Chapter Thirty-Three The Truth Between Us
“I ran into Marcus today.”
The rooftop bar in Midtown shimmered under the late evening sun. Smooth jazz played low through the speakers. The air smelled like lemon and bourbon, laughter drifting from tables all around them.
But at their table, things were quiet.
Sunni sat across from Derrick, sipping slowly from her glass. She had on her gold hoops, soft curls pinned up, and a red wrap dress that hugged her just right—but her smile was missing.
She could feel it in the air. Something was coming.
Derrick set his glass down. “Sunni, I need to tell you something before this goes any further.”
Her smile faded. “Okay.”
“I ran into Marcus at the barbershop today.”
Sunni went still.
Derrick continued before she could defend herself. “I recognized him from that old funeral picture you showed me. He heard your name. We talked for maybe two minutes.”
“What did he say?”
“Not much that matters. What matters is I realized there is a whole piece of this story we never really talked about.”
Sunni looked down at her glass. “I didn’t lie to you, Derrick.”
“I know.”
That answer made her look up.
“You told me the truth you were living when we met,” he said. “I’m not asking you to defend what he did. I’m asking whether you’ve had enough time to decide what his being alive means for you.”
Sunni took a slow breath.
“Marcus ain’t my life anymore. But I’d be lying if I said finding out he was alive didn’t reopen things I thought I buried.”
Derrick nodded. “That’s different from wanting him back.”
“I don’t want him back.”
“Then I believe you.”
She searched his face. “Just like that?”
“No. Not just like that. I like you enough not to rush you into proving you’re healed for me.”
Sunni felt that sentence settle somewhere tender.
Derrick leaned back. “Take whatever time you need to close what needs closing. I’ll still be here getting to know you. No pressure.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure I don’t want to become another man making decisions for you.”
For the first time that night, Sunni smiled.
Not because everything was clear.
Because it did not have to be clear tonight.