Chapter 27 #3
He hated technology unless it was a launch monitor.
True kept trying not to laugh while giving instructions. “Nah king, listen,” he cracked up. “You gotta put the Face ID back in.”
Zaire squinted at the phone. “Man, this shit don’t even look like me right now. I ain’t got no haircut, my beard needs trimming…”
True slapped his shoulder. “It’s still you...everybody can’t be good looking.”
Zaire grunted just as Meadow stepped out onto the porch.
The world slowed in a way he didn’t need to fight for a change.
Her hair was in a low puff…her face was bare…her T-shirt was washed enough times that the green had softened into something close to sage.
She looked like rest, like breath…like the version of peace he’d been searching for since childhood.
She walked toward him slowly, testing the day, testing herself, testing the space between them.
His eyes were glued to her the whole time without blinking.
Meadow held out a small plate. “Your Mama said eat again.”
Zaire couldn’t stop the smile that came to his mouth. “She tryna make me fat.”
“You are six-three, two-twenty worth of muscle, you’ll be fine.” Meadow sat down beside him, her thigh brushing his. She meant to pull away, he watched her try, but she didn’t.
He set the phone down and leaned over, dropping his head lightly into her lap without asking.
Meadow froze for half a second. Then her hand lifted and found the back of his neck.
She circled love into his skin in a soft and protective way he didn’t know he needed until her fingers touched skin.
Zaire exhaled like something inside him finally loosened. This life was tiring. He loved the money, loved bringing hope to people that looked like him, but fame came with so much…bad, good, and indifferent.
“You good?” she whispered, her thumb tracing the edge of his fade.
“Yeah,” he nodded,“ now I am.”
She brushed a curl at the crown of his head. “You still mad at me?”
He shook his head against her thigh. “No, I’m just in love with you. That’s the fuckin’ problem.”
The confession was quiet…not forced…not dramatic, just true.
Zaire’s love felt good. He spoke with intention and never left her mind wondering. If someone asked her to describe the feeling, she’d respond with a simple word ‘safe’. His affection towards her gave her comfort and made all the bad shit disappear.
Meadow’s breath hitched, though her hand never stopped moving. “I love you too.”
Zaire closed his eyes.
It wasn’t butterflies…it wasn’t fireworks…it was grounding, like his heartbeat finally heard where it belonged and believed it.
“Y’all so cute,” True teased, walking up on them, “make me wanna find a woman too.”
“Cuh, watch out.” Zaire laughed before he kissed Meadow’s thigh.
Before he could pull her closer, a car honking cut through the yard.
Everybody turned toward the sound blaring through the peaceful morning.
A caravan of three family-sized SUVs pulled up along the gravel, tires splashing through the puddles.
“Coach Z!!” DJ jumped out of the first car before his Mama could even unbuckle her seatbelt. He sprinted across the grass, shoes slipping a little in the wet dirt.
Zaire sat up quickly, wiping his face with the back of his hand before the kid got close enough to notice.
Ray grinned from the shed. “Lord, the cavalry done pulled up.”
DJ ran straight into Zaire with full force, hitting him square in the ribs. Zaire grunted and caught him easily with both arms.
“What you doin’ out here?” Zaire asked.
“We came to help!” DJ puffed out his chest like he’d been waiting to say it. “We saw the people on the news, and Coach Meadow texted my Mama and said things were kinda crazy, so we came to make it better.”
Meadow blinked. “I did not text your Mama that.”
DJ shrugged. “Well she said you did.”
Zaire bit back his laughter.
More kids piled out of the cars. Aliyah, Mya, Karter, and Lay all ran toward the porch like they lived here.
Behind them, the parents approached more slowly, waving shyly toward Meadow and offering nods of respect toward Zaire.
One Mama called out, “Where y’all need us? We brought gloves and some water.”
Ray stepped forward. “We appreciate y’all. Ain’t much to do yet, but this means a lot.”
Meadow could feel tears tightening her throat.
The kids flooded the porch steps.
Karter stood in front of Zaire, chin tilted with pride. “I saw your game.”
Zaire raised an eyebrow. “Oh word?”
“You was locked in,” Karter said. “My Daddy said you don’t swing like the other dudes. He said you swing like you fighting something.”
True, overhearing, muttered, “He ain’t wrong.”
Zaire chuckled under his breath. “Tell your Daddy he smart.”
Karter nodded hard. “I think you gon’ win everything.”
That one hit deeper than Zaire expected.
Before he could respond, Mya walked right up to him, brown eyes big and earnest, her braids swinging. She grabbed his waist without hesitation and hugged him tight.
Zaire stiffened from surprise, then melted faster than he ever would’ve admitted aloud.
Mya whispered into his shirt, loud enough for him to hear but soft enough that the world couldn’t take it from her. “I told my Mama you ain’t broken.”
Zaire’s throat closed.
His chest tightened.
A tear fell before he could stop it.
He cleared his throat, inhaling slowly like he’d been punched in the soul.
“Com’ere,” he said, picking her up fully.
Mya buried her face into his shoulder.
Meadow stood beside him, her hand touching the center of his back.
She didn’t speak.
Her presence said everything.
I see you…I’m proud of you…I’m yours.
The families stayed for a while turning it into a big party.
The kids refused to leave his side, making him laugh and even debating him on things he knew nothing about.
The day warmed up and the land bloomed.
And for the first time, Zaire felt like he was standing on something that wouldn’t sink underneath him.