She pointed toward his knee brace.
“What happened?”
“Bruise.”
“I saw a man put his knee on you.”
“Near me.”
“Do not correct me on television footage I watched seventeen times.”
Marcus stepped inside.
His mother touched his face.
That silenced him.
“You all right?”
“Yes.”
She stared.
“No.”
Marcus sighed.
“I’m okay physically.”
“Better.”
She hugged him.
Then:
“You ate?”
“No.”
“Of course not.”
She walked toward the kitchen.
Marcus followed.
She had made chicken.
Rice.
Green beans.
Nothing expensive.
Best meal he had all week.
Halfway through dinner, Evelyn said:
“So.”
Marcus looked up.
“So?”
“You were buying eighteen million dollars in jewelry.”
“Potentially.”
She stared.
“Marcus.”
“It was an investment allocation.”
“Jewelry.”
“For a fund.”
“Eighteen million.”
“Across multiple pieces.”
She closed her eyes.
“Your father would haunt you.”
Marcus smiled.
“He'd ask about appreciation.”
“He would haunt you and then ask about appreciation.”
They laughed.
Good.
Then she became serious.
“Did you tell them who you were?”
“At first?”
“Yes.”
“I gave my name.”
“No.”
“You know what I mean.”
Marcus stared at the plate.
“I told them I had an appointment.”
“Not that you had money.”
“No.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Good.”
Marcus looked at her.
“What?”
“Because everybody online keeps saying they picked the wrong man.”
He smiled without humor.
“Yes.”
“I hate that.”
“Me too.”
She pointed her fork.
“You weren't the wrong man.”
“They were wrong.”
Marcus stared.
Exactly.
Evelyn continued.
“Don't let people turn this into some story where the lesson is be careful because the Black man might secretly be rich.”
Marcus laughed softly.
“You've been reading comments.”
“I have retired-person time.”
“Stop.”
“No.”
She leaned back.
“What are you going to do?”
“Investigate.”
“You?”
“Lawyers.”
“The store.”
“Department.”
“Then?”
“I don't know.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Good.”
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
“You like that I don't know?”
“Yes.”
“Means you're not making decisions angry.”
He looked at his wrist.
Red marks remained.
“I am angry.”
“I know.”
She reached across the table.
“Angry is allowed.”
“Just don't let it do all the thinking.”
His father used to say the same thing.