Chapter 2: The Man Who Came Back
Derek released Aaliyah slowly.
For a moment, nobody moved.
The crowd continued around us.
Laughter.
Camera flashes.
Graduation songs playing from speakers.
But our little circle felt completely silent.
Aaliyah looked between us.
“Wait… you two know each other?””
Derek forced a smile.
“Not exactly.””
I stared at him.
“Not exactly?””
He shoved his hands into his hoodie pocket.
“It’s been a long time.””
“A long time?”” I repeated.
The anger inside me finally found somewhere to go.
“You disappeared for twelve years.””
Aaliyah’s face tightened.
“Marcus.””
“No. I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what’s happening.””
Derek looked uncomfortable.
Good.
For once, someone else could feel uncomfortable.
He glanced at Aaliyah.
“I think we should talk later.””
She nodded immediately.
Not questioning him.
Not asking why.
Just trusting him.
That hurt more than I expected.
Because I remembered when she trusted me like that.
“Later?”” I said.
Aaliyah looked at me.
“Please don’t ruin today.””
The words landed harder than anything else.
Ruin today.
After ten years of helping build the life she was celebrating.
I stepped back.
“I’m not ruining anything.””
She looked away.
I held out the flowers one last time.
“Take them.””
She hesitated.
Then she accepted them.
Not with excitement.
Not with a hug.
Like she was taking something from a stranger because refusing would be rude.
“Thank you.””
Two words.
Polite.
Empty.
I nodded.
“You’re welcome.””
Then I walked away.
I didn’t hear her call my name.
Because she didn’t.
The drive home felt longer than it should have.
The flowers were gone.
But the empty passenger seat felt heavier than when I left.
When I walked into the house, I still expected to hear her voice.
“Marcus, did you buy my favorite cereal?””
“Marcus, can you help me with this?””
“Marcus, I need advice.””
But the house was silent.
I put my keys on the counter.
Then I saw something that made me stop.
A framed picture.
Aaliyah at fourteen.
Me beside her.
Both of us covered in paint after we renovated her bedroom.
She was laughing.
I was laughing.
We looked like a family.
I picked up the frame.
“Was any of it real?””
The question sounded ridiculous in an empty room.
My phone rang.
I almost ignored it.
Then I saw the name.
Renee.
I answered.
“What?””
Her voice was quiet.
“Marcus, please don’t hang up.””
“I’m listening.””
A long pause.
“I should have told you.””
My jaw tightened.
“Told me what?””
“I knew Derek was coming.””
The room seemed to tilt.
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
“And you said nothing?””
“Because I didn’t know how to explain.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Try.””
“Marcus…”
“No. Try.””
She started crying.
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“That you would hate me.””
I looked at the photograph in my hand.
“I don’t hate you, Renee.””
“Then what?””
“I don’t know who you are anymore.””
Silence.
Then she whispered:
“There’s something you need to know about Derek.””
I closed my eyes.
“What?””
“He didn’t come back because he missed Aaliyah.””
My fingers tightened around the frame.
“Then why did he come back?””
Another pause.
The kind that warns you your life is about to change.
“Because he found out about the inheritance.””
I froze.
“What inheritance?””
Renee didn’t answer.
And that scared me more than anything.
“Renee?””
Her voice broke.
“Marcus… you need to understand something.””
“What?””
“He didn’t come back for his daughter.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Then who did he come back for?””
Before she could answer, there was a knock at my front door.
Three slow knocks.
I looked toward the hallway.
My phone still pressed against my ear.
“Renee?””
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Who is at my door?””
The answer came from the other side.
A man’s voice.
A voice I recognized.
“Marcus.””
I stopped breathing.
Because Derek was standing outside my house.
And he wasn’t alone.
Beside him was a woman holding a folder.
A woman I had never seen before.
Derek looked through the glass.
May you like
Then he said:
“We need to talk about Aaliyah’s birth certificate.””
