Chapter 14 - The Money Keisha Hid
Marcus met Keisha the next morning before her studio opened.
She was already sitting behind her desk.
An envelope lay between them.
Marcus remained standing.
“Explain.”
Keisha looked exhausted.
“Darius’s father is Andre Grant.”
“I know his name.”
“You don’t know the whole story.”
“Then tell me.”
Keisha rubbed her palms together.
“Andre disappeared when Darius was six.”
“You said he chose not to be involved.”
“He did.”
“What does eleven thousand dollars have to do with that?”
Keisha looked at the envelope.
“Two years ago he contacted me.”
Marcus became still.
“That’s when I gave you the investment.”
“Yes.”
“What did he want?”
“Money.”
Marcus laughed in disbelief.
“And you paid him?”
“He said he was going to file for custody.”
Marcus frowned.
“That doesn’t mean he would get it.”
“I know that now.”
“You knew it then.”
Keisha’s eyes flashed.
“You don’t know what I knew.”
“Then tell me.”
She stood.
“Andre had videos.”
Marcus stared.
“What videos?”
“Me having panic attacks after he left.”
Marcus’s anger softened.
Keisha continued.
“He used to record me when I was breaking down.”
“Why?”
“Control.”
Her voice trembled.
“He said if I didn’t pay what he owed on gambling debts, he’d send the recordings to Darius and tell him I was unstable.”
Marcus stared at her.
“You should’ve told me.”
“I was ashamed.”
“So you used money I gave you for the studio.”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Eleven thousand.”
Marcus sat slowly.
“Did he leave you alone?”
“For a while.”
“For a while?”
Keisha pushed the envelope toward him.
Inside were screenshots of recent messages.
Andre:
Heard you got yourself a new man playing daddy.
Andre:
Maybe it’s time Darius remembers who his real father is.
Andre:
We should discuss what keeping things peaceful is worth.
Marcus felt anger rise.
“This is extortion.”
“I know.”
“Have you called police?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Keisha stared.
“Because I keep thinking I can manage it.”
Marcus almost laughed at the familiarity.
Keisha understood.
“Don’t.”
“What?”
“Turn this into another lesson about avoidance.”
Marcus softened.
“I wasn’t.”
“You were thinking it.”
“I was thinking we’re more alike than either of us wants to admit.”
Keisha sat.
For several seconds neither spoke.
Then Marcus asked, “Does Darius know?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Keisha wiped her eyes.
“I kept telling myself if we built something stable enough, Andre couldn’t touch us.”
Marcus finally understood pieces he had not wanted to see.
The obsession with family.
The competition with Jordan.
The need to prove Marcus would stay.
Understanding did not erase harm.
But it complicated anger.
“You were scared I’d leave.”
Keisha looked at him.
“Yes.”
“So every time I chose Jordan, you heard Andre walking out.”
Her eyes filled.
“Yes.”
Marcus nodded.
“And every time you got scared, you asked me to prove I wasn’t him.”
Keisha’s voice broke.
“Yes.”
Marcus looked toward the studio floor.
“I should’ve recognized it.”
“How?”
“Because I’ve been proving I’m not my father my whole life.”
Keisha laughed sadly.
“And apparently we managed to hurt both boys doing it.”
Marcus did not disagree.
At school, Jordan knew nothing about Andre.
He was preparing for Carolina State’s campus visit.
Alicia planned to drive from Raleigh.
Coach Reed had arranged a Saturday tour.
Jordan found himself excited.
Then guilty for being excited.
During lunch, Darius texted.
Can I come watch practice Friday?
Jordan responded:
Why asking me?
Darius:
Because I don’t know if your dad wants me around.
Jordan stared.
He typed:
You’re not the problem.
Then:
Come if you want.
Friday evening, Darius sat in the bleachers alone.
Jordan noticed him during warmups.
After practice, Jordan tossed him a ball.
“Shoot.”
Darius caught it.
“For real?”
“You play basketball, don’t you?”
They played HORSE.
Jordan destroyed him.
Darius complained loudly.
“You’re seventeen.”
“That sounds like an excuse.”
“You start varsity.”
“Another excuse.”
Darius missed a corner three.
Jordan laughed.
For twenty minutes there was no Marcus.
No Keisha.
No rivalry.
Just two boys playing.
Coach Reed watched from his office doorway.
Marcus arrived late and stopped when he saw them.
Darius noticed.
“Marcus!”
Jordan turned.
For a fraction of a second, the old resentment returned.
Then he saw Marcus hesitate.
His father did not know which boy to approach.
Jordan understood how absurd the whole situation had become.
He bounced the ball toward Marcus.
“You play winner.”
Marcus caught it.
“I’m wearing work shoes.”
Jordan shrugged.
“Excuse.”
Darius laughed.
Marcus smiled.
They played.
Marcus lost badly.
For the first time since the championship, Jordan forgot to measure who got more attention.
Afterward, Marcus drove Darius home.
Jordan rode along.
When they reached Keisha’s apartment, she stepped outside.
Her eyes met Jordan’s.
Tension returned immediately.
Darius climbed out.
“Thanks.”
Jordan nodded.
“Later.”
Keisha approached the passenger window.
“Jordan.”
He looked at her.
“I owe you an apology.”
Marcus became still.
Jordan waited.
Keisha swallowed.
“I treated your relationship with your father like it threatened my son.”
Jordan said nothing.
“That was wrong.”
Jordan studied her face.
“Why?”
Keisha looked toward Darius.
“Because I was afraid.”
Jordan thought about Alicia’s words.
Love doesn’t automatically make people brave.
He asked, “Does being afraid make it okay?”
“No.”
Keisha answered immediately.
“It explains it.”
Jordan nodded.
“That’s what my mom says.”
Keisha almost smiled.
Then a dark sedan pulled into the parking lot.
Darius, halfway to the door, stopped.
Keisha’s face drained.
Marcus noticed.
“Who is that?”
A man stepped out.
Tall.
Lean.
Late thirties.
He looked directly at Darius.
“Hey, little man.”
Darius stared.
Keisha whispered one name.
“Andre.”
Marcus opened his door.
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Jordan felt the atmosphere change instantly.
The past had arrived in person.
