The Pieces

Chapter 4

August 2028

“What are you looking for again?” my mother asked as I searched through my old room.

“My old wallet to see if it has any of my old credit cards still in it,” I call back as I search through the many purses I left behind, each one having its own issue that made me unable to use it anymore.

“If you’re looking for old card numbers as long as you know the last 4 you can check your purchasing apps that have the card numbers on them.”

“That’s brilliant! Due to my spending habits I was switched off of adding new cards to my stuff so less to look through and I started this not long after I got pregnant due to my cards expiring all around the same time.” I pulled out my phone and look through the card numbers I did add for once things were looking up none of the numbers matched.

“So?” Mom asked

“No match so far but I didn’t input every card so I’ll still be on the lookout.”

“Try calling the card companies just to check if any of the numbers match any of the cards you’ve ever had.”

“I’ll call when I ca…” my phone starts ringing and it’s from an unknown number.

“Hello, is this Kenzie Brown?” a clear male voice asks when I pick up.

“This is Kenzie, how may I help you?”

“My client, Dr. Peyton Kennedy, is willing to offer you compensation for the paternity test and would like me to read the following statement: ‘Miss Brown, I understand your apprehension but I firmly believe that Thea is my daughter and would like to know for certain and if I am wrong then your time will be well compensated for this but if I’m right then your daughter can have a father who wants to take care of her’. You would be able to pick your compensation rate Miss Brown and I recommend you consider his offer.”

“And who am I talking to?”

“I’m his lawyer Gregory Tate of Harper, Tate, and Williams”

“Tell him there were many men at that party and any of them could be Thea’s father but I’m not going to have a DNA test run on all of them for the off chance that they could be,” and with that I hang up.

“First thing tomorrow I’ll call the card compani…” my phone starts ringing again, this time from a different number.

“Hello, this is Kenzie,” I say thinking its the lawyer

“Kenzie.”

“Peyton!? How the heck did you get this number!?”

“You run the salon now and you book the appointments and put your mobile number down.” I scowl when I remember that I did actually do that.

“So when would you like to have your appointment?”

“What?”

“Since you got this number to call the salon when would you like your appointment and do you have a preference in who your stylist is?”

“Fine tomorrow at noon and you,” he says after some back and forth.

“For a master stylist that will be an extra charge is that okay?”

“Yes that’s fine Kenzie.” I could hear his frustration

“See you tomorrow at noon,” I say with my customer service voice before hanging up.

“Master Stylist?” My mom looks confused

“I’ve worked there for years and went to a high class cosmetology school I’ve always been a master stylist that’s why I run the salon now.”

“Ohhh, I didn’t know that.”

“It’s fine, tomorrow Dr. Kennedy has a hair appointment with me and maybe then I can talk some sense into him.”

May 16, 2025

The night raged on with the continued call for one more song. Eventually I split off to the side with Becca. We sat in a corner booth where we could both still see Peyton and Jordan if we wanted to but I chose to look at Becca.

“So what’s up with you and Peyton?” she asked before taking another sip of her drink.

“There’s nothing up,” I reply dismissively

“No, something is up and I want the tea.”

I roll my eyes, knowing she won’t give up. “Well in high school we almost dated but it ended badly and there is still some residual tension probably. Something like that.” I glance at Peyton as I speak.

“Oh my gosh, you still like him!”

“Becca I didn’t say that,” I replied back loudly as my memory gets even fuzzier.

“I can see it in your eyes you like him,” she pulls out her phone and texts Jordan who immediately looks at his phone and replies. “You should go to talk to him I think he feels the same way.”

“Even if I did we don’t exactly get along.”

“Yeah but you’re both drunk maybe without yourselves to get in the way you guys will actually hit it off.” Becca doesn’t stop trying to convince me, So I get up and start walking towards him as I hear an alarm clock blare.

August 29, 2028

I wake up and put the alarm on snooze. With a sign I lay down and shake off the dream but it seems to stick with me even after I got ready for the day. I look through my phone for Becca’s number. I call it just to make sure it’s her and she didn’t change her number for some reason.

“Hello this is Becca Tyler. Leave a message after beep,” her recorded message recites and then the beep.

“Hey this is Kenzie, Kenzie Brown and we met at your engagement party and I went to your wedding but I had some questions about the night of your engagement party and could you please call me back soon,” I set my phone down and got myself and Thea ready for the day ahead of us. Then, right when I got in my car, Becca calls me back.

“Kenzie sorry that I missed your call, what’s up?”

“How much of the engagement party do you remember?”

“Well I didn’t drink so pretty much all of it. The only obstacle is time. Why?”

“Well that night I got pregnant with Thea and I wondering if you had any leads as to who her father is.”

“Oh, well I have to make breakfast for Josiah and Joash and get them ready for daycare. Then maybe later we can meet for lunch or coffee or something and I’ll keep it in mind and try to make a list for you.”

“You have kids?”

“Yes twins and they’re a handful. Jordan works full time and I work part time so most of the time I’m with the kids but I have a lot of errands to run today.”

“Good luck, and I’m free at 2 if you want meet up then”

“Sounds good! I’ll pick the place and text you the address, bye.”

“See you later, bye”

I then start my car and head to my mom’s house to drop off Thea. After she’s dropped it off I start working and at 11:45 Peyton comes in. I head over to the front desk to check him in.

“Hello and welcome! Do you have an appointment?” I say as I start to type on the computer.

“Come on Kenzie,” he replies, seeming tired of my shenanigans.

“Do you have an appointment?” I insist.

“Yes, at noon with Kenzie Brown the master stylist and I’m 15 minutes early.”

“Okay so are you going to get your hair shampooed, conditioned, styled, dyed, and/or cut today?”

“Cut.”

“Okay would you like your hair shampooed for free or just want the hair cut?”

“No I’m good.”

“Do you have a style picked out or are you just getting a trim or would you like to see a catalogue?”

“Just a trim,” he seems more tired by the second

“Since I’m not with anyone right now I can start early if that’s okay?” I state but also ask.

“That’d be great.”

“Great, right this way,” I lead him to my chair and get out all my supplies and ask more questions about his hair cut.

“Kenzie I came here to talk to you.”

“So then talk to me.”

“I’ll pay for the test for me and Thea just please humor me. If it’s negative you’ll get plenty of compensation for your time. It’s just... how would you feel if you thought someone was your daughter and the answer could be given to you definitively but there was someone else in the way keeping you from knowing for sure?”

“How would you feel if someone stared at your daughter and asked personal questions then later, out of nowhere, claims they are the parent of your daughter with no solid evidence?” I move and start cutting his hair “And I don’t want any evidence. I’d let them take the test B.S. because your answer doesn’t affect mine and is actually rhetorical and was phrased to help you see from my perspective.”

“I just can’t stop thinking about ‘what if she is?’ and that’s why I sent the formal letter for request so late was because that question was killing me.”

“Tell you what, I’m having lunch with Becca today and if she puts you on the list of possible fathers to Thea you’ll get your test as soon as possible but if she doesn’t then you’ll need to get more evidence that points to you.” I finished up trimming his hair and I showed him what it looks like. “You’ll pay over at the front desk.” I took him back to the front desk. “$26.50”

He paid and left. I cleaned up and worked on the appointment schedules, managing phone calls and helping out when needed. At 1:30 I get a text from Becca: ‘Meet me at Karma’s Cafe’ on Maple’. I headed there and arrived at 2 where Becca was already inside waiting.

“Hey, you look really tired,” I said as soon as she looked up at me. “Twins keep you up at night?”

“Yeah, as always,” she paused before continuing, “So you got pregnant the night of my engagement party?”

“Yes, I had a daughter. Her name is Thea Cassidy and I wanted to narrow down who her possible father could be.”

Becca stared out the window and blink a few times she obviously dozed off for a second. “What did you say?”

“I’m going to get you some coffee and myself a smoothie,” I replied and walked over to the counter. When I handed my debit card to the barista he looked confused.

“This expired in May,” the barista said handing it back to me

“Sorry, here’s my new card.” I glance at the last 4 numbers of the expired card, 8725.

“Cards usually last for 3 years right?” I asked the barista

“Yes usually,” he passed me a receipt to sign

“So my card was most likely issued in May of 2025, correct?”

“Is everything okay?” he sounded concerned. I give him back the signed receipt and run over to Becca.

“Here’s your coffee. Is your list written down?” I basically shout

“Hmm, coffee thank you.”

“Text me the list, I have something I need to do.”