Parachutes Book Three: The Impact

by Takerra Allen

Vin…Tahli didn’t even recognize him. Vin, the shapeshifter.

damn

If you’re good as an individual and I’m good as an individual, then I guess we are good. The kids are good. That’s what matters. But we, as in you and I, do not exist. We can’t be good, bad, or anything.

ohhhh so the coldness in book 2 came after this!

Having stability, having a partnership. But I’m not joking right now.”

he's not asking about love though...interesting. Is he se5tling as well?

Drew was cute enough. Kind enough. A tender lover. Patient enough. Funny enough. Enough. Happiness had somehow sought her out in this bleak room of misery. So why not take its hand? Why not try water?

water does burn less than whiskey

Tahli slammed her eyes shut. What did it matter? Nothing mattered. They were divorced and she was starting fresh with Drew.

she shut down 😢

spumoni.

not me thinking of Dino Spumoni!

“Since I know you can keep secrets, as you and my ex-husband have done from me, I need you to not only give him a much more PG version of that story... I need you to under no…I mean any…I mean not even if he grabs you by the throat and tries to choke it out of you, which he may do…I need you to not, by any means, disclose the names of those boys. Because when I say…”

oh my heart can't take this

“Violated our daughter. What the fuck you mean, what? Are you crazy?” Spit spewed from his foaming mouth; eyes darkened with fury.

hyper-sexuality is about lack of control. could be she was violated, could be the divorce, could be drastic changes due to all of the above

Dali had better save it for graveside confessions.

oooooo we keeping secrets now? me gusta!

“And that was somebody’s daughter, too! All of those girls you did whatever with. Somebody’s daughter. Me? Somebody’s daughter. Fucking Sophie! Somebody’s daughter!”

yeah

“Yes, Dalvin! It’s your fault! All of this shit down to the last fucking drop! It’s all. Your. Fucking. Fault!” Tahli shouted, pushing him in the chest and forcing him into silence. “You broke up our family! You fucking lied! And you have everyone else scrambling trying to pick up the pieces, not even knowing how to return to who the fuck we were!

I mean....like.....yes but no?

“You stupid fucking bitch.” It was spoken so coldly, Tahli wasn’t even sure she heard it right.

here we go again. Stays calling her out of her name when he doesn't get his way

“You gonna marry this nigga, Tahli? You can’t. No…not that. You’re mine, baby love. You.. Marry me again,”

nah, not like that

“Yeah? Then I’m fucking done. You do this shit and I’m done with you. The kids. That’s all it’ll be. I’ll be fucking done, Tahli, I swear to God.”

ooohhh so he stopped because..... ooohhh

“It means that…in your hand…is the last sliver of a chance of me ever forgiving you. And I don’t mean reconciling. But I was almost at forgiving you. But that? You made your dog-ass bed, now lie in that shit.”

😢

Time can make you believe that because enough of it has passed, things that were, are no longer…

Tahli, regardless of my feelings on your decision, I do owe you an apology. I’m sorry you received that from Sophie. I knew she had some problems, but I never expected her to pull no shit like that. Regardless. That’s all me. My fuckups created that monster. I’m sorry.

“I’ll have them back tomorrow. I know how important Christmas Eve is to you.”

...maam did you bring us full circle?!?!?!

solecisms?

family portrait solecism- a piece of incorrect behavior.

“Loving you. Making you smile. Taking care of my kids. Being dependable... Providing.” He kissed her knuckles.

being the picture perfect husband and father he never had. It makes him feel like a man.

He reached for his lemonade, and Tahli felt it—the melancholic shift from his discomfort with questions as such. Like he was unworthy.

he'd already done it...

Despite the lingering confusion about how she had gone from an island to a hospital bed with him, all that mattered was that he was here. He’d explain it and make it right the same.

I wish it never happened, too.

Her body ached all over the moment she remembered why. She curled into herself, chest burning and heart bleeding. Mouth stretched wide, splitting the dry corners.

ohhhh this is so unfair...

“And I don’t even blame you…because no one should have that much control over someone else’s happiness. But we were supposed to be the exception,” she rattled off, mind groggy and filter waning. “We were supposed to be each other’s parachutes.”

him,” Dali cried. “He even had Jodie send her flowers! So I hope he likes her and falls in love with her, and they get married and make a baby and then maybe you’ll be happy then. I hope their wedding is better than yours and their house is already bigger than yours and their car is better than yours. And then you’ll see how you ruined our lives!”

the woman always gets the blame 😢

“I appreciate you being here…but I’m okay. You don’t have to stick around.” She never wanted to see Vin die, but in that instant, she did.

so unfair

Tahli needed to rebuild her wall of detachment.

“One of the doctors was looking for you,” Vin interjected, making Drew taper his glare. “Me?” “You,” Vin pointed at him. “Which doctor?” “The white one,” Vin shrugged. “Which white one?” “Go fucking find out.”

🤣🤣🤣🤣

But maybe hurt was personal. Only measured by the receiver, not the disperser.

Tahli was my best friend.” He shook his head. “Not was. She’s still here. Thank fucking God. But she’s the first person to love me by choice. The first person to take a chance on me.

Vin met a girl once. They boarded a parachute soon after.

...and then he crashed it 😤

“We should do it again,” she suggested, and Vin took the leap.

oh she wants to settle, too.

“Maybe you wanna put on a shirt and not be such a slut,” she

okay Vin jr

“She fucking hates me,” Tahli choked out. “Why does she hate me so much? When did I become the bad guy? I’m Dali’s bad guy.”

🤷🏿‍♀️

“You’re everybody’s bad guy. That’s because you are the bad guy,” Tahli reminded him, and his head tilted in a real cliché acceptance. His cool pissed her off sometimes.

welp

“Dali hates me because I didn’t forgive you. She blames me for breaking up the family. Not you.”

hmmmm

“I know what your happiness looks like, Tahli. Remember? I used to be responsible for that shit.”

Sometimes his cool really annoyed the fuck out of her.

aaaahhhh I live for her refrains!

“Vin’s always been a big deal,” Abby shrugged. “In his own, cool, Vin way.”

“She ain’t got nothing on you.”

🤣🤣🤣

Leah was out of touch, and Tao didn’t care.

not her ending up like their mom 😢

“Hold on. Pretend I’m Tahli…” “I’m a pretend you got ass, too,” Paige insulted, and Abby slit ocean eyes, throwing an invisible ass from side to side right after. “Abby, what the hell are you doing? You gonna break your hips.” Robert joined in on the antics.

🤣🤣🤣

like a lion to carnage, Vin made his way over.

would you look at that?!?!? a simile that has nothing to do with flames! won't he do it!

“Tahli, this who you marrying? You. Tahli Celine Mothafuckin’ Hall. You tryin’ to tell me this nigga’s on ya level, baby love?”

oop

“She needs a man like the one she helped form me into. And it’s not you,”

its giving Jolene...

“No sauce,” Abby elaborated. “Plain Jane,” Paige expanded.

cold spaghetti come on Beyonce!

“She doesn’t want you to tell her what you think. She wants you to tell her what she thinks. In your voice,” Paige clarified, and Tahli sucked her teeth.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

The cake may taste good but it’s not the best thing for you. But I think you know that already. You need to find a healthier alternative, Tah.” Drew’s covert jabs that Vin grunted to.

oooooooo

“Right. But I do have to thank your standards for letting me have him.” Bianca walked off after, taking Tahli’s unspoken words with her.

oof

Vin snatched her wrist in one swift motion. Brought it up to his nose in a swoop. Shut his eyes. And inhaled deeply.