“Did he tell you why he wanted to meet here?” she asked, turning into the parking lot. Two cars surrounded the spot and Daureen had to work to fit her car inside. Nia sighed at the question, running slender fingers through her hair.
“No, he just said we could pick Melodie up from this coffee shop,” she repeated. She’d told her mom this three times before but Daureen was a stickler for details. It took her mom another five minutes to park the car and by the time she finished, Daureen was muttering angrily under her breath. Nia wished she could spend days with Melodie without her mother, but Daureen insisted.
The two women walked through the front door. It only took Nia a moment to find River sitting at a long booth.
With Hunter beside him.
“What is this?” Daureen asked, briskly walking up to the pair of men. “Where’s my granddaughter?”
“With a babysitter,” River answered simply, arms crossed over his chest. “I told her we were having a grown up conversation. She understood.”
The older woman’s mouth twisted sharply. He’d caught her off guard. And she hated surprises.
“Well who is he?” Daureen asked, pointing boldly at the tall white man. Hunter was unfazed by her disdain, which only angered her further. “I don’t understand what place he has in this conversation.”
Hunter had prepared for this. He couldn’t lie and say he was River’s lawyer in case Daureen kept proof of it, but explaining he was a close friend would do. But before he could lie, River grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together.
“My boyfriend, Mrs. Benjamin,” he said. Her full mouth fell open and she looked back and forth between the two men frantically. “Why don’t you take a seat.”
Nia slid into the empty side of the booth first. Daureen was much slower to sit, more concerned with staring at the two men across from her. As she did so, her mouth remained set into a harsh line. Nia watched her reaction with a sigh.
She’d known River’s sexuality from the beginning–he was always upfront about it. But, she never told her mother because the woman wasn’t exactly an ally. Nia felt no need to bring it up when River was in a faithful, straight marriage with her. Now, this was just another thing to keep Daureen on edge for the duration of this conversation.
The second the older Benjamin settled, River pulled out a briefcase. Nia felt a touch of deja vu when he threw down a thick, manila folder. Her mother reached for it first. When it opened, she paused.
Typically, Nia waited for her mother to explain what she’d read. Patience was a necessity for dealing with her. But when the minutes passed and Daureen still hadn’t said a word, Nia leaned in. She began reading the words herself and became similarly frozen.
Hunter had to stifle his smile. He knew the woman would be surprised, but total silence was even better than he’d imagined.
“I need to handle this,” River had told him a few hours ago when they talked about it. “They need to know that they can’t walk all over me anymore. No matter who’s beside me.”
So Hunter crossed his arms and waited for River to take the lead.
“It’s true that mothers get full custody 80% of the time,” River began, pointing to the top of the paper. “But that’s usually because the fathers don’t try. Most custody cases are settled without going to trial.”
“But I’m not most fathers,” he emphasized, wearing a little smirk that Hunter loved. “Statistically speaking, women struggle to win if men show interest in getting custody.”
River glanced at Hunter with a raised brow. The younger man re-buttoned his jacket with a smile. It was his turn now.
“Nia’s been gone for five years,” Hunter interjected, making the woman look at him, startled. “All of Nia’s teachers, doctors, and neighbors only know about River being in her life. They can all vouch for how great of a parent he is. Do you think Nia really has a chance?”
“This- this is-” Mrs. Benjamin sputtered, shuffling through the papers in a panic. “You have no proof.”
Every word printed on that page seemed to point to River being right, so she finally just slammed her hands down on the table.
River met her seething voice with a steady stare. Then, he looked at Nia. The younger woman was pressed into the corner, her body peeling away from her mother’s side. She looked less invested than he expected. He clenched his jaw and refocused on Daureen. Refocused on what he came here to do.
“The stats are all there,” he said, pointing at the papers she’d shoved away. At this point, Daureen wouldn’t look at them. It made River bite down a smile. “Or I can bring the divorce and custody lawyer who gave us this information here next time. That way, he can tell you in person.”
Daureen’s mouth kept opening and closing but no sound was coming out. If she was waiting for Nia to say something, she would be waiting a long time. The younger Benjamin was unmoving, arms crossed tightly across her chest.
For the first time in days, River wasn’t weighed down by fear. He could see the light at the end of the tunnel. So River leaned forward, exuding a new air of confidence when he stared into their eyes.
“If you still want to be in Melodie’s life in any capacity, I would recommend that you don’t test the courts.”
Hunter held his breath. River couldn’t afford to make this a trial. Putting Melodie through the stress of a court case was the last thing he wanted to do. He needed this. They needed this. Hunter moved using the privacy of the table, snaking his hand into River’s. The older man gave him a single firm squeeze back.
Then, Daureen Benjamin stood up and stormed out of the cafe. From a distance, Hunter heard her muttering angrily, kitten heels clicking noisily on the ground. One down. One to go.
Two heads turned to the black woman across from them. They waited for Nia to say something. Do something. Have any reaction. River’s hold on Hunter’s hand grew tighter, turning the latter’s fingers white.
Finally, Nia opened her mouth to simply say,
“Good.”
“Good?” Hunter interjected, mouth dropping open in shock. Whether it was his place or not, he couldn’t help asking. “After all the hell you gave River, this is good?”
Nia sat up in her chair and it was the first time Hunter noticed that she wasn’t wearing austere black like her mother–she wore pink. And she had cute little gems glued to the ends of her nails. It seems oddly lively for her to do compared to her mother’s stiff style.
The younger Benjamin pursed her lips, as if conflicted.
“I never wanted full custody,” she admitted. Hunter was taken aback and glancing River’s away showed that he felt the same way. “I’m not even sure if I wanted to see Melodie again but my mom-“
“Of course,” River breathed, realization dawning on him. “The only person ever capable of controlling Nia was Daureen Benjamin.”
“She dangled my inheritance in front of me. Said that if I didn’t bring her granddaughter back, she’d cut me out of her will,” she explained, eyes searching River’s pleadingly. “Everything my father owned is under her name and I wouldn’t get a cent of it.”
“So you never really cared about Melodie.”
Hunter’s words were harsh but exactly the thing River feared was true. Had he really married such a monster? But Nia’s expression softened and she shook her head.
“Of course I care about that girl. She’s my flesh and blood,” she smiled warmly. “That’s why I left.”
To his utter surprise, Nia reached out, holding his pale hand between her darker ones.
“River, you are a parent,” she emphasized, eyes brighter than he’d seen them in a long time. “I knew you could take care of her. Unlike me, you wouldn’t resent her for ‘messing with your career.’ Leaving was better.”
“That’s bullshit,” River spat. Fiercely, he enveloped both her hands in his, holding tightly. “Your daughter wants her mother. Even if she sees you once a month, that’s better than silence. Don’t disappear again, Nia.”
The plea to stay was unexpected. Nia looked utterly confused to hear it. But, after a moment. She seemed to reach a stage of acceptance.
“Alright.”
They didn’t discuss when Melodie would see her again. After all this drama, maybe Nia understood they could use some space. The young black woman stood, slipping the papers back into the folder which she tucked into her bag.
“Well, I’ll take these back to my mom,” she explained. “I think if she reads them a few more times, she’ll let me stay on the will.”
For two men who were also rich, they didn’t find that joke funny. Nia laughed to herself as she scooted out of the booth. Hunter was ready for her to leave but Nia paused, having halted mid-step.
“I hope . . .” she turned to River and Hunter, a sad smile on her beautiful face. “I hope you two are happy together.”
Then she left.
River couldn’t believe it was over. Just like that, they’d given up. Melodie would be okay.
River flinched, surprised when a thumb touched his cheek. Hunter was wiping away his tears because he was crying. The older man looked up, a little embarrassed to have cried in public. But what he saw made him burst into laughter.
Where River only shed a couple of tears, Hunter was full blown sobbing. His mouth was stuck in an ugly frowny face, fat tears pouring down his cheeks.
“It’s just-” the younger man hiccuped, making River laugh harder. “I’m so relieved.”
River pulled Hunter’s face into his shoulder, hugging the crying man with all his might. River’s daughter was safe. And he had the love of his life in his arms.
“Do you want a hot chocolate, crybaby?” River asked into the younger man’s thick hair. “I want to celebrate.”
———————————
Wow, writing this chapter–and this book–was a whirlwind.
Were you expecting the ending? Who guessed that this was mama Benjamin’s idea?
I hope you guys enjoyed this ending. I honestly think Melodie deserves to know her mom.
There’s one more chapter left so stay tuned for that coming next Friday!
Anywho,
Check out my socials!
Vote, Comment, Share, Follow, or anything else you can do with this book and I will see you next Friday! Bye!!!
Comment