Page 18 of The Best Man: Unfinished Business

“You’re up late,” she said, glancing over to see a vague outline of Harper in one of the rooms of his new expensive place, in the pitch-dark of the nighttime there. A stark contrast to the brilliance of the day that had already fully erupted in Ghana.

“Hey, can you move the phone so I can see you? The Ghanaian sky is nice, but I would rather see your face.” Harper sounded kind and sincere.

Why? Robyn thought. He’s not your responsibility anymore, Robyn. She grabbed the phone and put it in the cradle anyway. “That better?”

“Much. You alright?”

“I’m fine, Harper.”

“Good. You look pretty.” Robyn tried not to react. What does he want? Just as she began to wonder, he continued. “Sorry about the dig earlier. It just came out. I was only teasing.”

“I get it, but it’d be nice to not paint me as the mean parent who’s doing her best to set limits for our child.”

“I think you’re overstating it a bit…”

“That’s fine. You can think that. It’s my opinion and I’m sharing. Okay?” Robyn knew she was being short. She wasn’t in the mood to debate or argue.

“Look, I was just saying good morning to you guys.” Harper had a touch of impatience in his voice.

Robyn stayed even-keeled, but with growing curiosity.

This wasn’t an ordinary call. She knew that now.

But she hoped that with civility, she’d bring him quickly to his point.

“And Mia appreciates it. You’ve been good about being present.

But next time you decide to extend her stay, we should discuss it and not have you just spring it on me.

It’s not fair.” Robyn swore she heard a huff from Harper’s end of the line.

“What was that?” Robyn expected him to take her concerns seriously.

“Nothing. My bad.” Harper replied with fatigue scraping through his voice. “She was having a good time. And had an opportunity to hang at Keisha’s birthday party. She felt like a big girl being asked to stay over with Uncle Murch. And you said it was cool.”

“I did…but I just think at this age, we need to give her the rules that we expect her to follow. She’s already taking leeway where she can. I don’t want this to start getting worse.”

Harper sighed. Give him grace, Robyn, her mind implored. That was her nature anyway, not this version of her that was short and terse. She allowed a deep breath for herself.

“Listen, Harper, do you need anything else?” She hated the way the mobile device made her available at all hours of the day. Harper knew that. “I have to get my day started,” she reminded him.

“I get it. I’ll let you go…I just…uhhh…Oh. Candace’s party was fun.”

“Good.” Robyn couldn’t help smiling. “Did you get her the soy candle?”

“Wellll…by the time I got your suggestion…”

“By the time you got it? Well, maybe you should have asked me sooner,” Robyn said flatly.

“I should’ve…just been…busy…you know…” He trailed off.

“Yup, I know.” All too well. “What’d you end up getting?”

“Himalayan salt lamp. From Pakistan.” Harper’s response sounded tentative.

Robyn let loose a sardonic chuckle. “What saleslady convinced you that was the right thing?”

“It was fine…”

Why am I engaging with him? Robyn asked herself.

“The food was good,” Harper continued. “I think you would have liked it. Nice atmosphere too. Very New York. Very Black…”

Robyn didn’t respond other than with a barely audible and disinterested “uh-huh.” She’d already tried disengaging twice; cordial didn’t seem to be working.

“You were missed,” Harper said finally. The tenor in his voice implied he’d thought about saying it before he did. There was something there. He definitely wants something. He needs something. He needs a lot of things…. Robyn didn’t have the time or patience to probe.

“That’s nice. Candace sounded like she felt celebrated,” Robyn noted.

“She did. She was. Murch did it up. Yup.” Harper lingered.

After an unnecessarily awkward few seconds, Robyn exhaled loudly. “Okay, sounds like you should get some sleep. I’ll talk to you later—”

“Are you seeing somebody?” Harper lobbed the question quickly.

For the first time Robyn looked at the phone for more than a beat. That’s what? No, he didn’t take this roundabout path to get in my business.

“What?” Robyn said aloud. Maybe she’d misheard. He wouldn’t dare repeat that.

“Uhhhh, I said, are you seeing somebody?”

“Why are you asking me that?” Robyn tried to be gracious, but that question? Coming from Harper now, it was out of line. Audacious even.

“One, I’m curious,” he said casually, as if that had been a perfectly normal inquiry.

Did this man just say he’s curious? About who I’m dating? There’s no way that Harper would have the nerve to…

“And two,” he added, “you’re the mother of my child.”

“And? What does that mean?” Harper was setting himself on thin ice.

“It just means that…” Harper paused. He looked away from the screen. “I mean, if you’re seeing someone, I just want to know what man…or men…are around my daughter, that’s all.”

Robyn shook her head in disbelief. “Oh really, Harper? All of a sudden, you’re so very interested in what’s going on here?”

“Is that so strange?”

Robyn released a heavy sigh and searched for the right response.

“You have got to be kidding me,” she said softly as her head shook in slow disbelief.

And then her disbelief became louder. “I’m living my life, Harper.

And Mia is safe. My life may or may not involve dating someone, but that is none of your concern. ”

“Well, has Mia met this someone you may or may not be dating? Hypothetically, I guess,” Harper pressed.

“Harper, we can talk straight. You aren’t worried about Mia. You heard from somebody, Candace, I imagine, that I’m seeing someone and you’re just being nosy. In my business.”

“No, really, Robyn, that’s not it…it’s just—”

By now, Robyn had lost all patience with him and this conversation.

She decided to end it and quickly, for real this time.

“Okay, Harper, let’s say I take you at your word.

That this is about Mia. So then, are you seeing someone?

What women have you had around? Are you seeing somebody—or some bodies? Out there having fun, right?”

Harper exhaled deeply and rolled his eyes dramatically. “Robyn,” he pleaded.

But she wasn’t about to let up now. “What’s the matter? You don’t like me asking you about your personal business? Who are you fu—”

“You know what?” By now Harper was waving his hand in the air, as if to clear things up between them.

Robyn made sure to stifle her smile to let him continue.

“It’s not that serious. I was just checking in.

I didn’t mean to pry. I know we’re not together and we have our separate lives, but I do still care about you and what’s going on in your life.

What affects you affects Mia. And after all, we’re still a family, even if it’s an unconventional one. So forgive me for being… nosy. ”

Harper’s words rang a bell in Robyn’s gut. She had called him nosy. Maybe she was being too sensitive? She closed her eyes and allowed herself another deep breath. Grace, Robyn. Give him grace.

She returned to the conversation with a much lighter demeanor.

“Like you said,” she replied as breezily as she could manage, “it’s not that serious.

But I do have to go. The day has started, and I need to get to the restaurant.

” She felt relieved to see Harper smile and nod.

“Goodbye, Harper.” She reached toward the screen to end the call. And saw his head bob forward.

“So, just to be clear,” he said quickly, “you’re not seeing somebody, then?”

Robyn laughed. It was all there was left to do. “ Goodbye, Harper,” she said, and ended the call before another word could pass between the two of them.

—

By the end of the call, Robyn was renavigating Accra’s rush-hour traffic, headed east, making decent progress toward her destination.

Despite this morning’s bumpy exchange, she was glad for the evolution of their relationship, which was more cordial now, friendly even, with each other’s supposed best interests at heart.

Maybe Harper even meant well by questioning her about who she was dating—though it was doubtful that was his motivation.

Was Harper Stewart actually jealous that his ex might be keeping the company of another someone?

She smiled at the notion that Harper felt some kind of way.

Still, it was her business and her business alone that yes, there was someone.

Kwesi …just the thought of his name brought a smile to Robyn’s lips first and then to her entire face.

He had already left his usual good morning text during her call with Harper.

Kwesi would be back in two days, this Thursday, from another one of his regular work trips.

Robyn had already been contemplating how she’d show him in more ways than one how much she’d missed him while he was gone.

She was in need of some attention, some desire, some passion beyond just being needed for care and survival.

The call with Harper was an uneasy reminder of how much Robyn had poured into her marriage.

And it seemed like her ex-husband was growing, but slowly, like a stubborn shrub.

He still wanted what he wanted when he wanted it and wasn’t trying to take her needs into account.

But that was no longer her concern. I’m not his comforter or counselor, she reminded herself.

Even that small adjustment had taken a long time.

Now it was her opportunity to decide where to next, not just in her life, but for the day ahead.

She was free, temporarily, to be Robyn the person and not just the mother.

No longer the wife—instead she was a healing version of herself who could and was willing to meet her own needs.

Right now Robyn needed Robyn and Labadi Beach called to her.