Kennedy Haven

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Feb, 2025

Stories (3)

3 Stories

13 karma pts

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“"Hey, Granny."” by Kennedy Haven

The aroma of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and sweet potato pie filled the tiny apartment on the west side of Chicago. Sunlight beamed through the sheer curtains, dancing on the faded wooden floor. Miss Laverne's 75th birthday was in full swing, and the energy in the room rivaled any family reunion. Miss Laverne was the kind of woman whose presence could warm a room faster than sunlight through an open window. Her deep brown skin–soft as velvet, and her hair–a crown of salt and pepper curls, often tucked under a colorful headscarf. She...

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“Shadows of the Southside” by Kennedy Haven

Jamal "Jay" Roberts knew the rules of his neighborhood like the back of his hand. These rules were not written in books, of course, but engraved into cracked sidewalks and chain-link fences. Born and raised on Chicago's South Side, Jay was fifteen and already older than his years. He walked with the lean of someone who'd seen too much, but spoke with the passion of someone who dreamed of more. His mother, Miss Lorraine, worked double shifts at the nursing home on 79th just to make ends meet. His older brother, Darnell— who was once Jay's her...

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“Curls, Coils, and Chaos” by Kennedy Haven

Submitted to Contest #291

Keisha had always been at war with her hair. Not in a tragic, identity-crisis kind of way—more like a sitcom battle, with her coily strands playing the mischievous villain. She loved her natural hair, truly, but every twist-out, wash-and-go, and "quick" detangling session felt like negotiating peace with a nation that had declared independence decades ago. One humid Brooklyn morning, Keisha woke up, stared at her reflection, and sighed. Her hair had formed what she called "Defcon 4 Frizz." The satin bonnet she’d worn had clearly taken the ni...

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Author bio

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