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“There is nothing in my past that I regret nor is there anything in my past marriage that would hold me back from giving you what you deserve. You do not have to be afraid of asking.”
She gives me her full attention. “How long were you married for?”
“Three years.”
“Why did you get a divorce?”
“On paper? Irreconcilable differences.”
“And in reality?”
“Ashanti came to Japan along with a singing troupe. Her goal was always to travel the world and perform. After we met and got pregnant, I asked her to marry me. She said yes, but it was not a yes to the life she wanted. Soon, our differences became spikes that we inflicted on each other.” I pause and reflect on that time. “This was my fault. We did not know much about each other when we married.”
“Were you really that different?”
“Our values, our way of life, it was all different. She thrived in going to new places and meeting new people. I do not like going out and I keep to myself. Meeting others is tiring. I could not be the kind of man she needed.”
“And your family? How did they react to her?”
“Not… well.”
“Did they treat her badly?”
“They did not acknowledge her at all.”
“Because she was black?” Her entire body is tense.
I run my hand down her arm and she relaxes a bit. “This may have played a part in it, but any foreigner would have been met with dismissive treatment. My family views all foreigners in a negative light. Especially Western women.”
“Why?”
I arch a brow. “Are you sure you want to know?”
“Of course I want to know. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have asked,” she says sassily.
My lips twitch. “The western world is known for its instability. ‘Hook up’ culture, weak families, multiple divorces, and single-parent homes. Family is very important to us. It affects everything, even our business.”
“If family was so important, then they should have welcomed Niko’s mother with open arms. She was your wife and the mother of your child. She deserved that respect at least.”
Such passion.
I stare at her, soak her in, and wonder if I can survive loving a woman like her.
“What?”
“We are discussing my ex-wife.”
“So?”
“So, had I not divorced Ashanti, we would not have met.”
She purses her lips. “It’s the principle that bothers me. People should be treated fairly and with respect.”
I kiss her forehead tenderly. “You are right. My family chose to shut her out because of their ignorance. The elders made assumptions about Ashanti before she had ever been introduced to them. Because of the way we had gotten pregnant before marriage, they assumed she was overtly sexual and unreliable. Because she wanted to sing, they thought she was after the family’s fortune and glory.”
“So you just… let her face all that pushback on her own?” Dejonae’s voice carries a hint of accusation.
“I distanced myself from my family and warned them that I would not see them if they continued to treat Ashanti this way.”
