Aldrich #2
We walked in and Jacoby went into host mode, showing me where everything was set up. I was still looking for Sterling but she’d disappeared with my baby into the crowd of costumed guests.
The array of food was impressive and I could tell they had two different buffets for kids and adults.
A lot of people from the team and from Billy’s business were inside so most of the faces were familiar.
I loaded my plate up with ribs and sides before I found a spot near the end of the kitchen island.
“What’s good with y’all? I ain’t want to ask in front of everybody cause that ain’t my style to put your shit out there for people to question, but y’all good?
” Jacoby’s big ass damn near scared the shit out of me because I’d zoned out looking for Sterling while I ate.
I was going to grab Ami from her and fix her plate so she could have a minute to relax.
“Yeah why wouldn’t we be?” I wiped my mouth and wondered if there was something he knew that I didn’t.
“We've been cool for a minute man and I can tell your energy ain’t quite right. And if I can, so can she, so what’s up?” He folded his arms across his chest, which was difficult since it was covered with the plate of his armor and body paint.
“I’m serious. Super serious. Sometimes I feel like maybe more than she is.”
“You mean the girl that’s taking care of your kid and you like it’s more than a job?
That’s who you think might not feel the same as you?
The one that you’ve integrated into every part of your life without a question?
That’s who you’re doubting?” He was reading me like I was missing what was right in front of my eyes but there were factors Jacoby wasn’t aware of.
“Yeah.”
“Bruh, you got concussed last weekend and we didn’t know?
Do I need to tell Stew your ass should be in the protocol?
” He had the nerve to put the back of his hand to my forehead like I was one of his kids and I had to swat his hand away.
Stew wasn’t attending because Rachelle had given birth to their son, Douglas Stewart III, on Tuesday.
We’d stopped by to drop off a gift outside the door because Ling said new babies and mamas wanted naps, not visitors.
“Nah I ain’t get hit, I just don’t know how to approach that shit with her. Like you and Billy had your shit, right? But we still have hurdles that we've gotta cross. I don’t even know the extent of everything that is gonna come for us.”
“Not to play counselor but what makes you think that something ain’t going to work in your favor?”
“Despite how I feel about her, I pay her for everything she does and hell she still goes above and beyond her job title. Like I hate her thinking that I still see her as the nanny.” I caught that glimmer of brown that I knew was my girl because my eyes were immediately drawn to the color.
My eyes locked on her and I watched as she joked and laughed with everyone.
“But?”
I’d forgotten all about Jacoby standing there because I’d been lost in staring at my girl.
“But it feels wrong giving her money for what I’m sure she’s doing freely.
Like she spends her money to get stuff for Ami.
And gets annoyed if I try to run the money back to her.
But I don’t want her to feel like she’s not valued or that I take the labor she does for the family for granted. ”
“The solution is simple. Wife her up for real and then put her name on an account. How hard is that?” Jacoby made it seem like I could just ask Sterling to marry me and shit would work out perfectly.
I mean, that’s where my head was going but I knew more had to happen before she felt that comfortable with me.
“I hate that people had the nerve to say something negative about her. Like that nigga with the Stars calling her the help. I know technically she worked for me and she still does but it wasn’t like that.
” Honestly the people were making it seem like I took advantage of my position as Ling’s boss.
Like I was a fucking creep. And with the shit that I’d experienced in life, even if I couldn’t actively remember it, that was the last way I would ever behave with anyone.
Jacoby gave me a smirk since he could empathize well.
“Have you met my wife? You know I, above anyone else know how you feel. People were trying to call her a groupie, a whore, and unprofessional all because we fell in love with each other. We kept shit low key because of that but it didn’t stop us wanting to be together.
The love never stopped and I for damn sure wouldn’t have missed out on my present because someone back then had a problem with who decided to love me. ”
“Facts. But Billy good though. She had thick skin long before y’all got together. And she’s probably the most laid-back woman when she’s not in the middle of a negotiation.”
He frowned at me like I ain’t ever met his wife before. “Billy is good with y’all because y’all get the big sister vibe from her. Y’all were her people before I was in some cases. None of y’all were on the level to challenge her or what she said.”
I looked at Jacoby like he was damn right because I enjoyed being alive. “But of course you do cause you must not enjoy living.”
“I see her when she’s working too hard. Hell, before we got together that’s all her ass did was work.
She was too dedicated to her business to have time for herself.
That shit isn’t healthy. I understood where she was coming from.
But she was also the one in her family who looked to have everyone else lean on her.
To be the person that everyone could count on so she kept her shit bottled up.
It almost broke us and I played a major role in that. ”
“You would suck the dookie out of her ass if she asked you.” I was flabbergasted because this man loved his wife down I couldn’t imagine that he’d ever done anything but be a perfect husband.
“Bruh, what the fuck kind of two girls one cup shit have you been watching?” Jacoby glanced around and I knew he was looking to make sure that Ascher wasn’t nearby.
“Your even knowing that reference tells me everything I need to know about you.”
He sidestepped the question, and frankly I didn’t want an explanation. “I would do anything for her, yes. But that’s from a long, hard-fought road of basically begging her to do better. Like when she got Destiny and I wasn’t around like I should’ve been—”
“You were a deadbeat?”
“Nah. Well, yeah but not really. Before we adopted her we hadn’t been doing well. I know you know about the adoption because you follow football but some people don’t. Especially since she looks like us.”
I nodded because I wouldn’t have known she wasn’t. “Definitely does.”
“But I messed up. I was emotionally withdrawn because I couldn’t handle the number of emotions I was feeling. I’ve earned her trust back, her love, and her respect, which was hard. But I wouldn’t have given up. That’s the mentality that you have to have when you’re in love.”
“Ling is hyper-independent as fuck. Will use her money to stock the fridge despite my giving her a card to take care of that kind of stuff. I hate that she feels the need to constantly prove herself. And I never put that on her; she just does it.”
“Drives you crazy, doesn’t it?” Jacoby was smiling like he’d been through the same thing and he’d just decided to love that about his wife and work around it.
“Yeah.”
“But what are you doing to make it any better?”
“What?”
“I’m thankful in a lot of ways because even though I never met the man, Billy’s father showed her that she had the ability to see a good man and could depend on one until he passed. How about Sterling’s father?”
“He fucked that up and is still trying to fuck her up. Asking her to come to the game to check me out like he’s doing his job as her dad.”
“Muhfucka wanna get flewed out like a bitch on his daughter’s dime?” Coby’s disgust matched mine and I was irritated all over again about her father.
“Yep.”’
“He ain’t gotta to be in the stands to find shit out about you. That’s weird behavior.”
“They don’t have a good relationship. Hell, any relationship from what I gather but you know some parents just don’t give a fuck.”
“I was blessed to find my pops and my mother by all accounts was an amazing woman. Mina’s mama has been integral to our family and I hate that Sterling doesn’t have that.” When I followed his eyes, he was looking toward Sterling with newfound respect and empathy.
“Yeah it’s fucked up her not having a good dad and shit. I want to be the type of father my pops was to me for Ami. Took me a second to get my mind wrapped around the situation.”
“And now?”
I smiled as I looked at the two of them and spoke from my heart. “I’m happy. I’m moving past the bad and focusing on all the good that came from it.”
“And the other situation?” I knew he meant me manning up and making it clear how I felt about Ling and I was definitely going to get there.
“I’m not quite sure what I should be doing with her. I feel like I’mma make the wrong step no matter what.”
He raised his eyebrows understanding why I was worried.
“It be like that sometimes. But you gotta make the wrong step with the right intentions. You might hurt her pride by wanting to take care of her, but it’s better that she knows you’re willing to do that.
And when you don’t falter then she can be more comfortable letting it continue.
Billy had long money. I never cared about what she had but I knew it made her feel invested and secure to contribute. ”
“So you let her?”
He looked like I’d completely insulted him and I almost laughed at the look on his face. “Absolutely not.”
I laughed but I needed advice that was proven to work not some do as I say shit. “Then respectfully what the fuck you telling me to do that shit for, Murda?”
“I mean I had to beat a few people’s asses and Mina had to fight a court case and shit.
I don’t wish that on y’all. After that, I put a ring on her finger and a baby in her belly.
That little one didn’t make it earth side but I was going to spoil Mina with thoughts, words and deeds to where she had no other man that could begin to compare to me. ”
“Damn maybe I haven’t been intentional enough.”
“Y’all already got the baby. This little one is doing half the heavy lifting for you with keeping her around. But what you need to understand is make it more than that. Make sure she knows it’s more than just Ami who wants her, you do too, right?”
“Hell yeah. Sterling makes me feel again. For the longest time, I didn’t think I would ever get back to being me.
I didn’t want to feel and then this shit with Ami happened.
She doesn’t judge me. Walked me through that shit and she saw me at my worst. But it was her ability not to judge me that really was the reason I kicked myself in the ass to do better.
I never wanted her to feel like she had to pull me out of this shit with my daughter.
But I can’t say she didn’t show me how fucked up I was being. ”
Murda was grinning again as I spilled my guts, and I clearly had his approval.
“Then just like you are when you see the end zone and you've got an opponent trying to block you: don’t let anything stand in your way from your goal.”