“Kit.”
“You mean the maid?”
“No, I mean what the fuck I said. Where is s–” I paused, taking a second to gather my thoughts. “What’s up with you and this disrespectful ass time you’re on tonight, Olivia?”
“I just want to make sure you’re focused, Fohr. We don’t need any distractions.”
“Quite frankly, you’re the only distraction tonight. I made myself clear downstairs and you’ve failed to follow through. Sam can handle it from here, Olivia. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight? We have–”
“Wedon’t have shit. Sam!”
I rushed down the stairs, bumping into Sam as he was headed up.
“What’s good, Boss?”
“Consider yourself promoted. See Olivia out of my door.”
“Fohr. Seriously? I don’t understand.”
“I know, and that’s why you’re being escorted out of my house. Disrespect for Kit in her presence or when she’s not in the room won’t be tolerated. If you can’t understand that, then you’re not cut out for this team. That goes for you and anyone else.”
“Are you invol–”
“Goodnight, Olivia.”
“Fohr. Let’s talk abou–”
“Sam, get her out of my shit. I’ve been sparing her for too long. That shit ends today.”
Waitresses. Janitors. Hosts. Concierge. Valet. There was a pattern with Olivia. Over the years she’d become increasingly rude to everyone who serviced us in some way. Her head had gotten too big for her fucking shoulders. She felt as if everyone was beneath her now because she was the closest thing to me.
I was the pro ball player and I was respectful of everyone I encountered. It didn’t matter their occupation. If she couldn’t do the same, she wasn’t fit for my team. It didn’t matter how wellshe performed and how good she held shit down for me. It was unacceptable.
She was right about one thing, though, and that was the fact that I didn’t need any distractions. I couldn’t chase Kit today. It wouldn’t be a wise idea with a game ahead of me, but time was on my side. And, the first break in my schedule would include a visit to her.
Sorry, sweet baby.
In what felt like seconds,I was climbing the steps of the plane with Kit heavy on my dome. My team, minus one very important person, was all in tow and making their way to their desired seats. I took the first lounging section available in the cabin.
Olivia.
It felt weird not having her in my ear rattling off important information, but the silence was welcoming. Sam’s face was buried in the business line he’d gotten from her on her way out of the door. He hadn’t stopped reading the screen since we left the house and piled into the SUVs.
I decided against sulking on the situations in my life that had rapidly become issues. I needed to make a few calls and they started with my mother and father. It was important they knew the game would restart soon. But, even more importantly, they needed to know their son would be alright. I’d consumed the antiviral medication and my system was building a force field to stop the intrusion of Blunder.
Unlocking my cell posed a new problem. A slew of messages began raining in. Three from women saved in my phone under names that helped me remember who they were, where we’d met, and my interest level since the last time we’d spoken. Unfortunately for them all, I was no longer interested in anyonebut Kit. And, to my dismay, I didn’t have a number on her. She wasn’t saved in my contacts.
With the revelation stabbing me directly in the chest, I accepted the glass of water the flight attendant was handing me. I took a healthy gulp to quench my thirst. When the glass was released from my lips, it met the screen of my cell. I submerged the rectangular device in the liquid. There was no use for it anymore.
I was ready to rid myself of old habits, old attachments, and others of instant access to me. It started with a new phone, number change, and completely new way of handling my private affairs. Kit was it for me. She’d know it. Understand it. Feel it. That was important to me. She was important to me.
My sweet baby.
I reclined my seat slightly, preparing for the journey ahead. I wasn’t sure where I was headed, but I didn’t care to ask. The league had put a shelter in place for players that required our presence forty-eight hours before each game until Blunder was a thing of our past.
“Sam–”
