Hakeem walked in like nothing had happened. Like I hadn’t died a little every day while he was gone.
He stood in the living room, loosened his tie, and said, “Margaret told me the only thing she regrets is not getting to marry me. So I’m fixing that. Let's get divorce now so I can finally give her the wedding she wanted.”
He didn’t even look at me when he said it. Just dropped the words like a business deal.
No explanation. Just a decision.
I looked at him. Really looked at him. This was the same man who used to whisper he’d bury the world for me. Who once told me I was his religion in a world full of lies. Now he looked at me like I was nothing but noise in the background.
I wanted to ask, “Do you love her?”
But I already knew. I’d known it from the moment she came back.
And I almost asked, “Did you ever love me?”
But right then, Margaret walked in and said his name. Soft. Sweet. Like she hadn’t wrecked everything.
He turned to her instantly.
His face softened. His eyes lit up. He hadn’t looked at me like that in years.
I held my breath. Then smiled. A small, broken thing that tasted like blood in my mouth.
“Congratulations,” I told him. “Hope you two are really happy.”
He tilted his head. “What was that?”
“Nothing,” I said, still smiling. “Just wishing you luck.”
He stood there, hand on the doorframe. Looked like he was thinking of saying something. Then Margaret’s voice called out again from the hall.
And just like that, he turned away.
He left.
---
The next few days were a blur of wedding prep. Margot on every phone call, every photo shoot. Hakeem beside her every step. Sharp suit, cold eyes, fake smile.
He planned that wedding like it was war. Every detail locked in. Every guest list was reviewed twice.
He hadn’t put this much effort into our wedding.
Then, just a few days before the ceremony, Margaret came to me with that same plastic smile she wore when she handed me my dead mother’s locket.
“Harmony,” she said, like we were best friends, “I realized we don’t have a ring bearer. And I was thinking, wouldn’t it be so perfect if Aziel did it? I mean, he’s practically family.”
I didn’t say anything at first. I just stared at her.
Then I stood. My voice came out low and clear.
“There’s a thousand kids you could use. But you picked him. Why?”