Page 70 of The Best Man: Unfinished Business

Chapter Forty-four

Robyn

In the restaurant, instead of cooking, Robyn wiped down a table.

Robyn’s Nest was down a busser today, but Robyn as usual led by example.

From time to time, she liked to be at the front of the house, greeting customers, letting them see the owner and operator on-site, doing what she loved.

No matter how stressful the job of running this place was, seeing smiles on folks’ faces when they tasted what she’d carefully crafted with loving hands made Robyn happy.

Robyn hadn’t heard anything from Harper since she left him standing in her kitchen last night.

Could he have left Ghana? Doubtful. Mia was upbeat and seemingly still on a high from last night’s dinner when she got dropped off this morning at school.

“Is Daddy coming to pick me up today?” was Mia’s question as she gathered her things.

“I’ll find out, baby. Have a great day. I love you,” Robyn had said.

“Daddy loves you too.” Mia smiled. The last comment came out of Robyn’s mouth involuntarily, but somehow, she felt compelled to say it.

He was her father. And he did love her. He had always been a great daddy.

Clearly, he hadn’t communicated with her that he was gone yet.

Who the fuck knows… Robyn sighed. Harper was still… Harper.

“Good morning.” Aboagye’s voice boomed into the dining room as he made his entrance, snapping Robyn out of her morning’s recollection.

Leading with his big belly, big smile, and those sunglasses on his face.

Most of the staff looked at him with a combination of amusement and derision.

Aboagye was like an annoying cousin who always overstayed his welcome and wanted a to-go plate.

“Good morning, Aboagye,” Robyn said. He smiled, took her hand and kissed it. He gestured toward the front door to a couple of medium-built men in work clothes. “I brought my guys to take a look at your roof. Is it okay for them to bring in a ladder?”

What? What’s gotten into him? she wondered. Finally, he’s making repairs?

“Ummm, yeah. But…” Before Robyn could qualify her answer, Aboagye was already signaling the workmen to come in and pointing out the culprit in the roof.

“Make sure to cover the counter and floors, gentlemen…” he commanded as the crew brought in plastic drapes.

“Wait a minute, what’s going on, Aboagye?” Robyn asked.

“Is this a bad time? I can have them come back later if that’s what you’d like,” Aboagye proposed, more politely than she’d ever heard him.

“No, it’s perfectly fine. The breakfast rush is dying down. And I’d rather get it done than not, especially after all this time,” Robyn said, barely masking her sarcasm.

“I knew that was your schedule and hoping that was the case,” Aboagye said with renewed enthusiasm. Robyn grew even more suspicious. Aboagye was acting…strange.

“I appreciate it, but why now after all these weeksof complaining?” she asked. Aboagye opened his mouth and leaned his head back slightly.

“Ahhh, so you haven’t spoken to your husband?” Aboagye said, looking at Robyn’s confused and crinkled visage. “Sorry. I meant your ‘ex-husband.’?”

“Harper?” Robyn questioned. “What does Harper have to do with this?” Aboagye squinted behind his sunglasses, took a breath, and stepped toward Robyn.

“He is saving you. He is saving your business,” Aboagye reported as he nodded with a smile.

“What?” Robyn was shocked. Aboagye’s words made no sense. Savingme?

Aboagye explained Harper’s offer of covering the next two years’ rent. Robyn could see Haniah out of the corner of her eye, behind the bar counter cleaning, but definitely listening.

“He said he was going to talk to you about this the other day,” Aboagye reported.

“But I have accepted his offer.” The other day?

Robyn thought. So much had come up between her and Harper in the past twenty-four hours that this bit of news should have been under the heading of “things to discuss.” She vaguely remembered Harper wanting to discuss something last night but yesterday had been so full of emotional outpouring, conflict, and anger that Robyn couldn’t hold it all in her brain. Jesus Christ, Harper…

“Well, he didn’t. This is a surprise,” Robyn declared.

“Hopefully, a pleasant one for you.” Aboagye smiled as Robyn processed.

“It is a gift. And a beautiful woman like you deserves it for the wonderful service you provide for your customers. Am I right?!” Aboagye said to the entirety of the sparsely populated dining room.

The few patrons looked at each other and then Aboagye with amusement.

Some nodded, some smiled, others looked to Robyn for a cue of approval. She was losing her patience.

“Aboagye, please,” Robyn said signaling him to chill and quiet down.

He just smiled and let out a big belly laugh.

“I am sorry. No disrespect, Ms. Robyn. We will keep things quiet and the disruption to a minimum,” Aboagye declared.

“Haniah, love? I’ll take a cappuccino, extra foam.

And some of Robyn’s delicious bofrot. So sweet, so tasty.

” Aboagye looked at Robyn with a smile and raised eyebrows.

Robyn turned to Haniah who smiled and began his cappuccino.

Robyn turned back to Aboagye who laughed joyfully, anticipating his order.

This could not be happening again. Going behind her back?

Another secret? Coming out in ways both surprising and disruptive.

Robyn started to seethe and then caught herself, finally finding her words.

“You need to leave,” Robyn said calmly but with intention in her voice. Aboagye slowly lost his smile and turned his head back to fully face Robyn. He leaned forward slightly to make sure he heard correctly.

“I’m sorry, miss. Did you say I should leave?” Aboagye said.

“Yes. And take your men with you,” Robyn elaborated.

“Robyn—?” Haniah said in protest. Robyn didn’t miss a beat.

“Haniah, please give Mr. Aboagye his cappuccino to go and make his men a couple as well to go with the bofrot,” Robyn said. Then she turned back to Aboagye. “Also to go.” Now he looked extremely confused by what was happening. Haniah swooped in from behind the counter.

“Robyn, don’t do this,” Haniah said as discreetly as she could muster. “At least let them work on the roof.”

“Sister Robyn, please listen to your employee,” Aboagye said, but Robyn was locked into her messaging.

“Haniah, we have to get ready for the lunch rush, so I have to get back to the kosua ne meko.” Haniah looked confused and shocked.

Robyn turned back to Aboagye. “Make sure they get what they need…to eat. And have your men please sweep away any dust you brought in with you.” With that Robyn headed back to the kitchen.

“You are making a mistake, Robyn,” Aboagye announced to Robyn’s retreating back. “I have other people who want this space!”

Robyn waved goodbye without turning around. “Have a great day,” she called out as she walked through the door of her kitchen.

Robyn returned to her task of pounding plantains for today’s fufu.

But thoughts of Harper and Aboagye conspiring to determine her future and the future of Robyn’s Nest was as bitter as the pith beneath the lemon peel she had zested this morning.

This grand financial gesture would allow Robyn to see her restaurant thrive in a way that it deserved.

Robyn wanted her business to survive and Harper in all his fucking generosity could obviously make it happen.

Robyn knew she deserved it. But it felt like there was a catch.

With Harper there always was—something involving him and his needs.

Robyn wasn’t interested in being caught up in that.

She just wanted to live her life, move forward. Her way. On her terms.

Robyn sniffled as she continued pounding the plantains into submission when Haniah came back into the kitchen much more upset than Robyn had ever seen her.

“Do you realize what is happening, Robyn?” Haniah got in her face. “You’re going to lose me. You could lose all of us if things keep going this way. You must put your pride aside for a minute and think of others.” The kitchen staff stole glances at the confrontation, also looking for answers.

Robyn remained steadfast. “That’s all I’ve ever done, Haniah,” Robyn replied. “I need to look out for me and my best interests.”

Haniah fell silent but nodded in a way of deep processing.

“Well…I’m going to have to do the same,” Haniah stated.

Robyn simply continued pounding the plantains.

Haniah walked to the dining room, grabbed some fresh bofrot on her way.

As she passed through the door Robyn looked up at where she’d exited.

Now the eyes of all the other cooks and waitstaff were trained on Robyn.

She turned her attention to them, unflinching.

“We’re going to have a bunch of hungry customers here before we know it. Let’s not be overrun and make sure we’re on point.” Robyn’s words made the staff break their trance and get back to their respective duties.

12:17 a.m.

At home in her kitchen, Robyn stood at her sink and aimlessly swirled a soapy sponge around the dinner plate as the rain started.

She heard it on the rooftop at first. She looked up toward the heavy patter of large, then frequent raindrops banging on her kitchen window.

Her heart sank. How could her day get worse?

This was how. The roof that Aboagye left without fixing would drip again, leaving another mess to clean in the morning.

It’d been a long day, and she felt it in her body like it’d been even longer than twenty-four hours.

It wasn’t just the long day at work, or the added pressures mounting in every moment with the staff at Robyn’s Nest, or even her blowup with Haniah.

It was Harper too. Involving himself like she didn’t exist. She still hadn’t heard anything from him.

Had he gone back to New York? Did he go back to his “just happened” tryst with Jordan in California?

Eating goat cheese omelets, drinking lattes, and hitting the fucking hiking trails?

Satisfied that he had “solved” all the problems here in Accra?

Robyn shook her head in disgust. The nerve of this man to come in, cause disruption and drama, and just leave.

He didn’t even tell Mia. She was disappointed when Robyn picked her up this afternoon.

With all she had to deal with she didn’t need that bullshit either. Fuck you, Harper. Just fuck you.

Though these weren’t the words she left in a flurry of voicemails to his phone, her tone was clear.

“I don’t need to be rescued by you, Harper Stewart” began one.

“I will not be beholden to you” was the gist of another.

“You’ve brought nothing but confusion and disruption and I’ve had absolutely enough.

But you should have the decency to at least let your daughter know what you’re doing…

” was part of another. He’d get the messages when he landed, Robyn supposed.

But some indication would have been considerate at least. Since he wanted to “help” so much.

After her spat with Haniah she knew that the staff had to be looking elsewhere, and who could blame them?

Would they show up in the morning to sweep out and clean up the dining room floor, which she was sure was taking on water at this very moment?

She was numb save for the headache that was threatening to add its own layer of physical discomfort.

What was she going to do? Harper’s meddling, his presence here in Accra, his insertion into her life and affairs had muddled everything, destabilized her.

Because deep down somewhere was the insistent truth that she had felt a small amount of relief when she heard about Harper’s offer to cover the rent.

She also would be a fool not to admit that it had been helpful to have him pick up Mia from school so she didn’t have to disrupt her workday.

And even here, at home, it’d been days since she both cooked dinner and washed the dishes because he’d been another set of hands to take half the load.

It was helpful having him here. With the longest sigh, Robyn had to at least admit that to herself.

Helpful wasn’t the problem, needing him was.

He was just trying to contribute. Robyn knew this, and she also knew that there was something foolish about her own force of pride.

She was rejecting his offer, she was rejecting Kwesi’s support, she was swatting away every hand extended to her.

Why? Because she wanted to do it herself?

And what good would that do? What did that prove?

Since when had she become this person? Someone who got stuck on the formalities of things, who cared about appearances, who missed the point?

This wasn’t her either. And with that, the slow realization developed within her that by insisting on being the savior in the situation, she was letting everyone else down, herself included.

The disappointment brought the first tear to her eye, which welled up in the corner until it slid down her cheek into the sudsy water below.

She let the tears fall. Not the first time she’d cried like this—in frustration, alone, confused, along with the rain.

But I don’t want to be saved, Robyn thought.

But maybe I… She didn’t get a chance to complete the thought as her doorbell rang.

Mia was sleeping and she rushed over without thinking just to make sure there wouldn’t be another ring to wake her.

She wiped her hands down her apron, rubbing the last of the suds off, and then the last of the tears from her cheeks.

She squared her shoulders and filled her lungs with air to pull the door open.

In front of her, a most familiar face, but not familiar in this way. It was him, brown skin, bald head, a shadow of a beard. But distraught, breathing like he’d been running a marathon and soaking wet from the downpour.

“Harper? What are you doing here?”