Chapter 10
Convincing a basketball star to join their band was a long shot, but if Jesus could walk on water, surely, He could alley-oop them through this.
The basketball court stretched out under the fading sun, the heat from the asphalt still radiating into the evening air. The distant hum of cicadas mingled with the rhythmic squeak of sneakers on pavement, the thud of a basketball bouncing like a heartbeat echoing through the empty park.
The court itself was little more than a cracked concrete slab, with bobbing yellow dandelions laying down opportunistic roots and claiming the less than fertile ground as their urban home.
There was a sagging chain-link fence on three sides and a patch of overgrown grass on the fourth.
Faded white and yellow lines, half-erased by time and wear, marked the boundaries of the game in a nod to geometric abstract art.
Rebekkah and Japheth emerged from the far edge and stepped off the overgrown grass, their shoes sticking slightly to the warm pavement, still unsure about their approach.
A breeze swept through the trees lining the court, rustling the leaves and carrying the faint smell of freshly cut grass from a neighbour more mindful than the city park custodians.
The air was humid, thick with the promise of a summer night that hadn’t yet cooled down.
Beads of sweat gathered at the back of Rebekkah’s neck, and she tugged her shirt away from her skin as they watched Ronald.
He was alone, dribbling with effortless precision, his sneakers squeaking in perfect rhythm with his play. Every move he made seemed calculated, like he wasn’t just playing basketball, but dancing with the ball, his body pivoting, crouching, leaping, hovering, above the asphalt beneath his feet.
He was shorter than they’d expected, no more than 5’2”, but the way he moved made him seem larger than life.
His dark, muscular frame glistened with sweat, his skin the deep shade of polished mahogany, with shoulder muscles like two scoops of chocolate ice cream heaped on his long and lean arms. His basketball shorts, hanging precariously low on his hips, seemed to defy gravity with every leap and bound.
“So, all we have to do is…” Japheth said quietly, his eyes glued to Ronald as he seemed to tango with his shadow across the court.
“... walk up to him and say, hey, we have a proposition for ya,” Rebekkah finished Japheth’s sentence, her tone conspiratorial, and her accent, new and not quite defined, attempted to marry with her mouth, but the engagement was a mess.
Japheth shot her a side-eye, “A proposition? It’s a bit too corporate sounding. I would also lose the accent, Rebekkah. Whatever it was… Polish mafia? Needs some work before a showcase of this importance.”
Rebekkah rolled her eyes and suggested, “A proposal?” The Polish mafioso accent still marbled her mouth.
“Uh-uh. Sounds indecent,” Japheth grimaced. “Or like a marriage.”
“Japheth, this is like a marriage,” Rebekkah said firmly. “It’s our band. It’s ride or die. For life. And now, we need to stir in this… tall drink of holy moly, is that Ronald?! Okay, stir in that short drink but still, holy moly!”
Japheth squinted as Ronald dribbled toward the hoop, “I think so? I mean, Suwarna and Carrington said we could find him here, driving to the hoop. He’s the only one here, so I’m guessing that’s him.”
“Driving to the hoop?” Rebekkah raised an eyebrow.
“That’s what Carrington said. I think it’s a basketball term.” Japheth shrugged.
“It sounds indecent,” Rebekkah muttered.
“So does your proposal.”
Rebekkah waved a dismissive hand, “Japheth, our mission here is very clear. Emma-Lou, Carrington, and Suwarna explained if we want to be announced as the winners of the 1999 WWJD Not Short on Talent talent show, we need to get our hands on a third member. We need to be fresh. We need to grow an audience for WWJD. We need to…”
“Modernize. Multiply,” Japheth said, his voice tinged with awe as he watched Ronald soar toward the hoop. “Holy Mary, Mother of God, how are we supposed to manage this? Look at this guy! I haven’t even met him, and I can already tell that Ronald may be in a different league.”
Rebekkah smirked, “Neither of us play sports, Japheth. Of course, he’s in a different league.”
“I mean the cool factor, Rebekkah. The je ne sais quoi. He’s got it.”
“I won’t argue with you. There is something about him,” Rebekkah agreed, her gaze traveling over Ronald’s toned physique.
“That swagger, that dimple… the way his basketball shorts are… how do they stay up when they’re halfway down his bum like that?
What’s holding them up? Oh! My word. Is…
so… are they tied on at the front then?”
Japheth glanced at her, then back at Ronald, “Rebekkah, I don’t know. I wish I did, but we’ll never find out if we just stand here and stare at him all day.”
The sound of the ball hitting the court grew louder as Ronald sprinted past them, sneakers squeaking against the asphalt before he leapt into the air. He hung there for what felt like an eternity, then the ball swished cleanly through the metal chain net, the jangle ringing out in the quiet.
“Did you see that?” Japheth whispered, wide-eyed. “He’s like 5’2” and he just flew!”
“I know, I saw! And his shorts stayed on!” Rebekkah exclaimed, still marvelling at the utility and functionality of Ronald’s wardrobe.
Before they could recover from their awe, Ronald’s voice broke through the quiet, not just speaking, but singing. And not just singing, he was sanging.
“Ooooooooooh yeeeeeahhhhh,” Ronald crooned, his voice smooth and rich like melted caramel. He took a casual shot, the ball swishing through the net again as if drawn by fate. “That’s what I’m talking about. Net!”
The squeak of the chain-link fence opening brought Japheth and Rebekkah back to reality as they stepped onto the court, drawn by Ronald’s siren-like voice.
His presence was magnetic, each muscle in his legs and arms flexing with power and control.
His skin glistened in the fading light, his sharp jawline and prominent cheekbones making him look like someone who should’ve been modelling for sports brands, not playing basketball alone in a forgotten park.
Rebekkah and Japheth exchanged a look. Ronald’s voice was unreal, like velvet dipped in charisma, and they found themselves drawn toward him as if under a spell. Rebekkah was the first to break the awkward silence, “Did you just… Cheese and crackers. You can…”
Japheth stepped forward, cutting her off, “You can sing!”
Ronald turned, eyebrow raised, his face breaking into a casual, easy smile that revealed a dimple deep enough to dive into. His dark, almond-shaped eyes flicked between them, scanning them with curiosity, “Who are you? What’s this about crackers?”
Japheth cleared his throat, “I’m Japheth, and this is my partner, Rebekkah.”
“I’m Ronald,” Ronald said simply, one brow still raised quizzically as he reached out a hand. His grip was firm but not crushing, and warm, the kind of warmth that lingers long after the handshake is over.
“We know,” Japheth replied with a sheepish grin. “We’ve been watching you and waiting…”
“Not in a creepy way!” Rebekkah blurted out, raising her hands defensively. “Just like, with casual curiosity and admiration. Over there, by the fence.”
Ronald’s dimple deepened as his smile grew, “Okay…”
Japheth felt a bead of sweat slide down the side of his face from his hairline. “And we have some questions,” he said, his voice growing a little too eager and his visible sweating disconcerting.
Ronald laughed, his chuckle low and easy, but there was a flicker of suspicion in his eyes, “Getting weirder.”
Rebekkah jumped in before Japheth could fumble any further, “Should I go first? I’ll go first. So many questions.”
“One of you please tell me what’s happening,” Ronald said, tossing the basketball under his arm.
“I feel like my brain is exploding,” Rebekkah gushed. “I can’t believe how lucky we are. Japheth, can you believe this?!”
Japheth nodded enthusiastically, “Who would have known? Well, you know Who would have?”
Rebekkah’s eyes lit up, her hands clasped together, “I have a guess!”
“Wait! Should we say it together?” Japheth suggested, his excitement palpable.
Rebekkah nodded eagerly but then beat Japheth to the punch, “Where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst!”
Ronald blinked and took a step back, “Who’s in the mist?”
“Jesus!” Rebekkah and Japheth chorused, practically bouncing with glee.
Ronald’s smile faltered, “Who?”
Japheth threw his hands up, practically vibrating with joy, “He knew! He planned this. The wit and wile of that woolly woodworker never cease to amaze me.”
Rebekkah did little calf raises on her toes and still caught up in the moment, began her interrogation, “Okay, first question, and I think I know the answer, but I don’t want to be presumptuous.”
Ronald cocked his head, “Please go ahead so this can quickly end.”
“What is keeping those shorts up because…” Rebekkah began, eyes darting to Ronald’s precariously hanging jersey shorts.
“Don’t…” Japheth cut in, mortified. “Don’t answer that.”
Ronald blinked slowly, his expression unreadable, then he scanned the court as if expecting to see a TV crew. “Am I on Candid Camera right now? Where’s the camera?”
“I’m sorry,” Japheth interjected, stepping forward as Ronald took steps backwards. “No, there’s no hidden camera, it’s just us two crazy kids. I’m gonna cut to the chase. We’re looking for a third.”
Rebekkah nodded, “And you’ve been on our radar for a little while.”
Japheth’s eyes lit up, “We were both signed up for the 1999 WWJD Not Short on Talent talent show.”
Ronald’s face relaxed as he nodded, “Oh yeah…”
Japheth continued, “And anyway, we’ve been a duo for a long time now.”
“Years…” Rebekkah added wistfully.
Japheth gestured between them, “And we just started thinking, hey, you know what would add some spice to our life?”
“Something to balance us out,” Rebekkah chimed in.