Chapter 2: What Happened While He Was Gone
Marcus didn’t flip the table.
Not yet.
He wanted answers first.
That frightened Evelyn more than shouting would have.
She knew her son.
Marcus had inherited her temper, but he had spent years learning to control it.
He became quiet before he became dangerous.
Now he stood at the head of the table, staring at everyone like witnesses waiting to be questioned.
“Nia,” he said gently, without taking his eyes off the adults, “has Grandma ever made you eat on the floor before?””
Evelyn scoffed.
“Oh, come on.””
Marcus pointed at her without looking.
“I’m talking to my daughter.””
The room went silent.
Nia twisted her fingers together.
“No.””
Marcus breathed out.
Then Nia added, “But she made me stand by the garage last Saturday.””
His head turned.
“What?””
Nia immediately looked nervous.
Marcus softened his voice.
“Tell me.””
“We had company.””
“What company?””
“Aunt Denise and them.””
Marcus looked toward his sister.
Denise lowered her eyes.
Nia continued.
“Grandma said I was interrupting too much.””
“Were you?””
“I asked Mommy where my science poster was because I needed it Monday.””
Marcus closed his eyes for half a second.
“What happened?””
“Grandma said children should be seen and not heard.””
Evelyn muttered, “That used to be common sense.””
Marcus ignored her.
Nia said, “She told me if I wanted attention so bad, I could stand where nobody had to listen to me.””
Marcus’s voice dropped.
“How long?””
Nia shrugged.
“I don’t know.””
“How long were you by the garage?””
“I think until everybody left.””
Marcus looked at Camille.
“What time was that?””
Camille crossed her arms.
“Maybe forty minutes.””
Marcus stared at her.
“You let our daughter stand alone by the garage door for forty minutes?””
“She wasn’t outside.””
“That’s your defense?””
Camille’s face hardened.
“My defense is that you haven’t been here.””
There it was again.
Marcus leaned on the chair in front of him.
“Explain that sentence.””
Camille glanced toward Nia.
Marcus understood.
“Baby, go upstairs for a minute.””
Nia panicked.
“Daddy—”
“You’re okay. Go to your room. Duke can go with you.””
Duke stood the moment Marcus called his name.
Nia hesitated.
Then she leaned toward Marcus.
“Are you leaving again?””
Everything inside him softened.
“No.””
“Tonight?””
“No.””
“Promise?””
Marcus looked her directly in the eyes.
“I promise.””
She hugged him.
Marcus held her tightly.
He felt how thin her shoulders seemed beneath her shirt.
Had she always felt this small?
Or had he simply been too busy to notice?
When Nia went upstairs with Duke, Marcus waited until he heard the bedroom door close.
Then he turned.
“Talk.””
Camille exhaled.
“You want the truth?””
“I’ve been asking for it.””
“Your mother has been here almost every day since you left.””
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
“Why?””
Evelyn answered before Camille could.
“Because someone has to bring structure into this house.””
“My house?””
“Yes, Marcus. Your house.””
Evelyn stood.
“You’re gone constantly. Camille works late. Nia stays on that tablet too much.
She talks back. She doesn’t finish her food. She expects everybody to rearrange their lives around her.””
Marcus stared at his mother.
“Give me one example of her talking back.””
Evelyn folded her arms.
“She questions everything.””
“That’s not an example.””
“When I tell her to do something, she asks why.””
Marcus waited.
Evelyn frowned.
“That is talking back.””
“No. That is asking why.””
“You never spoke to me that way.””
Marcus almost smiled.
“No.””
He stepped closer.
“I was scared of you.””
The room became still.
Evelyn’s expression changed.
Only slightly.
Marcus continued.
“I spent half my childhood trying to predict your mood so I wouldn’t become the reason you were angry.””
“That is not true.””
“You broke my model airplane when I was eleven because I forgot to take out the trash.””
Evelyn stared at him.
Denise looked down.
Marcus continued.
“You made Denise sleep without a blanket because she rolled her eyes at you.””
“Enough.””
“No.””
Marcus shook his head.
“I used to tell myself you did the best you could because Dad walked out and everything fell on you.””
His voice tightened.
“And maybe you did.””
Then he pointed upstairs.
“But you do not get to hand that pain to my daughter.””
Evelyn’s eyes narrowed.
“You think you’re better than me because you have money now?””
Marcus looked around the mansion.
The marble floors.
The chandelier.
The tall windows.
The furniture Evelyn loved bragging about to friends.
“This isn’t about money.””
“It always is with you.””
“No. This is about boundaries.””
Evelyn laughed bitterly.
“Boundaries? I am your mother.””
“And she is my child.””
That ended the argument for several seconds.
Then Terrence stood.
“Look, Marcus, maybe everybody needs to cool down.””
Marcus turned to him.
“Were you here Saturday?””
Terrence paused.
“Yes.””
“Did you see Nia standing by the garage?””
“I thought she was in time-out.””
“For forty minutes?””
Terrence looked uncomfortable.
“I didn’t know the whole situation.””
Marcus nodded.
“That seems to be everybody’s favorite sentence tonight.””
Aunt Lorraine cleared her throat.
“Your mother was harsh, but children do need correction.””
Marcus turned.
“Would you make your grandson eat out of a dog bowl?””
Lorraine’s mouth closed.
“That’s what I thought.””
Denise finally spoke.
“I should’ve said something.””
Evelyn looked at her sharply.
“Denise.””
“No, Mama.””
Denise rubbed both hands over her face.
“I should’ve.””
Marcus studied his sister.
“Why didn’t you?””
Denise looked ashamed.
“Because I didn’t want to fight with her.””
Marcus’s expression hardened.
“So Nia paid the price for your peace.””
Denise flinched.
Camille pushed back from the table.
“You’re acting like you’re the only person who loves her.””
“Right now, I’m acting like I’m the only person who noticed she was eating from a dog bowl.””
Camille’s eyes flashed.
“You don’t get to come home after being gone ten days and judge everything I’ve done.””
Marcus stepped toward her.
“I am judging what I walked into.””
“You’re always traveling.””
“My job pays for this house.””
“And that makes everything okay?””
“No.””
Marcus stopped.
That accusation landed.
Because there was truth in it.
For the last year, business had consumed him.
Four cities some months.
Three hotels in a single week.
He told himself he was building security for Nia.
College.
A future.
A life better than the one he had.
But what good was a future if he wasn’t there to protect her present?
Camille saw the hesitation.
“You don’t know what she’s been like.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What has she been like?””
Camille hesitated.
Then said, “Different.””
“How?””
“Quiet.””
Marcus almost laughed at the absurdity.
“You punished her for being quiet?””
“No. She’s withdrawn. Sensitive. Crying over everything.””
Marcus stared at her.
“And none of you thought maybe there was a reason?””
Camille’s expression shifted.
Marcus saw it.
Fear.
Not guilt.
Fear.
“What?”” he asked.
Camille looked away.
Marcus stepped closer.
“What happened?””
“Nothing.””
“Camille.””
“It’s complicated.””
“Then simplify it.””
Evelyn suddenly spoke.
“The child has been stealing.””
Marcus froze.
Camille turned sharply.
“Evelyn!””
Marcus looked from one woman to the other.
“Stealing what?””
Evelyn’s face became almost satisfied.
“Money.””
Marcus stared at her.
“From whom?””
“From Camille.””
Marcus looked at his wife.
Camille said nothing.
“How much?””
“Two hundred dollars,” Evelyn said.
Marcus turned toward the staircase.
For the first time that night, uncertainty entered his anger.
But something didn’t feel right.
Nia stole two hundred dollars?
His daughter, who asked permission before taking a soda from the refrigerator?
His daughter, who returned five dollars she found beneath a movie theater seat because she thought somebody might come looking for it?
Marcus looked at Camille again.
“Did you see her take it?””
“No.””
“Did anybody?””
Evelyn rolled her eyes.
“It disappeared. Then Nia suddenly had money.””
Marcus’s stomach tightened.
“What money?””
Camille whispered, “She had eighty-seven dollars hidden in her desk.””
Marcus stared at her.
Eighty-seven dollars.
Not two hundred.
“Where is it now?””
Camille hesitated.
“Your mother took it.””
Marcus slowly turned toward Evelyn.
“You took money from my daughter?””
“I confiscated stolen money.””
Marcus stared at her.
Then he asked the only question that mattered.
“Did anybody ask Nia where she got it?””
Silence answered him.
Marcus looked toward the staircase.
And for the first time all evening, his anger was replaced by something colder.
Because Nia had once mentioned saving money.
May you like
Months ago.
He just couldn’t remember what for.
