Aphrodite
APHRODITE
I KNEW THE press was going to have a field day.
Between the injury and the unexpected appearance of Anthony on the courts to help me out, I was sure this press conference was about to devolve into a shitshow.
My father was pre-angry, a state he seemed to live his life in when it came to me, and I had a feeling he was going to say or do something to temper the excitement of this.
Despite my being injured, I’d just won another Grand Slam title.
My opponent had been talking shit like she got my soft spots from my father all week.
To have taken her down after such a challenging set felt good.
That prize money would feel even better because it was the last thing I needed to make the changes in my life I’d grown weary of. But now it was more than time.
After that first set, I could hear him taunting me about losing start to play in a real in my head.
One glance toward where I knew they were sitting and I could already see the disappointment on his face and my mother’s sour disposition.
They would try to play it off as keeping me focused but I lived with them all my life: I knew what those expressionless faces meant.
I’d closed my eyes and instead of going on my phone or listening to music for the slight break we had, I thought about Anthony.
How I knew he was somewhere screaming at the TV for me to show everybody I had this and he was the best mental hype man I could ever have.
Little did I know he was in the stadium cheering me on.
Even when I was walking into the stadium his voice was in my headphones.
He’d called and left me a voicemail telling me how much he believed in me and I played it on repeat until it was time to play.
And damn if his selflessness didn’t make me feel like a queen.
I maneuvered the crutches to meet my opponent center stage. They’d had to delay the award ceremony because of my injury but now I waited patiently to receive my trophy.
After the regular ceremonial traditions, I hoisted the Venus rosewater dish over my head for the first time. This one had me closer to my impossible goal and I was even more determined to get to it now.
“And your women’s Wimbledon singles winner is Aphrodite Harper!”
I lifted the large plaque over my head again with a smile as best I could while trying to balance on crutches. The tradition was to spin around and show all angles of the trophy to each area of the crowd but I wasn’t about to stress myself since I couldn’t follow tradition today.
“Now, Ms. Harper, do you have anything you want to say to the world?” A correspondent from Sports News Network had his mic in my face barely giving me a chance to collect myself.
“I want to say that I’m so thankful to everyone on my team who has helped me reach this achievement.
Things have been going so well, and I won’t let this minor setback keep me down.
” The sweat had cooled on my forehead and I was sure I looked a mess but none of that mattered to me when I saw the grin on Anthony’s face on the sideline.
“You’ve achieved a lot in such a short amount of time. How do you feel when people say you’re chasing down the grand slam record?”
“I’m not chasing anything but my own personal satisfaction. If at the end of my career be it today or two decades from now, I can look back and feel proud, then I’ve accomplished everything I’ve ever wanted.”
“How does it feel to be holding this trophy?”
I grinned broadly unable to lie about being proud of myself. “It feels amazing. The feeling never gets old. I unknowingly had a lucky charm with me that gave me an incredible boost of confidence to bring this home.”
Instead of asking the messy question he went for the one focused on my professional life, which I appreciated. “How severe is your injury?”
I shrugged more than happy to downplay my injury. “A pull. We’ll see how it works out in the next few days with rest but I’ll always do what’s right for my body and my health.”
“Any last words?”
“Thank you Wimbledon for a lovely time. I appreciate all the love. AP, thanks for coming through.” I gave a wink to the camera before I stepped back and held the trophy up over my head for the photos.
Cameras flashed, cheers went up and I was glad when I could hand the plate off to Terri and make my way to the press conference waiting on me.
To his credit, Ant didn’t draw attention to himself. He checked in with what I needed and then moved out of the spotlight. He was close enough if I needed him but was giving me space to be celebrated. And it made me want to be with him even more.
I eased down onto my seat and sat the crutches to one side of me. The mics were already pointed in my direction on the table and two large sports drinks were waiting for me as well.
I turned to the wall of reporters in front of me bracing myself for whatever they were about to say. Remembering what I’d been taught I went into media mode and put a smile on my face.
“I appreciate your staying through the delay. I needed to get this wrapped up. I know y’all have questions for me, so, who’s first?”
My father didn’t bother to wait until the door had been closed behind us more than a second before he turned on me and got in my face. Before he could utter a word he was pushed back and Anthony was standing between us.
“You not ‘bout to get in her face like you got a problem. Try that shit with me.” His tone was low but his voice was hard. I knew my father was going to push back because he was never challenged about anything.
After fielding questions for over half an hour, many of which tried to get me to speak on Anthony, which I refused, all I wanted was to refuel and rest. And fucking celebrate my win.
But of course my father stuck tight with us even jumping into the car that was taking Anthony and me back to our hotel.
His room was on a different floor and I couldn’t believe how much effort he’d gone through to get here for me.
Sure enough, he came at me again but with Anthony in the way he stopped up short and pointed his finger in his face. I was worried that Anthony was going to knock him out and I wasn’t sure if I was happy or sad about that.
“I’m her father—”
Anthony nodded slowly but I could see the anger starting to build up.
“Yeah so you should absolutely know better than to physically intimidate her. Especially like you might put your hands on her.” His white, long-sleeved t-shirt was loose-fitting enough that he could easily use my dad as a punching bag in this room.
“Intimidate? You know what? This is a family conversation; you need to get out of here.” Dad pointed to the door as if he had the authority to put Anthony out.
“AP, is this your suite?”
Anthony didn’t bother to look over his shoulder at me and I tried to hide my smile at the way he was bossing up on my father. That man was so used to everyone falling in line with him I knew he was shocked to have someone he would deem a kid put him in his place.
I cleared my throat and spoke up. “Yes.”
My father glanced past Anthony before he narrowed his eyes at me angrily.
“Do you want me to leave?”
“No, I don’t.”
Anthony turned back to my father looking completely unbothered by his anger.
“The person this suite belongs to wants me here. So if you have anything to say, you can go ahead. Or you can table this conversation until a later date. Phro needs to eat and get some fluids in her. She just got off work and you trying this bullshit. ”
“You think I’m going to listen to some broke ass thug who just wants to be around my daughter for her money?”
“Her money? I ain’t spent a dime of her money and I never will.
There’s no reason for me to. I have my own and I’m more than happy to spend my last on her.
You projecting your insecurities on me. You feel as though your talent and your money are the only ways you can garner respect in this world but I’on’t move that way.
The man that I am speaks far more loudly for me than my bank account.
But that muhfucka make some noise on its own too. ”
My father’s face got tighter as he listened to Anthony treat him like the joke he was. “You think you're going to stick around? My daughter is rekindling her relationship—”
“You’d really lie on me with me here and think I’m going to let it slide? Dad, get out. You and Mom need to find alternative accommodations after tomorrow because I’m checking y’all out of your suite tomorrow.”
“You’re what?!”
“The match is over. You don’t need to spend another four days in England especially on my dime. You want to stay, pay for it yourself.”
He took another step toward where I was sitting on the couch. “You ungrateful—”
Anthony and my father were about the same height but that football strength was something crazy. My father was yanked up by his collar with his feet dangling before he could finish saying whatever bullshit was on his tongue.
“Ion’t know how them folk up north do it. But in the south, you call my ol’ lady out her name and that’s grounds for me to put belt to ass. You might wanna tone this hootin’ and hollerin’ down ‘round my girl.” He shook my dad slightly before setting him back on his feet.
My dad’s face was the deepest red it could get while he was still drawing oxygen into his lungs.
He looked at me thinking I was going to say something but I agreed with every word that Anthony spoke.
I stood behind my decision to cut them off tomorrow.
Who would continue to fund their parent’s vacation only so they could criticize their every move?
“This punk is going to be your downfall. He’s gonna do you just like he’s probably done to plenty of women. He’ll fuck you, ‘cause your ditzy ass don’t know any better, and use you as a cum—”
Anthony’s fist was in my father’s jaw before either of us could realize it. Even with the easy way my father fell to the ground from the force I could tell by the way Anthony’s fist was clenched that he hadn’t hit him as hard as he wanted to.
He’d probably done that out of respect for me but I wouldn’t have cared.
Anthony kneeled over my father, his hand going to the Persian rug on the ground before he spoke.
“I told you to keep respect on your tongue when you spoke on Aphrodite but you wanna be hardheaded. That hard head made a soft jaw. Keep fuckin’ with me.
Ain’t but one person in this room got more respect for Aphrodite than me and it sure as fuck ain’t you.
Just cause you treat her a certain way doesn’t mean the rest of the world don’t see her as the remarkable woman she is.
Now get the fuck out before I make a scene and drag you out this bitch. ”
He stood up and folded his arms waiting on my father to do what he said.
With a surprised look on his face, my father’s eyes landed on me like he thought I was going to say something. “Aphrodite?”
“Put some ice on that before it swells. I know that hurts.”
That was all I had for him. He needed to do exactly what Anthony said because I wasn’t stepping in to save him anymore.
Slowly he rose from the ground glancing between the two of us like we were going to jump him. Backing up to the door he nodded his head as though he were outwardly affirming all the bullshit I know he was talking about us in his mind.
“You got that young blood. Just remember when this shit hits you in the face, Aphrodite, I won’t be there to protect you.”
“Bet, she's got me now. Get the fuck out.” Anthony nodded toward the door of the suite and my father left without saying anything else. Anthony walked to the door and locked it before turning to me.
“Probably not smart to stay on this island.”
“Why you say that?”
“Your daddy got a vindictive spirit. This ain’t the way I wanted my first meeting with him to go but it was inevitable.
He needed to see you had somebody besides Billy that wouldn’t take his shit.
Trust I understand cause she had to get my mama in check there for a minute.
” He pulled out his phone and started touching something on the screen giving me time to think.
I could only nod because I knew his mother was a sore spot in his heart. Since my parents were already fucking up we weren’t going to drag his scars into it too.
“I was already planning on coming to see you. I just need to get a return flight.”
“Nah, picking you up like that got my mentions blowing up. My people already called to let me know the media is at my condo trying to get a scoop so that ain’t the move.”
“Where you think we should go?”
He smiled like my trust in him to handle this was the greatest gift in the world to him.
“I know a place. We gone get showered, I’ll grab my stuff from my room and see how fast I can get us out of here.”