Chapter 1: That's My Wife
“Your who?!””
Denise’s voice cracked through the kitchen so sharply that even the refrigerator seemed loud afterward.
Jalen Carter stood beside the marble island, his fingers wrapped around Imani’s hand. Their matching gold wedding bands caught the soft morning sunlight pouring through the windows.
Across from them, Denise stared as if her eighteen-year-old son had just announced that he was moving to another planet.
Marcus, Jalen’s father, still held the folded marriage certificate between two fingers. His earlier amusement had vanished, replaced by an expression that moved slowly from disbelief to anger.
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
Then Denise slapped her palm against the island.
“No. Absolutely not.”” She pointed at Jalen’s hand.
“Take that ring off.””
Jalen swallowed.
“Ma, listen—”
“Take. It. Off.””
Imani’s fingers tightened around his.
Jalen looked down at her, then back at his mother.
“No.””
That single word changed everything.
Denise pulled back as if he had physically struck her.
Marcus placed the certificate on the counter, smoothing its creases with the side of his hand.
“Boy, I gave you a chance to tell me this was some kind of joke. You had your opportunity. Now you're standing in my kitchen telling me you actually married this girl?””
“Her name is Imani,” Jalen replied.
“I know her name!””
“Then say it like you respect her.””
Marcus's eyebrows rose.
For the first time that morning, Jalen saw something unfamiliar in his father's face. Not merely anger. Surprise.
His son had always been the quiet one. The boy who washed dishes without being asked, who worked weekend shifts at a grocery store, who listened more than he talked. When Marcus raised his voice, Jalen usually lowered his.
Today, he wasn't lowering anything.
Denise grabbed the certificate before Marcus could stop her.
“Let me see this.””
She opened it with a sharp tug, scanning the printed names. Her eyes stopped on the date.
“You did this last week?””
Jalen nodded.
“Last week?”” Denise repeated.
“You went to school, came home, ate dinner at my table, and went to bed like everything was normal?””
“We weren't trying to lie to you,” Jalen said.
Denise let out a short, humorless laugh.
“You weren't trying to lie? Then what exactly do you call keeping a whole marriage secret from your parents?””
Imani drew a slow breath.
“We wanted to tell you.””
Denise turned toward her.
“And you thought the best way to tell us was to show up wearing a ring?””
“No, ma'am. We—”
“Don't call me ma'am like we're strangers.””
Imani's mouth closed.
Jalen felt her hand trembling inside his. He shifted closer until their shoulders touched.
Marcus noticed.
That seemed to irritate him even more.
“Look at you,” he said to Jalen.
“Standing there playing husband. You got a job that gives you what, twenty hours a week? You still live under my roof.
Who's paying your bills? Who's putting food in your refrigerator?””
“I work thirty hours now.””
“Oh, thirty hours!”” Marcus spread his arms.
“Well, excuse me. We got a provider in the house.””
“Marcus,” Denise warned, though her expression suggested she agreed with every word.
Jalen's jaw tightened.
“I have savings. Imani works too. We have a place to stay.””
Denise stared at him.
“A place to stay?””
Imani finally spoke with more confidence.
“We found a small apartment near my job. We paid the deposit ourselves.””
“An apartment?”” Denise repeated.
“You have an apartment, a secret marriage, and apparently an entire life we know nothing about.””
She pressed the certificate flat against the marble.
“Who helped you do this?””
“Nobody,” Jalen answered.
“Who signed as your witness?””
“Mrs. Alvarez from the courthouse. She was there when we needed a witness.””
Denise looked toward Marcus.
“Do you hear this?””
Marcus shook his head slowly.
“I hear a boy who thinks signing a piece of paper makes him a man.””
Jalen's voice dropped.
“And I hear a father who thinks being eighteen means I can't make a decision without his permission.””
The silence that followed felt dangerous.
Marcus stepped away from the island.
“You want to be grown? Fine. Being grown means you don't get to run home every time things get difficult.””
“I'm not planning to.””
“Good.””
“Marcus!”” Denise snapped.
He ignored her.
“You want to call yourself somebody's husband? Then you handle your responsibilities. No asking me for money.
No coming to me when your rent is late. No expecting your mother to cook for two people because you decided to bring yourself a wife.””
Jalen nodded once.
“Okay.””
Marcus seemed almost disappointed that the threat hadn't produced an argument.
“Okay?”” he repeated.
“Okay.””
Denise looked between them, her breathing growing quicker.
She had imagined many things for her son's eighteenth year. College applications. A driver's license upgrade. Perhaps a part-time job that would turn into something better.
She had not imagined a marriage certificate on her kitchen island.
And she certainly hadn't imagined her son looking at another woman the way his father once looked at her.
That thought seemed to hurt her more than the marriage itself.
“Jalen,” she said, suddenly quieter.
“Come here.””
He hesitated.
“Come here, baby.””
For a moment, he looked like the little boy who used to run into her arms after scraping his knees.
Then he glanced at Imani.
“I'll be right here.””
Denise noticed the hesitation.
Her face hardened again.
“So now you have to check with your wife before you can talk to your mother?””
“That's not what I'm doing.””
“Then come here.””
Jalen took one step toward her, leaving Imani beside the island.
Denise lowered her voice.
“Did she tell you to marry her?””
His head snapped up.
“What?””
“You heard me.””
“No. She didn't.””
“Did she tell you she was pregnant?””
“Mom!””
“I'm asking a question!””
“And I'm telling you no.””
Denise folded her arms.
“Then explain why two teenagers would rush into a marriage without telling either family. What am I supposed to think?””
“You could think that I love her.””
Denise's eyes flickered.
“Love?”” She shook her head.
“You don't even know what love costs.””
“Maybe not everything. But I'm willing to learn.””
“And you're going to learn using my son as an experiment?”” Denise asked, turning on Imani again.
Jalen moved immediately.
“Stop blaming her.””
“I'm trying to protect you!””
“From what? Being happy?””
“From throwing your entire future away!””
Imani stepped forward, her eyes shining, but she kept her voice steady.
“Mrs. Carter, I know this isn't what you wanted for him. I know we're young. But I didn't marry Jalen to take him away from you.””
Denise looked at her without blinking.
“Then why did you hide it?””
Imani opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Because the truth was more complicated than a single sentence.
Jalen knew it. Imani knew it.
And Denise, judging by the way she watched them, suspected there was something neither of them wanted to say.
Marcus picked up the certificate again.
“There's something missing here,” he muttered.
Jalen frowned.
“What do you mean?””
Marcus tapped the paper.
“You two think the marriage is the whole story. But I want to know what happened before this. What made you decide you had to do it in secret?””
Jalen felt his stomach tighten.
Imani looked down at their joined hands.
Denise caught the movement.
Her expression changed.
“Oh, no,” she whispered.
“There's more.””
Jalen didn't answer.
Marcus placed the certificate down and leaned across the island.
“Son, look me in the eye.””
Jalen did.
Marcus's voice was suddenly calm, which frightened Jalen more than the shouting.
“Did you marry her because you wanted to?””
Jalen answered immediately.
“Yes.””
Marcus held his gaze.
“Or did you marry her because something happened that you think you can't tell us?””
For the first time since entering the kitchen, Jalen had no answer ready.
And Denise saw it.
May you like
She reached for the certificate again, her fingers trembling at the edges.
“Jalen,” she whispered, “what aren't you telling us?””
