“Don’t,” he says, shaking his head. He runs a hand through his hair. “Jesus.I have to go.”
Her heart squeezes in her chest as she watches him pick up the contents of her bag and set it on the desk before moving to slide his bag on his shoulder.
“Roman,” she calls out, stopping his movements. “We’re okay, right?”
“Yeah, we’re good.”
But even she knows he’s lying as he walks through the door.
CHAPTER 25
HOW IT SHOULD BE
JAHLANI
Jahlani used to love the holidays. When she was younger, and both her parents were around, it was the things she looked forward to the most as a kid. Growing up in a somewhat religious Caribbean household meant that Halloween was a no-go for her. She spent most of them sneaking around with her cousins for candy. But Thanksgiving and Christmas wereeverything. At Christmas, they’d decorate the tree together, she’d make a list, and then she’d take turns going shopping with each parent, a truenon-believer, but she wasn’t upset. Always too logical to believe in things like the Easter Bunny. The Tooth Fairy. Bloody Mary. It was the act of spending time with her parents that she liked.
Thanksgiving is her favorite.
Washer favorite until the divorce. Every year until high school, they would alternate holidays, until she left for college, and then she just stopped showing up for either one. Not that they noticed or cared.
Which is why she can’t stop the twitch that grips her left eye as she reads the confirmation email her dad had forwarded to her last night. A round trip to visit him for the weekend. Sheimmediately dials his number, chewing on her lip as she waits for him to pick up.
“Jahlani.”
“Dad, hey.” She exhales, deciding on her next words carefully. “The plane ticket?”
“Yeah.”
She blinks slowly. “Why?”
His sigh is deep and heavy and sohim. “Well, Helen figured …”
Ah. Helen.
Jahlani doesn’t hate Helen. Truthfully, she’s a wonderful person—an elementary school teacher who volunteers at a homeless shelter on weekends, walks when she can to cut carbon emissions, and takes care of everyone. She takes care of him. She reminds my dad to take his medication. She makes sure he takes care of her.
And that’s the problem.
“Jahlani? Did you hear me?”
She blinks, shaking her head. “Sorry, bad connection,” she mumbles.
“Okay, well. Let her know what you want.”
Her head rears back. “Dad, I’m not coming.”
Silence greets her on the other end for a moment before he clears his throat, the noise loud in her ear.
“Does that date not work for you?”
“No, I just …” She sighs, running the tips of her fingers across her necklace.Don’t think you actually want me there.
Jahlani pulls the phone away from her ear as her throat tightens. She takes a shaky inhale before blowing out the air and drawing the phone back to her ear.
“Dad, I’m confused. You’reconfusingme. The last time we spoke, you called me greedy and a whole bunch of reallyhurtfulthings. Why would I want to spend Thanksgiving with you?” she says, letting out a bitter chuckle.
“Because I’m your father and we haven’t seen each other in years.”
