep me in mind. Must have been a religious thing. I texted back, but she didn't respond."

He wasn't sure why he brought it up. He hadn't seen her in so long. But the music started, and he remembered her moves. She was something on the dance floor. Back then, when they were teens, her goal was to be a backup dancer for Beyoncé. Of course, that didn't happen. She was a hairdresser now. 

It was such a good memory. He thought of his grandmother's fried chicken and the picnics they used to have on the river. But he danced the night away until he and Dory couldn't dance anymore.

They held hands, walking back to their car parked at the soccer fields with Axton and Chili.

His phone rang. He couldn't think who would call at the hour of midnight. It was his grandmother. She had news about Connie. "She had a baby, and she needs help."

Cedric stared into space. A brick of emotion lodged in his throat. He could hardly speak.

"I..I think we need to go to Kansas City," he said, looking at Dory. "My cousin. She.." he could barely get the words out. A baby girl was waiting for them.