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“Who?”
“Ummm…” I swallowed. “Jaquana.”
His forehead stretched, then brows furrowed. “Her? How?”
“A mutual friend.”
“What kind of friend? She’s in the big leagues. Million-dollar homes…celebrity clients.” So, I’d heard. “This shit’s gotta cost a pretty penny.”
I shrugged. “It’s a rental.”
He nodded, staring at me for a while. Finally, my father looked at me. “Damn. You look just like her,” he murmured, close to a whisper.
That spooked me a bit. “Who?”
“Darlene.”
Mommy…
My eyes fell. I didn’t know how to respond to that.
My father cleared his throat then reached back to scratch the back of his head. It was an uncharacteristic sign of unease for him. “I…ummm… I know you may not think so, but she would be real proud of the woman you are. Real proud.”
“You’re right.” I snorted. “I don’t believe you.”
“I respect that,” he murmured while nodding.
When the word-flow slowed, I decided to move things along, remembering my impending travel. “I know on the phone I told you I’d moved up here. I wanted you to see the place.”
“It’s nice.” His eyes brushed the room again.
“And let you know it would be cool if you came over once in a while for dinner, maybe? There’s even a pool in the back. So maybe this summer, I can throw something on the grill and we can hang out back there?”
He scoffed. “You cook?” I shook my head. “I ‘on’t cook either.”
“Tobias does.”
“Who—” Revelation hit. Then his face tightened. “What you mean?”
Upturning my lips, I nodded. “It’s official. We’re a…thing.” I blinked, showing my slip, actually. In my heart of hearts, I wanted to finally explore love with Tobias. I hoped it worked this time. “A real, for real thing.”
“Ain’t you still…”
“Married? Yup. I’ve filed and have to be separated for a full year.”
“Ol’ boy good with all this?” He gestured the house, which meant my choices—all of them.
I sighed, sitting on the edge of the sofa.Thesofa. The one Tobias and I made love in front of homecoming weekend. “I don’t think he has a choice. The judge ordered him to complete a nine-month drug treatment program. After that, we have three months to remain separated. I think it’ll be easy-peasy from there.” I giggled.
My father expressed no humor, which could have made the moment less awkward. It didn’t, though. I didn’t know this man, but the few interactions I’d had with him coming up, mirrored his dry personality on display now. It wasn’t offensive because I had an inkling that the man had an ounce of like for me.
He tossed his chin my way, face still deadpan. “He ever lay a hand on you?”
I shook my head with vehemence. “He’s all types of fucked up, but violent, Kelvin Richardson isn’t.Oryour trip down there that year may have done the trick.” I shrugged.
“Yeah. Now, listen here.” He pivoted, swiping his nose with his thumb. “About this Tobias thing: the kid need to come holler at me.”
“For what?”
