“Did I just witness a transaction?”
“Yeah, you did. And he paid more than the asking price.”
“I told you!” She pinched him playfully. “And that’s just the beginning.”
“What had your attention over there?” Naasson asked, and A’ja sighed.
She unlocked her phone, found what she was looking for, and showed it to Naasson. There was a photo of him and her leaving one of her games. Thank God, his head was down, and his face wasn’t visible, but the caption referred to him as a mystery man that she might be dating.
“I didn’t want to show you in case it made you upset. I don’t want blogs and gossip ruining your night.”
“I’m good, shawty. I don’t mind being seen with you. My face isn’t visible in that photo but even if it was, I plan to turn myself in soon anyway. If they want to come here and get me, they’ll save me the cost of a plane ticket.”
A’ja smiled, and Naasson kissed her on the lips. Three hours later, the exhibit was over, and Naasson had sold nine pieces and seeing as how he only brought ten, he was ecstatic. He had more than $13,000 in his account and he was shocked. None of his pieces had been priced for more than $600, but the pieces that he let people bid on all sold for over $1,000. Naasson was extremely grateful.
They were leaving the exhibit when A’ja’s phone rang. “Hello?” she answered as Naasson held the door of the cab openfor her. “Excuse you?” she asked with a scowl on her face, and Naasson already knew it was about to be some shit.
“You don’t get to question me. Weren’t you just out with another woman a few weeks ago? Our divorce will be finalized any day now. If it’s not about something important, please don’t call my phone anymore.” A’ja ended the call still frowning. “He has a lot of nerve,” she stated with a kiss of her teeth.
“Well, don’t let him stress you out. That’s not good for my baby. He lost a good thing, and he knows it. Let that nigga feel stupid.”
A’ja smiled as she peered over at him. “You always know the right things to say to make me feel better.”
“That’s what I’m here for,” he assured her.
The season would be over in another month. Naasson knew he had time to create more paintings and sell them on a website. He still had plenty of money left, but he knew that wouldn’t last forever. Even if he had to go to prison, Naasson was adamant about putting money aside for his child. He wasn’t about to be a lame ass nigga and let his baby mama do everything. He still had time to make some shit shake. His plan was to spend every day with A’ja until the season ended then go back home and turn himself in. He’d already instructed Josias not to send him any more of his money. He wanted him to hold it in case Naasson was able to post bail. He was also going to sell the paintings that he had at his place back in Diamond Cove.
He didn’t want to just give A’ja money. Naasson wanted to be there physically for his child but in the event that he couldn’t be, he wanted her to know that he wasn’t a bum ass nigga, and she didn’t have to provide alone. When it came to how he’d handled things with Brandon, Naasson would always have regrets, but he couldn’t go back. All he could do was move forward.
“Let’s go. Bail was posted,” the jail guard called out after opening the steel door to Naasson’s cell.
That was the best news he’d heard in a long time. A’ja’s basketball season had ended four days ago. True to his word, Naasson went back home, visited with his friends and family and turned himself in. He was in jail for two days before the magistrate decided to let him post bond which was a lot, so his grandmother had to end up putting her property up to get him out. If Naasson decided to run again and miss court, his grandmother would lose her house. Naasson would never let that happen. It was one in the morning, but he was grateful that he was released in enough time to make it to Charlotte for A’ja’s ultrasound at noon. During one of their phone calls, he asked her the name of the doctor, and he was going to find the address and pop up on her. He wasn’t even going to tell her that he’d been released. When she offered to bond him out, he told her hell fucking no. As soon as Naasson stepped foot outside of the jail, he saw Josais, but he wasn’t alone. There was an apologetic look in his friend’s eyes as Naasson took in Disha.
“What are you doing here?”
“I told you I’d represent you. I know we didn’t end on the best note, but I’m still going to stand beside you. Whatever you did in London stayed back in London.”
“Actually, it didn’t,” he confessed. Naasson was tired and not in the mood to drag things out with Disha any further than they had to be.
“What do you mean it didn’t?” she asked with a frown.
“The shorty that I met in London actually lives in Charlotte. I still rock with her.”
Disha’s eyes narrowed, and she folded her arms across her chest and snaked her neck. “So the woman you met all the way in London just so happens to live in North Carolina? Yeah, okay. I guess I’m stupid.”
“I really don’t care if you believe it or not. I don’t have to lie to you. She actually plays for the WNBA. She plays for the London Lions, and she lives in Charlotte. I met her inside a café. I didn’t know her prior to going to London. I didn’t even know they had a WNBA team.”
Disha refused to show just how intimidated she was. There was no competing with a professional basketball player, but she had to try and save face. “And I guess she’s so special that you just can’t leave her alone now that you’re back in the states. Cool.”
“She’s pregnant,” he blurted out, and he saw the tears in her eyes before she stormed off.
Naasson shook his head because he never meant to hurt her. He wasn’t about to string her along though, so he had to tell her the truth.
“You ready?” Josias asked, and Naasson followed him to the car.
Brandon’s bitch ass still wasn’t dead. He was out of the hospital, and he had to receive physical therapy twice a week. He was still down bad, but Naasson doubted he’d die from any complications. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t get sentenced to a lot of time in prison for fucking Brandon’s lame ass up. He had to pray for the best.
chapter
