I didn’t pull away.
Didn’t argue.
Because I couldn’t deny it anymore.
“And there’s nothing wrong with that,” she continued.“There's nothing wrong with choosing to be happy.”
I stared at our joined hands, my thoughts moving slower now, heavier.
“Let that man in, Savannah.”
“I just…” I hesitated, the words catching in my throat before I forced them out.“I don’t know when it stopped being fake.”
Mama V squeezed my hand lightly.
“You don't scream that loud when it's fake, baby.”
“Grandma!”
“Oh, I hope poor Nerissa doesn't have to—”
“Stop!”My cheeks flamed and I buried my head in my hands.
“And for the record, people don’t get this worked up over fake relationships.It's amazing what the power of love can do, ain't it?”
Love?
A quiet breath left me, something fragile slipping through the cracks of all my carefully maintained composure.
“We are most definitely not in love.”
“You may not be, but I know a man in love when I see one, baby, and that man is sunk deeper than the Titanic.”
“He’s not.We'renot.”
The words came out too quickly.Too sharp to be convincing.
I shook my head, jumping to my feet as if it would stop the butterflies in my stomach, as if the distance from her would stop that nonsense.“He’s not in love with me.He hasn’t even reached out.”
Mama V didn’t interrupt.
“It’s been days,” I continued, my voice tightening despite my best effort to keep it even.“After everything that happened, after that argument—nothing.No call.No text.Zero, zip, nada.”
A humorless laugh slipped out.“That doesn’t exactly scream man in love, Grandma.”
Silence.
Then—
“And what did you do?”she asked calmly.
I blinked.“What?”
“In those same days,” she clarified, tilting her head slightly, “what did you do?”
I hesitated.“That’s different.”
“How?”
