Solid Ground

Chapter 30

Once Marcus fell asleep, I lightly pushed his arms away, allowing me to get up.

I found an overcoat hanging at a corner, and gently placed it on Marcus. As I was about the bend down to give him a kiss on the forehead, the sound of the door opening startled me.

"Evening Mr Anderson." I immediately greeted him.

Maybe I was scared of him... I am scared of him. I mean have you looked at the man. He sure is making 60 the new 30.

"And why are you here?" He closed the door behind him.

"Just checking up on Marcus. And by the way could you keep it down, wouldn't want to wake him up." It was fun to order someone so much more powerful and honorable than you. I felt like I had the privilege to do so since he was now father in law.

"I'm sorry. But I'm sure that my son didn't marry you so you that you could baby him." He scoffed.

"But he is your baby boy. It's like how my mom still calls me her baby girl even till now." And now I was just making small talk to see how he would react.

He rolled his eyes painfully. "Last I checked, I didn't ask him to come over here to have nappy time."

"And your point is? He hasn't been sleeping for days because of your sickness that he refuses to tell me about. So I think he at least deserves this siesta time." I rebuked.

"He's over reacting."

"You're under estimating how bad sickness can get." I was team Marcus all the way.

"No I'm not."

"I'm the doctor here."

"Ex doctor."

"Shut up. You outta be grateful for a son who cares for you so deeply."

"I give up! I swear you're worst than Melanie." He held both his arms in the air.

At that instant, realizing that we were being loud, our heads turned over to Marcus simultaneously.

"What's going on?" Marcus's held his head as he sat up.

"He's being annoying." I immediately scooted over next to Marcus.

"I can't believe I handed the company over to a baby and his nanny. Why. Why didn't I just adopt a mammal and give the company to it." Mr Anderson rubbed the side of his temples lightly.

"Dad. You're acting strange. Have you been eating you meds? You should be resting." Marcus concernly said.

"Just peachy." He lounged himself on the chair behind of him.

"Dad, you need to rest..."

"And I need you to guard over the company. God dammit, you know my years are numbered so why on earth can't you do the one and only task I asked you to do." He sounded frustrated.

"But you're not fine. Dad. I'm not gonna leave you. Mom has been on the phone all day finding the best surgeons for you."

"If you want me to be fine, you'd go back and take care of my company." He ordered.

Before Marcus could speak again, I intertwined his fingers with mine, hoping that he'll cool it.

Marcus let out a big sigh. "I'll be gone by morning." Finally giving up.

"Good choice." His dad left his seat and walked over his desk. Asking him to pack away all his med books.

Marcus carried the stacks of books off his table and left the office without another word. I followed huffily behind him.

He hailed a cab and threw his books frustratedly in the car trunk.

"Marcus!" A deep coarse voiced called him. Who knew the guy who demanded him to leave will come after him the next minute.

He swiftly pulled him back into the building that was when the unexpectable happened.

A straight out yelling season on taking place in the lobby.

And I thought these man were classier than that.

"What were you thinking?! A cab?! Seriously, a God damn cab, didn't anyone warn you that you're no longer allowed to take public transport? Don't you know that there is a reason why we are always surrounded by bodyguards. What were you thinking?! The minute you stepped out of the building without bodyguards you could've been shot dead!" His dad yelled at him.

"Who the heck cares, shoot me now and let's get this over with!" He yelled back.

"Guys could you stop it! Both of you. You're yelling and as much as people are trying to ignore it they are hearing every single word!" I alerted them, and the workers immediately ducked their heads heading back to work.

All three of us proceeded to an empty meeting room to settle the argument at hand.

"This is not how I raised you." He exhaled in disappointment.

"Gee wiz dad, I never knew you raised me. Quite sure I raised myself."

His dad stomped over him, and as I anticipated one tight slap, he stopped inches away from his cheek. "I can't do this."

I looked at them blank eye and partly entertained by all the drama going on.

"That's what I thought." Marcus replied.

"No, I can definitely slap you whenever and I however I want. But I can't hide secrets of your childhood from you anymore." He pinched the corner of his eyes towards the bridge of his nose.

"Sit down. I'm going to fill you in everything I have kept from you."

Marcus sat on the other end of the table. Gripping both of his hands in tight fists. Waiting for his so called explanation.

"After your sister died. We were all in grieve. The only people who were having one hell of a time celebrating are those damn paparazzi. They eventually caught on and we had to lie about your sister's death. We did what we had to do, and said she died from suffering a terrible illness. To avoid them from any further investigation we had to pay them tons of money."

"How does this affect me other than learning to lie to the press." Marcus jabbed in.

"I wasn't finish. That was when Melanie and I knew that this world, this industry we were in wasn't safe to raise you as a kid. Maybe you were too young to notice but, ever since that incident there had always been some sort of bodyguard around you. For your safety, cause amongst everything I could loose in the world, I couldn't loose you.

So naturally everything you did as a kid was monitored closely. Every person you have been in contact with as a kid was closely observed. And if we found anything a threat to you we paid the parents money to distance their child from you.

But the paparazzi watched over you as much as we did. The time when you were no longer in the public eye was when you enrolled yourself into the medicine field. People couldn't wait to see you grow up and be the heir to my business. But when you didn't go to business school or didn't see you often being with me, they assumed something had happened and gave up using everything you do as gossip.

I cared about you. A lot more than you think. I discouraged you from going to the medical field knowing that you'll only come out stronger. I distanced myself from you to let you hate me and stay away from me. Because this was the only way I knew you would be safe."

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Sorry that it took me ages to update y'all. But these writer blocks, they get you real good. Sorry again and hoped you enjoyed it.