CHAPTER FORTY-ONE #2
As his eyes flickered to me, I raised an eyebrow. “You sure you’re okay?”
He nodded, but I wasn’t fooled. That smile was a little too tight.
I grabbed my glass of water and slid it across the table to him without saying a word. He glanced at me in surprise but didn’t hesitate. Grabbing the glass, he took a long sip, his relief almost palpable.
“Thank you,” he said, though I could see his lips twitching from the heat. “Guess I underestimated the kick.”
Julian chuckled, clearly enjoying the show. “Pikliz has that effect on people. A true Haitian initiation. Alright man, I see you. I guess you can handle some flavor after all.”
I couldn’t stop the smile spreading across my face. Despite his clear discomfort, Nathan was handling it with grace. Maybe this dinner wouldn’t be so bad after all.
“So Elise, how’s work?” My father’s question pulled me out of my thoughts.
I still hadn’t told my family about me quitting Edge Records.
It's now or never, Elise.
“I quit,” I answered, reaching for my drink so that I would have something to do to distract me.
“You want to repeat that?” My father demanded. The kompa music kept playing, but our table went quiet. Even Julian stopped sipping his Jupina soda to give me his full attention.
“I quit.” I repeated. Louder. More firm.
“You quit your job?!” My father was the first one to yell.
“Yes,” I said, forcing my voice to stay even, even though my heart was pounding. “But I had a good reason.” I quickly added.
“It better be a good one.” My father leveled me with a hard stare that made me shrink into my seat.
“I quit because I want to pursue dancing full-time. You know it’s my dream.” I hated how small my voice sounded at that moment. I made my decision and I would stick by it, but for a split second I wavered under my father’s anger.
“You hear that guys? She quit her full-time job with a steady income so she can shake her ass against some gangster wearing a gold chain,” My father said in creole, which he always reverted to when he was angry or amongst friends and family.
My father’s tone was calm but there was no hiding the hurricane belaying his words.
“I’m glad you had a good reason and it wasn’t something silly like that.
” He slammed his fist against the table and I flinched, momentarily taken back to the times Jax would get upset with me at dinner.
Automatically, Nathan reached out a hand for me to squeeze and I did, the warmth and familiarity of his touch like a balm to my frayed nerves.
I knew my dad would never hit me, but in the moment he looked like he really wanted to.
“You at least have another job lined up, right?” My brother looked at me expectantly.
“We thought you gave up on that silly dream of being a dancer and finally grew up.” My mother chimed in before I could answer.
“I didn’t realize settling for a mediocre 9-5 life made you a grownup.” I said. “That may have worked for you guys, but I want something different. I want to actually love what I do instead of just living for a paycheck.”
“You think you can eat passion? Pay rent with passion?” My father questioned.
“I know what I’m doing.” I argued.
“You’re going to get a real job, you understand me, Elise?
” My father stood from the table. “It doesn’t have to be your old job, but you’re going to get a job.
A grown-up job. One that actually pays your bills, because if you think I’m gonna let you come back home when you’re out on your ass when this dancing thing doesn’t work out, you’re wrong. ”
Nathan had been calm up until now, his grip on my hand firm but reassuring.
But something in him shifted at my father’s words.
His usual easygoing nature, the quiet confidence he carried, began to harden like cooling steel.
His jaw tensed, the muscle ticking as he exhaled slowly through his nose.
I felt it before I saw it, the way his body stiffened beside me, his fingers tightening just slightly around mine.
I turned to him, sensing the change, the storm brewing behind his eyes.
“Enough.” The lone word to come out of Nathan’s mouth sliced through the room and all eyes turned on him.
I knew I shouldn’t have let him talk me into letting him meet my parents.
This is exactly what I knew was going to happen.
If my scary ex didn’t scare Nathan away, my family would definitely finish the job.
“Excuse me?” My dad turned his glare to Nathan.
“I said enough,” Nathan repeated. “I’m not going to continue to sit here and listen to you speak to Elise in that tone. Now apologize.”
“I can speak to my daughter anyway I want to.” My dad argued.
“Nathan, it’s okay.” I placed a hand on his. I didn’t need him to make the situation worse. I was used to my father’s behavior and attitude towards me.
“It’s not okay.” Nathan told me before he faced my family.
“Elise is smart and damn good at her job. It wasn't easy to let her go. But I’ve seen Elise dance and the amount of passion and talent she has shouldn’t be wasted behind some desk.
She’s going to be a household name one day and the fact that she’s going to get there without the support of any of you makes me all the more proud of her.
And lastly, I don’t give a fuck if you’re her father or not, if you ever make Elise flinch, scared or use a tone an octave higher than conversational level, you’re gonna deal with me. ”
Nathan’s words stunned everyone to silence. Especially me. No one has ever stood up for me before.
And no one ever stood up to my father.
I didn’t know if that made him insane or incredible.
Either way, I was grateful he was here.
“Tell me, Nathan, do you think standing up to me makes you a man? Because all I see is a child playing dress-up, stomping his little feet, trying to be bigger than he is. Let me be perfectly clear. You don’t belong here.
Not in her life, not in ours. Whatever fantasy you’ve built in your mind ends now.
” My father was practically vibrating with rage.
“Let me be clear,” Nathan said evenly. “Mwen pap ale okenn kote.” I’m not going anywhere.
For the first time, I saw my father's composure slip. His mouth opened then closed, like he couldn’t quite find the words to respond. When did Nathan learn how to speak creole?
I sat frozen beside Nathan, my hand trembling against my lap. My chest felt tight, like I couldn’t pull in enough air until Nathan shifted closer to me.
I felt his presence before I heard his voice again.
“She deserved better than what she got from you.” He continued in English.
His tone softened, but the strength behind it didn’t fade.
“Elise survived something that would’ve broken most people.
She walked away from a man who tried to strip her of her confidence, her sense of worth, her voice.
And yet, she rebuilt herself. Do you know how many people lack the courage to do that? ”
My brother's voice broke through the silence. “Elise,” he said quietly. “What is he talking about?”
Every instinct in me screamed to protect myself. To stay quiet. To swallow it down like I always had.
But I was tired of carrying it alone.
“My ex,” I said softly. “Jax...He used to hit me.”
The table went completely still.
“I never wanted anyone to know,” I continued, my voice shaking despite my effort to steady it.
“But it’s the truth. He was abusive. He spent the last year in jail.
He was released a few weeks ago, and when he found me,” I had to swallow past the lump in my throat.
“He made sure to punish me for putting him there.” My fingers trembled as I pulled the neckline of my dress aside, revealing more of the fading bruises and scratches on my shoulder. “I thought he was going to kill me.”
My mother covered her mouth, blinking rapidly as tears filled her eyes.
My brother stared down at my shoulder, his eyes a shade darker, his hands clenched into a fist.
My father remained perfectly still with his features hardening.
Before anyone could speak, Nathan did.
“What should keep you up at night,” Nathan said, his gaze locked on my father. “is that she didn’t feel safe enough to come to you when she needed someone the most. That’s not on her. That’s on all of you.”
The words settled heavily over the table.
I forced a small smile toward my mother. “Mom, I’m sorry. This isn’t how tonight was supposed to go.”
She shook her head immediately. “Elise—”
“I mean it,” I said softly, cutting her off. “Let’s finish dinner. Please. Tonight is about you.”
No one argued.
The rest of the meal passed in strained politeness.
Conversation was forced. Laughter sounded hollow.
Forks scraped against plates too loudly.
I found myself watching the clock more than my food, answering questions with one word replies, counting the minutes until we could leave.
Nathan stayed close, his hand warm against my thigh beneath the table, grounding me through every unbearable second.
When the check finally arrived, Nathan paid for our meal and I hugged my mom and brother goodbye before Nathan and I stood up and excused ourselves. Outside, the cool night air hit my skin as Nathan helped me slip into his jacket. His hands lingered at my shoulders, gentle and protective.
“Elise.” I turned at the sound of my name, just as my brother exited the restaurant, his face tight with barely contained fury.
“Nathan,” he said, nodding once before looking back at me.
“You tell me where this guy is,” Julian said.
“I’ll fly to LA tonight if I have to. Nobody puts hands on my sister. ”
My chest tightened. “Julian—”
Nathan cut in calmly. “I handled it.”
Julian’s gaze snapped to him. “What does that mean?”
“It means Jax won’t be able to hurt your sister or anyone else for that matter, ever again.” Nathan replied.
Something passed between them in that moment, an unspoken understanding and whatever Julian saw in Nathan’s expression made his shoulders drop slightly.
His anger didn’t disappear. But it shifted.
“You sure?”
Nathan nodded once. “She’s safe.”
Julian studied him for another beat, then finally looked at me before pulling me into a tight hug.
“I’ve got you,” he murmured. “Always. You know that right?”
I nodded against his shoulder.
As Julian stepped back, Nathan’s arm slid around my waist, solid and sure.
And for the first time all night, I felt like I could breathe.