“Jamaine is dead,” I relayed to him.
“Fuck!” he swore.
“Meet me at the club.”
“Bet.”
As Zel exited Bell Estates, I had a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that refused to let up. Someone was trying to draw me out. I felt it. I believed it. Hakeem and Jamaine were casualties of war. A war someone wanted to start with me.
COCO
Tonightitwascoolout, much cooler than I was used to in Niceville Shores. Contently smiling, I laid my head against Adir’s chest and followed his step as we slow danced. My back was to his front. His strong, capable, unfailing arms held me tightly. Softly, his lips touched my neck.
We were a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding on the basketball court across the yard. Humble and Quilo were destroying Peace, Saar, and the twins on the court. The loud jeering and carrying on was comical.
Tomorrow night was Quilo and Saar’s first playoff game. They’d done absolutely amazing over their undefeated season. Both were being scouted by the largest football programs in the country. Not only were they killing it on the field, but their grades were also exceptional for two students who struggled with behavior in past years.
Aside from the first incident that happened at the beginning of the school year, we hadn’t had another emergency. Both boys were focused on their grades and playing football, and it showed.
Peace started banging on the basketball goal post, creating a beat. All the boys surrounded Saar, who started rapping. The calm young man who really didn’t talk much was gone. In his place was a kid with so much fire in his lyrics and delivery that Adir and I stopped to pay attention.
“Did you know he was that good?” I asked Adir.
“I’m not surprised. He wants to be a rapper.”
“No, baby. Heisa rapper.” He literally had us entranced.
Adir kissed my neck. “He is, my baby.”
No one could’ve told me I’d end up here. Months ago, I was a complete mess and so was Quilo. Here we were, thriving so greatly that it constricted my heart to think that any of this would ever go away.
“We’re about to be doing a lot of traveling. Provided we make it to the championship game, it’ll be held in Orlando. You cool with that?” Adir asked.
Thinking about my past flowed from his mouth, as the last thing I wanted to think about was my life in Orlando.
“I’m okay with it. I’m going to support Quilo no matter what. Even if I have to endure a place where we almost lost ourselves.”
Adir rested his lips on my neck again. “Well… Now you have a deranged, overprotective husband by your side.”
I giggled.
“And I’ll be glued to your side the entire ride.”
My smile stretched and lit up the night. Adir was why I couldn’t imagine my life any other way than it was now.
As the weeks passed, and with each game, the teams NSPH played became increasingly difficult to beat. Still, Quilo, Saar, the team, and coaching staff played their hearts out every single game. There were a couple of tough games that ended withNSPH winning by a single field goal. Yet, our boys made it, and we couldn’t have been prouder of them.
Mid December arrived, and so did championship game week. We arrived in Orlando, and honestly, I felt a weight on my chest. Seeing my old stomping grounds and places I loved to eat at or visit, brought back so many memories. Surprisingly, all weren’t bad. I found myself smiling as we passed the mall, the waterpark, and the university. Suddenly, I was breathing without the heavy weight on my chest. Glancing to my right, I knew why. It was the man sitting next to me, holding my hand over his lap.
The next morning, Quilo and I held hands while we stood at our mother’s grave. Her headstone was well-kept and bore a picture of her as a kid. I looked just like her. Normally, I would’ve broken down just thinking about coming here. Today, I was able to stand here with my head held high, knowing our mother was looking down on us elated at how we’d come so far.
Mediaoutletsswarmedtheparking lot of the large stadium where the championship games had been taking place. According to what we’d seen on the news, this year’s championship games brought in more viewership than past years. Besides Quilo and Saar, there were other five-star recruits on other teams, and they were all fighting to prove to scouts that they were worth a spot on a team of the player’s choosing.
Quilo was sold on going to college locally. Florida had exceptional D1 programs, and although I secretly prayed he didn’t go far, he was choosing between four schools. National Signing Day wasn’t until February, so he was doing all his research to make sure he chose the right program.
As Adir and I walked hand in hand to our seats, a face I wasn’t prepared to see stood out. He stood on the sidelines, talking to a group of young men. Two of those young men I recognized as Bryan and Big O. I wasn’t surprised. Quinton Matthews was heavy in the streets all his life.
He still had the same hard face he’d had since I was a kid. The man my mother laid down and had children with must’ve felt me burning a whole into his face. He looked dead at me, stared a minute, then smirked. Bryan and Big O, with their cocky asses, smirked at me too.
