Chapter 13
I rolledover in bed and rubbed my eyes. I knew better than to be getting it in all night when I had somewhere to be bright and early but this wife of mine was so damn intoxicating, I couldn’t get enough even if I tried. I wrapped my arm around her waist tighter and placed a kiss against her neck before sliding out of bed to take a shower. I brought my shower kit into the bathroom with me. Once the water heated up, I hopped in and got myself together, then quickly got dressed. I knew the drive from here would be further than the one from my place, which was why I had gotten dressed so early. I sat on the edge of the bed and leaned down to kiss her cheek.
Lore finally opened her eyes slightly and then closed them again before reopening them.
“Are you leaving?” she asked.
“Remember, I have the meeting today and I have a few other things to do, but I’ll be back,” I told her.
She nodded and moved her hair from her face. I leaned down and kissed her before getting up to leave the house. I knew if I looked back, I would be stuck in here with her under the covers. But I also knew she had to get back to her normal life too. I think she was teaching an art class later on today and I could tell she was ready to get back to it.
Although we were new to each other, other people missed our presence. Shit, if there wasn’t any indication of that, my mother had called me quite a few times, wanting me to come by. She acted like she saw me a lot before but folks don’t ever see you until someone else does.
I hopped in my truck and made my way to my agent”s office. He was so adamant about me coming so I didn’t second guess it. The moment I walked into the building, his assistant told me he was ready for me.
Marcus stood with his arms spread wide and a big smile. I dapped him up and took the seat in front of his desk, intrigued, because the last time we spoke, he was trying to convince me to let go of my job as a sports anchor and sign another contract with my old team.
“Aight, you got me here. What’s up? I thought our conversation was very clear the last time we spoke. I am retiring, but the way you’re looking tells me you aren’t convinced of that or you have something up your sleeve,” I asked.
Marcus nodded, then smiled. “Well, first, I hear congratulations are in order. Why didn’t you tell me you were getting married? I thought we were better than that. I look up and your marriage license is news to everyone but your sports agent,” he asked.
“I’m gon’ keep it real with you. You aren’t the only person who didn’t know. I didn’t feel it was anyone’s business. My people found out a day before the wedding because everyone around me gets shit confused about me being an adult,” I said, my irritation returning.
Marcus held his arms up in mock surrender. “You know, I’ve always had your best interest at heart. I am very aware of the fact you’re grown, but I have been your agent for years. I just thought we had made it past business and had become more like family. Family supports family. Even if I didn’t think it was the best decision, I would have been there for you. But, I’m not here to complain about not getting an invitation to your wedding. We have an offer that you would be crazy to turn down,” he said.
I leaned back in my chair and stretched my legs out in front of me.
“That was never my intent. This moment was for me and no one else. But, let’s hear it.”
Marcus nodded and then slid a folder across the table to me.
“Niko, I just got off the phone with the team’s management. They’re offering to double your initial contract amount if you reconsider your retirement.”
My eyes widened in shock as I processed his words. “Double the amount? That’s… that’s unexpected.”
Marcus nodded, his expression serious. “It is, but it comes with stipulations. They got wind of your wedding and I guess it has been causing too much attention.”
“I know, Marcus. Lore and I wanted to keep it private, but someone must have leaked the information.”
Marcus ran a hand through his hair, looking concerned. “Niko, we need to do some damage control here. The team is worried about how this will affect your image and the fans’ perception of you.”
I shook my head, feeling a surge of determination. “Marcus, I’m gon’ keep it real with you. I don’t give a fuck what the public has to say. This won’t affect my decision. Lore is my wife, and our marriage is more important to me than any contract or public opinion.”
Marcus held up his hands in a placating gesture. “I get it, Niko, but we still need to address this. I think we should release a statement, something that emphasizes your commitment to your new family while also reassuring your fans that you’re still dedicated to your career.”
I nodded, seeing the wisdom in his words. “That’s cool with me. Let’s work on the statement together. But Marcus, I need you to know that I will not make any decisions about the team’s offer right away. I need to think about it carefully, not to mention, this is not a decision I can make on my own anymore. I also need to consider my new job as a sports anchor.”
Marcus leaned forward, his expression serious. “Of course, Niko. I understand. But please, don’t take too long to decide. The team is eager to have you back, but they won’t wait forever.”
I stood up, shaking Marcus’s hand firmly. “I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve decided. But for now, I need to focus on my family and my new career. I trust you to handle the media and the statement.”
As I left Marcus’s office, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. I knew the road ahead wouldn’t be easy, but I was ready to face whatever challenges came my way. With Lore by my side and a new chapter in my life beginning, I felt unstoppable.
I pulled in through the gate and drove down the long driveway of my parents’ place. I had called my mother after leaving Marcus’s office to let her know I would stop by. She made it known that she needed to put eyes on me since I had gone out of the country.
I didn’t mind obliging her, especially if she cooked a little something. I could grab Lore and me something if she didn’t have anything planned. Not to mention, I was going to need to have a long conversation with her, but I figured I could sit on it for a while since the information was so new.
Also, I didn’t know what I wanted to do now that they had gone and switched everything up, offering me more money. It was easy to turn down the previous contract because it wasn’t too much more than the last one. But this one had doubled, and I didn’t think that would ever be an option for me.
I parked my truck behind my mother’s Benz, then jogged to the front door and waited until someone came to get the door after I rang. It wasn’t long before my mom pulled it open. She wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly. She pulled back and looked me over as if I had come back as a new man.
In a sense, I had, but not in the physical manner that she was looking me over in. I shook my head and followed her into the house, then toward the kitchen. I smelled her cooking from the front door and I couldn’t wait to grab a plate. I took a seat at the island as she walked around to head back toward the stove.
“So, how was your honeymoon?” she asked.
“It was a good time. That’s for sure,” I responded, thinking about all the things I had done with Lore.
My mother looked over her shoulder in my direction with a shake of her head.
“How is Lore? Oh, man, I have to get used to asking that now,” she asked.
I smiled at the sound of my wife’s name. She was so unique in every way, and I loved everything about her. I knew if my mom gave her a chance, she would really like her.
“She is good. She went back to teaching her art classes today. I know she is excited about that,” I mentioned.
My mother nodded and continued to move around the kitchen like a professional chef. I always thought if my mother wasn’t a stay-at-home mom, she would have been the dopest chef around. But my dad wasn’t going for any of that. He wanted her home.
“I love to hear that. You have to bring her here. I would love to get to know her better. How about this? Get her to invite her parents maybe for Saturday and we can have a family dinner? I’ll cook, of course,” she said over her shoulder with the biggest smile.
I couldn’t tell her no but I also couldn’t tell her yes because I didn’t know whether Lore’s parents had plans or even if she had something she wanted to do.
“I’m sure that would be cool, but let me check with Lore first and I’ll let you know,” I responded.
My mom smiled. “Good, you’re learning already.”
I shook my head as she placed muffins into the oven and then walked over to clean the countertop.
“So, I heard about what happened with your brother,” she mentioned.
I leaned back in my chair, waiting for her to finish her sentence.
“Kole knows he was dead wrong for doing what he did. Alexis told me all about it and I had a talk with your brother. I think he is lost in a way that even we don’t know. I think we might need to give him an intervention soon if he doesn’t clean it up. But do you think it might have been a little harsh, taking your key back?” she asked.
I chuckled for a minute because I knew she was getting to it, but was trying to get there slowly. I leaned forward and closed my eyes for a minute so I didn’t come off disrespectful. I never wanted to speak to my mother in any way that would be deemed as that.
“No, I don’t think it was harsh. You remember that time I took Pops’s car without his permission and then you took my license for a while as a punishment? This is the same thing, but he isn’t getting it back. I have a wife now and there is no reason anyone should be doing half of what he was in my place. My marriage is very new, and the news has been on my back since we’ve been back. If she was a social media kind of woman, she would have seen images of a woman leaving my house when I had previously told her I was going to my place to get clothes. Do you know how that would have looked?” I asked her.
I watched as the emotions she was going through played like a video over her face from remorse to anger, and finally, understanding.
“I get it, Niko, but don’t forget he is still your brother and you don’t toss your family to the side. We’re all we have—” She started, but I stopped her with a shake of my head.
“Not anymore. Y’all are not all I have anymore. I have a family. I am starting on my own and I am no longer giving passes to anyone. I’m not mad at him, but he has to earn my trust again. That was messed up.”
My mother nodded and turned to face the stove once again. I knew she wanted to say more, but there was no reason to. My mind was made up and there was no changing it because none of them would have allowed him to do the same shit to them. That was what was pissing me off. I stood from where I had been sitting, appetite just about gone now.
“Niko, don’t leave. I’m just trying to talk to you,” my mother said.
Before I could respond, my dad walked into the room. I remember when I felt he was larger than life, but the more time went by, the more he got smaller in my eyes. I hated that a man who was once my idol no longer held the same position.
Who the game or the life had made him was not the man I admired as a young boy. It sure as hell wasn’t who I wanted to be to my kids when I had them.
“I heard the news,” my father announced.
I lifted a brow in question.
“Don’t play games. You got offered double the amount for your contract. You definitely need to be ready to sign on. You would be crazy to leave all that money on the table, especially when clearly, you’re the breadwinner in your new situation,” he said while grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.
I chuckled and stood from where I had been seated. That dinner for this weekend sounded less and less appetizing.
“I’m not even going to comment on that first thing. But my new situation? Are you talking about my wife? She’s not a situation,” I responded respectfully, but clear enough so he knew I wasn’t going for any bullshit.
“You’ve allowed this new mindset to make you sensitive and weak. We Lockwoods are strong and we stand by each other. Not to mention, we aren’t quitters.”
“Who said I was quitting? I am moving on to something else and planning to dominate in a new field. My mind nor heart is into football anymore and I would be crazy to accept a new position on money alone, all because it looks like I’ll be the breadwinner in my home, as you say. You don’t know my wife’s finances,” I said.
My father went to press forward and my mother stopped him.
“Reg, go cool off. Those were low-blow comments and Niko, calm down. We’re still your parents. We aren’t trying to make your new stage in your life small, we just want to understand, but if you keep pushing us away, how can we do that?” she asked.
I understood where she was coming from on some of it, but I meant everything I said. Alexis didn’t need to sit down with them and talk about Matthew’s finances. She didn’t have to go through half the shit they were trying to put me through, but I would keep those comments to myself.
I nodded and walked around the island to hug my mother, then tipped my head to my dad as I made my way to the door. I wasn’t in the mood to entertain something I felt was wrong. When I got in my truck, I checked my phone and a text from Lore appeared.
Wife: I’m just texting you to tell you that you’re special and today is only as good as you make it. I can’t wait to be in your arms later. Call me if you need me.
I reread that message a few times. I wanted to call her, but I also knew she needed this time. I would allow myself some time to relax with my thoughts, but to know I had someone behind me was enough.