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Imani woke up to the soft light filtering through the curtains, her heart heavy with the memory of the night before. The confrontation with Jobe had left her feeling drained and uneasy. She turned to see Trent still asleep beside her, his arm draped protectively over her. Carefully, she slipped out of bed, hoping not to wake him, and made her way to the kitchen. A cup of tea seemed like the best way to steady her nerves.
As the kettle boiled, she tried to shake off the lingering fear that had settled in her chest. But every little noise—the creak of the floorboards, the hum of the refrigerator—set her on edge. She was pouring the hot water when Trent appeared in the doorway.
"Morning," he said, his voice hoarse
"Morning," she replied, managing a small smile. "I was just making tea. Do you want some?"
"Sure." Trent walked over and wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. The warmth of his embrace was comforting, but Imani couldn't ignore the unease still gnawing at her.
Trent seemed to sense it too. "How are you feeling?" he asked softly, his breath warm against her neck.
Imani sighed, leaning into him. "I don't know. It was... a lot to deal with. I didn't expect Jobe to show up like that."
Trent tightened his hold on her, his voice low and serious. "I didn't either. I'm sorry it got so intense. I wish I could've done more."
"You did more than enough, Trent. Just having you there made it easier." She turned to face him, her eyes searching his. "But I'm still worried about him. About what he might do next."
Trent nodded, his expression serious. "I get that. He's hurting, and sometimes people don't think clearly when they're in pain. But we'll figure this out, Imani. We'll take it one step at a time."
Imani reached up to touch his cheek, finding comfort in the warmth of his skin. "I know. I just hope things don't get worse before they get better."
Trent kissed her forehead gently. "Whatever happens, we'll handle it together. I promise."
As they finished their tea, the house remained quiet, but the silence felt unnerving rather than peaceful. Imani tried to distract herself by reading, but the words blurred together, her mind unable to focus. Every creak, every gust of wind against the windows made her jump. She kept glancing at the door, half-expecting another knock, another confrontation.
Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, and she startled, quickly picking it up. It was a text from Trent, who had gone to training.
IMESSAGES Trent 💕
Trent 💕 Just checking in. How are you holding up?
Imani hesitated before responding, not wanting to worry him. But she couldn't lie either.
I'm okay. Just feeling a little on edge.
A few seconds later, her phone buzzed again.
Trent 💕 Trainings just finished I'm on my way back. We can talk when I get there. Do you want anything from the shops.
No thank you I just want you.
Relief washed over her. She hadn't realized how much she needed him to be there until now. She got up and began double-checking the locks on the doors and windows, her anxiety refusing to let her relax. By the time Trent arrived, she was pacing the living room, her nerves frayed.
Trent walked in, immediately sensing her distress. He came over to her, taking her hands in his. "Hey," he said gently. "Talk to me. What's going on?"
Imani looked at him, her eyes filled with worry. "I just can't stop thinking about last night. What if he comes back? What if he does something... worse?"
Trent squeezed her hands reassuringly. "We'll make sure that doesn't happen. If you're not comfortable staying here, we can figure something else out."
Imani nodded, feeling a bit more at ease with his suggestion. "Yeah, maybe that would help."
"We'll do whatever it takes to make you feel safe, Imani," Trent said, his voice firm but gentle. "You're not alone in this."
Later that afternoon, Imani curled up on the couch, trying to read again. But her mind kept wandering back to Jobe, to the look on his face when he had shown up at her door. She wondered what he was thinking now, if he regretted what he had done, or if he was still angry.
---
Across town, Jobe sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor. His head pounded from the alcohol and the weight of his actions. He replayed the night over and over in his mind—the anger, the desperation, the way Imani had looked at him with a mix of fear and pity. And Trent, always so steady, had only made Jobe feel more out of control.
He reached for his phone on the nightstand, seeing the missed calls and texts from his brother, Jude. He knew he should call him back, apologize for dragging him into this mess, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not yet.
The memory of Imani's words, of her choosing Trent, echoed in his mind. It stung, but what hurt more was the realization that he had known this was coming. Deep down, he had always known. But accepting it felt like admitting defeat, and Jobe wasn't ready for that. Not yet.
But as he sat there, alone in his apartment, the silence weighing heavy on him, Jobe began to realize that clinging to the past was only making things worse. If he ever wanted to heal, he would have to find a way to let go—no matter how hard that was.
---
Back at Imani's house, the evening had settled in quietly. Trent's presence was a constant comfort. As the day wound down, they found themselves in the kitchen, making dinner together. The simple act of chopping vegetables and stirring pots felt grounding, a return to normalcy after the chaos of the night before.
When they finally sat down to eat, Imani looked across the table at Trent, feeling a wave of gratitude. "Thank you for everything today," she said softly. "I don't know what I would've done without you."
Trent reached across the table, taking her hand. "You don't have to thank me, Imani. I'm just glad you're okay."
They ate in comfortable silence, and afterward, they moved to the living room, where Trent put on some soft music. They sat together on the couch, the night wrapping around them like a warm blanket. Imani rested her head on Trent's shoulder, feeling a sense of peace she hadn't felt all day.
After a while, she looked up at him, a thought occurring to her. "You know," she said thoughtfully, "I was thinking... maybe we should take a weekend trip somewhere. Just to get away for a bit."
Trent looked at her, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "That sounds like a great idea. Where do you want to go?"
"I don't know," Imani said, smiling back. "Somewhere peaceful. Somewhere we can just... breathe."
Trent squeezed her hand gently. "We'll make it happen, Imani. We could both use a break."
For a moment, they just sat there, holding hands across the couch, the soft strains of music filling the room. It was a simple, quiet moment, but it felt like exactly what they needed—a reminder that, despite everything, they still had each other.
As the night wore on and the tension of the past twenty-four hours began to fade, Imani felt a renewed sense of calm. The confrontation with Jobe had been frightening and painful, but she knew she had done the right thing by being honest. And with Trent by her side, she felt ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
In the quiet of her home, wrapped in Trent's arms, Imani knew that this was the right decision. She had never felt happier.
