Chapter 367: Together
Kelly, feeling guilty for making her mother uncomfortable, tried to stop her. "Mom, wait-"
But Mrs. Johnson, already halfway out the door, quickly added, "It’s fine, it’s fine. Just... you two go on. I’m just going out to pick up a few things. Don’t let me interrupt anything!" She flashed an awkward smile and then hurried out of the room, leaving Kelly and Clifford standing there in stunned silence.
"Should I go follow her?" Clifford asked with a hesitant and embarrassed expression. Kelly chuckled, then gently caressed his cheek and said, "My mom will feel more embarrassed if you follow her, so let her be for now. Besides, she trusts you with me..."
Then Kelly pouted as she teased, "It’s not like we’re doing something illegal. It’s just a kiss."
She wrapped her arms around Clifford and leaned closer to shower his lips with more kisses. Her man deserved so much from her, and she wanted him to feel how much she appreciated him. "I love you, Cliff..." she murmured before hugging him tightly.
***
Meanwhile, Mrs. Johnson, still feeling the sting of what she had seen, walked down the hallway, her mind filled with a swirl of emotions.
She had witnessed the affection between her daughter and Clifford, but it wasn’t that that had caught her off guard. It was the reminder that her daughter, once so full of life and energy, was now undergoing such a difficult and heartbreaking journey. The sight of Kelly, once full of vibrant ash gray hair, now reduced to a shaved head, struck her harder than she had expected.
She sat down in the hallway near the staircase, her hands in her lap, feeling tears well up in her eyes. Her daughter had always been so proud of her hair, so beautiful and strong, and seeing it gone was like watching another part of her youth slip away.