Chapter 2: The Photograph
“Why can't I ask her name?””
Malcolm's question hung in the ballroom.
Tasha still had her hand wrapped around his arm.
Too tightly.
Nia stood several feet away, frozen beside the ballroom doors.
The guests were pretending not to watch.
They were terrible at it.
A woman at the nearest table whispered something into her husband's ear. A man beside the cake leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Malcolm and Tasha.
Tasha finally released Malcolm.
“Because she’s leaving,” she said.
“That doesn't answer my question.””
“She embarrassed me.””
“You told her to leave.””
“Yes.””
“So why are you worried about what I ask her?””
Tasha's jaw tightened.
“I’m not worried.””
Malcolm looked toward Nia.
She was staring at the floor.
“Then let her answer.””
Tasha stepped between them.
“No.””
That one word changed the room.
Malcolm blinked.
“Excuse me?””
Tasha lowered her voice.
“Not here.””
Malcolm stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
“It means this isn't the time.””
“This is my wedding too.””
“And tonight is supposed to be about us.””
“It was.””
Tasha's expression flickered.
“What changed?””
Malcolm looked toward the waitress.
“The necklace.””
Nia's hand immediately tightened around the broken silver charm.
Tasha noticed.
Her eyes dropped to it.
For less than a second, something passed across her face.
Fear.
Malcolm saw it.
“Tasha.””
She looked up.
“What?””
“You recognize it.””
“No.””
“You looked at it.””
“Because you keep staring at it.””
“Do you recognize it?””
Tasha laughed nervously.
“Malcolm, this is ridiculous.””
Nia quietly stepped toward the exit.
Malcolm noticed.
“Wait.””
Nia stopped again.
Tasha's voice sharpened.
“Don't.””
Malcolm turned.
“Why are you doing this?””
“Doing what?””
“Trying to stop me from talking to her.””
“I’m protecting our wedding.””
“From a waitress?””
Tasha didn't answer.
A server hurried over and began collecting the broken glass.
The small sound of shards sliding onto a tray filled the silence.
Then Nia spoke.
“I really should go.””
Malcolm looked at her.
“What's your name?””
She hesitated.
“Nia.””
His face changed.
“Nia what?””
Nia swallowed.
“Nia Johnson.””
Tasha suddenly looked toward the ballroom entrance.
Malcolm noticed.
“You know her.””
“No.””
“You're lying.””
Tasha's eyes flashed.
“Careful.””
“About what?””
“About accusing your wife in front of two hundred people.””
Malcolm stared at her.
“My wife wouldn't have a reason to lie to me.””
Tasha smiled.
But there was no warmth in it.
“You don't know everything about me.””
The words hit him harder than they should have.
Nia turned toward the door again.
Malcolm watched her go.
Then he noticed the scar once more.
Crescent-shaped.
Exactly like the one in an old photograph he had kept for years.
His younger sister had a scar in the same place.
He hadn't seen her in a very long time.
Malcolm's stomach twisted.
He reached into his tuxedo pocket.
His fingers found his phone.
He opened his photos.
His thumb hovered over one image.
Then he turned the screen toward himself.
The photograph showed Malcolm as a teenager, standing between his mother and his little sister.
His sister was smiling.
A small crescent-shaped scar curved beside her cheek.
And around her neck was a silver necklace.
The same necklace.
Malcolm's hand began to shake.
“No,” he whispered.
Tasha heard him.
“What?””
He locked the phone.
“Nothing.””
She studied his face.
“Malcolm?””
He looked toward the doors.
Nia was gone.
“Where did she go?””
Tasha's expression hardened.
“Who?””
“You know who.””
“She's a waitress.””
“Then why did you look scared?””
Tasha stepped closer.
“I wasn't scared.””
Malcolm lowered his voice.
“You knew something before I did.””
Tasha stared at him.
Then she reached up and straightened his bow tie with trembling fingers.
“Tonight,” she whispered, “you need to trust me.””
Malcolm caught her wrist.
“Tell me what you know.””
Her eyes met his.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then a phone on the head table began ringing.
Malcolm looked over.
It wasn't his.
It was Tasha's.
The screen lit up.
One notification appeared.
*UNKNOWN NUMBER: YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM THE TRUTH BEFORE THE WEDDING.*
Tasha snatched up the phone.
Malcolm saw the message anyway.
His voice dropped.
“Who sent that?””
Tasha's face had gone completely white.
She looked at him.
Then at the ballroom doors.
May you like
And whispered,
“She found us.””
