Anthony #3
We’d put another win under our belts and it was a great way to rebound after our first loss of the season the previous week.
We were heading into October and I felt like the team was just getting started.
When we bought our house, Choo being the brother he was said he’d give me the money.
I agreed but only under the condition that he charged me interest and I had the contract to pay him back in writing.
It took his ass two days to talk to me and it wasn’t until I threatened to go to a bank that he finally agreed.
His ass was petty charging me a quarter of a percent of interest but he had the nerve to tell me I was lucky it was that high.
Little did he know once I hit a few more contract bonuses he was getting a check for half of that money back.
“This is how I want to chill so humor me. We didn’t get to celebrate your winning or your birthday as much as I would’ve liked. So we gotta do something big right now. My baybeeh deserves to be celebrated.”
I stopped walking and I knew she could hear our voices echoing inside the building. The staff was just out of view waiting on us to request help when the time was right.
I turned her around to face me before lifting the blindfold.
She blinked rapidly her eyes darting left to right before they landed on me again. “What is this?”
I grinned and waved my hand around the showroom. “Pick what you want.”
Her eyes widened and she looked around again confused. “What?”
“It’s your gift for working on our driving and for winning the US Open and making history. So, I want you to pick which one you want.”
“A car?”
“Yep.”
“You’re buying me a car?”
Her voice did that jumpy thing where it went from normal to high-pitched to express her excitement and her simultaneous disbelief. It was like she was mentally trying to keep her cool because of how she was raised but the realization that she was free kept breaking through her training.
“Technically, I have to buy me a car until you get your license but you’re getting to pick it out. As soon as you get it together we’re going to have it transferred into your name.”
“You like buying me things.”
She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me to her but it wasn’t like she had room to talk.
The weekend I got my first sack at an away game I came home the next day to a bunch of new clothes on the bed.
It was items that ranged from dressy to casual and several were custom made.
My favorite had to be the knit crewneck sweater she had made that read BAM!
on the front in cartoon style font with my number on the side.
Ever since she hinted at that name during her acceptance speech when she won in New York, fans started using it.
They weren’t calling me that for the same reason as AP, but it stuck.
There were also pieces from a Black-owned luxury men’s brand that had been delivered for me.
Billy said they wanted to do a collaboration with me and I’d get to custom design some things that I could wear the last home game of the season.
Besides paying me, the clothes they’d sent were part of the PR package no matter what I decided.
Of course I said yes to it. That money would be added into the house fund and I was banking every dime I could so I could cut my brother a check for Christmas.
“I do. But more than that, I enjoy ensuring that you have what you need. A roof over your head, the ability to get yourself around independently and the type of love that would burn down the world to keep you warm.”
“Anthony.” Her breathing seemed to stop like her emotions bottled it all up in her throat but I would profess every chance I got just how amazing she was.
“Nah, don’t do that soft feminine voice shit that you do. Have my dick hard all up in this establishment. You already flirting with your eyes and shit again.”
“I don’t even understand what the hell you’re talking about. I’m not doing anything.”
As expected, she was laughing because Aphrodite thought it was teasing. There was a look she gave me that let me know she wanted affection and another where she just needed her back put through the mattress. She ain’t have a poker face with me since her eyes gave away her heart every time.
“You think that. But we gone continue this conversation at the house. Right now we got money to spend.” I took a step back so she had a better view of the showroom, but she didn’t make a move to check anything out.
Apparently, she’d been silent trying to gather up the courage to say something foolish. “I made a pretty good salary this year. I can always—”
“You can pay the insurance if it makes you happy.” I squeezed her hand to soften the words because I knew they sounded harsh.
“Damn it’s like that?”
“Let me treat you, my baybee. You deserve it.” I understood that she’d proven her usefulness to her family by how much came out of her bank account but that wasn’t necessary with me.
“I know what you’re thinking but I could afford one of these on my last salary.
I don’t have any debt and have been able to stack way more money.
Besides, I know you and you’re not going to do anything too crazy because you’re going to worry that you’ll nick this shit up.
Pick out your starter car. We’ll upgrade it whenever you want. ”
She was grinning and the shine was back in her eyes.
She’d worn some sneakers, these shorts that stopped mid-thigh and baggy t-shirt I was almost positive was mine.
I chuckled under my breath as she bypassed the cars at the front of the lot because they were brand new.
I had no issue with getting her a beater car for right now because like I told her I wouldn’t have a problem getting her something nicer when she got more comfortable.
She was scanning the cars when she paused and turned to me.
“I love you.”
I smiled down into her face as she grinned at me again. Her eyes were barely open slits and her golden-brown face was flushed with joy. “I love you too baby, what you about to say that I won’t like?”
“Not a thing. But I also know nothing about cars so I need you to help me out. I’ll do something crazy like just buying the car that’s the color that I like. I don’t know what lasts long or what doesn’t.”
“You like my car?”
I already had three and had just purchased my truck last year. My car was a luxury brand that made a product that lasted. I didn’t want to lease something new every two years to keep up with other people so I got what lasted.
“Yes.”
“That brand is known for being a good luxury value. I know you’re not flashy and what other people think don’t matter to you, but it’s like a normal person luxury brand. Those things can go for twenty years when you take care of them.”
Her face perked up again and I could only smile at the knowledge that Aphrodite wouldn’t be another broke athlete when her career was over. “Good. Let’s get one of those.”
We went back and forth between the benefits of having a car over an SUV.
I wanted her to have an SUV so that she could run somebody over if they got too close.
She wanted a car because she was still learning how to drive.
In the end, she got a mid-sized SUV once she realized how easy it would store all her stuff in the cargo area.
We signed the paperwork, did the bank draft and I let them know to deliver it to the new house.
This didn’t look like the life of unnecessary excess I’d thought I’d be living once I made it to the league.
Instead, it was everything that the young me had wished for: a healthy, happy home life and a place to put down roots without worrying where my next meal would come from.
My gratitude for God expanded tenfold for seeing the desires of my heart and throwing them away in order for me to have the necessities that fed my soul.