Chapter 8: The Choice He Made For Me
I stared at Darius.
The man who taught me how to ride a bike.
The man who stayed awake when I had nightmares.
The man who sat in the front row at every school event.
The man I had hurt because I thought he wasn’t my “real” father.
Now he looked like someone hiding from a question he had avoided for years.
“What papers?”” I asked.
Darius didn’t answer.
My voice became louder.
“What papers did you sign?””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Darius.””
But Darius raised his hand.
“No.””
Everyone stopped.
He looked at me.
And I saw something I had never seen before.
Regret.
“I signed something the day you were born.””
My throat tightened.
“What?””
He took a deep breath.
“I signed temporary guardianship papers.””
I blinked.
“That doesn’t make sense.””
“It was supposed to be temporary.””
“Why?””
His eyes lowered.
“Because Claire was sick.””
My anger faded slightly.
“What kind of sick?””
“After you were born, she struggled.””
Darius sat down.
“She had severe complications. She was exhausted. She was scared.””
Marcus looked confused.
“But why didn’t she tell me?””
Darius looked at him.
“Because Rachel had already convinced her you were gone.””
The room became heavy again.
I looked at Darius.
“Then why sign anything?””
He rubbed his hands together.
“Because the hospital needed someone responsible for you.””
“You.””
He nodded.
“I was the only person there.””
I stared.
“Why were you there?””
A long silence.
Then Darius answered.
“Because Claire called me.””
Marcus’s expression changed.
“Called you?””
“Yes.””
“Before me?””
Darius looked away.
“Yes.””
The pain on Marcus’s face was immediate.
I understood why.
To him, it sounded like Darius had replaced him before he even had a chance.
But there was something about Darius’s expression.
Something broken.
“She called me because she was afraid,” he said.
“Afraid of what?””
Darius looked at me.
“Of losing you.””
I swallowed.
“She knew?””
“Yes.””
“She knew Marcus was alive?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn’t she call him?””
Darius looked at the floor.
“Because Rachel convinced her not to.””
Marcus turned away.
Years of pain seemed to crash over him all at once.
I looked at Darius.
“But you knew he existed.””
“Yes.””
“And you let me believe he abandoned me.””
His eyes closed.
“Yes.””
The answer hurt.
More than an excuse would have.
“Why?””
His voice broke.
“Because I was selfish.””
Nobody expected that.
Darius looked at me.
“I told myself I was protecting you. I told myself you needed stability.””
He swallowed.
“But the truth is…”
He paused.
“I was afraid.””
My eyes filled.
“Afraid of what?””
“That if Marcus came back, I would lose my daughter.””
The word hit me.
My daughter.
Not “you.””
Not “Emily.””
His daughter.
“I was never legally yours.””
“I know.””
“You could have lost me.””
“Yes.””
“And you still stayed?””
He nodded.
“That was the only choice I made that I don’t regret.””
I looked away.
Because I didn’t know how to feel.
How could someone make the wrong decision for the right reason?
How could someone love me and still hurt me?
My phone buzzed again.
Another message.
This time there was an attachment.
A document.
I opened it.
My blood ran cold.
It was a signed statement.
Dated the week after I was born.
The signature at the bottom belonged to Darius.
The message underneath said:
*He didn’t just sign to protect you. He signed to keep Marcus away.*
I looked at Darius.
“Is this real?””
He didn’t answer.
That was the answer.
Marcus grabbed the phone.
His face hardened.
“You promised Claire you wouldn’t tell me.””
Darius looked at him.
“Yes.””
My heart dropped.
“You promised?””
Darius nodded.
“She begged me.””
I whispered:
“Why?””
His eyes met mine.
“Because she believed if Marcus knew the truth…”
He stopped.
“Tell me.””
Darius’s voice became barely audible.
“She believed he would take you away.””
The room went silent.
Then Rachel spoke.
“No.””
Everyone turned.
She was crying.
“That’s not the full truth.””
Darius looked at her.
“Rachel.””
She shook her head.
“You have carried this guilt long enough.””
My heart raced.
“What are you talking about?””
Rachel stepped closer.
“The papers Darius signed weren’t to keep Marcus away.””
She looked at me.
“They were to protect you from someone else.””
I froze.
“Who?””
Rachel looked toward the front door.
May you like
And whispered:
“Your grandfather.””
