Chapter 23 - The Apology Marcus Owed Alicia
Marcus asked Alicia to meet at a coffee shop.
She almost refused.
Then he wrote:
No Jordan. No lawyers. No excuses. I owe you an apology that isn’t part of settlement.
That earned him twenty minutes.
Alicia arrived at 4:00.
Marcus was already seated.
No gold watch.
No polished confidence.
Just Marcus.
For the first time in years, Alicia could see the man she had married before resentment became structure.
She sat.
“You have twenty minutes.”
“I deserve less.”
“Probably.”
He nodded.
“I’m sorry I sold your car.”
Alicia blinked.
Of all things.
“You waited seven years to say that?”
“Yes.”
“Why now?”
“Because Jordan made me see the same thing happening again.”
Alicia said nothing.
Marcus continued.
“I thought because I could explain why the SUV made more financial sense, I had the right to decide.”
“You did that with everything.”
“I know.”
“No.”
She leaned forward.
“You know now. You did not know then because you refused to know.”
Marcus accepted it.
“You’re right.”
Alicia studied him.
No counterargument.
Interesting.
He continued.
“I trained myself to believe disagreement meant people lacked information.”
Alicia laughed softly.
“That is the most Marcus sentence ever spoken.”
“I know.”
“Stop saying you know.”
He almost smiled.
“Jordan says that too.”
“Smart boy.”
Silence.
Marcus looked down at his coffee.
“I told him you were bitter.”
Alicia’s expression hardened.
“I know.”
“I told Keisha that too.”
“I assumed.”
“I made you the explanation for why he was distant.”
Alicia swallowed anger.
“Why?”
“Because otherwise I had to look at myself.”
She nodded.
“That is the first honest reason I’ve heard.”
“I’m sorry.”
Alicia stared out the window.
She had imagined this apology for years.
It was too late to fix their marriage.
Too late to recover certain memories.
But not meaningless.
“You hurt Jordan every time you made him question whether trusting me was disloyal to you.”
Marcus lowered his head.
“I know.”
“He defended you.”
“I found that out.”
“He called me unfair.”
Marcus’s eyes filled.
“I know.”
Alicia’s voice softened despite herself.
“And you punished him for being loyal.”
“I know.”
She sighed.
“You keep saying that.”
“I don’t have anything better.”
“For once, maybe you shouldn’t.”
They sat quietly.
Marcus finally said, “I’m selling the SUV.”
Alicia frowned.
“Why?”
“Downsizing.”
“Financially necessary?”
“Partly.”
“And the other part?”
Marcus smiled sadly.
“I’m tired of maintaining the person who owns it.”
Alicia looked at him.
“That sounds expensive.”
“It was.”
She checked the time.
Nineteen minutes.
Marcus said, “I also owe you legal fees.”
“Court ordered them.”
“I know.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Sorry.”
Despite herself, Alicia laughed.
Marcus laughed too.
It lasted only a second.
But the sound contained something that had once been familiar.
At twenty minutes, Alicia stood.
“Thank you for apologizing.”
Marcus looked surprised.
“You’re welcome.”
“It doesn’t change custody history, the accounts, or what happened.”
“I understand.”
“Good.”
She picked up her purse.
Marcus said, “Do you think Jordan will ever forgive me?”
Alicia paused.
“I don’t know.”
His face fell.
She continued.
“And stop asking other people to predict him.”
Marcus nodded.
“Fair.”
Alicia walked away.
That night Jordan found her on the porch.
“You met Dad.”
She looked at him.
“How do you know?”
“Tiana.”
Alicia laughed.
“Of course.”
“What did he want?”
“To apologize.”
Jordan sat beside her.
“For the money?”
“For our marriage.”
Jordan blinked.
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“How was it?”
“Late.”
“Good?”
“Also yes.”
Jordan stared into the yard.
“Those can both be true?”
“Most adult things are two annoying truths at once.”
He smiled.
Alicia leaned back.
“Your father is trying.”
“I know.”
“And?”
“I don’t trust trying yet.”
“You don’t have to.”
Jordan looked at her.
“You want us to fix things?”
“I want you to choose your relationship with him without protecting me.”
“What does that mean?”
“You don’t have to stay angry at him because he hurt me.”
Jordan thought.
“And I don’t have to forgive him because he apologized to you.”
“Exactly.”
He nodded.
A car slowed near the curb.
Marcus’s black SUV.
Jordan recognized it.
The SUV continued past without stopping.
Alicia frowned.
“What was that?”
Jordan checked his phone.
A message from Marcus.
Was going to drop off your old baseball glove. Realized I should ask first. You want it?
Jordan stared.
The old Marcus would have knocked.
Entered.
Presented.
Explained.
The new message contained a question.
Jordan typed:
Yeah. Tomorrow is fine.
Marcus replied:
Okay.
No heart.
No speech.
No pressure.
Jordan put the phone away.
Alicia smiled.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Mom.”
“Questions suit him.”
Jordan looked toward the road where Marcus had disappeared.
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“Yes.”
“They do.”
