16. Football Support Staff
Chapter 16
Football Support Staff
Mia
Daddy
Mia, how is my baby?
Mom
You should come stay with us
“Oh, hell no,” I said out loud.
I was making a run for it today.
During the first-round bye week, Marcus drove me insane.
I couldn’t turn over by myself between him and Harley.
He wanted me in bed with my feet propped up.
Mrs.
Eddy saved me on the day of my podcast.
She scolded them both for hovering and made them let me leave.
The walls were closing in on me in this bedroom.
I hate to say it, but I pushed his ass out the door Saturday morning with his funky shoes.
When Mom called, I convinced her to take her granddaughter right after he left.
Marcus had convinced Harley to report my every move to him for safety.
Daddy
I can come by and watch the game with you.
“Nope,” I said, as if he could hear me.
Me
No, Dad.
I’m okay.
Daddy
Marcus is worried about you doing too much.
And he might be right.
“How?” I screamed into the atmosphere.
Marcus wouldn’t let me leave the bed without him, including to pee.
Talking about, “You might fall.” He even refused me sex a few times; I could have folded him into the pillow next to me.
Me
Daddy, Marcus is worried for no reason.
Enjoy the time with your granddaughter.
Daddy
Call me if you need me.
I tossed my phone in my purse; with Marcus getting ready to run on the field, he couldn’t track my location.
Moving into the living room, Mrs.
Eddy and Ms.
Renee sat on the couch, both half asleep watching a western.
I cleared my throat from the garage doorway.
“Please don’t tell Marcus, but I need air,” I said.
They both cackled at my statement and waved me out the door.
Opening the garage door opener, I sighed.
Marcus blocked in my SUV with his Bentley.
I stepped back inside to the keyring to see the cutlass.
Ha, he thinks I wouldn’t drive it, but he had another thing coming.
I snatched the keys and cranked her up, tossing my bag in the back.
I maneuvered out of the driveway, letting the garage door down, and punched it.
After a stop at Sweet and Spicy bakery, I headed for Kindness’s house.
Last week, she offered me the seats in the owner’s suite because she wasn’t going to the game.
Marcus was against me stepping inside the stadium while pregnant out of fear.
He doesn’t want me anywhere with large amounts of people.
Little does he know, I’m going to the damn Elite Bowl.
I pulled into the driveway to find no Stacie.
I text her about her location.
Me
Your ETA?
The three dots of disappointment appeared and left but reappeared.
Stacie
Reschedule.
I’m handling something.
She probably met somebody.
Stacie believed healing meant climbing under another man.
I’d been checking in with her and she hasn’t taken Rex back.
In fact, I’d heard rumors of the team trading him due to a decline in performance.
I didn’t have the heart to tell her, but he should have been traded.
The Houston Fire Bombers hadn’t been to the World Series since his first year at the mound.
It’d been five years.
I removed my ring and placed it back in the box.
The purpose of today was to check on Stacie and present them with bridesmaid boxes.
It was something I wanted to do with them both.
I’d been planning their proposal since my first boyfriend.
We’ll have to wait on the proposal boxes.
However, I would tell Kindness about the babies, considering this was her fault.
Exiting the car, I passed her flower garden and approached the steps.
I hadn’t been to her house since the media training.
Kindness traveled with the team more than usual this season.
Stacie and I knew why: Bryce Prescott.
“It’s open,” Kindness yelled.
I still rolled my eyes in her camera and chuckled as I turned the knob to enter her house.
Kindness always had an eclectic style, but she suppressed it living with her parents.
Mr.
Jordan wasn’t having it.
As an adult, she embraced every color of the rainbow.
I lifted a bag from the bakery and took a seat.
Kindness’s brows hiked at the sight of the bag.
She knew cupcakes meant I had news, rather good or bad.
Grinning, I secured a seat and removed the small sample treats and passed Kindness a napkin.
She sucked her teeth, wanting me to spill whatever I was holding to my chest.
“So . . . ” I sang.
We made eye contact, and I stuffed a mini treat inside my mouth, making her furrow her brows.
“What happened?” she asked, and I stuffed another treat inside my mouth.
I couldn’t find the words.
They were on the tip of my tongue, but they wouldn’t leave my mouth.
Kindness slid the box of yummy cakes out of my reach and waited for me to finish chewing the pink vanilla cupcake.
“Mia?” Kindness questioned, no longer exhibiting patience.
I swallowed hard and slow.
“I’m pregnant,” I said, and her eyes widened almost out of the sockets.
Judging from her silence, I didn’t know what to do next.
I sat in stillness, giving her semi-smiles and head movements.
When she didn’t jump and say congratulations, I slumped my shoulders.
I stuffed another piece of cake in my mouth and waited to defend myself if needed.
“Wait. When did you start having sex again? And the father? Forgive me for asking, but I want to know,” she inquired, as she moved to the edge of the couch.
The baby daddy was the million-dollar question I wasn’t ready to answer.
Doing so would require me to come clean about a few things.
I smirked instead of answering and extended myself to stress eat.
Kindness beat me to the box and pushed it further down the table and watched me.
“What a hit by Ed the safety. Whew, somebody will be hurting in the morning. The Armadillos came to put on a show today,” the announcer said.
Not able to use my words, I pointed toward the game and gave her a nervous face.
Kindness shrugged her shoulders, not catching on to my hint.
“Marcus Allen,” I mouthed and tucked my lips inside my mouth.
Kindness erupted into a happy dance, moving her feet repeatedly, and I exhaled.
My friends were my sisters, and it’s important they trusted my guy this time around.
“Wait. When did you and Marcus start . . . you know?” Kindness asked before she reached for her favorite vanilla cupcake with bacon.
She licked the icing, her eyes glued to mine.
My mind traveled back to our first date.
Marcus sat in the car and told me he wanted to eat my pussy and make me squirt.
The bluntness in which he asked turned on my sexual drive.
“Mia,” Kindness called me back into the room.
“Oh. On the first night,” I said, and I slid the box of treats back within my reach.
“And it’s your fault,” I reminded her with an eye roll.
Kindness swallowed the miniature cupcake.
“What did I do?”
She slid toward the edge of the couch with her mouth parted.
I guess she was waiting for me to speak up.
Kindness was owed credit for introducing me to this wonderful man.
Marcus had been nothing short of amazing.
We progressed fast, but I’m glad I jumped heart first.
He had a beautiful soul, and he allowed me to rule the bedroom.
He shared a piece of him for a chance, and I couldn’t look the other way.
“I don’t know yet, but you are somewhere in this,” I said and pointed at her.
Kindness’s lips spread as she broke out into a hard giggle.
I couldn’t help but join in with her and laugh.
The statement was ridiculous, but truthful.
“At first, I only wanted sex. Mr. Batteries doesn’t cover all the bases. Sometimes, I want a set of hands to caress me. Girl, he did some things to me no man has ever done. I tried to break it off, but I couldn’t stay off it or him. And he knew it,” I said.
However, I did leave out the fact Marcus wasn’t experienced on the kink side of sex.
I enjoyed role play, and he always went along for the ride.
As tears developed in her eyes, I tossed a pillow in her direction.
“How does Harley feel about this? Speaking of which, where is she?” she asked.
“Her eyes lit up, and she talked non stop about being a big sister. My parents spoil her rotten. Mom picked her up this morning and I’m sure they’re shopping.”
Mom and Harley had their own connection.
Harley thought my mother’s big personality was funny, but she enjoyed spending time with her.
Mom adorned Harley with words of affirmation, the same way she did me as a child.
Harley returns not only with shopping bags, but with confidence.
“How did Mr. Robinson take the news?” Kindness asked, and I rolled my eyes.
Marcus had turned my father into his spy.
The texts on a regular basis about my damn health were driving me insane.
“He loves Marcus and now they are crowding me since finding out about the pregnancy. Hence, I opted to spend this afternoon watching the game with you. I need to catch the highlights for my podcast. But on a serious note, you or Stacie’s no baby-having asses need to get pregnant! I don’t want my baby growing up alone.”
Being pregnant was a bit scary without my friends planning their own futures.
I wanted our children to grow up together and share the same friendships we had held.
Stacie adored other people’s children but never desired to have any of her own.
Kids didn’t fit into her lifestyle.
She was a trendsetter and on the go.
I don’t think she could even cook.
Stacie believes in every woman’s right to have access to birth control.
“How many weeks are you?” Kindness asked.
It took some creative math between Dr.
Betts and my irregular periods.
“Seven,” I said.
Thinking back, she gasped, and I slammed my eyes shut.
I allowed Kindness to sit in the hotel suite and convince me to have sex without telling her the truth.
Marcus had already fumbled me into the end zone.
“The Louisiana game. You little sneak, you said you were going to bed,” she said.
I parted with Kindness at the hotel, lying about my whereabouts.
My parents were happy to host Harley.
After I got her ready for bed, I gave Mom the nod, and left to get dressed in Marcus’s room before he entered the hotel.
“I didn’t lie. I did go to bed after I got off all fours,” I said
“Mia!” she said as she blushed.
I’d never spoken about my sex life with Nathan because it was boring.
He kept promising he would spice things up.
When I introduced things, he shut them down.
The more I compare him to Marcus, the more I asked myself, What the fuck were you doing with Nathan?
“Well, friend, we will go through these pregnancies together,” Kindness said, as she scooped up my hand.
I paused at her comment.
“Pregnancies?” I questioned, and my mouth turned into the letter o.
“You and Bryce are?—”
I stopped mid-sentence as Kindness confirmed with a head nod.
Happiness flowed through me to the brink of tears.
My babies would have a friend, and I hope the same relationship we held for each other.
“How did your parents take it? Let’s be real. How did Mr. Jordan take it?” I asked.
Doug Jordan could be an asshole, sometimes.
Growing up, we all had to sign NDAs to spend a night at her house.
He kept Kindness under lock and key, but Mrs.
Jordan was her saving grace.
She embraced my friend’s needs to be different and expressive.
Sometimes, she aided us in sneaking out.
But he really did love Kindness.
She was his pride and joy.
“He isn’t taking it well. The family dinner with the Prescotts was a semi-disaster. Daddy and Bryce were standoffish until I set everybody straight. However, Bryce’s parents are very sweet and they got along with Mom. Mia, I don’t know what I’m going to do. Daddy can’t get over it. I went behind his back and connected with the star quarterback,” she said.
I didn’t want to champion Mr.
Jordan, but this could put them in a situation with the player’s association.
If this doesn’t work out, this could be a nasty lawsuit.
I reached over and caressed Kindness’s leg.
“It will work out,” I said.
“Now we need to get Stacie on board. Speaking of which, have you heard from Stacie? She’s been dodging me and our emergency friendship meeting. I wish she would process the breakup with Rex with us,” Kindness said.
Stacie’s communication with me had been spotty.
I figured she went back to Rex and was ashamed of it.
Given my past, I wasn’t in any position to judge.
“Touchdown, Marcus Allennnnnn. Let’s body roll everybody,” the announcer said.
Kindness and I viewed the replay, and my baby was balling as usual.
The one-handed catch in the end zone earned him a special treat.
“The connection between Bryce and Marcus is undeniable. It’s time for us to accept Marcus as the number one wide receiver,” Chuck said.
“None. What do we plan to do about Stacie?” I said.
“Corner her,” we said in unison.
“Does she know you’re having a baby?” Kindness asked.
I lifted two fingers and smirked.
“Twins!” Kindness screamed and left her seat.
She hugged my neck.
“Double reward for all the heartache you have endured,” she said.
A tear escaped our eyes as we embraced.
By the third quarter, it was clear the Armadillos were going to the Elite Bowl.
Cleveland’s quarterback couldn’t get the offense going again.
My phone vibrated with a text from Mom.
Mom
Look at what we bought.
A picture of Harley standing next to a pony with a brown coat and wild hair.
Me
Why
Mom
Because why not?
Harley is my grandbaby.
Me
It’s staying on your property.
Mom: I would love for you and Marcus to move in.
Me
NO!
I turned to Kindness.
“Momma bought Harley a pony,” I said.
My friend covered her mouth as she laughed.
She knew how Trendy Robinson gets when it comes to shopping.
“Mia, she is going to spoil those babies rotten. You know she’s already building the nursery, don’t you?”
I knew Mom was up to something, but I couldn’t put my hand on it.
She’s been buying stuff and keeping it from me.
“I’m trying to rein her in a little. Harley is more reserved, mirroring Marcus’s personality, but when she gets with her grandmother, she transforms into this starlet. Mom bought her this fur coat, and she loves it. The confidence is off the charts. Marcus won’t help me,” I said.
My fear is I’m going to lose my southern sweetheart to my mother’s extravagant ways.
I knew the boundary talk was coming.
The second time my phone vibrated, it was a group chat with both parents.
Daddy
Mia, is your feet propped up.
Mom
No.
Me
Mom, how do you know?
Mom
Because you are my daughter.
Daddy
Mia Crystal Robinson, you put those feet up.
I closed my eyes and blew a hard breath.
“Girl, let me go. Marcus got everybody on baby watch. Oh, don’t tell Bryce. Marcus wants to tell him,” I said as I stood.
Kindness hugged me one more time before I left.
By the time I made it home with a medium pizza.
It was four minutes before the game ended.
The television showed Bryce and Marcus hugging one another on the sideline.
They were up by three touchdowns.
My eyes watered at the brotherhood they shared.
Marcus didn’t allow many people in his circle, but he would do anything for Bryce.
“The Armadillos are going to the Elite Bowl. With the connection between Bryce and Marcus, I’m saying it right now: The Armadillos are winning the Elite Bowl. Doug Jordan and the general manager put together this team piece by piece,” the announcer said.
I scoffed at his statement.
Kindness Jordan put this team together.
Bryce was her first draft pick.
When she jumped back in the first round and picked up Marcus, it changed my life.
“Mrs. Eddy and Ms. Renee, it appears we will be going to Philly to the Elite Bowl,” I said.
Both women smiled back at me.
“Ms. Renee, I’m going to be here for the rest of the day. You are welcome to leave and get ahead of the traffic,” I said.
“I will take you up on your offer,” Ms.
Renee headed to the back.
Within ten minutes, she waved as she exited the door.
“Mrs. Allen, are you hungry? I can whip up something,” I asked.
As I began to stand up, she motioned for me to sit back down.
“I need to talk to you,” Mrs.
Eddy said.
Nervous energy flowed through me as I played with my fingers.
“Thank you for taking care of my Marcus and Harley. Getting my hardheaded grandson in therapy was the best thing for him. And you make sure he keeps going. My daughter, Mariah, and I bumped heads when she told me about the pregnancy. She had a bright future ahead of her until she connected with Tate. Marcus’s daddy was a bad apple. He got back what he gave. My husband and I tried to show him and Harley love, but we couldn’t bring light to all the dark places. You, however, soften his hard shell. He will be putty by the time them babies are born,” she said.
I moved next to her and secured her hand.
“Mrs. Allen, it’s sounding as if you are getting ready to tell me bad news,” I said.
She patted my hand.
“No, I’m telling you what I can’t tell Marcus. Baby, I’m tired. I miss my husband,” she said.
A tear escaped my face, dropping to my shirt.
I could see the tiredness in her worn eyes.
“Now, get in bed before him and your father have a heart attack,” she said.
I squeezed her hand, unsure about what to do with this information.
Marcus
I almost passed out this morning watching USPN.
Kindness Jordan was Doug Jordan’s daughter.
Mia gave me her back, and I pulled back the white bed linens and tapped her shoulder.
“Yes, baby,” she said.
“Don’t yes, baby me. Kindness is Doug Jordan’s daughter? I thought she was his niece,” I said.
Mia turned to me with a crowded brow.
“Why would you think she was his niece?” she questioned.
I tilted my head in her direction.
“Because there ain’t no way I would let my daughter be on the sideline around football players. They fuck anything with a hole. And Mr. Jordan is a grade A asshole and Kindness is a beautiful, weird person,” I said.
“First of all, just because football players are whores doesn’t mean Kindness would bite. Mr. Jordan is an asshole, but he couldn’t stop her from standing on the sideline. She owns the team,” Mia said and then slapped her hand over her mouth.
Air danced across my teeth with my mouth being wide open.
Mia closed her eyes but reopened them.
“Marcus, please don’t tell anyone. I signed an NDA. Doug Jordan doesn’t own the team. He runs the team. Kindness’s first name is Denise, and her mother, Serena Jordan, inherited the team from her grandfather.” I opened and closed my mouth several times.
Thinking back on several things, this made sense.
Why Bryce didn’t always stay at the hotel and why I caught her coming out of his room a few times.
It also makes sense why his hate for Mr.
Jordan deepened.
And why he never told the team about her.
“I wouldn’t betray your trust, Mia,” I said and kissed her cheek.
Relief appeared on her features as her shoulders relaxed.
I lifted my phone and texted Bryce.
Marcus
Our kids are gonna play together.
Mia is pregnant, too.
When the bubbles popped up and Ed answered, I knew I fucked up.
I moved too fast and put my business in the team group chat.
Ed
Damn, you pulled the owner’s daughter.
Shit.
We need some defensive players.
Marcus, man, we need to talk.
What do you mean Mia’s pregnant?
Vick
Shaunie and I bid you a congratulation.
Coach Owens
Dammit, Bryce.
You’re going to give me a heart attack.
The entire coaching staff is going to kill you.
“Mia, baby, I told the team by accident you’re pregnant,” I said.
She reached for her pillow and tossed it at me.
“If word gets back to Stacie before I tell her, you’re going to answer to her, not me,” she said.
Before I could defend myself, Ed texted.
Ed
Marcus, are you really expecting a baby?
I saw the message, but I held no intentions on responding.
Ed
We need to talk.
“Sorry, baby,” I said and pulled her in for a kiss.
Mia straddled my lap as I caressed her thighs.
She moved in for a kiss, but my phone interrupted us, vibrating.
I lifted the phone to find Bryce.
Bryce
I’m a godfather.
Me
I’m a godfather?
“Bryce wants to be our daughter’s godfather,” I said to Mia.
“Of course, he does,” she said back, and I laughed.
My future wife stole my breath every time I glared into her brown eyes.
Those pouty lips and dimples captured pieces of me.
I loved her feminine energy from the maintenance, to the perfume, pink slippers, to her silky pajamas.
Bryce
Please talk to Ed.
Tell him something.
I tilted my head back, resting it against the headboard.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Mia asked as she moved my head forward.
“Ed keeps trying to insert himself into my business. He wants to get to know me or some bullshit,” I said.
“Baby, he is your teammate. Wait, Marcus, tell me you talk to someone outside of Bryce,” she asked, bringing her fingers to her parted lips.
I shrugged because he could have been a coach, and it wouldn’t change my position.
“Marcus, this is serious. How do you play on a team, and no one knows anything about you?”
“We’re coworkers. He doesn’t need to know about my personal life.”
Mia folded her arms across her chest with flared nostrils.
“Marcus, you are deliberately withholding yourself from your teammate because you don’t trust them. What makes Bryce trustworthy?”
I knew shrugging wasn’t going to get Mia to drop this subject.
“Bryce is the quarterback. The offense runs through him. We need each other. We didn’t set out to be friends, but we had an understanding. Over time, we developed a brotherhood,” I said as I caressed her thighs.
He was an only child and a loner.
People assumed he was an extrovert because of his position.
Life made me a loner and an observer for survival.
Bryce and I could be in a room together for twenty minutes and not say a word to each other.
He was the easiest to watch film with because he didn’t ask questions.
Afterward, we passed notes in a few sentences and parted ways.
But we understood each other.
Mia paused my hands, giving me flat lips.
“Talk to your teammates. Once the new house is finished, we’re throwing a housewarming party. Not everyone is out to get you Marcus. You could be missing out on a great friend. I bet you know everything about them but they don’t know anything about you,” she said.
Mia would be right.
I observed everything about my teammates.
The conversations they had around me were insane.
I knew about most people’s side chicks, weekend plans, money problems, and addictions.
It wasn’t my business, and I had no intentions of telling.
“I know a few things, none I care to tell,” I said.
“Once our house is finished, we will be throwing a get to know Marcus party,” she said.
I shrugged, and she squinted.
With Mia being pregnant, I didn’t want to upset her, but we’re not throwing a party.
She will be too busy with the kids and her podcast.
My teammates will never get the invite.
The first mistake people make with employment was trying to be friends.
We are colleagues, nothing more.
There was no way I was trusting them around my woman and children.
“Let’s discuss the Elite Bowl and why I think it’s safer if you stay in Houston,” I said.
“Marcus, we are going to the Elite Bowl. And we includes the entire family. Daddy gave me a media pass. Your tickets can go to Harley, Mrs. Eddy, and Ms. Renee,” she said, and I smiled.
“Dammmittttt! We’re going to the Elite Bowl,” Coach Owens said.
He tossed the thousand dollars on the table because he had all intentions of cursing.
Hard cackles echoed through the team meeting room.
“This is our prep week. I expect everybody in the film room. Vick, Marcus, those corners of Todd and Urban are nothing to joke about. Ed, keep your talking ass off the internet and do something about those socks. We need to give them no ammo. Every player will receive four Elite Bowl tickets. If you need more, it’s coming out of your pocket. Tell your families now you will have little time for them. I need you focused. Do I make myself clear?” Coach said.
The room nodded in recognition.
We knew this was going to be a task.
For several of the players, this may be their last opportunity to get to the big game.
They had more years behind them than in front.
The thing about football is you could retire at thirty and without a plan, you could be broke at thirty-five.
Our bodies take a beating harder than any professional sport.
To have an Elite Bowl guarantees you entry into the Hall of Fame.
When my phone vibrated, I pulled it out of my pocket.
Unknown Number
We would love to see you play in the Elite Bowl.
Unknown Number
Your brothers are telling their friends about you.
Tickets?
My mother won’t give up.
I shook my head and tucked my phone back into my pocket.
Bryce peered over at me, and I gave him the look.
He knew about my mother, but never commented on the matter.
The second time the phone vibrated, I pulled it out and smiled at the name.
Mia
Talk to your teammates.
Me
I talked to Bryce this morning.
Mia
Bryce doesn’t count.
“All right, let’s split into offense and defense. Defense, in the other room. Offense, stay put,” Coach Owens said.
As the team separated, I turned to Bryce.
“How you holding up with the baby?” I asked.
“I should be asking you the same thing. You’re starting over with a new baby,” he said.
“Mia’s pregnant with twins,” I said.
The color drained from Bryce’s toffee skin with his mouth open.
“Twins, Marcus? Are you serious? Man, stop playing around,” he said, and I chuckled.
“I’m serious. We’re having twins. I need one touchdown and play half of the offensive snaps to get my two-million-dollar bonus. Now, since you know this, we need to connect on the touchdown,” I said.
Bryce and I slapped hands.
“I got you,” he said.
“But on a serious note. Why Mia is on this get to know your teammates bullshit, man?”
Bryce hunched over his seat in laughter, holding his stomach.
“I knew yo ass was sick about putting your business in the team group chat. I told you to name the chat,” he said after catching his breath.
“Man, you know I was pissed. Ed won’t let the shit rest, yo. He tried to corner me before I walked in here. Talking about him and his wife is here for me and Mia.”
Bryce’s laughter returned as he reclined in his seat.
“I wanted to correct his ass; I was a single parent before Mia,” I said.
This time around, things have improved.
Bryce stood up and walked away, laughing as he came back.
When Ed cornered me in the hallway with concerned eyes, I folded my arms.
For fifteen minutes, this man talked about finding a balance between family and football.
Player after player walked by, not giving me a reprieve.
When the coach called the team in, I sprinted to get away from him, not answering a question.
“If you would have attended one of those after-hours events, you would have been cool,” Bryce said.
“I told you I wasn’t going to those people’s houses. Granny said visiting people’s kitchens will make you look at them differently. Some of them are nasty already. The kicker never washes his fucking hands,” I said.
Bryce put his phone down and left me in the back row as he laughed.
Dr.
Choice tried holding his laughter, but he couldn’t, and I was serious.
“Marcus, I do not believe your teammates are plotting against you by asking you to be more open,” he said.
An offensive lineman stood by the side of my car when I left practice.
He tried to bully me into eating with the team.
Bryce had to call him off; I might end up knocking Ed’s ass out.
“We are colleagues, not best friends. Line up and play your position. Why do you need to look at my sexy ass woman and eat my food?” I asked.
Dr.
Choice dropped his head and shook it.
“Marcus, the concept of football is to play as a team. With the Elite Bowl coming up, the players are more sensitive to everyone being dialed in. At least, it’s what I speculate. I’m going to encourage you to give the team something. Tell me, Marcus, what is your worst fear about connecting?”
“I don’t see a reason to connect. Play your position and we’re good. We went undefeated with nobody knowing more than they know now,” I said.
Dr.
Choice released a hard gasp.
“How does someone gain your trust?” he questioned.
I sat back with tense shoulders.
My inner thoughts pushed me to shut down, but I promised myself and Mia I would work on myself.
“Show me they are loyal. For example, Bryce looked out for me on the contract and made sure I secured a starting position on the team. He had his own agenda, but he was up front about it. Us wearing the same colors don’t mean shit to me,” I said.
“And Mia?” he asked.
I bit down on my lip to find the appropriate words.
“Outside of her fat ass, beautiful smile, and energy, Harley connected with her. My daughter has a sixth sense about adults. Mia was patient and considerate. She included Harley in the conversation. She made my daughter feel seen. And Mia doesn’t need me for shit. She got her own bread and passion,” I said.
“You wanted to trust Mia and allowed her to show she was worthy of your trust,” Dr.
Choice said.
I slanted my head to the side, catching on to what he was getting at.
He knew I didn’t want to connect with my teammates.
Before I could come up with a clever answer, my phone vibrated.
I don’t answer my phone in therapy, but with Mia being pregnant, I made the exception.
Unknown Number
Marcus, don’t punish your brothers.
“This bitch,” I said, and Dr.
Choice’s head jerked backward.
My mother attempted to increase communication for the Elite Bowl tickets she wasn’t getting from me.
“Sorry, Dr. Choice, my bio mother wants Elite Bowl tickets as if I want her at my big game,” I said.
“Marcus, this is the first time I’ve heard you use foul language in regard to your biological mother. Let’s unpack it,” he encouraged.
I rubbed my fade, hesitant but open.
“All right,” I said.
“What do you want from your biological mother?” Dr.
Choice asked.
Since our first meeting, I’d been thinking about the ten-year old me.
He still wouldn’t allow me to curse her ass out and block the number.
“I want to know why and how. Being away from my daughter over the weekend makes me physically ill. She walked away for over nine years and created a new family. Then she popped back up while I was in college as if we were cool. No sorry, no nothing.”
“Okay, how do we get you into a safe place to pursue those answers?” he asked.
Per usual, I didn’t have an answer because I’d never thought about it.
“Judging from your face, it’s something we need to think about,” he said, and I nodded.