by nikki blaire
Marcus Forde, Jr.
She didn’t dare say his name out loud. Marcus had this way of calling, texting, or showing up as soon as she thought about him. He had become so in tune with her that it proved scary at times. It meant that he was watching her, learning her. That also meant that she couldn’t keep this secret from him for too much longer.
He would figure it out sooner rather than later. So, she needed to decide for herself. And it was still early enough in pregnancy for an abortion.
She couldn’t say it, but she had thought about it all night. She and Marcus had just started seeing each other. They could not deal with a baby. She had just told her father about dating Marcus. How could she turn around and suddenly say that they were pregnant? And her career. A baby by Marcus would definitely throw a wrench in that.
And even more pressing, what kind of mother would she be?
I didn’t even fully appreciate the one that I had.
She tried to keep her regrets over her mother from creeping into her thoughts, but they won. Here she was again wondering why God was playing such a terrible joke on her.
“I was just drinking. What kind of mother…” Her words trailed off thinking of how she could have gone so long without even knowing that she was pregnant.
“Breathe, Charlisse.” She had to get a grip.
Nothing would come from beating herself up. She knew that better than anyone, so she had to regain control over her renegade fears. Nothing good would come from letting her doubts drive her decisions.
“Let’s pro and con this out.”
She grabbed a notepad and pen then began to scribble out every possible con that she could think of to having a baby with Marcus.
“The costs,” She wrote a few dollar signs, but then had to scratch them out.
She was doing just fine enough financially to have a baby. Marcus also had more money than 75 percent of the world’s population.
“Marc.” She wrote him down as a con as well, but had to cross that out after she thought further.
Charlisse knew him well enough to be sure that he would be over the moon about this baby. He would also be opposed to an abortion.
“But it’s not his decision. It’s my body, it’s my life.” She wrote down the word “change” as another con.
A baby was guaranteed to change everything. Every single aspect of Charlisse’s life would be different. No more odd hours or just thinking of herself. She would have a whole other person's life to consider every single second of the day.
A sobering wave of responsibility washed over her.
“I can’t do this. I need to get an abortion.”
Her hands were shaking. “I’m just going to tell Marc that this is what I’ve decided. I’m not ready for a baby.”
She reached for her phone then scrolled to find his name.
Are you free tonight?
She texted him, knowing that she wouldn’t keep her resolve if she called him.
Yeah, but later. Your best friend’s fundraiser is tonight.
Marcus quickly text her back.
“Dammit.” She had completely forgotten about Brandon’s fundraiser.
“I guess tonight’s not the time either.” She shook her head at his snarky comment.
Usually, she would snap back with something just as sharp, but she had other things on her mind today. Marcus going to this fundraiser was already a gamble. If one thing went wrong, Marcus would be so wound up that hearing her news surely wouldn’t go well.
“Maybe he shouldn’t go.” She almost text him to just skip it.
She needed to get this off of her chest. It was the heaviest load that she had ever carried. But, something held her back from texting him to stay home.
Maybe it was uncertainty, self-doubt, or both. She wasn’t sure, but she did know that she wanted more time to practice what she would say to him.
Marcus had a way of frazzling her, even when she was thoroughly prepared.
“Tomorrow.” She said, looking down at her phone.
She would tell him tomorrow…hopefully.
*****
“You want me to go where with you?” Dwele’s voice filled Marcus’ office.
He sat with his feet on his desk, while his brother talked to him through the speaker phone. He had just asked Dwele to be his plus one for Councilmember Bridges’ fundraiser. There was no way that he was going alone. He really didn’t want to go at all, but he figured that he would make a good show of it now that he was CEO.
That was the nature of Washington, D.C. You were cordial to the people that you hated because you all needed each other for something. He wasn’t quite sure why he would ever need Brandon Bridges, or Vanessa for that matter, but it would cost him more harm to decline the invitation than to simply go.
“To Councilmember Bridges' fundraiser tonight. It’s supposed to be cigars, liquor, cards. Some brotherly bonding.”
He chuckled at his own sarcasm, but Dwele wasn’t amused.
“Vanessa’s new husband?” His brother replied. “Hell naw. And why in the hell would you even be going?”
“You already know what all of this is about, Dwele. Optics. The new CEO should be seen making connections. Dad used to go to events like these all of the time.”
“But with you ex’s husband? You know I’m not one for the optics anyways. So, I’ll pass.” Dwele was adamant.
“And why are you even asking me? If this is a work thing, take Tremaine.”
“Dwele, you owe me. I went to that award’s gala for you. I go every damn year. You can’t make this one thing?”
Marcus wasn’t opposed to Tremaine coming instead, but he wanted to try one last crack at his brother before he obliged. Going to Brandon’s event, let alone at his house, sounded like crossing enemy lines. He wanted someone that he trusted unconditionally to go with him. Tremaine would be a good CEO, but Marcus wasn’t so sure how he felt about him in these kinds of settings yet.
“Naw, man. I can’t. And you don’t have to come with me to the gala next year, if that helps.”
“It doesn’t.” Marcus hung up in annoyance.
Now, he had to take Tremaine. He sighed then pressed the button on his office phone that connected him to Tremaine’s office.
“Tremaine, you busy?” Marcus asked once he picked up.
“Nope. Not at all. Just unpacking a few things. You need me to come by?”
“No, I’ll come to you.” Marcus had yet to see Tremaine’s changes to his father’s office since he moved into it.
Now was the perfect time to finally take a look. He walked the short distance down the hall then knocked on the door before slowly pushing it open.
“Come on in.” Tremaine greeted him with a big grin.
“Wow. You really made some changes in here. It looks completely different."
Marcus took in the room around him. He had seen his father’s large, old leather furniture in that office for as long as he could remember. Now, simple and elegant pieces filled the room, while a large bookshelf stood behind his desk.
Tremaine had even reconfigured the office layout. His father had always faced the door, so that he could instantly make eye contact with whomever walked in. Tremaine, on the other hand, had everything facing the window in order to see the view.
“I can’t take any of the credit. Ayda had people come in last night and put all of this together. I just showed up with my pictures and shit.” He laughed while he adjusted a picture of him, Ayda, and his daughter on his desk.
“You like it though? Did I do the office any justice?”
“Look, as long as you’re not stealing money, you’re already doing it justice.” His sense of humor was finally recovering from his father’s lack of good judgement.
“Glad to see you settling in.” He nodded, still shocked at the office’s transformation. “But I actually came in to ask you something. Are you busy tonight?”
“Naw, not exactly. Why, what’s up?” Tremaine sat up in his
chair.
“I’ve got this event. It’s a fundraiser for Councilmember Bridges…”
“Vanessa’s husband, right? We went to the wedding.” Tremaine’s ears perked up.
“Yeah, but I used to date her and I just…”
“Need some backup. Say less.” Tremaine pulled out his phone and then swiftly typed a text message.
“Let me just hit up Ayda really quick to make sure she doesn’t have plans and I’m in there.”
He paused for a beat to wait on her response. “Yep, all good. I’m ready when you are.”
He looked up at Marcus who hadn’t expected Tremaine to be so willing to join him.
“Alright. Uh, I guess we can ride over there together. I’m going to leave out of here around 6:30 p.m.”
“Cool with me.” Tremaine nodded. “Thanks for the invitation.”
Marcus started to speak, but was interrupted by Tremaine’s new assistant peeking her head into the room.
“Mr. Henley, you wanted me to go over your schedule for the rest of the week with you?”
Marcus moved out of the way, so the older woman could walk in.
“Tremaine, please call me Tremaine. We’re both new at this place. That makes us coworkers.” He motioned for her to sit down.
“I’ll get out of your way.” Marcus eased backwards, proud of how easily Tremaine was fitting in. “I’ll swing by before I leave.”
He started to pull the door behind him, but stopped once Tremaine asked him to leave it open.
“Open door policy. I figured that kind of transparency might be helpful around here.” Tremaine winked.
“Good idea.” Marcus meant it.
His father’s office had been like a chamber with the way he used to have to announce himself before coming in. An open door policy was a good change of pace. He walked back into his office, making sure to keep his own door open as well, before settling back in at his desk.
The evening snuck up on Marcus, but he was happy to see 6:30 p.m. The sooner he got to Brandon’s fundraiser, the sooner that he could get it over with.
“You ready?” He tapped on Tremaine’s door, as he walked by.
“Yea, let me just do this last thing.” Tremaine typed something then closed his laptop.
“You’ve got work to do already?” Marcus furrowed his brow.
Tremaine had only been there a few days. His transition plan still had him learning the operations of the firm before having real work to do.
“Oh, naw. I was just sending Ayda some flowers since I’m getting home later than usual tonight. Ya know?” He shrugged, while they walked out of the executive suite.
“Are you serious? Wow. You really are good. That’s some high-level player shit. I need to step my shit up.”
They walked onto the elevator together.
“Bruh, you don’t keep a woman like Ayda doing basic level shit. You’ve spent your whole life with her. You tryna tell me that you ain’t know?”
They both laughed. Marcus definitely knew how high maintenance his sister could be. She was just like Marcus when it came to price tags. She never looked at them.
“Well then, I’ll need to give you a raise. A cost of Ayda adjustment.” They laughed even louder, as they strolled out of the building to the street for a cab.
They climbed in and made casual conversation on the way, to Marcus’ pleasant surprise. He wouldn’t admit it just yet, but Marcus was actually coming around to Tremaine.
They pulled up to Brandon’s house in the Cleveland Park neighborhood of Washington, D.C. and got out on the curb.
“Nice.” Tremaine stared up at the house, but Marcus wasn’t impressed.
“It looks like our summer home in Ocean City...or the one in the Hamptons.”
He gave the front of the house a wayward glance then walked up to the door with Tremaine behind him.
The door opened before he could knock and then someone quickly ushered them inside. The house looked completely empty without a single guest in sight.
“What kind of fundraiser is this?” Tremaine must have read his mind, but the guide just motioned for them to follow him deeper into the house.
“The Councilmember is hosting this event in his basement. He recently transformed it into a custom cigar lounge. Tonight is the first time he’s had guests over to see it since it was completed earlier this year.”
“Sounds like a bachelor pad to me.” Tremaine and Marcus glanced at each other, but continued to follow.
Marcus had the same thought while he scanned the rooms they passed. From the looks of this house, if he hadn’t been at the wedding himself, Marcus wouldn't know that Brandon was married at all.
There wasn’t any trace of Vanessa. Not even a single picture of the happy couple.
“Maybe this is his house from before the marriage.” Marcus shrugged.
He hated to think that he and Vanessa were already living separately, or from the looks of it, never lived together at all. From the looks of it, theirs was exactly the kind of marriage that Marcus had always scorned. Thankfully, he no longer seemed destined for such a sad fate.
“Right down here, gentlemen.”
They were pointed down a flight of steps where the faint thud of hip hop music could be heard from behind the door.
“Enjoy yourselves.” He knocked on the basement door twice before it opened.
Marcus braced himself before walking in. He wasn’t sure of what kind of debauchery he would find on the other side. He had been in this world long enough to know the various exploits of wealthy and powerful men, his own self included.
But he let out a sigh of relief once he stepped into nothing more than an expertly crafted home cigar lounge. The walls were a dark gray that made the dark brown leather furniture stand out. Tables were spotted throughout the room, while a full bar area was set up towards the back of the room.
Hostesses pranced around the room passing out food and cigars, while a buxom bartender made drinks from the beautiful collection of liquors that lined the back wall.
“Now, this is nice.” Tremaine let out a low whistle.
“Yeah, I’ll give him that.” Marcus wanted to find something that he disliked, but the room was immaculate.
“Marc! You made it!” Brandon called to him as he walked over. “Good to see you.”
He held out his hand for Marcus to shake.
“Thanks for the invitation. This is Tremaine. Our new CFO.” He introduced them, to which Brandon shook his hand as well.
“Glad to have you. Please enjoy yourselves. Have a drink, cigar. Whatever you like.”
He waved around the large room, which was packed with the city’s who’s who. Marcus recognized several faces, but decided to mingle after he had a drink and lit a cigar.
Brandon waved a hostess over, who handed them both a cigar and a glass.
“Bring me that decanter on the third shelf.” He instructed the woman, who left, but quickly returned with the glass container.
“I’ve got something for you, Marc. My best cognac.” Brandon poured the burnt orange liquid into his glass. “And a peace offering.”
He dutifully watched Marcus take a drink, which made an awkward tension balloon between the two of them.
“You know what, I’m going to go say hello to some people that I see. Nice to meet you, Councilmember.” Tremaine dismissed himself.
Brandon gave him a short nod, but turned back to Marcus as soon as Tremaine was gone.
“So, is that why you invited me tonight? To make peace?” He sipped on the cognac, which was smooth and rich.
“We got off on the wrong foot. I was,”
“Jealous. And that’s fine.” Marcus didn’t need to have a conversation about what happened between them.
He remembered the moment quite well and rehashing would only make him upset, especially now that he and Charlisse were dating exclusively.
“I wouldn’t say that.” Brandon stepped forward. “I was standing up for my wife.”
>
Marcus wanted to laugh. This was the same wife who didn’t even have a picture in “his” house. But he kept his comments to himself for once.
“Good.”
That was the only word that he could manage without saying anything that would make matters worse.
Brandon nodded. “Can we put the past behind us? Let bygones be bygones?”
Marcus looked directly in his eyes. “Sure.”
It was best to stick with one-word answers.
“Great. Who knows maybe we could all be friends. You and me, Vanessa and Lisse.”
Marcus hated this nickname that only Brandon ever seemed to use for her, but he swallowed his temper for Charlisse’s sake. The last thing she needed was to hear of another run in between him and Brandon. So, he put his pride aside for her and kept his mouth closed.
“I think we should let them decide if they’d like to be friends and just worry about conducting ourselves like grown men.”
Even though I know that will be hard for you.
The thought stayed in his mind, thankfully.
“Sounds about right.” Brandon held out his hand for Marcus to shake again then eased away from him.
Finally.
He breathed. Now, he could enjoy his night.
Marcus stalked over to a table and picked up a lighter for his cigar.
“It looked like the two of you needed a moment to yourselves. So, I dipped, but I’m ready to go if you want to.” Tremaine reappeared beside him.
“Oh no, it’s fine.” Marcus held up his cigar and lit it.
He took a few pulls then blew the smoke out, as a much needed sense of calm pulsed through him.
“Good.” Tremaine tapped the side of an ashtray to knock a few ashes off of his cigar.
“I’ll be ready to go after I finish this cigar though.” Marcus looked around the room. “I figure we can each take a side of the room and meet a few people by then.”
Tremaine nodded in agreement. “I had the same thought. Alright, I’ll be on the lookout.” He gestured then walked off again.
Marcus sat down at the table to enjoy a moment of solitude. He knew that someone would recognize and approach him at some point. So, he needed to fully indulge in being left alone for the time being. Sure enough, after a short while, someone patted him on the back.