Chapter 28 - Tasha’s Choice
The engagement rumor was wrong.
Tasha was not engaged.
Brianna had misinterpreted a photograph from a friend’s proposal party.
Malcolm learned this accidentally at Andre’s rehearsal dinner.
Brianna laughed.
“I gave Andre bad information.”
Malcolm smiled.
“It’s fine.”
“You didn’t secretly spiral?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Andre leaned across the table.
“I told you not to tell him.”
“You told me after you told him.”
“Details.”
Malcolm laughed.
The correction mattered less than he expected.
Whether Tasha married tomorrow or remained single forever no longer shaped his emotional weather.
After dinner, Malcolm stepped outside.
A woman waited near the restaurant entrance.
Tasha.
He stopped.
She looked equally surprised.
“Malcolm.”
“Hi.”
“I’m here for a birthday upstairs.”
“Oh.”
A strange coincidence.
Nothing more.
Tasha smiled faintly.
“I heard Andre’s getting married.”
“Tomorrow.”
“Tell him congratulations.”
“You could tell him.”
“I don’t think he wants that.”
Malcolm did not argue.
They stood beneath the restaurant awning.
Rain fell softly beyond it.
Tasha looked healthy.
Calm.
She held herself differently.
“I heard you’re seeing someone,” she said.
Malcolm raised an eyebrow.
“Andre again?”
“No. Brianna.”
“I need to talk to my future sister-in-law about operational security.”
Tasha laughed.
The sound carried memory.
For one dangerous second, Malcolm remembered why loving her had once felt effortless.
Then the moment passed.
“Her name’s Jasmine?” Tasha asked.
“Yes.”
“I hope she’s good to you.”
Malcolm studied her.
“Thank you.”
Tasha looked toward the rain.
“I owe you one clarification.”
“You don’t owe me anything tonight.”
“I know.”
That answer made him listen.
“My mother and I don’t speak much anymore.”
Malcolm said nothing.
“Not because of you.”
“Okay.”
“I finally confronted her about what we did. She still thinks she was protecting me.”
“That sounds familiar.”
Tasha gave a sad smile.
“I told her protection without consent can become control.”
Malcolm felt something shift.
Not reconciliation.
Recognition.
“She didn’t like that.”
“I imagine.”
“I used to think if I understood why Mom became that way, I had to forgive everything.”
Malcolm heard Denise’s voice.
Compassion is not consent.
“What changed?”
“My therapist asked whether understanding my father’s damage meant my mother had to stay married to him.”
Malcolm nodded slowly.
Tasha continued.
“That’s when I understood what I kept asking from you.”
“What?”
“I wanted my reasons to become your obligation.”
Malcolm looked at her.
“That’s accurate.”
“I know.”
She smiled faintly.
“I can hear you saying that in therapy language.”
“Mine too.”
They both laughed softly.
Tasha took a breath.
“I’m moving.”
Malcolm’s eyebrows lifted.
“Where?”
“Charlotte.”
He stared.
She noticed the irony.
“Yeah.”
“Work?”
“Promotion.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“Charlotte.”
“I know.”
“The city you wouldn’t move to with me.”
Tasha looked down.
“That’s partly why I almost rejected it.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because I realized I was still letting our relationship make choices after it ended.”
Malcolm understood exactly.
“So you’re going.”
“Yes.”
“You nervous?”
“Terrified.”
“Good.”
Tasha laughed.
“You sound like Camille.”
“You know Camille?”
“No. You mentioned her once.”
Malcolm did not remember.
That was fine.
Tasha looked at him.
“I used to think if I moved for your career, I would disappear into your life.”
“And now?”
“I think I didn’t know how to build my own.”
Rain continued.
Malcolm felt an unexpected warmth.
Not romantic.
Something quieter.
He was glad she had grown.
Not because it redeemed the past.
Because growth that required no reward from him was finally real.
Tasha stepped backward.
“I should go upstairs.”
“Yeah.”
She hesitated.
“Malcolm?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m not asking for friendship.”
“Okay.”
“But I’m glad the last thing between us isn’t hate.”
He looked at her.
“Me too.”
She smiled.
Then entered the restaurant.
Malcolm remained beneath the awning.
Jasmine called.
“Where are you?”
“Outside.”
“Why?”
“Thinking.”
“Again?”
He laughed.
“I’m coming in.”
The next day, Andre married Brianna.
During the ceremony, Malcolm held Denise’s old ring after the diamond had been reset.
Andre had kept the original band and engraved their mother’s initials inside.
When Malcolm handed him the ring, their eyes met.
No words necessary.
At the reception, Malcolm danced badly with Jasmine.
Andre danced worse with Brianna.
For once, family joy did not carry a hidden crisis.
Near midnight, Malcolm stepped outside for air.
Jasmine followed.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“You get emotional at weddings?”
“Apparently.”
She leaned against the railing.
Malcolm thought about telling her he loved her.
The words rose.
Then fear appeared.
Not fear she would leave.
Fear that saying it would create obligation.
That once spoken, something would have to happen next.
Marriage.
Plans.
Certainty.
Malcolm almost stayed silent.
Then he remembered what he had learned.
Honest choices.
He turned toward her.
“I love you.”
Jasmine blinked.
Then smiled.
“I love you too.”
Malcolm laughed in relief.
She narrowed her eyes.
“What?”
“I was ready for this to become complicated.”
“It can later.”
He laughed harder.
“No promises?”
“Oh, plenty eventually.”
She kissed him.
“But tonight, we can just mean what we said.”
Malcolm looked toward the ballroom where Andre was surrounded by family.
Just mean what we said.
No hidden consequence.
No secret plan.
No trap.
The next morning, Malcolm woke to an email from Bellweather.
Subject:
Executive Development Nomination
He stared.
The program would last one year.
Participants would be considered for director-level roles.
The nomination came from Camille and the COO.
Jasmine stirred beside him.
“What is it?”
Malcolm smiled.
“An opportunity.”
“Good one?”
“I think so.”
“You gonna take it?”
A year ago, that question might have carried terror.
Now it was simply curiosity.
Malcolm looked at her.
“I don’t know yet.”
Jasmine closed her eyes again.
“Cool.”
Malcolm laughed.
One word.
No panic.
No hidden email filters.
No fear disguised as love.
Just space.
He looked at the glowing laptop.
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Then at Jasmine.
And understood exactly how different his life had become.
