The next morning was gray, wet, and limp. Liza did not want to move, much less curl her hair and put makeup on. Her phone vibrated, and she moved with a little too much speed to find it in the folds of the bed. LeDeya sat eating a heaping plate of eggs and hot sauce—expensive room service, Liza was sure.

“You finally up?” Deya asked. “You look like hell.”

“Is that Mr. Thang?” Beverly pushed open the door from the adjoining suite. She, like everyone else, was already de-scarved and dressed. Liza finally found her phone twisted in the sheets. Why was her heart pounding?

I’m downstairs

Her heart hammered, and then she remembered. WIC, of course. Who else could it be?

We’re in room 1207

Liza answered with steadying hands.

Penthouse?

You know how we do!

She responded, then rushed to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. She was throwing her headscarf onto the messy pile of sheets when she heard his soft knock. Liza looked around. Why was her family draped over the furniture like a Vogue front page?

Liza opened the door and beamed. WIC did the rest. He came with gift boxes and flowers and all the things to bowl everyone over with his magnanimity. Liza could not have played it out better. WIC floated in, all warmth and smiles, with fragrant pink roses for everyone and a cheesesteak for Maurice. He even mistakenly called Bev by her oldest daughter’s name, “thinking” she was Janae, and coaxed Granny’s turban off and wore it around the suite for ten minutes pretending to be Madea. He had turned a gray day into a bright one. Liza leaned into his magnetism, late-night texts forgotten. Her sisters were all laughs and lashes.

“You’re famous again!” WIC said.

“Oh, the memes, I know.” The family gathered around WIC’s phone as he searched Liza’s hashtag #Bennett2winit on Instagram. As he scrolled through all the social media around the event, the banter and laughter faded at the latest memes that popped up with Dorsey and Liza dancing.

That feeling when your mom made you make up with your brother.

Black lives matter sees green.

When you get fried chicken at Asian carryout.

Hater to Dater.

Gentrify me, Mr. Fitzgerald.

Some Tiffany for Liza

There were also a lot of jokes about the “dark side,” and even more jokes with some combination of Asian and Black racism.

“This one was all over Reddit. Did he get you a Tiffany necklace?” WIC smiled. It was a great one. Everyone in the room relaxed a little. Liza only noticed how large his canines were.

Liza rolled her eyes. “No, he did not.”

“He got her an old book,” Bev said.

Liza’s hands popped to her hips. Is there anyone who hasn’t already looked in my gift box?