Page 65 of The Best Man: Unfinished Business

Mia helped Harper set the table. No matter the tension with Robyn, it still delighted him to see his daughter so excited and for them to sit down as a family.

She’d been talking about it all day since Harper picked her up from school.

Her face lit up with happiness when she learned he’d be making chicken paillard, her favorite dish.

And though Harper wasn’t the best cook, he could manage to bring a taste of comfort to his daughter.

Everything looked good on the plate, well-cooked, flavorful, and it smelled like something he’d want to taste.

Harper had even brewed iced tea from scratch and sweetened it with local honey.

But despite all his careful preparation, what was supposed to be a relaxed evening was now rife with tension.

Harper knew it was his fault. He’d blown it.

There had been an opportunity to be straight with Robyn.

And yes, she was his ex-wife, but she deserved to know and to hear it from him before anyone else.

He had no idea how she got that photo, but now that she had it, he knew very well what it meant—embarrassment for Robyn.

And him being selfish, again. Never mind that they were divorced.

There was no easy way to make up for this.

But he had to try; that was the least he could do.

Harper resolved that before leaving for the evening, he’d make sure he communicated to Robyn about Aboagye and what his proposal was.

It wasn’t necessarily a peace offering, but he was trying to offer her peace—peace of mind. She deserved that.

Robyn had always been better with the truth and talking things out.

Even if she was mad. Even when she’d stumbled upon the picture, and the news of him and Jordan, she was unsurprisingly upset, but metered.

Reasonable. Why has it taken me so long to learn and especially to trust that about her?

Harper wondered. There were still mysteries within him that carried Robyn’s name.

Even despite these years apart. She was a test he kept failing.

Could he ever learn how to love and not damage, to support but not suffocate?

Could he trust himself enough to entrust Robyn with the truth?

That he meant well, that he wanted the best for her, that he’d really, this time, truly changed.

He’d come with the best intentions for her and for Jordan.

But if he couldn’t get it right with Robyn, how could he ever trust himself to get it right with Jordan?

At this point, he should know better. He did know better.

So, no matter what it took, before he headed back to his hotel for the night, he’d make everything clear, transparent.

After dinner, he thought. Let Mia enjoy both her parents and hopefully Robyn could compartmentalize… yet again.

With the table set, Harper and Mia sat playing a game of UNO while they waited for Robyn.

Harper didn’t dare rush her in his attempt to keep the peace.

Once they got past his going behind her back they could get down to brass tacks and he’d give her the news about Aboagye and the rent money.

Robyn had a lot of pride, but she wasn’t stupid.

“Mom!” Mia bellowed. “Come on, the food is getting cold!”

Harper put his hand on hers. “Honey, give Mom a few more minutes.”

“But I’m hungry and it smells so good,” she protested, unaware of the adult dynamics at play. Harper reached for some dinner rolls and placed one on Mia’s plate.

“Have some bread,” Harper offered.

Mia pushed it away. “No, Daddy,” she said. “Not before grace.”

“Right. My bad.” Harper was relieved. Mia just wanted to say grace. “We’ll just have to be patient, okay?”

“All right,” she responded. “Mom! Come on!” she bellowed again. Harper looked at Mia disapprovingly.

“What?” She shrugged. Harper cut his eyes at her.

At that moment Robyn breezed into the room in loungewear.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m here. I’m ready,” Robyn said. She looked devoid of the tension she’d left the room with thirty minutes prior. “Everything looks great.” Robyn’s tone was pleasant and sincere. “Yummy.”

“Thanks Ro— Mom. ” Harper looked at her with a small smile. She returned a small cursory smile of her own. Harper knew it was performative, but he was grateful for it on this night. Why should Mia be dragged into their bullshit? His bullshit.

“Okay, shall we say grace?” Robyn asked.

“Yup!” Mia insisted.

“So let’s do it,” Harper said. “Ms. Mia, please do the honors.”

“Okay.” Mia reached out her hands for her parents. “Give me your hands, please.”

Harper and Robyn offered their left and right hands respectively. Harper looked from Mia to Robyn, who met his eyes after watching Mia bow her head. Robyn held Harper’s gaze for a moment before bowing her head and closing her eyes. Harper followed suit.

Mia began. “Gracious Father, thank you for the meal we are about to receive for the nourishment of our bodies. Please bless Daddy’s hands who prepared it.

We thank you for allowing us to be together as a family.

We thank you for Mommy and Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa Stewart, GranGran and PopPop.

We also offer thanks to the ancestors who braved the journey to America with strength, resilience, and faith that allowed us to be here today and may those who aren’t with us always watch over us including baby Solomon. Our angel.”

Solomon? Harper’s eyes snapped open and his brow furrowed. He looked at Mia, whose eyes remained closed. Harper shifted his eyes to Robyn, who remained locked in prayer as well. Calm. Calm? “These blessings we ask in your holy name. Amen.”

“Amen,” Robyn echoed.

Harper sat momentarily frozen in shock, as he had not heard that name, Solomon, out loud in over twenty years. He looked again at Mia, who by now had opened her eyes. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. “ Amen, Daddy,” she pressed. Harper snapped out of his daze.

“Right. Right. Amen.” Harper cleared his throat and squeezed Mia’s hand back before letting go. “Good job, honey.”

“Yes. Good job, Mia,” Robyn echoed. “You’re getting better.”

“Practice makes perfect,” Mia said. “Can I get some chicken, Daddy?”

Harper pulled his gaze away from Robyn to address Mia. He felt like he was suffocating. “What’d you say, honey?”

“Chicken,” Mia repeated and pointed. Harper grabbed tongs.

“Of course. Sorry. Do you want a big piece or small piece?”

“A big piece,” Mia said eagerly. Robyn spooned salad onto Mia’s plate.

“Put the salad on top. It’ll make it taste super yummy,” Robyn said.

“Yup.” Harper smiled awkwardly. He really wanted to ask Robyn “What in the fuckin’ hell?

” but was in no position to question anything she was doing in her house.

Still, he needed to know how Solomon’s name was being tossed around so casually yet with such sacredness.

“So ummm, Mia, Solomon? What do you know about Solomon?”

Mia smiled with relaxed childish confidence. “Solomon’s my brother,” she said with affection. “He died before I was born. But he watches over me now from Heaven.”

What? “Oh.” Harper looked at Robyn, sure that the expression on his face said what his mouth could not.

Really? You told her about Solomon? Robyn simply looked back at him, a look of defiance in her eyes.

She held his glance and didn’t look away.

There was no mistake here. “I see,” Harper said while spooning marinated tomatoes onto his breaded chicken.

Harper watched Mia, who was happily eating, and turned to Robyn, and back at Mia.

His appetite had vanished, his stomach was frozen along with the rest of him.

He struggled to control his facial expression and push down the geyser of emotion that threatened to erupt from his throat.

Maybe he would shout, or cry, or even vomit.

There was nothing settled about that name, about that time in his life, in their lives, in Robyn’s.

Mia’s tribute had been so innocent. Solomon, our angel, she’d called him.

“You’re not going to eat your dinner, Daddy?” Mia’s voice touched him even before the warmth from her small hand reached the top of his larger one, suspended holding his fork. Only then did he realize he hadn’t moved. He swallowed hard, pushing saliva down his dry throat.

“Of course, honey,” he said, grabbing his knife to cut a small enough piece of chicken so he could manage it.

He wasn’t even sure that he’d be able to eat any of it.

But he’d try for Mia. He’d slice and pick off his plate, move things around, soldier through this meal.

Because as soon as Mia’s head hit the pillow for bed, there was a much more complicated conversation to have with Robyn than he ever anticipated.

“Mia, why don’t you tell Mommy about that science experiment you guys were working on today.

” Harper made a maximum effort to sound unaffected.

“Oh my God, Mommy, we made a lamp out of a lemon.”

“What?” Robyn reacted sincerely.

Mia nodded enthusiastically. “Yup,” she said. “It lit up a light bulb and everything….” Mia was fully engaged in regaling her parents with her latest discovery about the basics of electrochemistry while Harper forced a smile onto his face and pieces of chicken paillard down his tight, dry throat.