Chapter 2
"Tell me you're not taking Noah."
My voice sounded strange.
Almost unrecognizable.
Nia stood at the bedroom door, gripping her suitcase handle.
She had spent the last twenty minutes treating our marriage like an inconvenient appointment.
Now, for the first time, she looked nervous.
"Marcus, we need to discuss this calmly."
I looked down at the custody petition.
"Calmly?"
I laughed bitterly.
"You have a document claiming I was never a father to Noah."
She took a breath.
"That's not exactly what it means."
"Then explain it."
She looked toward the hallway.
"Andre wants to be involved in his son's life."
I shook my head.
"He can be involved without destroying Noah's relationship with me."
"It's more complicated than that."
"How?"
Nia closed her eyes.
"Andre wants us to move."
My stomach tightened.
"Move where?"
"Charlotte."
North Carolina.
Nearly four hours away.
I stared at her.
"You want to take Noah out of his school?"
"He can attend another school."
"Away from his friends?"
"Children adjust."
"Away from the man he calls Daddy?"
She looked at me with an expression I will never forget.
"Marcus, you're making this about yourself."
For a second, I couldn't speak.
Then I looked at the photographs on our dresser.
Noah's kindergarten graduation.
Our family vacation.
The basketball game where he had scored his first basket.
I pointed toward them.
"That little boy has never once had to wonder whether I would show up."
Nia crossed her arms.
"Andre is trying to make things right."
"Then he should start by apologizing to Noah."
"He's ready to be a father."
I stared at her.
"Being ready doesn't erase seven years."
She looked away.
I took a slow breath.
"Does Noah know about any of this?"
"No."
"Then you're not taking him anywhere until we've figured out what's best for him."
Nia's eyes hardened.
"You don't get to decide that."
I looked at the petition.
She was right about one thing.
I wasn't Noah's biological father.
And although I had raised him for years, I had never legally adopted him.
We had talked about adoption.
More than once.
But Nia always found a reason to postpone it.
First, she said we needed to save money.
Then she claimed Andre would never consent.
Later, she said paperwork couldn't make me more of a father than I already was.
I believed her.
Because I trusted my wife.
Now I wondered whether she'd kept me from adopting Noah deliberately.
My phone buzzed.
A message from my sister, Danielle.
ARE YOU STILL PICKING NOAH UP FROM PRACTICE?
I checked the time.
4:18 p.m.
Basketball practice ended at five.
I looked at Nia.
"Where is Noah going after practice?"
She hesitated.
"Why?"
My pulse quickened.
"Where?"
She set down the suitcase.
"Marcus—"
I moved toward the door.
She stepped in front of me.
"Don't make a scene at his school."
My chest tightened.
"What scene?"
She said nothing.
I stared at her.
"Nia, what have you done?"
She finally whispered,
"Andre is picking him up."
Everything inside me went cold.
I grabbed my car keys.
Nia caught my sleeve.
"Marcus, wait."
I pulled away.
"Does Noah know Andre is coming?"
She didn't answer.
That was enough.
I rushed downstairs.
My hands shook so badly I dropped my keys near the front door.
By the time I reached my truck, Nia was standing on the porch.
"Marcus!"
I ignored her.
I called the school.
The receptionist answered after three rings.
"Brookfield Elementary."
"This is Marcus Williams. I'm calling about Noah Williams's basketball practice."
I heard typing.
"One moment, sir."
My heart hammered.
"Has anyone picked him up?"
Another pause.
"Mr. Williams, Noah is still in the gym."
I exhaled.
Then she added,
"But we received an updated pickup authorization this morning."
I gripped the steering wheel.
"From whom?"
"His mother."
My throat tightened.
"Who is authorized?"
A brief silence.
"Andre Coleman."
I closed my eyes.
Nia hadn't simply decided to leave me.
She had already begun rearranging Noah's life behind my back.
"Please," I said. "I'm coming to the school. Can you ask the principal to call me before releasing Noah to someone he doesn't know well?"
The receptionist sounded concerned.
"I'll notify the principal immediately, sir. We will follow the school's authorization and safety procedures."
I thanked her.
Then I called Danielle.
My sister was a pediatric nurse.
She had always been close to Noah.
When she answered, I barely recognized my own voice.
"Danielle, I need help."
"What happened?"
"Nia's leaving."
A pause.
"What?"
"For Andre."
Silence.
Then Danielle said something that made my stomach drop.
"Marcus, there's something I need to tell you."
I pulled into the school parking lot.
"What?"
"I saw Andre last week."
My hands tightened around the wheel.
"Where?"
"At Noah's basketball game."
I froze.
Andre had been there?
At the gym where I cheered for Noah?
Where I bought him orange juice afterward?
Where I promised to take him for ice cream if he made two baskets?
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Danielle's voice shook.
"Because Nia told me he was a family friend. I only recognized him later from an old photograph."
I stared through the windshield.
"What did he do?"
"He was watching Noah."
I swallowed.
"Did he talk to him?"
"No. But he was taking pictures."
A cold feeling settled in my stomach.
Pictures.
The custody petition.
The secret messages.
The plan to move.
Suddenly, everything felt connected.
"Danielle, meet me at the school."
"I'm coming."
I ended the call and hurried inside.
The principal met me outside the gym.
Her name was Mrs. Carter.
She had known Noah since kindergarten.
"Mr. Williams," she said gently. "Noah is safe."
I almost collapsed with relief.
She continued.
"His mother has provided updated authorization. We understand there's a family disagreement, but we can't resolve custody matters here."
I nodded.
"I'm not asking you to."
I looked through the gym doors.
Noah was dribbling a basketball.
His little face was serious with concentration.
He wore the blue sneakers I bought him for his birthday.
Then he spotted me.
His entire face lit up.
"DADDY!"
He dropped the ball and ran toward me.
I knelt.
He threw both arms around my neck.
And something inside me broke.
"Hey, champ."
He pulled back.
"You're early!"
I forced a smile.
"Couldn't miss my favorite player."
He grinned.
"Coach says I'm getting better at defense."
I laughed shakily.
"Of course you are."
Then Noah looked over my shoulder.
His smile disappeared.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah?"
"Why is that man here again?"
My heart stopped.
I turned.
Andre Coleman stood near the gym entrance.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and wearing an expensive black jacket.
He looked directly at me.
Then smiled.
I stood slowly.
Noah moved behind my leg.
Andre approached.
"Marcus."
I stared at him.
He held out his hand.
"Long time."
I didn't take it.
"What are you doing here?"
He glanced at Noah.
"I'm here for my son."
Noah tightened his grip around my hand.
I looked down.
His eyes were filled with confusion.
Then Andre said something that made me realize the situation was far worse than I'd imagined.
"Nia said you already agreed to step aside."
I stared at him.
"She told you what?"
May you like
Andre's smile faded.
And for the first time, I wondered whether my wife had been lying to both of us.
