Page 69 of Happy Endings

“Two weeks, maybe three?” He rubbed the back of his head. Andre recounted his conversation with Mr. Jackson outside the building. “We held an emergency tenant meeting to consider his buyout offer, but...”

He trailed off. She grabbed his hand, encouraging him to continue.

“He came by again this morning before you came over. Mr. Jackson received another offer, better than the first one. They’re signing the paperwork this week.”

“Oh, no.” Trixie squeezed his hand. “How long do you have?”

“I don’t know. The new landlord will send details soon, I guess.” He shrugged.

“What did Keisha say about all this?”

“I didn’t want her to worry. She’s got school to focus on.” He’d gone out of his way to keep the news from his sister. He’d scheduled the meeting when she had class and made everyone promise not to share the news until they had a solution.

“Andre, you need to tell her.”

“That town center is taking away everything good about this neighborhood and our community,” he continued, pushing aside her chastising. “So when you fell in love with that co-op, it felt like you sided with the enemy. The gentrification that’s slowly erasing us.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about Mr. Jackson sooner? Maybe there are loans or—”

“It was my problem. Not yours.” He shook his head. “I let everyone down.”

“You’re not a superhero, Andre. You can’t save everyone.”

He wasn’t trying to save everyone. He only wanted to save his mother’s memory and provide for his sister. And continue meals for— Yeah, so maybe he was.

“Do you know how much rent has gone up since that place was built?” he continued. It was as if she unlocked the box where he’dhidden his hurt and anger. “They started rising a month after construction broke ground. My neighbors were barely making ends meet before that. Which is why our community dinner is more important than ever. It’s all we have left.”

Torn, Trixie’s heart sank at his words. She felt terrible for Andre, but if she turned Kait down, someone else would just take the space. It wouldn’t solve the neighborhood’s issues.

“There’s gotta be a way to save Mama Hazel’s.” Trixie brainstormed out loud. “Have you looked into grants or historical societies? There’s so much history here—we can’t let it disappear like that.”

“There’s nothing.” His shoulders slumped.

“Have you looked? Don’t give up yet, Andre. I can help.”

“You can help by not renting that space for your boutique. Go out in the suburbs where it’ll be cheaper. Like Wheaton or Silver Spring.”

“Even in the suburbs it would take me years to save up. I don’t want to be part of the gentrification problem, but I can’t give up on my dream, Andre. Kait’s offer is once-in-a-lifetime.”

“It’s another nail in Mama Hazel’s coffin,” he tossed back. “If this is your decision, I can’t be with you while you help District Market grow.”

That’s it?He was breaking things off again?

“You’re an ass, you know that! Reina was right,” Trixie fumed. She had tried to be understanding, but he was stuck in this pit and refused to ask for or accept help. “I thought you were so strong to take over after your mom passed away. But you’re not. You’re a coward.”

It was too late to take the words back. Even if she meant them. He stood up, looming over her. Trixie took a step back.

“Putting the best interests of my sister and this neighborhood first is not cowardly.”

“No, but refusing to change is.” She wanted to smack some sense into him. Instead she kept her clenched fists by her side.

“I’ll fix it. I’ll find a solution.” He took a step closer.

This time Trixie stood her ground. She was tired of giving in to others without putting herself first. This co-op was the first step to owning her very own shop. If he couldn’t support her dreams, she didn’t need him.

“You can’t do this by yourself.” She looked into his dark, sad eyes. “There are people who want to help you. Your sister. All your neighbors who stopped you during our walk. It’s obvious that they adore you. They’d want to help.”

“They’re just being nice.”

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