Chapter 7 - Advice Between Men
Derrick Sloan had known Marcus since college.
Nia had met him dozens of times.
He was funny, loud, divorced and permanently convinced every relationship problem proved his philosophy.
Never combine money.
Never sign anything emotional.
Never let anyone “take what you built.”
Nia had always found him exhausting.
She had never imagined Marcus actually listened.
“Give me the phone,” Nia said.
Marcus picked it up.
“No.”
“I’m not asking to search it.”
“Then what?”
“I want to know what that message means.”
“I told Derrick we were arguing.”
“About the house?”
“Yes.”
“And he already knew my name wasn’t on it.”
Marcus rubbed his jaw.
“Yes.”
The humiliation hit in an unexpected place.
Not just that Marcus had withheld something.
That another man had known.
Maybe several people had known.
While Nia had hosted cookouts in the backyard and called it our house, Marcus’s friends apparently understood the legal truth.
“How long has Derrick known?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Since we bought.”
Nia laughed softly.
“You have got to be kidding.”
“Nia.”
“Did your mother know?”
He looked away.
“Oh my God.”
“My mother has nothing to do with this.”
“She knew?”
“She knew how we financed it.”
“And Yolanda didn’t. My family didn’t. I didn’t.”
“You knew the mortgage was under me.”
“You told me the deed would be handled later.”
Marcus paced.
“This is exactly why I didn’t want to get into legal technicalities. Everything becomes a fight.”
Nia stared at him.
“Legal technicalities become fights when one person knows them and the other person doesn’t.”
Marcus stopped.
She pointed at his phone.
“What did Derrick advise you?”
“He didn’t make my decisions.”
“What did he advise?”
“Nia.”
“What?”
Marcus finally exploded.
“He told me not to mix the house and business with marriage until I was sure!”
The words echoed.
Ava’s footsteps sounded upstairs.
Both adults immediately lowered their voices.
Nia whispered, “Sure of what?”
Marcus looked exhausted.
“That we were solid.”
Nia almost could not process it.
“Solid?”
“You know what I mean.”
“No. Explain.”
“I’ve watched couples get married because they have kids and then start resenting each other.”
“We already have three children.”
“I know.”
“We bought a house.”
“I know.”
“I stopped pursuing promotions because you were building your business.”
“I know.”
“I stayed home with Micah because daycare for three was going to cost almost as much as my take-home pay.”
“I know.”
“But you were waiting to see if we were solid enough to marry?”
Marcus sat down.
“When you say it like that—”
“How else is there to say it?”
His face crumpled slightly.
“I wasn’t waiting to see whether I loved you.”
“Then what were you waiting for?”
“To stop being afraid.”
That answer silenced her.
Marcus looked down at his hands.
“My father got destroyed.”
“Your father made choices too.”
“He lost everything.”
“He also stopped paying bills after the divorce.”
Marcus looked at her sharply.
“You don’t know everything.”
“Neither do you. You were fourteen.”
His mouth tightened.
Nia softened despite herself.
“I know it hurt you.”
“You don’t know what it was like watching people decide what belonged to who.”
“No.”
“My mother cried over furniture.”
“I know.”
“My father slept in his truck for three weeks.”
“I know.”
Marcus looked up.
“I promised myself nobody would ever be able to decide whether I could keep what I built.”
Nia’s eyes filled.
“And what promise did you make me?”
He said nothing.
“That’s the part you keep avoiding.”
She sat across from him.
“I’m not angry because you were afraid.”
Marcus looked at her.
“I’m angry because you let your fear become my risk.”
His eyes reddened.
Nia continued.
“You protected your business.”
“Yes.”
“You protected the house.”
“Yes.”
“You protected money for the children.”
“Yes.”
“And you told yourself I didn’t need protection because you loved me.”
Marcus swallowed.
“I would always take care of you.”
“That’s not protection.”
“What is?”
“The ability to survive you changing your mind.”
That landed.
Marcus leaned back.
For the first time, he did not argue.
Nia glanced at his phone.
“Did Derrick know about the prenup?”
Marcus nodded.
“Your mother?”
“Yes.”
“Anybody else?”
“My attorney.”
“Obviously.”
Nia’s voice shook.
“How many people discussed my future without me?”
Marcus looked sick.
“Nia.”
“How many?”
“Three.”
She stood.
He reached for her hand.
“Nia, please.”
She pulled away.
“I need space.”
“For how long?”
“I don’t know.”
“You can’t just freeze me out.”
“I spent years waiting on decisions you were privately making without me.”
She looked at him.
“You can survive not knowing for a few days.”
Then Marcus said something that stopped her at the doorway.
“The fourth baby wasn’t random.”
Nia slowly turned.
Marcus looked down.
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“I thought another child might make marriage feel less necessary.”
The room went completely silent.
