CHAPTER FORTY
JACKIE
The bathroom felt like a hotel.
That was the first thing Jackie noticed when she stepped inside.
Everything was clean in a way that didn’t feel real.
The marble counters didn’t have a single fingerprint, the soft lighting gave the whole room this warm, expensive glow, and the glass shower was so spotless it looked like nobody had ever stepped foot in it.
Even the towels were folded just right, thick, neat, and untouched.
Behind her, Max splashed water over the sides of the tub, making dramatic explosion sounds with his action figures the same way he did at home. Jackie leaned back against the counter, letting her weight settle, and for a moment—just a moment—everything felt okay.
Low key, she wished she could get in the tub her damn self. The day had finally caught up to her in a way she could not ignore. She wasn’t musty, but she was right there on the edge of it. Bottom line, she needed to go home. Which meant Kormia needed to answer the damn phone.
Jackie had already called her three times since she ran Max’s bath, and the bitch was clearly committed to ignoring her.
For a second, she thought about looping Cash into it.
Having him call Newdy to knock on the side door of the shop.
But Jackie knew better. Kormia would be mortified if Newdy found out she was living there.
However, if Cash knew…it was likely Newdy did too.
Jackie pushed the thought out of her head before it could turn into something else, letting her gaze drift toward the door and down the hallway.
To the man who made this moment possible in the first place.
Cash. He had shown up, despite whatever personal issues they had, and still made sure she was okay.
And that meant something. But as quickly as that thought settled, something else took its place.
Or rather… someone else. Najee. The man she still owed a phone call.
Suddenly, her phone felt heavier in her pocket.
Because if she were being honest, Cash wasn’t the only one who showed up for her today.
Najee did too. And now she had two men on her mind at the same time.
This shit was messy. Jackie thought to herself.
But before she let guilt swallow her whole, she checked herself.
I’m single. The realization pressed hard against her chest. Because for so long, Jackie hadn’t move like that was true.
Between Motherhood and Marcus, and now whatever wasn’t happening between her and Cash, Jackie often times felt tethered.
But she wasn’t. In fact, she was the opposite.
Cash on the other hand couldn’t say the same.
All day, he and Zambia had been running their movie, and looking like the perfect couple.
They had posed for pictures and sold their halal-happily-ever after to everybody watching on that field.
Yet here she was, in his home, bathing her son in his state-of-the-art tub.
Moving around his space like she had a place in it, like she didn’t see Zambia’s imprint all over.
Jackie exhaled slowly, before pushing off the counter.
“I’m about to step out real quick,” she said, more to herself than to Max.
“Okay,” he said, not even looking up. Jackie cracked the bathroom door open and stepped into the hallway, leaving it slightly ajar so she could still hear him splashing around.
The condo was quiet, in a way she wasn’t used to.
She glanced toward the kitchen. Then back toward the bathroom, as she slipped her phone out her pocket, and pulled up Najee’s contact and hit call.
It rang once. Twice. Three times. Then… “Jack.”
His voice was came out rough, like he hadn’t slept. Jackie leaned her shoulder against the wall before she spoke. “You sound tired.” Najee let out a quiet breath on the other end. “I am.”
“Long day saving the city?” she teased lightly.
“Something like that.” He said as a small smile tugged at her mouth.
“What you doing?” he asked. Jackie glanced toward the bathroom door.
“Bathing my little leaf blower,” she said. “Your what?” Najee huffed out a quiet laugh.
“Max,” she clarified. “He had the time of his life in them leaves today.”
Najee chuckled softly on the other end. “I can hear him,” he said. “Sound like he still out there.”
“He might as well be.” Jackie smiled, as her mind drifted back to earlier, and the way Max had tore through those piles of leaves like it was the best day of his life. His joy was unapologetic and on full display. For a moment, that image lingered, and Jackie felt that familiar sting of guilt.
“It makes me wish—” She stopped herself. But Najee caught it immediately. “Makes you wish what?” he asked. Jackie hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly around her phone. Then she sighed.
“It makes me wish I had a better house,” she admitted quietly.
“Like with a lawn… some nature… somewhere safer. Somewhere Max could just run around without me worrying so much.” Jackie paused, her gaze drifting toward the bathroom door again.
“You know our block don’t got not one tree on it,” she added, a little above a whisper.
The pause stretched just long enough to make her wonder if she’d said too much.
When he finally spoke, his voice sounded softer through the phone.
“No… I never noticed.” Jackie shrugged slightly, even though he couldn’t see it.
“Well… I do,” she confessed. “It’s hard not to. ”
There was a small pause on the other end. Not awkward, just… there.
“What’s your favorite tree?” Najee asked. Shifting the conversation to something lighter.
Jackie let out a quiet breath, the corner of her mouth lifting a little as she closed her eyes.
“I don’t know…” she started. “Probably something pretty. Like a cherry blossom.” She paused letting the thought form fully.
“I wouldn’t mind having one of those on my front lawn one day,” she added, a soft laugh slipping out.
“Pink petals everywhere… just falling all over the place.” The image came to her before she could stop it.
A different house, on a quieter block with both of her boys, playing and running across the lawn in perfect peace.
Then just as quickly, she pulled the thought back.
“Don’t mind me,” she added, exhaling as her tone turned lighter.
“I’m just dreaming out loud.”
“Don’t do that,” Najee said. “Do what?” Jackie responded.
“Act like having a nice home is out of reach.”
Jackie huffed softly. “For you, maybe.”
“For anybody,” he corrected.
Jackie didn’t argue. Instead, she just shifted the conversation.
“So, why you ain’t come to the field today?” she asked. “It looked like a family affair.”
Najee let out a quiet breath. “That’s exactly why I didn’t go.” She smiled faintly. “That bad?”
“Jackie… be clear. I love my family.” His tone was steady.
“But I try to stay out the politics of it all.”
Jackie went quiet, as her mind drifted back to the way Sister Malika had looked at her earlier. That tight smile. That slow once-over. Like she ain’t belong anywhere near them. Jackie hated that she could still feel the weight of her gaze, even now, hours later.
“You good?” Najee asked, snapping her back into reality. “Yeah,” Jackie said quickly.
The word came out a little too fast. “You sure?”
“Yeah. I’m good.” She lied.
The silence sat heavy now, and she knew he caught the shift in her voice.
She thought he might press her on it. But he didn’t.
And somehow, she was grateful. He let it go, and a quiet silence settled between them.
“So how you and Max make out today?” he asked.
Jackie shifted her weight against the wall.
“We made out well, and thanks to you, we had enough food to share with a few of his teammates.” Najee chuckled. “That’s good to hear.”
“Seriously though, he did great today,” she added. “I was very proud of my baby.”
“I’m proud of him too,” Najee said. “He told me he was going to be a leader today, so I’m glad he kept his word.” Jackie smiled slightly. “I’m not going to lie, I think he had more fun off the field in those leaves,” she joked. “Oh yeah?”
“Hell yeah. Homeboy had a time today.” Najee’s voice warmed. “That’s good.” He paused.
“So, what time did y’all end up leaving?” Jackie hesitated. Then she exhaled. “Well…”
“Well, what?” he asked. “The time kind of got away from us…” Najee didn’t respond. “And when it was time to go…” she continued carefully, “my car decided to give out on me. Forreal this time.”
The silence on the other end shifted immediately.
Sensing it, Jackie spoke quickly. “It’s fine though.
Everything got handled,” she said. “We weren’t out there too long.
Maybe a little over an hour or so.” “That is long,” he countered, his tone sharpening.
“Especially alone in the dark with Max. I’m confused.
Why didn’t you call me?” She wanted to say because your cousin was already there and that would’ve been awkward.
But instead, she closed her eyes briefly and reached for something safer.
Not quite the truth, but not a full-blown lie either.
“You already bailed me out once today,” she said.
“I wasn’t about to call you again—”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?” She frowned. “That thing you just did,” he said calmly. “Like I’m keeping score.”
Jackie didn’t respond. “If your car breaks down, or anything else happens moving forward,” he continued, quieter now, “I wanna be the first call.” Jackie pressed the back of her head against the wall.
A small smile tugged at her mouth. “Yes, Dr. Amin-Rashid,” she teased.
Najee chuckled.“Say my name right. “Her stomach tightened slightly. “This ain’t the doctor talking to you. This is the man.”
Jackie swallowed. “Yes, Najee.”
“That’s better.” He said, as a quiet pause landed between them.
From inside the bathroom— “Mommy!” Max called out. “My toes got wrinkles!”
Jackie let out a quiet breath. “That’s my Cue.”
“Call me before you close your eyes,” Najee said.
Jackie hesitated. “Okay.”
“Alright.”
“Bye, Najee.”
“Bye, Jackie.
The line went dead, and Jackie lowered her phone slowly.
For a second, she just stood there in the hallway, staring at the screen before it went dark.
Then she looked down the hall, toward the kitchen, toward Cash— and felt conflicted all over again.
Two completely different men. Two completely different energies.
And somehow… she responded to both. Differently.
Jackie exhaled. This shit was getting messy.
And Jackie didn’t do messy. Yet here she was. Standing right in the middle of it.