Page 82 of The Impact (Parachutes #3)

Chapter Twenty-One

Valentine’s Day

Tahli

Tahli was wrapping chocolate hearts in cellophane bags with ribbons when Dali entered the kitchen.

“Mom, you can’t send food for Terran’s Valentines. Only cards and toys.”

Tahli’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “Are you kidding me? I just made twenty-four chocolate hearts for nothing? Thirty-six, because twelve were ugly as hell, and I had to throw them out.”

“That’s outrageous,” Dali chuckled. “So, listen…”

“So, listen…” Tahli mocked her, as Dali folded her hands on the kitchen counter.

“Demarcus wants us to be exclusive. What do you think?”

Tahli shrugged. “I mean, young love can be intense, baby. But he’s a very nice, well-spoken young man. Seems like he has a good head on his shoulders. Seems like he likes you a lot.”

“That’s what Dad says,” Dali straightened Tahli’s spine. “But Dad also said boys can like you for real, or like you enough to get to their endgame. Then when they get there, they lose interest. But he told me the ways you can usually spot the difference.”

Intrigue wore Tahli. “Do tell this magnificent Vin wisdom.”

“Well…he said back when he liked girls–”

“Trust me, your father still likes girls.”

“Eh…not really. When we go out, ladies are always flirting with him, and he doesn’t even pay them attention. But anyway, he said when he was younger and he liked a girl…it was easy for him to, like, give her compliments, and buy her expensive things like the latest purse or whatever.”

Tahli’s brows jumped.

“He said it took no effort and little thinking. But then when like, he met you. He really liked you. So, he put thought into learning the things you liked. Something about how you liked going to the movies and he took you when they were closed. He said when a boy really likes a girl, it’s not about money, it’s about effort.

That the boy becomes obsessed with making the girl smile. ”

“Oh,” was all Tahli could give. That movie theater. Even then, when Tahli knew she wanted to be Dalvin Hayes’ wife, she never believed it would happen. Now this day would have been their 17 th wedding anniversary.

“And…I really think Demarcus likes me. But I learned the game from Dad, so I got my eyes open. Plus…I keep in mind what you taught me.”

Tahli raised staggered eyes.

“You know? Always have my own thing going? Never get all wrapped up in boys? Let them come to you. Enjoy my youth. Focus on my goals.”

Tahli smiled a little.

“Which brings me to my next topic.”

“Oh, this was a meeting?” Tahli joked, as Dali rolled her eyes.

“You know I’m starting to look at my colleges.”

“And I’m hoping Rider is on the list, since I get free tuition.”

“Mom, you don’t even like your job enough to stay there another four years. You said yourself they’re always micro-managing how you teach and you’re always on Indeed.”

“I’ll stay there for free tuition,” Tahli chuckled.

“We don’t need free tuition. My daddy’s rich and my momma’s goodlooking,” Dali quoted Ike Turner, which she only knew from Vin teasing it through the years.

“If we were rich, we wouldn’t have to work.”

“You don’t have to work,” Dali reminded her. “Both of you want to work…to get even richer.” Instead of touché, Tahli clicked her tongue.

“So, after my tough times…” Dali spoke of the rocky past years, “none of it affected my GPA. It’s back up to a 4.

0. My guidance counselor thinks I have a shot at this Stanford scholarship and they’re already taking interviews next summer.

Mom, they have a program where I can start taking my college courses Senior year-”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa…” Tahli’s heart sank to her toes.

As a woman fighting the fear of change, so far removed from the free bird she used to be, her children had turned her less liberal.

“Stanford as in…California? As in across the fuc– As in across the country, Doll?” She saved herself from cursing.

“As in one of the best universities in the world? As in only a five-hour car ride from LA where Dad is, or a one-and-a-half-hour flight?”

“Your father’s not staying in LA. Wait…Is your father staying in LA?” Tahli’s mouth went arid.

“I don’t know. I think so?”

“You think so?” Panic almost made her shout. Why didn’t he tell her? Since when didn’t he tell her things? Since when…could he survive on a different coast than her?

“Wait a minute…” Tahli pinched the bridge of her nose. “Isn’t Demarcus going to play ball for The Golden Bears at Cal? Dali, don’t tell me you’re chasing that boy. You literally just said…”

“I’m not chasing him! Mom…it’s Stanford.”

Tahli shut up, stifling her fear. It was a school of achievers.

“Mom, I want to be a lawyer like Pop-Pop, and their law program is outrageous! And I have a shot , Mom. This program is competitive.”

Tears burned Tahli’s sinuses. They weren’t there yet. But maybe they were. Dali was incredible. Tahli never expected her daughter to have to wait until her senior year to know her next step.

“Are you telling me that I might have to get used to the idea of you living three thousand miles away from me?” Tahli fought getting choked up, and Dali dropped her pretty eyes to the counter.

“Or…”

Tahli held her breath.

“There’s like 700 colleges in California. You’re one of the best professors in the universe. It wouldn’t be hard for you to find a job there.”

Tahli jerked her head at the absurdity, not missing the compliment. All of her children were magic. But there was something special about those firstborns.

“Dali, I…” She shook her head. “I have a…”

She wouldn’t say career . Wouldn’t even mention this home that she was still two years later trying to make feel like one.

“Your grandfather is here, and your grandmother and…”

“And we can visit them. Just like we could visit Auntie Paige and Abby, and anyone else you’re about to name, the way Auntie Leah always visits.”

“Dali, Terran’s school. Milo just started high school.”

“And he hates it, Mom. Probably as much as Terran hates the kids at her school. No matter how many times Dad bullies the parents; a new one is picking on her the next week.”

Dali exhaled. “Milo misses DJ more than you know. They got like some weird connection. They’re on Fortnite and Call of Duty every night talking.”

Tahli wasn’t surprised.

“And Mom…” The way Dali said it ripped Tahli’s stare from the kitchen window. “Come on. I saw the truck rocking on Christmas Eve.”

Tahli rolled her tongue inside her closed mouth, tasting shame.

“More than that…I saw the way you looked at Dad when he was going back to LA. And I see the way you’ve been looking ever since.”

The sharp sting felt like she bit her tongue.

“Can you just think about it?” Then her baby left her. Temporarily. For now.

Tahli leaned on the counter, her chocolate-stained hand resting under her chin in reflection. These past months of solitude were therapeutic. But movement was inevitable. Tahli snatched her cell phone from the counter. Skimming her recent texts, she shot one off without thought.

Are you free to talk?

The bubbles appeared almost immediately.

I’m free in about an hour. Does that work?

Tahli sighed out relief.

Real quick. Shouldn’t be long. Thank you.

She chewed her lip. Then smiled softly when Larry replied.

See you then, Tahli.

Vin

“Here’s to seventeen hotels and a shitload of business, Dalvin.”

Vin only raised his glass enough to ensure the $62 million high-ticket hardscaping contract was sealed. The celebratory dinner at the Waldorf Astoria was in motion. They’d dined on dry-aged steaks and oysters and now sipped quality Bourbon. Vin should’ve been flying. But he was hollow.

“The thing is…we get California and Vegas rolling. Move into New York, Chicago, Dallas, and then Paris, London, and Milan.” Vin scratched behind his ear as one of the three clients rambled on.

He wouldn’t be able to repeat what was said next, his mind drifting with the hotel piano music playing softly in the background.

“Excuse me for a minute.”

Vin placed the phone to his ear as he walked off. It rang out four times before the voicemail greeted him.

“Hi, you’ve reached Tahli Hall. I’m not available right now. Please leave a message – ”

Vin sighed out disappointment, ending the call.

With his back to the wall at the restaurant entrance, Vin’s thumbs hovered over his phone in an overthought text.

Just checking in on you.

He stopped, deleting the last two words.

Just checking in. Wanted to say goodnight

Then he added two more…

to Terran.

He hit send, thankful Terran was still too young for her own phone. Then sent similar texts to Dali and Milo. Another text checking in with DJ, who was up in the hotel suite with Vin’s assistant. Vin didn’t want him too far away. DJ text back quickly that he was fine.

Sliding his phone into his pocket, his eyes roamed the room. Him and DJ knew no one in LA. Him and DJ had no one in LA. DJ missed his siblings. DJ missed Tahli.

Vin missed Tahli.

Did he put up enough of a fight? Fighting more would have been selfish.

Tahli made it clear despite it not being easy, moving on would serve her best. Vin needed to allow her the space to do it.

The back and forth was making her miserable.

She’d cried in Turks & Caicos. Who the fuck cries in Turks & Caicos?

“That’s why I had to let you go. If we were ever going to have a shot at forever. But I wasn’t going anywhere. You were gonna go and I was gonna stand right there until you found your way back.”

The first time Vin had lost her, after he finally stopped fighting against the currents of her storm, she drifted away only to brush up on his shore again.

Vin hit her with those words from his bleeding heart.

But this wasn’t a storm. This was the hole that sunk the ship.

This was a hole that conquered the parachute.