Chapter 21 - The Signature
Denise moved quickly.
The photograph from Richmond contained location metadata.
Hotel receipts placed Marcus in Virginia.
A toll record showed his car crossing state lines hours before the supposed signing.
Most importantly, the notary listed on Terrence’s guarantee denied ever notarizing the document.
The signature was likely fabricated.
Marcus sat in Denise’s conference room with Jordan and Alicia.
“This is serious,” Denise said.
Marcus nodded.
“Terrence knows.”
“He will soon.”
Jordan leaned forward.
“What happens?”
“The civil case may collapse. Separately, allegations of forged documents and diverted investor funds can be referred for investigation.”
Alicia crossed her arms.
“He threatened a teenager over this.”
Denise nodded.
“We preserved the messages.”
Marcus looked at Jordan.
“I’m sorry you got dragged into it.”
Jordan surprised him.
“You didn’t drag me into this part.”
Marcus looked confused.
Jordan continued.
“You dragged me in when you used my money.”
Marcus absorbed that.
“This part is Terrence.”
“Fair.”
Jordan appreciated the answer.
No defense.
No guilt performance.
Just fair.
Two days later Terrence withdrew the civil claim.
That did not stop the investigation.
An attorney representing three investors filed additional records with state authorities.
Jordan’s name was removed from future correspondence except where required as the owner of the custodial funds Marcus had misused.
The financial threat began shrinking.
The emotional one remained.
At home, Jordan found Marcus calculating payments.
“What’s that?”
“Mortgage plan.”
Jordan leaned over.
Marcus had created a three-year schedule for reducing the balance.
“You’re keeping the house?”
“For now.”
Jordan looked at him.
“For me?”
Marcus shook his head.
“For me.”
Jordan was surprised.
Marcus continued.
“I kept pretending the house was either your stability or my ticket to some new life.”
He looked around.
“It can just be my home.”
Jordan nodded.
“What if you and Keisha move in together?”
Marcus leaned back.
“We’re not talking about that.”
“You broke up?”
“No.”
Jordan waited.
Marcus smiled.
“We’re dating.”
“That sounds normal.”
“It’s terrifying.”
Jordan laughed.
Marcus continued.
“No merging accounts. No house plans. No loyalty tests.”
“Her rules or yours?”
“Both.”
Jordan nodded.
“And Darius?”
“I see him when he wants.”
Jordan smiled faintly.
“He likes you.”
“I like him.”
Marcus looked at Jordan.
“That doesn’t take anything from you.”
Jordan held his gaze.
“I’m starting to know that.”
The sentence made Marcus’s eyes wet.
Jordan immediately pointed.
“Don’t.”
Marcus laughed.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were about to make it emotional.”
“It is emotional.”
“Be emotional over there.”
Marcus laughed harder.
The next weekend Jordan attended Darius’s game.
Not because Marcus asked.
Because Darius did.
The youth gym was smaller than Jordan remembered from the night of his championship.
He sat beside Marcus.
Keisha sat on the other side.
For a moment Jordan felt the old resentment.
This place.
These bleachers.
This game had become the symbol of being replaced.
Then Darius hit a three.
Jordan stood.
“Let’s go!”
Darius grinned.
Marcus looked at Jordan.
Jordan noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Stop looking at me weird.”
Marcus smiled.
“Okay.”
After the game, Darius ran over.
“We won!”
Jordan held out his fist.
“You had eleven.”
“Twelve.”
“That last basket was after the whistle.”
“It counted in my heart.”
Jordan laughed.
Keisha approached carefully.
“Thanks for coming.”
Jordan nodded.
“Sure.”
She hesitated.
“I know this gym is…”
She stopped.
Jordan understood.
“It’s a gym.”
Keisha looked at him.
Jordan continued.
“It wasn’t Darius’s fault Dad was here that night.”
Darius glanced between them.
Keisha nodded.
“No.”
Jordan looked at her.
“It wasn’t yours alone either.”
Keisha’s expression changed.
Jordan did not absolve her.
He didn’t need to.
Marcus had made the choice.
That truth actually freed Jordan more than blaming Keisha did.
On the drive home, Marcus asked, “You okay?”
Jordan nodded.
“Yeah.”
“Really?”
Jordan thought.
“Yeah.”
They stopped at a red light.
Marcus looked over.
Jordan smiled.
“Eyes on the road.”
Marcus laughed.
At home, Jordan opened the scholarship folder.
Carolina State’s deadline was approaching.
A second university had offered partial aid.
For weeks, Jordan had waited for a clear feeling.
Tonight he finally had one.
He wanted Carolina State.
Not because Marcus liked it.
Not because Alicia preferred the academics.
Not because Coach Reed knew the staff.
Because when Jordan had walked into that arena, he had imagined himself there.
He brought the commitment form downstairs.
Marcus was watching television.
Jordan handed it to him.
“What’s this?”
“My decision.”
Marcus read the top.
CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY — NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT PREPARATION DOCUMENTS.
His face lit.
Jordan immediately raised one finger.
“Do not make this about you.”
Marcus put both hands up.
“Wouldn’t dare.”
Jordan smiled.
Marcus looked at the form again.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Then congratulations.”
Jordan sat beside him.
Marcus did not reach for the pen.
He did not offer advice.
He simply sat there while Jordan filled in his own name.
When Jordan finished, Marcus said quietly:
“That signature looks good on something that actually belongs to you.”
Jordan looked at him.
The line was painful.
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