A Touch of Fate

26 | Atonement

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Imani

Imani's family would come together on the last Saturday of every month. She and Dylan, along with her brother Isaiah, Bethany, and Fiona, made regular visits to her mother, Raquel, in Montgomery. She liked how the small gesture brought the family closer and made her mom happier. Her upbringing contrasted with Raquel's new home. Because Abraham was a cruel, violent man, fear ruled Imani's childhood.

Imani once thought she and Isaiah would die in their southside home. However, they made it through. They tolerated their father's abuse. While their relatives spread across the world, the siblings returned to Holden, their mother, and began a new life.

Abraham's nursing home stay improved the family dynamic by allowing him to continue doing business with the Holden's residents and seeing Raquel when she allowed it. Imani refused to let her father see Dylan, forcing her to put off visiting her parents for weeks. Her father's transgressions weren't easily overlooked.

She entered her mother's kitchen to find delicate sunlight warming the room. The light softly hid the worn linoleum, chipped cupboards, and aged paint on the walls. Isaiah had wanted to fix up their mother's house for a year, but Raquel didn't want that.

Or rather, since Abraham had moved his wife into the new house last year, Raquel knew he would have a fit over accepting Isaiah's renovation. It disgusted Abraham to accept any help from his family. That was his nature.

Her heart tightened as she watched Dylan play with Fiona. The baby was at a stage where almost anything could lead to a squeal. Raquel entered the kitchen and went straight to the children. Imani understood her mother's struggle to love a man who frequently let others down and spent little time with his family. Her mother's face reflected her difficult life, reminding Imani of her past and why she left her toxic life in New York.

Raquel glanced at her, and a beautiful smile spread across her face. Even though her life was dark, there was some light. That was something.

"Isaiah and Bethany will pick Fiona up after his business meeting. I was thinking about ordering takeout. What are your thoughts?" Raquel positioned the baby on her hip.

A memory rolled through Imani's mind. Hip Girl. That was the name her mother gave her as a child.

"Um... what?" she said, clearing her throat and reaching for a glass.

"Dinner." Raquel jiggled Fiona, causing another round of squeals in the kitchen. "I was thinking about getting something from The Olive Garden. Isaiah loves their food, but I have not tried it yet."

"Oh, um, I wasn't thinking about dinner." Imani poured herself a cup of tea. "Dylan and I have plans for later."

"You do?" Raquel leaned against the table, hugging Fiona. "I wanted you to stay so we could catch up. We haven't talked since September."

Imani narrowed her eyes and frowned. Okay. How can she tell her mother her plans without angering her? Raquel took Family Day seriously, but how can Imani refuse to visit Eugene when he moved back home this evening?

"Are you not going to talk to me, Imani?"

She had no choice but to confront the reality. Imani, feeling a sudden chill, held the cool cup in her hands. "Eugene Beaumont is going back to his house later." She looked at the clock above the fridge. It was nearly five in the afternoon. "He should be home already."