Chapter 21
I was sorting through my monthly bills, signing off on payments and planning for next month while Nori ran through some pending items.
“The rent for Duane’s place has cleared and the mortgage on your mother’s house has also gone through. The hotel is paid up until the end of the month. Do you think you’ll be extending your stay?”
“Don’t take that tone with me.”
“What tone?”
“You think I’m taking too long to find a place.
” It had only been a couple of months, but Nori believed I was moving at a snail’s pace to settle on home I liked.
What she didn’t know is I’d been dragging my feet because I needed a reason to keep seeing Danessa.
But now that things between me and her had shifted, I imagined house hunting would kick into high gear.
“Yes. Danessa’s shown you over three dozen listings and you’ve passed on all of them.”
“When I find the right place trust me, you’ll be the first to know.”
Nori rolled her eyes. “I hate walking through the casino. I leave smelling like smoke.”
“I’m sorry, send me the bill for your dry cleaning. Speaking of Danessa, can you locate the best bakery in town and send her some cupcakes with a note that reads, ‘You bake me crazy’?”
Nori’s pen stalled. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah, what you don’t like it?”
“It’s corny as fuck. Does Danessa go for corny? Because if not, I’d reconsider.”
“I think it’s kind of cute.”
“Oh, you are gone.” She tossed her pen into her notebook.
“What do you mean?”
“That woman has got your nose wide open. Out here sending sweet treats with stupid food puns.”
“Can you think of something better?”
“Yeah, how about Danessa I had a really good time on our date the other night and I can’t wait to see you again.”
My face crumpled in disgust. “Nah, I like mine better.” I scanned an itemized receipt. “Could you also Cash App her money to get her hair done?”
“How much?”
“I don’t know, a thousand, two.”
“For her hair?” Nori’s eyebrows climbed her forehead. She was an amazing assistant who kept me on track, but she was judging me every step of the way.
“Yeah, whatever it costs her to get a silk press. Because her edges were reverting to their natural state when she left this morning. If you know what I mean.” I laughed fiendishly.
“Not you bragging on your dick.”
“I’m not bragging. And how many times have I had to listen to you boast about a woman’s number you scored?”
“That’s because I have game, and the bitches love a cool ass butch fem who can switch it up.”
“Can you just allow me to be a tad braggadocious.”
“So the date went well?”
“It did.”
“Will there be a second date?”
I pushed the paperwork aside. “Do you believe in fate?”
“No.”
“I do. I think this was the plan all along, and I couldn’t see it back then because I was too hurt. But maybe we needed to live and grow separately so we could come back together better than ever.”
“Aldridge, I know you like her, but I don’t want you to set yourself up for a letdown.”
“What do you mean?”
“If Danessa didn’t see how great you were before, what’s different now?”
“We were young, she made a mistake.”
“Has she even explained why she dumped you in the first place? From where I’m sitting the only thing that’s changed is you’re a multi-millionaire ball player with money to blow.”
“Danessa’s not like that.”
“How do you know? You haven’t talked in years. People change, you have.”
“Because I know Danessa.” My tone was final.
I wouldn’t accept any vilification of Nessa.
She wasn’t a gold digger with dollar signs behind her eyes.
Parts of me still felt the heartache, a weekend filled with great sex couldn’t erase that.
Danessa was my first serious relationship, the first love of my life, and my first heartbreak.
Why, was a question I was too scared to ask, because what if she explained only to realize her reasons were still valid?
Worse, what if it was something I did or didn’t do that drove her away? One minute we were eating pie and scrolling through , and the next she was tearfully telling me she needed a break. Not from the apple pie or online screen time, but from me.
“Whatever, I’ll send her a grand she looks like she pays a pretty penny for that hair. If there’s anything left, she can use it on her nails, brows, or unmentionables.”
Nori jotted down notes in silence. She was pissed at me for not at least taking her words into consideration.
The line between professional and personal were often blurred between us.
Nori was one of my favorite people and although she was on my payroll, I thought of her as a friend …
shit more than a friend, she was family.
“Are we good?” I didn’t like it when she was cross with me.
“We’ll always be good, Aldridge.”
“I’d really like you to get to know Danessa better.”
“Yep, I’m down.”
“Trust me, you’re gonna love her once you know her better. Are we done here?”
“Uhm … I just have one more piece of business.”
“What’s up?”
“Your father reached out to me.”
Pressure built behind my eyes. I was on cloud nine after my weekend with Danessa and talk about my father would surely drag me down into the pits of hell. “About?”
“He asked for some money. I told him I’d have to check with you, which he didn’t like.”
“How much?”
“Ten thousand dollars.”
“Doesn’t he get his monthly five-grand payment in a few days?”
“Yeah, I mentioned that to him and he started ranting about being an entrepreneur and needing to invest in some amazing opportunity. I don’t understand how he goes through it so fast.”
“Because he has a gambling addiction, and he likes sex workers. That shit ain’t cheap.
” My father was on an allowance. He received five thousand dollars a month.
But that never seemed to be enough. In the past I would bend and give him an extra two grand or a quick five hundred dollars.
But I was just feeding the beast. He was lucky to get the five each month.
Because if it wasn’t for my mom, he wouldn’t see a dime from me.
As a grown ass man, you’d think he’d feel a way about his son supporting him.
The funny thing is he clearly resented me for the financial assistance while steadily begging for funds.
“Do you want me to—”
“No, if he wants more money, he can call me and ask for it.” He would more likely scoop out his eyeballs with a rusty spoon before making that request. That’s why he had Nori’s number on speed dial.
On this I was setting boundaries. Danessa was partially right, I was at risk of spreading myself thin by trying to support the village.
I needed to start cutting some of these motherfuckers off.
Aside from the sperm, my father hadn’t done shit for me.
“Maybe you should block his number. Nip this shit right in the bud.”
“Is that what you want?”
“Yeah. I don’t pay you enough to deal with my dad.”
“Okay, what’s on the agenda for the rest of your day?”
“I’m going to NA in an hour.”
“You seem to really like this new group.”
“Yeah, it’s because of Pete, the facilitator. He gives it to you real, no fluff. I appreciate that.”
“Good, I’m glad you found a group you like the first time out. I’m proud of you.”
“For what? Not killing myself?”
Nori reached for my hand which let me know she was serious.
“It was scary for a while and I’m just happy you’re in a better place.
You deserve all you’ve earned. I know you feel guilty, but you worked hard for each and every blessing.
And more importantly you keep putting in the work for your sobriety. ”
“I’m sorry you had to see me like that.” Nori witnessed the worst of me. At the height of my addiction, I was abusive and mean. She should’ve quit over a dozen times, but she didn’t give up on me. And for that she would forever have my love and respect.
“I’ve always got your back, Goofy.” She called me that because she claimed I walked like Goofy the cartoon character. Which I didn’t by the way. “Can I ask?”
“Hmm?”
“Have you told Danessa?”
“That I’m a drug addict? No, nope I could never find a way to weave it into the conversation.”
“But you’re going to tell her, right?”
“Eventually. We just went on a first date. There’s a ton of catching up we have to do.”
“Just promise you’ll tell her before shit gets too deep.”
I nod in agreement. We were already in too deep.
After a close game at home, the Ramblers were on a mini-winning streak.
I couldn’t leave the arena fast enough, heading straight to Danessa’s place.
You know that feeling when you meet someone new, and you want to spend every waking moment with them?
That was me right now. When I was at work or the gym, all I could think about was her.
And when I was with her, I wished each day was daylight savings so I could have more time in her presence.
Normally, I preferred to play it cool. No declarations of love before the six-month mark.
We could discuss the possibility of meeting my mother after a year.
It was a pass on matching tattoos or names inked onto my skin.
Oddly enough I got Danessa’s name tattooed on my chest in college.
Something I wouldn’t do for any other woman.
After we broke up, I’d considered covering it up dozens of times but doing that felt like I was admitting we were a mistake, and it was never that.
From the hall I could detect the sound of footsteps getting closer. When she opened the door her eyes lit up, but then she immediately caught herself as if she didn’t want me to know how happy she was to see me. “Hello.” Her tone was casual.
“Don’t play with me. Acting all formal like I wasn’t balls deep in your shit less than twenty-four hours ago.”
“Aldridge.” She poked her head into the hall to confirm no one overheard me. “Inside now.”