Page 6 of Impending Consent

“That’s a mind your fucking business.”

He laughed lightly. Jairo and I had been friends since college. He was about the only person in my life with a consistent presence other than my mother but she lived on the West Coast, so I only saw her a handful of times a year. I didn’t have any siblings, my father passed when I was eight, and both of my parents’ families were on the West Coast as well. Here in Atlanta, Jairo was my only family. It had been that way since I came here for college and never left years ago.

“Is something funny?”

“You marrying this woman is funny as hell, Rival. She’s pretty as fuck and seems to be the life of the party based on the ten minutes I got to interact with her online while youwere promising to honor and obey, but I still don’t get why you married her.”

“It’s not for you to understand.”

“I’m your boy, the only family you have out here; so it’s for me to understand. Was that shit even legit? Like are you legally married?”

“Yeah, it’s legit. We’re legally married.”

“Damn…” he murmured, his tone laced with amusement when he asked, “She rich or something?”

My expression tensed.

“This isn’t about money.”

“Ah hell, she’s rich for sure.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You got all defensive and shit. I can hear it in your tone. What’s the deal? She need a husband and offer to pay you to play the part?”

“Fuck no.”

But if she divorces me I get half her net worth. Money I don’t fucking want.

“Then I don’t get it. Make it make sense, Rival.”

I leaned against the wall, dropped my head, and exhaled my frustration. “She’s special.”

“Special?”

“Yeah, special and I know that sounds crazy as hell but I like this woman. I want to be her husband.”

“Is this about Mesa and the celibacy thing?”

The mention of my ex made me tense.

“No, it doesn’t have a damn thing to do with my decision to be celibate.”

“You sure? She was pretty lit last night, were you? Maybe that’s what this is about?”

“Yeah damn, I’m sure. I can’t explain it Ro and maybe I’m crazy for this but I knew exactly what I was doing…”

Even if she didn’t.

“Aight then, you’re officially married. What now? She moving in with you? ’Cause you love that fucking house. I know for damn sure you’re not gonna sell it.”

Hell no I’m not.I did love my house which was why I added that she had to live with me as a term of the prenuptial. A prenuptial she drafted while taking shots of Hennessy. I was pretty sure she wasn’t taking any of this seriously. Not even the part about doing an online ceremony. When they asked about a marriage license, she printed one offline, which we filled out and she proceeded to take it to a friend who lived in the building to sign and file. I still didn’t think she was taking any of what was happening seriously.

“I’m not selling my house. She’ll live with me.”

“This is the woman who lives in that expensive ass high rise, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

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