Chapter 39 #4
Robert locked eyes with her, and the look in his gaze wasn’t fueled by anger. Instead, it radiated pure disappointment—an unsettling detachment.
“In that moment, I realized I was done,” he continued, his voice steady yet heavy with finality. “Not just finished with you, but done with the version of myself that kept choosing you, time and time again.”
Giselle scoffed. “Y-you’re not going anywhere! Stop it! You’re just mad!”
Giselle’s voice was shaky as her wine glass quivered in her grasp, threatening to spill the crimson liquid.
Robert smirked, but his words didn’t smile.
“No, Giselle… you’re just shocked that I finally chose peace over the facade we’ve been maintaining. Just sign the papers. There’s really no need to drag this out… unless you want to.”
Giselle stood hastily, then snatched the papers off the table and threw them back at him. They fluttered like wounded birds before landing at his feet.
“I’m not entertaining this foolishness!” she snapped. “I’m not signing anything!”
Robert bent down slowly, picked the papers up, and tucked them neatly into his jacket pocket like he had all the time in the world.
“Fine,” he said, cool as ever, standing. “But you won’t like my way. And trust me, you’ll wish you’d just signed them and saved yourself the embarrassment.”
He looked around the table and gave a short nod.
“Well, everyone— except Giselle —I truly enjoyed y’all. We’ll have to do this again sometime… minus the drama, of course.”
Then, without another glance at her, he turned and walked out—dignity intact, ego unshaken, and peace fully chosen.
Giselle’s face crumbled in slow motion as she watched him leave.
The woman who thought she could control every outcome had just lost control of everything.
Again.
Mama Rose leaned forward, peering at Giselle over her glasses.
“See baby, you done stirred the pot one too many times; now everybody taste the bitter. Pride ain’t seasoning, it’s poison.”
Renee added, “She’d better start reading Proverbs and minding her own business next time. Start with chapter 11… arrogance leads to disgrace.”
“I’m ready to go. This… is too much,” Dessign said to Chi, her voice low but firm.
“ Now , baby?” he muttered under his breath—but not low enough. “Can we at least get dessert first?”
Dessign shot him a look that could've curdled sweet tea.
He immediately straightened up. “Okay, baby.”
Chi stood, holding his wine glass like he was about to make a toast at a funeral.
“Can I just say—this dinner definitely needed a disclaimer... and a licensed therapist on standby.” He raised his glass slightly. “To honesty, therapy, and never coming back here again.”
“I’m with that shit,” Imanio agreed, shaking his head.
Dessign rolled her chair closer to me, leaned in, and whispered, “You did good, girl… real good.” She smiled faintly. “Call me tomorrow. Sweet dreams.” With that, she rolled herself right out the drama.
“I’m ready to go too, babe,” I announced, turning to Imanio.
“I was just waiting on you to say the word,” he said, standing up beside me. “Ms. Shirley got some leftover apple pie at the house. We can have that for dessert, with ice cream—in peace.”
Yeah… pie sounds way better than whatever bitterness is being served at this table.
I was so glad to be going home to peace and sweetness after all that chaos.
Outside, the air was cooler—lighter, even. Me, Imanio, Renee, and Mama Rose stood in the roundabout under the glow of the porch lights.
“You ever met somebody so damn nosy they go digging in another woman’s history like it’s a damn jewelry box?
” Renee said, throwing her hand up. “That’s yo mama, Imanio.
What she thought Naji was gon’ do? Hug the folks and pass the biscuits?
Girl, if I gave up my child at four, I wouldn’t even expect an email back—let alone a dinner roll! ”
I chuckled.
I had ‘briefed’ them on my family history; that’s how she had knowledge of that.
“My sister was dead-ass wrong for that shit,” Renee added, mouth tight like she was holding back even more.
Of course, her sidekick, Mama Rose, wasn’t far behind her.
“And then was sitting over there looking like a damn mannequin with secrets.”
“All that high-cheekbone energy just dropped to her chest when those divorce papers hit the table!” Renee wheezed.
“Man, I’m glad I got to witness him say that to her!
I wonder what my poor sister gon’ do now, ‘cause the way he was talking, he ain’t gon’ leave her a tie… not even a button off his coat!”
“As he shouldn’t!” Mama Rose agreed firmly, folding her arms. “Mmm. God don’t like ugly—and he only tolerates pretty if it’s kind. Giselle done ran out of both .”
“Well, I can tell you who’s done with her ass… me ,” Imanio joined in.
Mama Rose tsked and shook her head. “I tried to warn that child of mine years ago. Told her, ‘Giselle, you can’t parent pride and expect love to live in the house too.’ But she ain’t want a son, she wanted a damn show pony.”
Imanio nodded. “Yeah, well… that pony’s left the stable.”
That made all of us laugh.
“Well, baby,” Mama Rose sighed, placing her hand gently on my arm. “You always got a seat at my house. Come have dinner with us one Sunday. We’ll show you what a real family dinner look like—good food, good laughs, no drama .”
Then she winced and rubbed her hip. “Lord, I gotta get home. My gout acting up—I knew I shouldn’t have had that third deviled egg, but they was calling me!”
Everyone burst out laughing again.
“I told you to slow down!” Renee said, through her laughs.
“Renee, you ain’t tell me nothing! Now come on!”
We all exchanged hugs and goodbyes.
“Those two… are a mess,” I said, as we watched Mama Rose limp away.
“And a force to be reckoned with, too,” Imanio added. “But I love them.” He turned, his eyes softening as he looked me over. “I’m also proud of you . You handled everything tonight like a damn queen.”
“I f-feel like I just ran emotional sprints,” I complained.
Imanio slid his arm around my waist, his palm resting low—right where my body always responded first.
“You did… and you won,” he replied.
I blushed then quickly remembered something. “O-oh, crap! I didn’t get my weed.”
Imanio leaned in with a smirk, his grip just tight enough to tease.
“That’s alright… I’ll just let you get high off me again.”
He kissed my neck, low and slow. “Side effects may include moaning, trembling, and forgetting all about the damn weed.”
I rolled my eyes laughing—then my neck rolled to the right, followed by two fast blinks..
“Crush me like a peach cobbler panic attack!” Then I smirked, recovering. “Oh, so you the plug now?”
He chuckled against my skin, lips still brushing my neck.
“Nah, baby… I’m the whole damn dispensary. All-natural, fast-acting, and highly addictive.”
I laughed, swatting at his chest. “Y-you’re crazy.”
“And you’re still here,” he teased, turning me to face him. “Which means you like stupid. Especially when it comes with good dick and better aftercare.”
I tried to act unbothered, but my smirk and outburst gave me away.
My chin snapped upward like I’d just caught the Holy Ghost, and I hissed through my teeth.
“Speak in tongues or ride one—Jesus, choose for me! Ugh! Come on. Let’s get outta here. There’s apple pie and ice cream waiting back at the h-house for us.”
Then he gave me a knowing look, lips curling up into something dark and mannishly. “And you owe me dessert, pretty lady.”
I raised an eyebrow, matching his energy.
“O-oh, I still got you,” I teased. “I hope—frost me like a funnel cake!—” I slapped a hand over my mouth, laughing through the blush on my face. “Oh, my God! W-where did that come from?”
Imanio smirked, eyes low and filled with mischief.
“Wherever it came from, I hope there’s more where that came from. ’Cause that just turned into my favorite dessert.”
I bit my lip, then continued. “As I was saying... I hoped you s-saved room... because dessert’s gonna start with me. By the time I’m done with you that pie gon’ be cold and forgotten. I hope your tongue got stamina—'cause it’s got work to do.”
Imanio let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “They say the freaks come out at night... but I ain’t know mine had punchlines.”
“Come o-on, silly!” I giggled, nudging him playfully.
As we walked to the car, I leaned against him and whispered, “Thank you for always choosing me.”
He kissed my forehead passionately. “Every time, baby. Every time.”