CHAPTER EIGHTEEN #4
Najee’s mouth curved slow. “Appreciate the observation.” Jackie shook her head, opening the oven.
“Lord, give me strength.” Unbothered, Kormia plopped down beside Najee and reached for another container.
“So, Doc, since you here… what kinda therapy you specialize in? Asking for a friend who been stressin’ over her cousin’s love life.
” Jackie spun around, eyes wide. “Kormia!”
Najee chuckled under his breath, holding up a hand. “I think I got the message.”
Kormia grinned. “Good. ‘Cause she don’t listen to nobody else.” Jackie sighed, grabbing a dish towel and waving it like a white flag. “Najee don’t entertain her. Please.”
He smiled faintly, eyes flicking from Jackie to Kormia and back again. “Too late.”
Najee lingered in the living room, before finding Jackie in the kitchen with the cobbler pan balanced in her hands.
Kormia was still in the living room, humming to herself and working through her second plate of food.
Jackie was in the kitchen packaging up the cobbler with foil, before taking a second pan out the oven he didn’t see her put in there.
Her expression was tight, like she was trying to rebuild a wall in real time.
“You good?” she asked, her voice a little too casual, as she stood back facing him.
He nodded, amusement flickering behind his eyes.
“You embarrassed?” She scoffed turning to face him. “Please. I’m grown. Just wasn’t expectin’ her to walk in and start talkin’ like we was on a damn date.” Najee smiled, low and knowing.
“You sure about that?”
“Don’t start, Dr. Nigel.” Jackie shot him a look over her shoulder.
“There it go again.” He chuckled, stepping closer. “What?” she said, pretending not to follow.
“That title. You only call me that when you feelin’ flustered.”
“I’m not flustered.”
“Of course, you not.” He leaned against the counter, arms folded, watching her slice into the cobbler.
Jackie huffed, trying to ignore him as she scooped a warm piece onto a plate and added a scoop of Talenti Madagascar vanilla ice cream.
“You want some or you just gonna stand there psychoanalyzing’ me? ”He grinned. “Can’t I do both?”
“No,” she said flatly, handing him the plate. They stood side by side in the small kitchen, the light from the stove hood casting everything in a soft amber glow. Kormia’s voice floated faintly from the other room, off-key and muffled, but for once, Jackie seemed grateful for the distance.
Najee took a bite, then another, the warmth of the cobbler melting against the cold ice cream. “This is good,” he said, his tone sincere. “Like… dangerous good.” Jackie cracked a small smile, one she tried to hide behind her spoon. “I told you I could cook.” He glanced at her. “Yeah, you did.”
Silence lingered. But it wasn’t awkward. It was steady in a way that felt calm.
She leaned back against the counter, crossing her arms loosely. “Thanks again for earlier. The help, the food, the…” She trailed off, searching for a word that didn’t sound too heavy.
“Just—thank you.” Najee studied her for a second, that usual sharpness in his gaze softened now. “You don’t have to thank me, Jackie.” “Yeah, I do,” she said quietly.
“You didn’t have to show up.”
“I wanted to.” He could tell, that landed somewhere she didn’t want to touch.
Her eyes dropped to her plate, voice barely above a whisper.
“Well, you did. And I appreciate it.” Her walls were back up—not slammed shut but rebuilt just enough to keep her firm.
Najee didn’t push. He just nodded, letting her have the last word.
They ate the rest in silence, the sound of spoons against plates the only thing cutting through the quiet hum of the fridge.
When she finally looked up again, he caught the faintest trace of something unspoken in her eyes.
Gratitude, maybe. Or fear. Or both. Either way, he understood.
He’d seen that look before—on people trying to survive the weight of their own hearts.
When they finished eating, Jackie rinsed the dishes, running the sponge in small circles like she needed something to focus on.
Najee leaned against the counter, watching her, arms folded, quiet. “I should probably head out,” he said after a moment. Jackie nodded without looking up. “Yeah. It’s late.”
He lingered a second longer, like he wanted to say something else but decided against it.
“You did good tonight,” he said finally. That made her glance up, one brow lifting.
“You mean the cobbler or the event?” He smiled faintly. “Both.” Her mouth curved, soft but cautious. “Thank you.” Najee pushed off the counter and walked to the door.
She followed behind him, still holding the dishtowel in her hands.
He stopped at the threshold, turning back to face her.
“Come lock this door behind me,” he said.
His tone was calm, but he knew it carried weight.
Jackie met his gaze. “Okay.” He nodded once, slow, then stepped out into the night.
The sound of the door clicking shut behind him was small but final.