Chapter Four

 

Marcus turned into the small town square that marked the township of Malvern and turned right to Mount Faith. He was finally going home; last year he had made a brief stop for the Easter holidays. His mother had chided him on neglecting his family, and his father had questioned him about his lifestyle in Kingston.

His dad had the idea that he partied until midnight and had loads of girls on his arm. That was the farthest thing from the truth. An athlete just could not afford to be undisciplined and expect to have a professional track career, even off-season. He had repeatedly reassured his father of that fact, but his father still treated him as if he had some sort of disease. The non-conformity disease, Micah had jokingly said at the time.

He smiled fondly as he turned onto Mount Faith Road and slowly passed the school. It looked beautiful from the entrance as usual. He slowed down and turned onto Mount Faith Drive, which was a mere three minutes from the school's entrance. The entrance to the drive was lined with palm trees. From the entrance of the drive to the top of the hill, where his parents lived, was half a mile. This year, his season's best in the half-mile was one minute and fifty-seconds flat.

When he was a child, his brothers, Adrian and Micah, would time him as he ran it in five minutes. He smiled fondly as he imagined himself, at age seven, struggling to cover the distance in world record time, always with the dream to run on the world stage, to conquer the field, to come out victorious, and to make his father proud of him for something.

Now it was commonplace for him to win on the world stage. Last year, at the World Championships, he had come second in both the quarter mile and the half-mile. Silver in both events and now, at the age of twenty-two, he was celebrated and feted.

His father was still not proud of him, but he had gotten over pleasing his father as motivation. He needed to get an Olympic Gold medal; not only for himself, but to prove that he could do it. Two years ago when he went to the Olympics, he placed fourth in the final of the 400m. He had lost a bronze medal by a fraction of a second; it had been so close he could taste it.

For the next Olympics, he wanted the gold. It was something he dreamed about. Some days, when he went into the gym, weary and bone tired, and not wanting to train he would think about the gold—Olympic gold—the ultimate pinnacle of his hopes and dreams.

He slowed down at his parents’ gate. He had not told anybody that he was coming by. He had not even told Tiffany where he was going when he left out in the morning. He had just gotten back from Europe, and he had to see Deidra. They had arrived in the night from London. In the morning, he got up, got into his car, and drove to Mount Faith.

Usually, he would find a million and one excuses not to go see his parents, but this time, coming back home was like a compulsion.

He paused at the gate, wondering if he absolutely had to see his parents, then the voice of wisdom repeated the 'honor your mother and your father that your days may be long upon the land' mantra and he nodded to the prompting of the voice. Maybe Deidra was right when she said that his parents' values rubbed off on him. He was not half as bad as he could be. He chuckled to himself and dialed his mother's number.

"Hello, Mrs. Bancroft." He said, when she answered.

"Marcus?" she squealed. "How are you? Are you back from Europe?"

"Yes, Mommy," he said softly. "Are you at home?"

"Yes dear. I leave out at nine this morning. It's only just eight-thirty. Why'd you ask?"

"Because you have a special delivery at the gate."

"I do?" his mother sounded curious. He could see the curtains at the front windows moving then his mother came to stand on the verandah.

"I see a car. " His mother thought for a while—she was not very good with car recognition—then said, "It’s a red Mercedes Benz."

He waved to her through the window and she gasped.

"Marcus, is that you?"

"Let me in," Marcus said, simply.

His mother was squealing and jumping on the veranda as if she had just won some prize.

Note to self, he thought, ashamed, return home more often and not just for a girl.

When he drove up the driveway, he saw his little sister, Jessica, standing beside his mother, eagerly waving. His father was at the door with his arms folded. His face looked joyful though. Marcus breathed out in relief. He knew he was not up for a lecture as soon as he got home.

So where's Deidra? he thought, panicked. She had said that her father was begging her to move back into her old house, but she was sticking to her guns about staying with his parents for the semester.

He hugged his mom tightly then hugged his little sister who was not so little anymore. Every year when he saw Jessica she looked like she shot up a foot more than the year before. How old was she now? Seventeen?

He briefly hugged his father, who gave him a pat on the back. Marcus looked around for their houseguest, but still did not see her. What was going on?

"What's all the carrying on about?" Deidra came out into the hall. She had a towel wrapped around her head and was in a skinny black jeans and a turquoise blouse.

"Just the prodigal returning home," His mother replied.

He was staring at Deidra, eating her up with his eyes, and she was staring back at him.

"Oh," she whispered.

"This is Marcus," his mother was saying, "but of course I don't have to tell you that since you see him on television all the time."

Deidra nodded and cleared her throat. "Hi Marcus."

"That's Deidra," his mother said, "she lives with us."

"Since she sent Micah to jail," Jessica piped in.

"Oh for heavens sake, that was like a year ago." Deidra came closer to him. She smelled like French vanilla perfume. She held her hand out for a handshake, but he was fearful of touching her again. He was fearful of the jolt and yet he wanted it. He had driven all the way from Kingston just for it, just to see her and touch her. He walked up to her but ignored her hand. She reached him at chin height.

"Hey you," he whispered to her softly before he hugged her. He realized that it was a mistake the moment their bodies touched. One handshake was a jolt, but their bodies touching was fireworks.

He heard Deidra's muffled gasp and knew once more that they were on the same page.

Though the hug was brief, he could still feel its effects on his body when he moved away after a brief cough from his father. When he looked back, his parents and sister were looking between him and Deidra with varying levels of shock.

"I met her this summer," he said in explanation.

Deidra cleared her throat. "He was at the track meet in Miami."

His mother nodded and gave them a small knowing smile. His father was looking skeptical.

"Do you want some breakfast?" his mother asked briskly. "I have to call the home, I can't go in early today. You are here. I hardly ever see you anymore."

"Can I stay home from school too?" Jessica asked eagerly.

"No, young lady," his father said swiftly. Jessica came over to him, hugged him, and then headed for her room. She looked behind to her father and beseeched.

"It's not even proper school. It's orientation week, and I'm officially a sixth former. I don't have to be there."

Marcus grinned. She was walking as if somebody had kicked her, dragging herself to her room.

"Some breakfast would be good, thanks," he said to his mother, who was heading into the kitchen.

Deidra cleared her throat, "I am going to allow you guys to catch up on your family time. I have a tutorial right now."

He held on to her hand as she turned away. "Surely you can do lunch?"

"Sure." Deidra was self-conscious about the skeptical raised eyebrow of Dr. Bancroft, who had not moved from the doorpost and was watching the two of them with interest. "I'll call you when I am free."

He nodded and let her hand go and turned to his father. "So how is it going, Dad?"

"It's going," His father said simply. "How is that girl you live with?"

"Tiffany." Marcus said abruptly. His father knew Tiffany's name. He had had her investigated before she moved in with Marcus and had highlighted to him the many men Tiffany had slept with before she got together with him.

"She's fine."

"So, why are you here?" His father looked at him with a deep investigative look that he always had when he wanted to ferret out information. Marcus had hated that look ever since he was a small boy.

"Can't a guy visit his old home anymore?"

His father nodded. "Yes, you can, and we are always happy to see you. We wish you would come back here often."

Marcus nodded.

"But don't play around with Deidra," His father said warningly. "You live with that creature, what's her name, Tiffany? You made a commitment to her, though it galls me to think of it. Deidra is not supposed to be on your radar unless that other girl is gone."

Marcus opened his mouth to protest. He had no idea what he was going to protest about. His father was right. What he was doing was tantamount to cheating.

In an abrupt change of topic, which had Marcus reeling, his father looked outside. "Nice car. I hope you are not spending your money on frivolous things and a party lifestyle. There is life after tracks."

"I know that," Marcus said, relieved that they were off the topic of Tiffany and Deidra. "You drove the fear of that in me a couple years ago. That's why I did that degree in business management… I also have some smart investments."

"Good." Bancroft grunted. "Now go make your mother happy, and remember what I said about Deidra."

"Yes sir," Marcus said, glad to escape his father's knowing looks.

 

*****

 

Deidra called him at eleven. He had been home alone, sitting in the old living room, staring at the mementos from years gone by. His mother had recently left for work and Kylie had come over to see him for a brief while. Just when he was alone again, his phone rang.

"I can't believe you are up here," Deidra said breathlessly.

"I had to see you. Are there any nice restaurants on campus that we can go to for lunch?"

"Well there is The Cha which offers Asian cuisine, and then there is Kaleidoscope. The Cha is more private," Deidra said. "We could sit at a back table and talk. I don't have classes till two."

"Two?" Marcus chuckled. "That's good."

He stepped into the Business Center, admiring its glass exterior, and looked around. There was a courtyard in the center of the building, which led to different stores. It had excellent architecture. He had no idea that the business center, which his brother, Micah, managed had been finished so nicely. It had been a while since he had been on campus.

"Marcus Bancroft." He heard a voice calling him as he headed for the restaurant. It was Micah.

"How are you doing bro?" Micah came up to him and gave him a friendly hug. They were almost on the same height, but Micah was leaner. He had a pile of papers in his hand and was grinning from ear to ear. "I heard you were here and that there was going to be a family dinner later."

Marcus groaned. "I told Mom I was not sure that I was spending the night. I am just here for the day."

Micah grinned. "Stay for the night, man. Will be fun for all of us to have dinner together. We haven't had that in years. Besides, you haven't met Taj yet?"

"Dad's love child?" Marcus chuckled. "I might just stay to meet him."

"So where are you off to?" Micah asked.

"Lunch," Marcus said, pushing his hands into his pockets, "with Deidra," he added. He thought it best if Micah found out that he was seriously interested in Deidra from him.

Micah's eyebrows rose and he whistled. "Deidra Durkheim?"

"Yup. Met her at a track meet in Miami this summer. I think she's great."

Micah looked at him worriedly. "You know that Deidra likes me, don't you? She claims that I am her one true love."

"Not anymore," Marcus said seriously. "We like each other."

Micah shook his head, a frown descending on his brow. "Okay, see you later." His response was less than friendly and Marcus watched him walk off in a huff.

 

*****

 

Deidra had been watching the exchange between Marcus and Micah through the tinted windows of the restaurant and saw when Micah stormed away. She hoped that Marcus had told Micah that she was the one he was having lunch with. A perverse part of her wanted Micah to feel a little jealousy about her. It would be soothing to her ego after having chased him for so long.

She watched as his tall, lanky frame rounded the corner, then she fixed her gaze back on Marcus. He had come back to Mount Faith, just to see her. She had mixed feelings about it.

On one hand, she was elated, euphoric even. She couldn't stop grinning in her class today. She had felt like getting up in the midst of her Professional Business Practices class and singing. On the other hand, there was Tiffany. He lived with the girl and she went everywhere with him.

He loved her; she loved him. How on earth was Tiffany fitting into this equation? Deidra had too much self-respect to be the other woman.

Her mother had been her father's mistress for years, and was proud of it. She had had Deidra as a pawn in a game to cement her place in his life. She had no intentions of living her life like her mother had and still did, since she was now the mistress of another man in the Bahamas—Once a mistress, rarely a wife.

She watched Marcus as he walked toward the restaurant. A tall, dark, handsome, and famous world athlete, and he liked her; liked her enough to come and see her straight after his European tour.

She really liked him, maybe a bit more than like. It wasn't the possessive, 'why can't you like me' thing she had for Micah. It was more mature, maybe something like what the love struck Kylie was enjoying with Gareth.

She put her head in her hands. Why did she have to feel this way about Marcus Bancroft? He was the wrong brother. He was already taken, and famous, and maybe the pin up for several women around the world.

She looked up when he approached the table. Several persons had stopped him on his way over to the restaurant to ask for his autograph.

"Why are you looking so glum?" he asked when he reached the table.

"Because you are not single," Deidra said frankly, "and this is crazy. I feel a bit sleazy, like this is the start of some hole in the wall affair."

He sat down in the chair across from hers and sighed. "So what do you recommend?"

"I need you to choose," Deidra said, "I feel excited about you. I like you. My heart does cartwheels when they see your sultry brown eyes and those soft kissable lips, but I can't do this anymore. I am going to quit, Marcus. We are a few steps from the inevitable affair. Can't you see that?

Marcus cleared his throat. "I just had to see you. No, affair intended. You think my eyes are sultry?"

Deidra chuckled. "They are, and you know that. I am sure you've heard it before. It's those dense eyelashes and the shape of your brows and the way they are deep set. Even without you intending it, they say come to me."

"Wow. Never heard them described quite that way." Marcus grinned at her. Do you have a thing for me, Deidra, except for friendship?"

Deidra sighed. "I am not telling you anymore about my feelings for you."

"Why not?" Marcus leaned forward. "I can tell you what I feel."

"Don't say it." Deidra looked at him sadly. "It would either make me extremely happy or extremely depressed. Either way, this thing between us will not work, not while Tiffany is in the picture. You already have a pretty committed relationship with tracks and her, there can't be any room for me in there."

"I'll have to make room," Marcus leaned forward and caressed her cheek.

Deidra shook her head. "No, let me tell you how this scenario is going to pan out."

"I am listening," Marcus said giving her a half-smile, which highlighted one of his dimples.

Deidra almost forgot what she was going to say. She cleared her throat. "We talk to each other every night, you whisper on the phone sometimes, sometimes you text me or email me. You have to do it secretly.

The next thing is that you visit, telling your girl you are going to see your family, but it is because I am up here. We get involved. I get the scraps of your attention if you are in Jamaica. It can't work and I don't think I would want you to be my boyfriend if you ever cheat on Tiffany. I would have too many questions about you cheating with someone else while with me. I'd never be secure.

I grew up with a man who had no moral scruples, you understand? I am a child of one of his unscrupulous unions."

Marcus nodded. "I see. I am sorry about this. I just had to see you today. It was not done with any ulterior motives. Except to see you."

He gazed at her, drinking her in, as he did every time he saw her. He liked her soft pouting pink lips, her smooth skin, and long lashes. "I respect what you said, and I agree. I've never been unfaithful to Tiffany though. I guess I am confused. I just can't get you out of my head. I should start charging you rent."

Deidra giggled. "Ditto. I feel the same way. It's intense. Never quite felt this way before."

"Not even with Micah?" Marcus raised his brow. "He said you said that he was your one true love."

Deidra grimaced, "I was a mess. I used to throw myself at Micah. Thank God he had more sense than I did."

"So you don't love him anymore?" Marcus asked.

"I never really did. I think I wanted to possess him like one would a car or some other inanimate object. It's surprising that he remembered when I told him that I always got the impression that he never really took my over the top declarations seriously."

Marcus sighed. "I think deep down he likes you. He is mad as hell now that I am here with you having lunch."

"What for? He is seeing my step-sister Charlene." Deidra grinned.

"You find it funny that brothers are fighting over you, huh?" Marcus grinned with her. "Are you really hungry?"

"No," Deidra replied, "Want us to go back to the house and hang till two?"

"Alone?" Marcus asked, wagging his fingers. "No, Deidra. I hugged you today. I am a man that stepped off a plane from Europe yesterday and had to see you as soon as I came to Jamaica. Alone spells trouble. You are like a magnet for me."

"Well, there are the gardens beside the Psych Center. It's very peaceful there. We could sit under a tree and talk," Deidra suggested, getting up.

Marcus followed her, contemplating what she had said earlier. If he cheated on Tiffany with her, she wouldn't want him either. He had to choose.

The way he was feeling now about her it wouldn't be hard, but he had to choose based on his head, not his lower anatomy, nor his heart.

 

*****

 

"Hey Dr. Jackson," Deidra waved to a guy in a pale yellow shirt in the parking lot and the guy waved back. He was in the company of two women, both of them scowling at each other.

"That's your brother," Deidra said.

"Oh, and who are those women with him?"

"The one with the page boy cut is his girlfriend, Natasha, and the other one is your sister's boyfriend’s ex-wife, Jackie."

"Whoa." Marcus laughed. "Which one of my sisters?"

"Kylie," Deidra said to him, incredulously, "Jessica is not ready for the dating game yet. Too young, according to your Dad."

Marcus shrugged. "I wouldn't know which sister. Things have really changed around here. My mom does her best to keep me up to date, but sometimes I get the info, jumbled. First I heard that I have a new brother, then I heard that Adrian, who can do no wrong, married an exotic dancer, and now Kylie, who would jump at her shadow, is living alone and dating."

"Want us to go over and say hello?" Deidra asked him. "Taj is a nice guy."

Marcus shrugged. "I'll meet him later. Now is your time. What have you been doing since I last spoke to you?"

Deidra grinned. "That was a day ago: classes, and planning programs for my big producing debut on MFTV. I am doing one season. After that, I have to hand it over to another student, so I want my season to be memorable."

"It will be memorable," Marcus smiled at her. "When I was living up here, they did not have an MFTV. It seems as if everything has gotten exciting since I left."

"Mount Faith exciting? No." Deidra laughed. "What was it like when you were growing up here."

"My growing up here was pretty ordinary. Micah was my role model. He was as crazy as hell, and my Dad had a hard time keeping up with him. I think I got away with a lot because Micah got all the blame." Marcus chuckled. “Adrian and I used to have fun when Micah got into trouble. It was like watching a drama unfold.”

I started tracks at high school and quickly became committed. I really loved it, but it was all consuming and I guess I never really got integrated into the Mount Faith world like Micah, who had loads of bad friends, or Adrian who was wrapped up in Cathy. Tracks was my girlfriend. I never looked back since I got started at about twelve years old. Always knew I wanted to be the best in the quarter-mile. It was really hard training up here though, with the air being so thin and cold. I had to force myself to get up in the mornings. Those days, I was really self-motivated."

Deidra grimaced. "So what motivates you now?"

"Deidra. I think of Deidra and I know I have to push my training harder so that I can go home and talk to her."

"Stop it!" Deidra said, wearily. "I know you said it back in the summer, but you can't say stuff like that if you want to be just friends. It's confusing for me."

Marcus looked at her seriously. "It's true. I am going to miss you when I go to Africa next week."

Deidra nodded sadly. "I'll miss you too."

Marcus shook his head, "I just can't explain it. This feeling. Why you, why now?"

Deidra's throat suddenly got dry. "Marcus, we should probably stop communicating all together. This is not just friendship."

Marcus sighed and then shifted on the seat uncomfortably. "I know."

"Do you love Tiffany?" Deidra asked softly.

Marcus squinted and looked up into the poui tree they were under. "I think if you had asked me this a couple months ago I would have said yes. I haven't really thought about it. With Tiffany, it was more of a drifting into a relationship sort of thing. I am not sure how to answer now. I know intellectually that somebody just doesn't fall out of love. I have lots in common with Tiffy. We like the same things, usually. She was my first real girlfriend."

He looked at Deidra, "I know it's unfair to her that I am feeling this way about you. Trust me. I beat myself about it all summer."

Deidra groaned inwardly. Every word he spoke was like a slap across her heart. This attraction to Marcus had to stop, here and now.

It was the right thing to do. Cut it off and it will die.

She looked at him solemnly and wondered if she would be stupid to say what she was about to say. Here he was; he liked her. To hell with Tiffany! She was bossy and possessive anyway. But he had mixed feelings, and she liked him too much to prolong this Tiffany and Deidra choice he had to make.

He looked at her sideways. "I guess this is goodbye, huh?"

"Yup." Deidra nodded and bit her lip from saying anything more.

"Such an ugly word," Marcus said, "when attached to your name."

He said it slowly, "Goodbye, Deidra." Then he leaned forward and kissed her briefly.

It was like naked fire running across her lip seams. Deidra sighed when he raised his head.

"I'll sleep at my house tonight," Deidra said hoarsely, "if you are staying over, because if you do, prolonging this would be too painful."

Marcus had a dazed look in his eyes. "Not sure if I should stay over anymore. I should go back to Kingston, sort out my life… Goodbye, Deidra."

"Goodbye, Marcus." She cleared her throat. "For good this time. Want me to drop you back to the Business Center."

"No." Marcus shook his head.

Deidra couldn't move. She willed herself to get up. Marcus intertwined his fingers with hers and she sat there, not moving for a long time. Eventually, she pulled her hand away.