“I do, and I don’t regret my decision to get married, but this situation is a mess. I met Raymond today. He’s Garrett’s brother!”
Her mother screamed into the phone in a high-pitched voice. “Whaaaaaaat? His brother! Now, girl, that’s crazy. His own brother knocked up his wife?”
“Yes. How could he leave a detail like that out from me? I come from a family where we share everything, the good, bad and the ugly—except for when Aaliyah got pregnant. She did kind of keep that a secret but mostly we share. Garrett keeps everything so hidden inside.”
Felicia shook off her shock and attempted to give Imani some sound advice. “First, not every family is the same. Second, I can’t imagine living in a world where you can’t trust the people closest to you. His wife and brother, Imani? Think about that for a second. My original advice still stands, you chose each other to be married partners until death. That’s what you promised. Now, you’re just going to have to put your big girl panties on and be someone he can trust. Yes, there will be times where you’re going to want to hurt him bad but push those feelings to the side. With time and patience, he’ll see you. I mean, really see you, and you won’t have to force him to give away his secrets; he’ll do it all on his own.”
“I’m so angry. I don’t even want to be around him.”
“That’s when you have to be your sweetest. When your father does something that makes me want to run him over with a car, I’ll make him a nice dinner or make him a hot bath. Your grandmother always used to say—you catch more bees with honey than you do with vinegar. It’s really more for you than him. Then, when he’s in a good and loving mood, talk. He’ll hear you more clearly. Communication is the key to any successful relationship.”
“Big Mama always had good advice—I don’t know about being sweet. Not tonight.”
“Your grandmother was married to my father for sixty-two years until she was called home to heaven to be with him. Can’t argue with wisdom and success. Your father’s mother, on the other hand, she would have had the opposite advice. That woman would have made you a widow before your first anniversary.”
Imani laughed a little. “That’s true.”
Her mother laughed too. “Dry those tears. Don’t think I can’t hear them. Go get some candles and run Garrett a nice hot bath. It’s got to be some in that big fancy house he bought you. Oh, and get you some wine. That’s for you. Have a couple of glasses before you do all of the other stuff and hide the bottle.”
“Hide the bottle? Why?”
“You’ve got a little of your grandmother from the other side in you. I don’t want to read about Garrett’s death in the news tomorrow.”
That brought another smile to Imani’s face. “Thanks, Mom. You always know just what to say. I’ll call you later.”
After talking to her mother, Imani felt a little better. But, trying the sweetness remedy was going to take more skill than she possessed at the moment.
Shortly after Imani finished talking with her mom, Garrett walked into their bedroom and didn’t look in her direction. However, her eyes followed his every move. She knew he could feel them burning a hole into his back.
He walked over to his closet to put his coat away then went into the bathroom. Moments later, Imani heard the shower come on, and it took everything within her not to get up and give him a piece of her mind.
Instead, she took several deep breaths and waited patiently.
He came out, wet and wrapped in only a towel. Chiseled abs were calling her name. Damn him. He didn’t fight fair. “Are we going to talk about today?”
Garrett dropped his towel.
Imani’s mouth watered as he stood fully erect.
He knew the kind of effect he had on her. This wasn’t the first time he attempted to fix a fight with sex.
She wasn’t going to allow this one to get papered over with good, make that great, sex. Imani turned away. “Garrett, we should talk.”
He exhaled then got underneath the covers. Exhaustion and defeat in his voice, Garrett closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I can only hope that you’ll wait until after the custody hearing before you file for divorce.”
“What?! A divorce? Are you serious? Is that what you think I want?”
“I’m not good at being a husband.”
“Then, you need to work on it.”
“So, you don’t want a divorce?”
“What I want is to strangle you. What I want is for you to open up to me but no. I don’t want a divorce.” Imani hopped up on her knees. “Before you, I’d never even had a real boyfriend. I’m fighting for us! You need to do the same. You’ve built a billion-dollar company, and yet you can’t deal with me? I don’t get it. Why is it so hard for you to let me in?”
Garrett was relieved. He’d halfway believed by the time he came home that Imani would have had most of her bags packed. “I’ve been betrayed by everyone I’ve ever loved, Imani. It’s not easy to trust people.”
Imani wondered if she was
