Chapter 9: The Missing Brother
Kiara could barely hear the rain anymore.
“Marcus Carter,” she repeated.
Darnell shook his head.
“That's impossible.””
“Why?””
“Because Marcus was my brother.””
“I know.””
“He died three years before you were born.””
Kiara held up the document.
“Then why is his name here?””
Darnell stared at it.
“I don't know.””
Calvin stepped forward.
“I do.””
Darnell turned on him.
“You weren't there.””
“I was closer to the truth than you think.””
Kiara looked at Calvin.
“Was Marcus my father?””
Calvin didn't answer immediately.
That silence made her heart pound.
“Calvin.””
He finally said, “No.””
Kiara frowned.
“Then why is his name on my birth record?””
“Because your mother wanted everyone to believe he was.””
Rochelle shook her head.
“No.””
Calvin looked at her.
“Yes.””
“You don't understand.””
“I understand exactly.””
Kiara stepped between them.
“Stop.””
Both went silent.
She held the document up.
“I want one answer.””
Her voice cracked.
“Who is my biological father?””
Calvin looked at Darnell.
Then Rochelle.
Then Kiara.
“You.””
Kiara stared at him.
“What?””
Calvin pointed toward the document.
“The test that was done twenty-two years ago wasn't between you and Darnell.””
He looked at Andre.
“It wasn't between you and me.””
Then he pointed at the page.
“It was between your mother and a man named Marcus Carter.””
Kiara's face went blank.
“That doesn't make sense.””
“It does if Marcus wasn't dead.””
Darnell's lips parted.
“Marcus was dead.””
Calvin shook his head.
“No.””
Darnell's voice became louder.
“I identified his body.””
“No.””
“I buried him.””
“No.””
“I watched the coffin go into the ground.””
Calvin stepped closer.
“Then who did you bury?””
Darnell went silent.
Kiara's stomach twisted.
Rochelle whispered, “I told you this would happen.””
Kiara looked at her.
“What would happen?””
“You'd find out.””
“Find out what?””
Rochelle wiped her tears.
“That Marcus survived.””
Darnell stared at his wife.
“You knew?””
Rochelle nodded.
“For twenty-two years.””
Darnell's face crumpled.
“You let me mourn my brother.””
“I had no choice.””
“You always had a choice.””
“He threatened to expose us.””
“Expose what?””
Rochelle looked at Kiara.
“The night you were born, Marcus came to the hospital.””
Kiara held her breath.
“He wasn't supposed to be there.””
“Why?””
“Because Calvin was already there.””
Calvin nodded.
“I remember.””
Rochelle continued.
“Marcus told me he knew the baby wasn't Darnell's.””
Darnell whispered, “How?””
“Because he had been following Calvin.””
Kiara looked at Calvin.
“Why?””
Calvin's face hardened.
“Because Marcus believed your mother was hiding money.””
“What money?””
Rochelle shook her head.
“That's not important.””
“It is to me.””
“It was money from an insurance settlement.””
Calvin interrupted.
“That's not what it was.””
Rochelle turned toward him.
“Don't.””
“What settlement?”” Kiara asked.
Calvin answered.
“Your mother's father had a life insurance policy.””
Kiara frowned.
“My grandfather?””
“Yes.””
“And?””
“He left the money to you.””
Darnell's face changed.
“How much?””
Calvin looked at him.
“Enough to make people dangerous.””
Kiara stared.
“So this was about money?””
“Partly,” Calvin said.
“Then why change my birth certificate?””
“Because the money couldn't be released unless your legal father signed for you.””
Kiara looked at Darnell.
“And you did.””
Darnell nodded slowly.
“I didn't know about the money.””
Rochelle whispered, “I never wanted it.””
Calvin laughed.
“You're lying.””
Rochelle snapped.
“I wanted my daughter alive!””
“Then why did you sign the papers?””
“Because Marcus gave me no choice!””
Darnell stared at her.
“What did Marcus threaten you with?””
Rochelle's face went white.
Kiara stepped closer.
“Mom.””
Rochelle shook her head.
“No.””
“Tell me.””
“I can't.””
“Tell me!””
Rochelle finally broke.
“Marcus said if I told anyone he was alive, he'd take you.””
The words hung in the rain.
Darnell whispered, “Where is he?””
Rochelle looked toward the street.
“I don't know.””
Calvin's expression changed.
“Yes, you do.””
“No.””
“You spoke to him yesterday.””
Kiara turned.
“What?””
Rochelle's eyes widened.
Calvin pulled a phone from his pocket.
“He called me last night.””
Darnell stared.
“What did he say?””
Calvin looked at Kiara.
“He said he was coming for you.””
Kiara's blood ran cold.
A second phone began ringing.
Everyone looked at Kiara.
Her phone.
Unknown number.
She slowly answered.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through.
Calm.
Older.
Almost familiar.
“Kiara.””
She froze.
“Who is this?””
The man chuckled.
“You've spent your whole life calling another man Dad.””
Darnell stepped toward her.
“Hang up.””
The voice continued.
“But tomorrow, sweetheart, you're going to learn what your mother did with my name.””
Kiara's hand shook.
“Marcus?””
Silence.
Then the man said:
“Look behind you.””
Kiara turned.
Across the street, beneath a black umbrella, stood an older Black man in a dark suit.
He lowered the umbrella.
Kiara stared at his face.
Darnell stopped breathing.
Rochelle screamed.
May you like
And the man smiled.
“Hello, little girl.””
