Aphrodite
APHRODITE
“IT’S YOUR FIRST time back here since you ran away and embarrassed us. Is this a sign that you’re ready to come to your senses?”
I couldn’t frown at my mother who was clearly being the mouthpiece of my father.
He was standing behind her gloating as if he thought they’d cornered me.
He knew better than to behave like this but I guess they felt that since we were all under the same roof that this would mean something.
With the cameras that were directed my way, they knew I wasn’t going to act up so I kept the smile on my face despite wanting to move away from them.
I’d only been away from Anthony a few days and I was secretly wishing that he would’ve been able to come with me. His last pre-season game was this week and I had to be here before the official start of the games.
“My sense? Yeah, I came to them a while ago. Hence the reason you all are in the position you’re in now.”
I nodded to the photographers to make my way off of the step and repeat. My parents followed behind me and I didn’t know why they wanted to do this here but I had no problem airing out their dirty laundry in front of all these people.
“I’m absolutely going to ask you again, why are you trying to pull this power trip?” My father stood in front of me blocking me from trying to escape this conversation.
I nodded to several sponsor representatives and waited until they’d passed by before I acknowledged what he’d said. “Power trip? I gave y’all plenty of warning that you needed to get out. It’s not my fault that you thought I was joking.”
“We are living in an apartment , Aphrodite. An apartment !” My other acted like she was stuck living in the slums. I was sure the apartment she was in was probably nicer than most people’s homes but it wasn’t what she had grown accustomed to.
“Then buy me out of the house when my tenant’s lease is up in two years. I made you both that offer before I put it on the rental market and y’all tried to call my bluff. It’s not my fault it backfired on you.” I kept my voice down trying to keep my cool but they were trying my patience.
It was warmer than normal in New York and I was dressed in a blue and white patterned dress with my locs in a braid. My parents were both in labels and I was sure their outfits were brand new.
“You are about to have such a big match; you really want this to be the headline?”
My father would try to use the thought of ruining my legacy to blackmail me but I’d learned to ignore the headlines.
People had been talking shit about Anthony and calling me a fool for being with him for months.
I’d been called a cheater and had my character questioned and much of it stemmed from the way my father and mother allowed Chris to frame our relationship after Wimbledon, hoping to capitalize off my win and the announcing of my relationship with Antwan.
They could all go to hell as far as I was concerned.
“Do what you feel is necessary. The house is occupied and there’s a legal contract that I’m not going back on.
And with the headlines part, I’ve been dodging them all summer without issue.
I’m sure part of my PR team will have fun going after whoever wants to spread lies about me.
I’m more than capable of providing proof for my side of the narrative. Can you say the same?”
“And what are we supposed to go?”
“Your husband has money, he’d just rather conserve it for his own purposes. Instead of paying bills, he wanted to put the burden of our household on me. If I don’t want to continue to fund your life, that’s a you problem presently. I have my own life to live.”
“I bet you have no problem giving that thug you’re running around with money. How much is he getting that you would leave us out here without a way to earn a living?”
“Not a dime. That’s the great thing about it. You’ve been all in my business so I’m sure you’ve seen the contract that he’s getting ready to sign as soon as he makes the last cut. You know he doesn’t need me for anything. Can you say the same?”
More people streamed by stopping to speak and a few asking for me to sign autographs and merchandise. My father silently seethed when only a few people acknowledged him.
My father didn’t waste any time when people moved around before he came back at me again.
“You’re going to regret doing this.”
I shrugged because no matter what he threw at me I was going to handle it and move forward without hopefully missing a step.
“I won’t. Even if it all blows up in my face I’ll know I did the right thing.
I stood up for myself and didn’t let you all continue to use me.
You all are my parents and I love you, but I can honestly say I don’t like you all very much.
And I definitely don’t love you all more than myself so in the end I chose me.
And that’s something I’ll never regret. Your access and proximity to me is your only cache in a world you so wish you could’ve dominated.
It’s been so long since you were relevant and yet you still can’t let it go.
I did nothing to you but be born. And you’ve lied and manipulated your way into my bank account for years. You had a great run but now it’s over.”
They looked stunned at the way I was speaking to them but that was expected.
They thought that they would stress me out or use guilt to have me help them but I wasn’t going for it.
I’d watched how Anthony moved with his mother: he had love for her but he didn’t allow her to use him. I was going to move the same way.
“Aphrodite!”
I glanced up and watched a familiar face walking toward me and for the first time since I’d gotten here I smiled.
“Hey, Bobby!”
When he was in arm’s reach he gave me a hug but didn’t leave my side. I wasn’t sure whether Billy or Anthony gave him the heads-up about my family but I was thankful that he was here to run interference.
“We’ve got a few interviews lined up before you head out.”
He was in a full suit so I know he was in business mode. Bobby was the best PR agent I knew handling all the bullshit that the blogs tried to throw at me and Bam’s relationship. I knew once the season started and this tournament was over he was going to be fielding even more calls from people.
“I hope y’all enjoy the matches. If you’ll excuse me I need to handle business.”
I dribbled the ball trying to keep my mind on this point and not the ache that came from my head.
I needed to rehydrate as soon as this game was over because I was low on just about everything.
This match had gone on for almost six hours and I was ready to claim my trophy.
The one thing that didn’t ache was my arms or my back and I owed that to Anthony and his advice.
The chest work was paying off and I could only pinpoint that as the change that had helped me almost sail through my matches during this tournament.
Despite my having won the other three for the year, I still wasn’t ranked number one: something that my baby took personally.
He wasn’t above using other people’s trash talk to hype me up and keep me focused.
This bitch waiting on my serve was the main one.
Marguerite Gillou had made it her mission to rattle me since I beat her in the Australian Open.
She was pissed because I had beaten her on her home turf and had gotten a lot of shit about it from her local media.
They were on her about disappointing the home crowd and it didn’t make it any better when the French Open and Wimbledon finals didn’t include her.
But I guess she wanted to return the favor.
Too bad that I was going to be the one hoisting this trophy over my head today and not her.
We’d both won a set and this was match point.
I was up and could close this out. And I wanted to.
All I could think about was the fact that my baby was watching me somewhere in the city.
After his last preseason game, he was told he’d made it to the fifty-three man roster and when he called me he had tears in his eyes.
I almost got my ass on the plane right then because my heart was so full of joy for him.
Since I couldn’t be there in person I had Rye deliver the gift I’d gotten for him.
It was a big-face, diamond-encrusted watch for him to wear on game day.
He was so appreciative but also pissed that I’d spent that kind of money on him.
I had to remind him that he was buying us a whole house without me so this was the least I could do.
Especially with the way he’d sent me off to this tournament. He’d made love to me in a slow and sensual way. I felt like his soul had touched mine and I could still hear his groans echoing in my ear as he hyped me up while making my pussy weep for pleasure.
“You’re everything I could have ever wanted in a woman and nothing I deserve. That’s why I’ll always go as hard for you as I do. You are worthy, you are a fighter, you are a champion and you are a history maker.”
I’d teased him that he had a praise kink but the way I flooded the sheets when I came after hearing those words meant I might’ve been projecting.
Repeating his affirmations in my head I lobbed the ball in the air before using all of my strength to send it over the net.
Immediately I was back on guard since she’d been able to return the ball.
Back and forth we went, the only sounds our sneakers on the hard court.
My thighs were burning but my hamstring had been holding up well.
I didn’t care what I needed to do; I was about to send this bitch back home to Australia a loser.
She tried to drop the ball at the front of the net but she didn’t have enough spin on it so I hustled to it as it made its descent and I smashed it in the back corner of the court out of her reach before she could get to it.
“Game Harper.”