Page 138 of Invisible Bars
“But go to the room,” he added finally, voice firm but not unkind. “I need to talk to my pops. I’ll come talk to you after, aight?”
I nodded and stepped into the hallway like I was following instructions. But instead of walking far, I lingered just out of view—right by the wall, around the corner, where their voices could drift to me like secondhand smoke.
A few seconds passed, then I heard his father speak again. His tone was sharp but layered with confusion.
“Married, Imanio? When was I going to get the memo? Or is she just someone you married to piss your mother off?”
I bit back a laugh, my hand covering my mouth.
“Nah,” Imanio responded with a smirk I couldhear. “But it’ll probably do that too.”
His father let out a dry chuckle. “Well, what’s really going on?”
There was a pause, then Imanio started talking—and that time he didn’t hold back. I could hear every word, each one dropping heavier than the last. It wasn’t the full breakdown, but it was enough to finally make sense of all the madness I’d been thrown into.
“Whoa, son. This… this is a lot.”
“I know,” Imanio replied. His voice dropped, lower now, more serious. “But I need you to understand that she’s been through a lot. And I’m not gonna hurt her; I’m protecting her. That’s it.”
His father exhaled, the sound heavy.
“I’m not here to judge. If this is what you feel is best, then you know I have your back one hundred percent. Now your mother… that’s another story.”
First, it was Imanio, then Dessign, now the father. How bad is she really?Like,what kind of woman makes three different people brace themselves just to mention her name?I wondered; my grip tightening slightly on the apple.
“Actually,” his father went on, “this may be a good thing for you, son. You’re thirty-five, Imanio. It’stimeyou settle down.And Lord knows, every man of our caliber needs an heirorheiress at least. And from the looks of it, you and her will have somebeautifulbabies.”
Babies?
Me and Imanio?
Nah.
I couldn’t see it happening—at least not in real life. But in my mind? I did picture a baby girl with thick curls and a tiny attitude… or a sleepy-eyed little boy with too much hair and his father’s grumpy stare.
His father continued. “She's gorgeous; got those soft eyes and strong features… the kind that doesn’t fade. And y’all have chemistry, too. I saw it—even in that awkward moment.”
Imanio sounded like he was rubbing his hands down his face.
“Maybe you’re right, Pops. But I don’t know how that shit’s supposed to happen with me and her. She still flinches sometimes when she sees me.”
There was silence.
Then his father asked, “So even though this isn’t real… you haven’t stepped out on her, have you?”
I held my breath, my heart thudding in my ears—I was waiting to hear that answer.
“Nah,” Imanio answered.
“Nah,as in not yet? Or you plan to?” his father pressed.
Another pause.
“I don’t plan to,” Imanio cleared up, his tone tight. “I can’t lie, though; this shit is driving me crazy going without pussy this long.”
My mouth dropped open slightly, a tic threatening to leap out. But then, his next words stopped it cold.
“But I ain’t touched nobody else 'cause—real or not—she’s mine. And I don’t do mine dirty. I made a commitment, even if it was under wild-ass circumstances. So nah, I haven’t talked to,flirted with, or had sex with any other female since getting with her. If I’m gonna break, it’s gon’ be with her, not behind her back.”
