Page 18 of A Minute Past Midnight

My father, Amir, was leaning back in his chair while my mother, Raquel, had her head resting on his shoulder.

“Hey, baby.”

“Hey, Son.”

“Y’all got a minute? I ain't gon’ take up too much of y’all quiet time.”

“Of course, baby. What's on your mind?” Ma asked.

I took a seat as my eyes settled over the spacious backyard. I could feel my moms watching me with the kind of look only a mother could give. The one that said she already knew something was wrong.

“I’m done,” I finally said, looking over at them.

My father lifted an eyebrow. “Done with what?”

“Forever.”

Silence settled over the patio. My mother slowly lowered her glass of lemonade onto the table beside her. “Are you sure this time? You’ve left her before.”

I nodded. “I know, but I'm sure this time.”

I sighed. I’d spent years convincing myself that staying was easier than walking away. That history meant something. That loyalty could fix what love no longer could.

But then Juliana happened.

One night. That was all it took for me to realize I hadn't felt that alive in a long time. One night with a woman I barely knew had managed to shake something loose inside me that I’d been burying for years.

“I also met somebody last night,” I admitted.

Moms’ eyes came to me again. “Somebody?”

“I don’t even know what to call it.” I rubbed my jaw, staring back out across the backyard. “But she made an impression on me. A real one.”

Pops studied me carefully. “After one night?”

“Yeah.” I exhaled. “And that’s the problem. I’ve spent years with Forever, and I can’t remember the last time I felt anything close to what I felt in one night with someone else.”

My mother’s expression softened, but there was concern behind her eyes.

“I’m not saying I know what this woman means to me,” I continued. “I just know meeting her made me realize how unhappy I’ve been. How much of myself I’ve been pretending wasn’t missing.”

My pops leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“So, what are you going to do?”

I looked between them.

“For once . . .” I said quietly as my voice trailed, “I’m going to stop pretending my marriage is something it ain’t.”

The words felt heavy leaving my mouth, but for the first time in a long time, they also felt honest, something Forever’s ass couldn’t seem to be.

Moms took my hand and smiled at me. “Nobody’s perfect, baby. Even though your father and I told you it was a mistake marrying that child, we had to let you go through with it because it's your life. And life breeds lessons that has to be learned.

“You gave her a chance to be honest, to love you, and to be the woman you wanted her to be, but she failed. That's not on you, Sami. Don't regret your decision to leave, because a liar ain't gon’ ever stop lying, especially when it has become a habit of doing so.”

I nodded. “You're right.”

“And what's up with this new woman? I see the admiration in your eyes. That one night must have been something,” Pops stated as I tried to hide my smirk.