Sierra joined Kashi and Carr, her face flushed. She took a seat with a flounce, her curls bouncing along with her.
"How come you didn't tell me!" Kashi demanded. She wasn't really hurt, she was honestly still blown away.
"I wanted to surprise you." Sierra grinned. "And it looks like I did." She placed her guitar case on the table. "What, you guys had chili without me?"
Kashi shook her head, bewildered but grinning. "Well I'm glad you enjoyed it. At least, it looked like you were enjoying yourself."
"I love watching you two dance. You guys are really good, you know." Sierra said, picking at the white fingernail polish on her thumb. "It was cool to see you guys dancing to my music too."
"I had no idea you could sing." Carr said. "But you and that band did a really amazing job. How come you don't sing like that more often?"
Kashi made eye contact with Sierra, but Sierra's face stayed relaxed and calm when she answered Carr. "My mom was a singer and an actress and a model and she wants me to be just like her. She's dragged me to so many auditions and photoshoots. I hated the acting and the dancing but I always loved to sing. I hid it because I was afraid she'd take advantage of that too."
Carr tilted his head. "So what changed?"
"Hey Kashi."
She, Carr, and Sierra whipped their heads around to find Kashi's uncle along with Hughes walking up to the table. Kashi fought the urge to scowl.
"Have any of you seen Matt?" Hughes asked, his voice clipped and short. "I heard he hangs around with your gaggle."
"No. He doesn't." Carr responded, not bothering to hide his disdain.
"Well if you see him, send him my way." Hughes answered, turning to his cell phone.
Kashi looked around at the stubby grass. "Did you need something Uncle?"
"No, I just wanted to see how things were going. That and helping Jeremy in looking for Matthias."
"Last I saw him we were unloading folding chairs and tables before the event began." She narrowed her eyes just slightly at Hughes who was staring at her intently. She hated that Carr and Matthias looked so like him. She didn't understand how Jeremy Hughes was the father of Matthias and Carr. They were so completely different.
Jeremy's voice was clipped and professional, anything but reassuring. It made some part of her shiver. She hated it. He looked away, motioning for her uncle to follow.
Kashi grimaced, "Well that certainly soured the mood."
Sierra got up though, slinging her guitar over her shoulder. "You know what will cheer us up?" She grabbed Kashi's hand, pulling her from the picnic table. "If we go get some of your Auntie Cee's pies to split three ways. And if you two buy me a congratulatory bowl of some of the spiciest chili they've got."
"She's not wrong." Kashi said, extending her other hand to Carr. He was still frowning. His dad definitely affected him more than anyone else. But he did grab Kashi's hand, pulling himself off the bench.
"She is wrong." Carr said, planting a kiss on Kashi's temple. "I'm gonna need a whole pie myself.
Sierra turned around, walking backwards. "No, you've got a point. If we each get a pie then we can try different kinds. Kashi, how many types are there? She probably has apple, pumpkin… cherry maybe?"
Kashi laughed remembering her aunt's tireless working the past few days. "Yeah there's apple, pumpkin, cherry, peach, blueberry, shoe fly, chocolate, key lime, and strawberry rhubarb." Kashi counted again on her fingers. "I'm definitely missing a few. But she had a bunch of her friends come and bake pies with her. There's quite a lot."
Carr shook his head. "I don't think I could even try one slice of each and fit it in my stomach. Let alone the price."
"You'll have to pick a favorite then." Kashi smirked. "Over my lifetime I have had the privilege of trying every type of pie she's made. I'll be getting a slice of peach and a slice of pumpkin pie."
The three of them got in the line for chili. It was much shorter than it had been earlier. Sierra did indeed order the spiciest kind of chili they had.
"You're crazy." Kashi laughed, shaking her head. She handed the guy at the counter a five and he counted back her change.
"Aw you didn't really have to pay for it." Sierra said with a smile.
"I wanted to." Kashi smiled back. "I'm really proud of you. And you know if your mom ever tries to take that from you my dad would let you live in my old bedroom till you get back on your feet okay?" Kashi made sure Sierra knew she meant it too. Sierra's mom had a way of getting what she wanted. She had access to all of Sierra's bank accounts so if Sierra left home, that money would disappear.
Sierra nodded to Kashi, getting her bowl of chili from the counter. "Hold my cornbread, I want to eat and walk so the pie isn't gone by the time we get there."
"If your aunt is out of cherry pie I will be upset." Carr said.
"You could pick any type of pie and you pick cherry?" Kashi scoffed, Sierra doing the same. "Pick at least one seasonal pie. Like apple, pumpkin or peach or something." Kashi shook her head. "You heathen."
Sierra laughed.