17. Givens
GIVENS
“Daddy!” Faylin laughed as she passed me. “You gotta keep up.”
I stomped on the gas pedal and tried to catch up with her.
The go-cart I was in was slow as fuck, and I knew I wasn’t going to catch up with her, but that didn’t stop me from trying.
I swerved around a couple of go-carts and was on her ass, but that shit was useless.
Faylin crossed the finish line and threw her hands in the air in victory.
“Damn,” I sighed and shook my head. Her winning meant I would be dealing with the entire team at my house for a sleepover before their first game. The girls were going to be hyped, and that meant my house was going to be loud as fuck.
Faylin parked her go-cart at the bay and jumped out with a smile. “I won!”
I parked behind her and got out. Even though I was salty as fuck about her winning, I was going to be a good sport. “I know,” I laughed as I hugged her and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
“I cant wait to get home to text the team and let them know we are on for tonight,” she laughed as we left.
For the last week, we’d been moving nonstop, practice was kicking both our asses, and we needed to unwind.
Faylin was hyped about the start of games while I was still trying to figure out what happened with Shai.
She was dead set on the fact that we’d fucked, a few times.
I wasn’t convinced, and because I didn’t know what the truth was, I’d been avoiding Mercy.
I had Hood take Faylin back and forth to practice so that I didn’t have to see her, and it was starting to get to me. I missed the fuck out of Mercy.
I helped Faylin into the car, rounded it, and got in. “What y’all want to eat? Pizza and shit?” I asked after I started the car and drove away.
“No,” she denied, shaking her head even though her attention was on her phone. “Coach said something light and healthy.”
“Salad and fish,” I said, nodding. “I can throw the fish on the grill when we get home, but y’all making the salad.” I glanced at her and smirked. “Y’all cant fuck that up.”
“I can cook, daddy!”
“Faylin, I love you, but nah baby, you can’t. You burnt noodles just last night.”
“By accident.”
“Baby, you forgot to put water in the bowl.” I switched lanes and headed towards the house. “All you gotta do is put water in a pot and add the noodles. You forgot half the damn steps.”
“Okay,” she laughed and dropped her phone into her lap. “I mean, yeah, I did, but I was tired from practice.”
“Shit, me too.” I replied. “But I still get in the kitchen every night after practice and pull together a meal.”
“I’m glad you just admitted that it’s all your fault!” she yelled and clapped. “You have gotten me accustomed to a home-cooked meal after every practice and left me to fend for myself.”
“So you’re saying it's my fault?” I laughed.
“Yes, sir,” she answered. “That was all your fault.”
“Well damn.” I shook my head and wiped my hand over my mouth. “Alright, how about this?” I looked over at her and smiled before returning my attention back to the road. “From here on out, you gotta get in the kitchen with me so you can learn to cook.”
“Oh no, Daddy,” she said, shaking her head. “That’s not my ministry. I’m a ballplayer, and the only time I cook is on the court.”
“Damn,” I laughed. “You not gonna be the wife who cooks for their man every time?”
“Does Mercy cook for you?” she asked. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched her pick her phone back up and swiped the screen. “I mean, I’ve never seen her do it. Even when y’all thought y’all were sneaking around and I didn’t know, I did. If she doesn’t cook, then why would I?”
“You knew?” I was surprised because I thought we were doing a good job hiding it until we weren’t.
“She’s my favorite player in the world and my coach. I notice everything,” she sighed. “Plus, I saw the clip on the web about you fighting with Javien over her. I didn’t believe it, but the pictures were cute.” She shook her head. “And mommy always asks about her when you make me go with her.”
I wiped my hand over my mouth and scoffed. “I’d beat Javien and any other nigga ass over her,” I said without thinking, and Faylin laughed. “Shit, I ain’t mean that.”
“Yes, you did,” she said. “And that’s okay. I’m not looking for love, but when I do, I want somebody to love me like you love her.”
Now I felt like shit for real because my daughter was idolizing the relationship she thought me and Mercy had. “Listen, Faylin-“
“No, Daddy, you listen,” she interrupted me. “I know I’m a kid, and I’m supposed to stay in a child’s place, and I will after I say this.”
I pulled up the house and parked in the driveway. Yeah, Faylin was a kid, but she was growing up. She saw shit I didn’t, plus I wanted her to know her voice mattered. She would be with a nigga one day, and as her father, I knew I was the example of what a man could and would do for his woman.
“Say what you gotta say, baby,” I said, nodding. I pushed my seat back and gave her my full attention.
“I don’t know what’s going on with you and Mercy, but I really like her, and I’m not just saying it because she’s my favorite player.
She’s a good person; her family are good people.
While you were gone, they treated me like I was one of their own.
It felt good to belong, knowing they didn’t want anything in return.
The only other time I feel like that is with the team. ”
“Legit?”
“Legit, daddy,” she nodded. “Did y’all break up?”
“Why do you ask that?”
“Because since you came back, you haven’t smiled,” she answered softly.
“I smile all the time.”
“Yeah, but not like you did when you were with Mercy,” she said, shaking her head. “You were happier; you laughed more, but now you’re back to your old ways. Kind of mean and stand offish to everybody but me and Uncle Hood.”
I wiped my hand over my face and nodded. My baby was spitting facts, and I couldn’t deny it. I had been moving differently since coming home, and if she was seeing it, then it meant I needed to fix that shit and asap.
“I’ma do better,” I finally said, and she nodded. “Like for real. I got some shit on my mind, but once I get it figured out, I’ma fix my shit with Mercy.”
“You better make it fast,” she said as we exited the car.
“Why do you say that?” I watched her over the hood of the car.
“Because she posted a picture last night to her IG of her out, and daddy, she looked good.” A white Lexus pulled into the driveway, and my hand went to the gun on my waist while Faylin moved to get back in the car.
“Mr. Robbins, it's me!” a voice yelled as the car approached.
“Daddy, that’s Gina,” Faylin said, sticking her head out of the car. The door to the white Lexus opened, and Gina got out of the car with her bag.
“Hi, Mr. Robbins!” Gina said, coming towards us. I let go of my gun and wiped my hand over my face. The visitors I typically had knew not to show up unannounced and knew how I got down if they did.
“What’s up, power forward,” I said, throwing her a nod. I didn’t know all the girls' names, but I knew the positions and often called them by that, so they didn’t realize it.
“My mama said she was going to park and come talk to you,” she said, and I nodded. Faylin got out of the car, they linked arms, and went into the house.
I watched Gina’s mama park and get her bow-legged ass out of the car.
She was one of the few parents who could afford to pay her fee but chose not to once she heard the other girls were getting to play without it.
Shit worked my nerves, but since it wasn’t my team and Gina was a good player, I shut the fuck up.
“Givens Robbins,” Gina’s mama said as she looked me up and down. Her eyes stopped at my print, and she licked her lips. “We haven’t met, but I wanted to introduce myself since my baby is staying at your house.” She stopped in front of me and batted her fake lashes. “My name is Danielle.”
“Well, Ms. Danielle, rest assured your daughter is safe here,” I said, putting my hand out for her to take.
“My friends call me Dani,” she suggested with a laugh. “You should, too.”
“Nah, I’m good,” I denied as she stepped forward, and I took a step back.
“Well, can I at least get a picture?” she asked as she showed me her phone.
I nodded, and she stepped closer to me. She damn near wrapped her body around my frame as she got into position on the side of me and angled the phone up, but since I was so tall, you couldn’t see my face.
She snapped a few pictures anyway, then turned and looked up at me.
“Can you take a few?” she didn’t give me time to answer before she put the phone in my hand, wrapped both arms around my waist, and rested her head on my stomach.
I quickly took two pictures and then unwrapped her arms from around me. “Here you go,” I said as I stepped back and handed her the phone. “Have a nice night.”
“You, too,” she said, then switched back to her car. Even though she rubbed me the wrong way with her thirsty ass, I watched her get into her car and drive away before going into the house.
“Be careful, Mr. Robbins,” Gina said when I walked into the house and closed the door. “My mama said she’s trying to find me a stepdaddy, and you’re on her radar.”
“No offense, power forward, but yo’ mama ain't my type,” I said, shaking my head.
“I told her that, but she said all she needs is to give you a sample, and you’ll be singing a different tune,” she said, shaking her head. “I have a few younger siblings, and all their daddies play professional sports.”
“Yeah?” I asked, even though I couldn’t have cared less. Danielle was not my type.
“Yep,” she said, nodding. “Football, soccer, hockey, and baseball. She says if she can’t get a ring, she’ll get a baby and make them suffer.”
“Ay, be better than your mama,” I said, shaking my head.