Disclaimer: This chapter contains sensitive topics that may trigger some readers. Though difficult to write, I had to describe Imani's experiences. Some of you may not have seen Grease, but this chapter mentions the movie. It's almost like a spoiler for readers who have no prior knowledge of the plot.

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Imani

Early on, Imani realized that friends can be more important than family. Good people helped you when life seemed hopeless. They listened to the details you were hesitant to share with your relatives. Things your mother couldn't know about. Things only your best friend heard without passing judgment. Luckily for her, Ellie was that friend.

She needed someone sympathetic and open-minded to listen because she had either made the biggest mistake by acting on her emotions last night or... Shit!

Imani sighed and reclined on the stool. Opening up to Garrett and forgiving him felt right, but she wasn't sure about their future now. She didn't leave him in bed for her friend this time. She stayed with him until he left to see Eugene, and then she drove Dylan to Isaiah's for basketball practice.

She'd been at the Paradise Lounge for about twenty minutes, and the business was nearly empty. That would all change in an hour when the band began playing. Even when it was pouring outside, the regulars would always show up.

"Need another drink?" Axel pointed to Imani's empty glass.

"I'm good," she said, pushing the glass toward him. "Hey, lay this behind the bar, and pass me a bottle of water, please. I'll see how I feel once Ellie arrives."

Imani smiled as the burly man worked. Axel's huge muscles strained his T-shirt so much that she thought it would tear. The lights above him showed off his bald head and thick, shaggy beard that went almost two inches past his chin. His tough exterior hid his gentle nature. He truly had a heart of gold. Two puppies at the animal shelter required 24-hour care, so he spent four nights last week bottle-feeding them.

"How are Harry and Ron these days?" she asked, taking the cold water.

He gave her a belly laugh right away, which lifted her spirits. "You mean Harry and Hermione? It turns out that the little brown pup is a girl."

Imani took a sip and scrunched her brows. "Hermione?"

He nodded as he poured a light amber draft into a pitcher under the tap. "Yeah. Hermione was always smart, logical, and driven, but also opinionated. It was Ramón's idea since he loves Harry Potter."

"Makes sense," she said, smiling at the idea of both men cuddling the puppies. "So, how are things going between you two?"

As he worked, Axel smiled sideways. "Things are going pretty well. Ramón is a great guy. He's the kind of person you can count on, ya know?"

"Oh, I know," she said. "I'm happy for both of you."

"Thanks. What's your son up to these days?"

"Well, since it's Teacher Appreciation Day, Isaiah is taking the basketball team to the campgrounds to practice. They left around eight this morning and won't be back until noon tomorrow."

"Cool." Axel grabbed a pitcher and two glasses. "Let me help this customer, and I'll be back."

"Sure. I'm just going to sit here and fill up with water. Ellie should be here any second now."

He laughed as he took two menus and went to a group of men sitting near the stage. Imani was about to look at her phone when her friend sat down next to her and kissed her on the cheek.

"What are we drinking?" Ellie spoke as she took off her black leather jacket and untied a big brown argyle scarf around her neck. "I need something strong. The twins ate too much sugar after breakfast and have been jumping on the beds all morning. Your call was the excuse I needed to leave them with Brian."
 
Axel returned to the bar and asked, "What can I get you, sweetheart?"

Ellie smiled at him, and Imani breathed in as her cheeks warmed. "A large Lemon Drop Martini, please."

"Seriously? Hadn't we already gone through a drunken night with you?" He crossed his arms and shook his head. "We stopped selling that drink three weeks ago. Suzanne removed it from the menu because nobody ordered it."

"Yeah, I never serve it when I'm working a shift," Imani said, looking at them both.

"All right, let me have..." Ellie's voice trailed as she surveyed the bottles on the shelf behind him. "I want a gin and tonic."

"Okay. One gin and tonic coming right up," Axel said.

Ellie placed her palms on the counter once he moved out of earshot and turned to Imani. "Okay. Tell me everything, and don't leave anything out. I'll pry it out of you before you can blink."

Imani choked on her water and laid it on the coaster. Her stomach dropped, and she glanced everywhere but at Ellie.

"Imani Washington." When Axel handed her a glass, her friend paused, and she took a large gulp. Ellie waited until he reached the other side of the room. "You called me this morning and shared some shocking information. Remember?"

"Yes," Imani whispered, meeting her gaze.

Ellie shook her head, pursed her lips, and narrowed her round eyes. "You and Garrett slept together again?"

"Yes. And this time, we didn't have any alcohol."

Ellie hurriedly ate a handful of sunflower seeds and passed the bowl to Imani. "I thought you didn't want to cross that line. If I remember correctly, you said I could take you to the back of my yard and pour my dog's manure on you. This was to ensure you wouldn't feel upset when he leaves town. And last night, neither of you looked comfortable. The room's atmosphere was stuffy and unpleasant."

"I know." Imani leaned back and absentmindedly played with her partially filled glass of water. "Blame it on Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson."

Her friend's mouth opened, and she nearly hit the counter. "How can two characters from Grease persuade you to change your rules?"

How could Imani explain the situation without confusing her friend? She idly ran her fingers along the wrapping of her bottle, lost in thought as she relived the events of the previous night. Imani quietly exhaled and resolved to do her best to explain everything.

"Maybe it was the plot rather than the couple."

"And that's your conclusion?" Ellie's brow furrowed in shock, and all Imani could do was nod.

"Yes. Sandy chose to be bold with Danny at the end, just as I did with Garrett. Last night was more erotic than the last time we had sex. He was so..." Imani closed her eyes and spoke slowly as her heart thumped. "Being intimate with him feels... cosmic."

"That is what love does for us, girlfriend." Ellie finished her drink and waved to Axel for another round. "You're giving me a ride home, right? If not, I can call a cab."

Imani shook her head, her attention shifting to her. "No, I'll drive you. I only had a small glass of white wine, and I'm now sober."

"Good." Ellie told Axel when he came back, "Make me a Sangria." Then she turned back to Imani. "Now, you can continue. I can't wait to hear all about how things are going for you and your partner. Not only did your heart and mouth open, but so did your legs."

"That's incredibly subtle."

Her friend laughed. "But one hundred percent correct. Wow, you went from watching a chick flick to screwing each other."

"Something like that." Imani looked around to make sure no one was listening. It was a small town, and people gossiped. After ensuring her privacy, she began. "After you and Brian left with the kids..."

"Hold up. Why was Garrett there again?" Ellie inquired.

Imani realized then this would be a long conversation. "Garrett was trying to be a friend and help fix things around the house."

"Ah." Ellie smirked as Axel returned to refill her glass. She carried on after he walked away. "So, Garrett just showed up yesterday morning to clean your shed and rake your yard. He was there as a friend and nothing more."

Imani chose to ignore the statement. "Once we were alone, we decided to watch a movie together."

"You thought a romantic musical would bring you two closer."

"Not exactly." Imani inhaled and counted to three. That always helped her plan her words before speaking. "We were both vulnerable and starting over. I hoped a movie would help to bridge that gap."

"That works, too." Ellie raised a brow while taking a sip of her drink. "So, you chose Grease?"

She nodded. "I hadn't seen the movie in a while and wanted to watch it again."

"You liked the lovey-dovey relationship and wanted Garrett to feel the same."

Imani scowled at Ellie. "Will you please shut up and listen?"

"Sorry." Her friend smiled. "I'm too invested in your love life."

Imani replied dryly, "I know you are." She finished her water and wished she had asked for something a little stronger. Talking about this was a little overwhelming. "Garrett fell asleep thirty minutes into the movie because he was tired, so I watched it alone."

Ellie furrowed her brow. "Uh, the movie is about a toxic man pursuing a good woman. But they eventually change for themselves and have a decent ending." She sighed, looking around the room. "Would you like to hear about a fantastic movie? The Notebook. It has happiness, excitement, love, and lasting memories with a beautiful story."

"I've watched The Notebook and have read the book, so I will not argue about romantic plots." Imani exhaled and looked at her. "Grease goes beyond a nice girl dating a bad boy. The film shows diverse personalities coming together. And how finding your soulmate changes your life and goals. I..." Her voice lowered as she collected her thoughts.

"You...?"

"I started to think about things. About how my life is currently going." Was Imani making any sense?

"About what?" Ellie moved closer, her hands wrapping around her Sangria.

"I'm in my twenties, and I'm a widow. A single mom. I don't go out and socialize with people like I did in New York. I hadn't had sex in six months before Garrett came back into my life."

"Six months?" Ellie's eyes looked like they were going to fall out. "I thought..." She leaned back in her chair. "You came back to town in May. I take it you and your ex-boyfriend didn't have sex?"

Imani shook her head, hating the hot tears filling her eyes. "When we did, it was never enjoyable," she whispered. "I met Dexter exactly four months after Mason died, and we fought a lot. He would..." She took a moment to compose herself, fully aware that she was about to reveal something she had never shared before. Not even with her psychologist.

"What did he do?" Ellie inquired, patting Imani's shoulder.

"The last time we had sex, he was rough with me." Imani blinked and then looked down at her hands. Her nails dug into her soft palms. "Let's just say I didn't agree to it, and I hated every second of it. I liked him for the first few weeks and then lost interest. He made me sleep with him whenever I rolled over in bed. For his pleasure, not mine." She looked at Ellie and trembled as she spoke these words. "That wasn't the only thing he'd done. He'd beat me."

"Fuck, Imani." Ellie squeezed her hand and waited.

"I once buried my face in my pillow, hoping I'd suffocate. I begged him to stop, but he refused and kept going." A tear ran down her face as she continued. "Not long after that, Dexter hurt me so badly that I had to go to the hospital."

Ellie's brows rose. "I didn't know. I wish I'd been there for you. Why didn't you call me?"

Imani's lips quivered as she narrowed her eyes. "I couldn't tell anybody. He had threatened to take Dylan with him to Chicago, where he was from."

"That asshole."

"For a while, I thought this was my fate. My father caused my mother to end up in the hospital many times—something I had vowed to never let happen to me. In that hospital bed, I told the police I felt better. I claimed I fell out of the window after tripping over Dylan's toy, but the truth was that Dexter was angry with me. We lived on the second floor, so the fall was not too bad, but it still hurt. It took four weeks to get the glass out of my skin." Imani grimaced at the memory. "When I had the chance to run, I took Dylan and packed what little I could before sneaking out of the fire escape."

"That's awful." Ellie frowned and patted Imani's arm. "After your husband died, you wanted to move on, and this man took advantage of you. None of this was your fault or part of your destiny. You have to believe that."

Another tear fell before Imani closed her eyes. "We met at a New Year's Day modeling event in Times Square. We began dating in March and moved in together the following month. After that, things got worse, and I stopped doing anything with him. He abused Dylan and me almost every night, so I reported him. But he somehow had the charges dropped. We had to stay with him until my contract expired with the modeling agency. Being with him was terrifying."

After a few moments of silence, Ellie leaned in and hugged Imani so hard she gasped for air. "You're a survivor," she said into her ear. "Both of you. You did the right thing."

"I tried."

"You escaped a difficult situation. That takes courage and strength. I love you guys."

"Dylan and I love you." Imani pulled away and offered a small smile.

"Have you told Garrett any of this?" Ellie asked, and Imani shook her head.

"Nobody knows." She inhaled deeply and looked at her friend. "But I will tell him what Dylan and I had gone through."

"Please do it, because you both deserve justice. You should press charges against Dexter."

Imani's lips trembled as her eyes narrowed. "I wish I could, but it will bring him here. I don't want him to know where we are."

Ellie squeezed Imani's hand. "That's understandable. It is much easier to stay under the radar."

"Yeah." Imani smiled back at her friend. "Talking about everything feels good. I can finally say what I have been keeping quiet about for months. And I realize that I'm a mature woman in need of understanding and care." She glanced up at the ceiling. "I'd forgotten how good Garrett was to me. Not to mention, he is amazing in bed. I enjoy everything about him."

"It's okay to want that. There is nothing wrong with you getting what you need, but from the man who broke your heart? You closed yourself off and didn't see anyone for months."

"That's old news, though. We were teenagers then, and now we're older. We've both changed, and things are different."

"How can you be sure? Aren't you worried about getting too close to Garrett again?"

"Nope." Imani sat up straight. "What we're doing is moving on from the past. It's like having baby steps with benefits."

"And what about when he heads back to DC?"

Imani lowered her gaze while toying with her water bottle. "I'll miss him, but I'm also confident that we'll stay in touch. There's no animosity between us, and I've forgiven him."

"You have?" Ellie swallowed her last sip and looked at Imani. "Are you sure that having sex will not cause you to fall back in love with him?"

"Who said I wasn't in love now? Even though we broke up a long time ago, the love we had for each other is stronger than ever. We need to focus on the positives and nothing else. Leave the past behind."

"Well..." Ellie ordered another gin and tonic, and then Axel brought it to her. She gulped it down and placed the glass on the bar. "Best wishes to you and Garrett as you begin to rebuild your relationship. May you find joy and peace."

"So, no toast to baby steps with benefits?"

"Nope." Ellie shook her head and laughed. "A love that transcends the soul awaits those meant to be together. Fate has brought you both here, and the rest is history."

A touch of fate, Imani thought with a smile while she sipped her water. Things were improving for her and Dylan, giving her a sense of fulfillment.

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If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic or sexual abuse, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788.