16. Mercy #2
“We’ve never spoken personally,” I answered, tracing my finger along the tabletop.
“Is there another way?”
“Professionally, we’ve spoken a few times; she’s a reporter.”
“And how was that?”
“Tense,” I laughed. “We’ve bumped heads a few times in the past, but that’s it.”
“And how do you think she’s going to handle you and Givens being together?” she asked, and I shrugged. “Listen, I know you like him. I can see how you move and act, but don’t let that boy or his baby mama ruin what you’ve worked hard for.”
“I won't,” I said, looking at her. Madea knew how much I loved playing basketball and all I’d done to get where I was. I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that.
“Good,” she said, nodding.
“You said you would call me,” I said, walking into the gym.
Givens stood in the middle of the court, ball in hand, with a look on his face that made my stomach twist. I hadn’t seen him since he’d returned to town last night.
The game plan was for him to come to my house since his flight arrived late and stay with me.
That never happened. He texted, saying he was too tired to make his way across town and wanted to know if Faylin could stay another night.
Since she was already sleeping, I told him it was fine, and we’d meet him for breakfast. He didn’t show up this morning for breakfast; I’d only received a text saying he’d call me and see us at the gym.
“I got busy with practice,” he answered.
I nodded and made my way down to the announcer's table. I was excited to see him and hoped he was happy to see me, too. I got to the edge of the court and was going to approach him, but Givens held his hand to stop me and shook his head. The rejection hit me hard, but I tried not to let it show. “My shit has been moving nonstop for the last few weeks, and I’m trying to get a handle on it.” He bounced the ball hard a few times. “I think I got it together, though.”
“Yeah?” I lifted my brow in question and looked around. Something inside me told me he was hiding something, but I didn’t want to jump to conclusions yet. I’d been single for years and wasn’t used to navigating relationships. I dropped my bag on the ground and sat at the announcer’s table.
“Yep.” He rubbed his hand over his head but wouldn’t keep eye contact with me. “How’d you know I was down here?”
“The girls started giggling on their way out,” I answered with a laugh.
Even though he tried hard to show them that he was just a regular person, as well as Faylin’s father, at times, they’d forget, and the whispers and giggles would start as soon as they saw him.
“I figured it was you and came to check.” I sat forward, resting my elbow on the table and my chin in my palms. “I’m pretty sure I heard one of them say ‘The king of the court’ was here or something like that. ”
“The only title I want is to be Faylin’s daddy.” He shook his head and then started dribbling the ball between his legs. His statement was random and questionable since I hadn’t mentioned anything about a title.
“Where did that come from?”
“Just speaking my truth,” he answered with a shrug. “I gotta keep my head down; my focus is on ball and my daughter. I’m ready to retire in a few years. I can’t let myself get distracted.”
“Oh really?” I lifted my brow in surprise. I didn’t like how that sounded, especially since he’d shown up at my house a few weeks ago. Since neither of us had denied the rumors on the net, I figured the girls knew or at least had an idea.
“Yeah,” he answered with a nod. “That’s it.”
I wasn’t angry by his words, but I was slightly hurt. Instead of speaking, I stood and collected my bag from the floor. “Faylin is waiting for you in the massage room; she was climbing into the hydro chair before I came in here. I’ll catch you later.”
“Alright,” he said, then started shooting.
I grabbed my phone from the table and swiped through it as I walked away. I was never one to pry, and even though I could tell something was wrong with Givens, I wouldn’t force him to talk to me. A text came through from my friend, Xoey, and all I could do was laugh.
Xoey (And all her personalities):
I need a girl’s night.
Me:
Don’t you and everyone living in your head party every night?
Xoey (And all her personalities):
We do, but I want to talk to voices that other people can hear, too.
Me:
What do you have in mind?
Xoey (And all her personalities):
Be ready at eight, dress sexy.
Me:
Xoey….
I looked back at Givens one last time before exiting the gym.
By the time I got to my car, I had a million thoughts running through my mind about Givens and his sudden attitude.
If he wanted to focus solely on ball and Faylin, I wasn’t going to try and change his mind.
Instead of harping on what I didn’t know or what Givens refused to say, I climbed into my car and headed home.
I had a cute outfit I’d been wanting to wear, and if I knew Xoey like I thought I did, I knew that whatever she had planned would be fun and needed.
“I knew I should’ve kept my ass at home,” I laughed as I moved through the crowd of people. Xoey looked over her shoulder at me and winked before turning back and leading us to the VIP suite. “Xoey, what the hell have you gotten us into?”
“A good time,” she replied, waving at a group of men we passed by. I could feel their eyes on me, but I wasn’t interested in giving them the time of day they thought they deserved. “Plus, I have a lot of pent-up energy I need to get out.”
“You haven’t bought a company or something?
” I laughed. Xoey’s family had big money that was longer and older than anyone else’s that we knew.
She was the youngest of her family and it showed by how she moved.
Her daddy, much to her brothers’ annoyance, hardly ever told her no.
We were all convinced that she had dissociative identity disorder; it was never confirmed, even though she’d been committed a few times in the past.
“No,” she playfully whined as she smiled at the security guarding the door before entering the suite.
“Really?” I questioned. Xoey collected companies as if they were Pokémon cards.
She said she picked a new type of company to buy when the mood hit her or one of the voices in her head told her to.
How she went about it was the best part; she used a monopoly board as a dart board on the wall in her office.
She said she’d let fate and semi-decent aim pick how her life went.