Chapter 6
Two Months Later
“You ready to head out?” I asked Knox after entering his office.
“Yeah. I was just looking at film from last season. Our receivers can use some work, but the talent is there.”
“Good. If we can lock in the Kurrie kid and bring on Ward as the DB coach, we may have a championship team.”
“How’s that going?” he asked regarding hiring the defensive back coach.
“He said he’ll have an answer for me soon. He’s the last position coach we need to fill.”
“I hope it’s what we wanna hear.”
“Do you have someone else in mind just in case?”
“Two others, but I hope I don’t need them. Let’s head out. You’ll have to drive your car because I just realized he lives on the opposite side of my subdivision, and I’m not taking you home. I’ll send you the address.”
A few minutes later, we were in our respective cars and headed to the home of Nyeem Kurrie. I took a chance and reached out to him about a week after he returned from the state track and field meet, just before graduation. He’d brought home the gold in all four events in which he competed.
After speaking with his mother, he agreed to meet with me to discuss joining the football team. I didn’t know what to expect because he was highly recruited and had turned down every coach he’d spoken to, including my successor.
When I arrived, I parked in front of a modest home that didn’t look much different from mine. Knox and I got out of our cars and approached the front door at the same time.
I rang the doorbell, and seconds later, Nyeem answered. He greeted us both politely and invited us inside. We followed him to the spacious kitchen, where finger foods and small bottled waters were on the counter, with paper plates and plasticware.
“My mom sends her apologies. She got held up at work but is on her way. She said to help yourself and have a seat at the table,” he told us.
“Thanks. Y’all didn’t have to do all this, but we sure appreciate it,” I said.
“We definitely appreciate it. Can we use the sink to wash our hands?” Knox asked.
Nyeem nodded toward the sink. We washed our hands, then piled our plates with the mini eggrolls, fried lemon pepper chicken winglets, and mozzarella sticks with dipping sauce. We sat at the table with our plates and bottles of water.
I’d cleaned my plate and was considering getting seconds when I heard someone enter the front door, followed by Nyeem’s voice.
“Hey, Ma.”
“Hey, Son. Have they been here long?”
I tuned the conversation out because her voice caught me by surprise. Chills went through my body, and only one person had ever had that effect on me. I shook off the thought because there was no way the voice belonged to her.
“You good, Bro?” Knox whispered.
“Yeah.”
I quickly stood, took my plate to the garbage, and waited by the counter for Nyeem and his mother to enter the kitchen. Knox clearly couldn’t read the room because he’d added more food to his plate, went back to the table, and was feeding his face.
“Aye, man. Pause that shit so we can greet his mother properly,” I griped in a low voice.
He looked at me and frowned.
“She bought the food and told us to help ourselves. She should be expecting us to be eating.”
I shook my head as Nyeem and his mother’s voice grew closer. They entered the kitchen, and when my eyes connected with Nyomi’s, shocked wasn’t enough to describe her expression, and I was sure mine matched hers.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Knox look up from his plate.
“Oh shit,” he said with a mouth full of food.
“Umm, hello, gentlemen. I’m Nyomi Kurrie.”
She walked toward us with her hand extended, reaching Knox first. He quickly wiped his hands with a napkin before shaking hers.
“I’m Knox St Patrick. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise. And you are?” she asked, offering me her hand, pretending my face had never been buried between her thighs.
As soon as our hands touched, I felt a bolt shoot through me.
“I’m Kilo St. Patrick. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Same. Who’s the head coach?”
“I am. Knox will coach the receivers.”
“I take it you two are brothers?” She continued as if she didn’t already know.
“Yeah.”
“I can see the resemblance. Please, make yourselves comfortable. Eat as much as you’d like.”
“’Preciate that,” Knox said, then refilled his plate.
“You’re not hungry, Mr. St. Patrick?”
“Call me Kilo. I’m good, thank you. I had a bit before you arrived.”
“Shall we sit?” she asked, nodding toward the table.
I sat next to Knox, who was still feeding his face, while she and Nyeem sat across from us. My mind was everywhere but where it needed to be. I took a few deep breaths to center myself and said a prayer I wouldn’t fuck this up.
“We appreciate you agreeing to meet with us, especially this late in the game. Our roster for this season is solid, but we have a few missing pieces. Two of those missing pieces are at the receiver and defensive back positions. Nyeem, I came across your profile and viewed your film. I have to say, your talent is next level.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“May I ask, with your level of talent, why you chose track and field over football or basketball?” I asked.
“Why wouldn’t he?” Nyomi interjected, and I detected a bit of attitude in her voice.
“Most young men with his talent probably wouldn’t choose track and field over football or basketball.”
“My son isn’t like most young men. He’s equally talented in all three sports—”
“Ma, please. I got it.”
Her eyes connected with her son’s, and she released a breath, then nodded, giving him permission to proceed.
“Mr. St. Patrick, track and field is my first love. It was the first sport I excelled in. Football and basketball came later, and as much as I enjoy them, my love for them never superseded track and field.”
“I understand and respect that. Honestly, your love and commitment to track is probably why you’re so damn good on the field and the court.”
“Thank you, sir,” he repeated.
“Right now, our DBs are a little weaker than our receivers, but nobody’s spot is guaranteed. It will have to be earned.”
“DB?” he asked, exchanging a look with his mother.
“On film, when I compare you at each position, you’re a natural DB, but that’s not to say you don’t shine as a receiver. Numbers don’t lie, and you’re one of the best in the state.”
He sat quietly for a few minutes with his hands clasped together.
“What would it look like if I did both track and football? We start officially training for track as soon as school starts.”
“I’m aware, but your competition season doesn’t begin until December, with only one track meet that month.
If the football team goes as far as I believe we can, we’ll be done by mid-January.
You’ll only miss two meets at the most. Of course, you wouldn’t be expected to participate in spring ball. Does that sound acceptable and doable?”
He looked at his mother, who didn’t look happy.
“What do you think, Ma?”
“This is solely up to you, Nyeem. I’ll support whatever you decide, as long as you promise me two things.”
“What’s that?”
“Remember, you’re on an academic scholarship, so it’s imperative that you keep your grades up.”
“That’s a non-negotiable, Ma. What else?”
“If this starts to feel like it’s too much, remember you can walk away at any time.”
He nodded. “Can I have a few days to think about it? I also need to talk to Coach Wilkins.”
Coach Wilkins was the track coach, and little did Nyeem know, I’d already spoken to him because I didn’t want to overstep. Thankfully, he was cool with it but made me promise to keep him healthy. Obviously, we both knew I had no control over that, but I promised him anyway.
“Of course. You have my number if you have any questions, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I guess we’d better get out of your way before my brother eats you out of house and home,” I said jokingly.
“Mrs. Kurrie—” Knox began.
“It’s Miss,” she corrected.
“Miss Kurrie, thank you for your hospitality. I didn’t eat lunch today, and I was wondering how I would make it through this meeting. We appreciate you making time for us in your busy day, and for allowing us to meet with you and Nyeem.”
“You’re welcome.”
The four of us stood, and after Knox threw his trash away, Nyomi and Nyeem walked us to the front door.
“Thank you both again for meeting with us. I hope to hear from you soon with good news, Nyeem.”
“Either way, I’ll reach out in a few days. Thanks for coming.”
As Knox and I stepped outside, Nyeem left his mother to bid us farewell. I stopped Nyomi just before she closed the door.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?”
She looked behind her before responding.
“We don’t have anything to talk about.”
“I only need a few minutes of your time.”
“I don’t have anything nice to say to you, so I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
I frowned. “What did I do?”
“If you think I believe this is all a coincidence, think again. You set me up and thought you could get to my son through me. That’s fucked up, and you’re lucky I don’t tell him to say fuck you and your football team.”
“A setup? Hold on, Nyomi. I—”
She slammed the door in my face before I could finish my sentence.
“Damn!” Knox exclaimed.
“Did you hear her? She thinks I set her up.”
“I heard her, and you have to admit, this is a strange coincidence.”
“Strange my ass!” I exclaimed, glaring at him.
“Don’t kill me because I’m right,” he continued.
“Aye, man. I don’t care how strange it is. I didn’t know she was Nyeem’s mother.”
“I mean, their names are similar, and he has her whole face, Bro.”
“I told you we didn’t exchange last names, and do you think I was doing face comparisons when I was in her pussy or some shit?”
“Nah. I’m fucking with you. I could see where she might suspect you’re up to no good, though.”
“I was trying to warn her ass in case she doesn’t remember letting me hit it raw. The last thing I need is her saying I trapped her.”
“You didn’t try that hard, nigga. If you really wanted to tell her, you could’ve said what needed to be said instead of trying to convince her to give you a few minutes of her time.”
“Excuse the fuck outta me for trying to have a civil, private conversation with her.”
“Well, you know where she lives now. Maybe you can slide through in a day or two and let her know what’s up. It’s been a couple months. If she’s pregnant, wouldn’t she know by now?”
“That’s true. Maybe there’s nothing to warn her about.”
“I saw how you were looking at her. You feel something real for her, huh?”
I’d shared with Knox about the first encounter I’d had with Nyomi when I went to pick up my food from Soulful Diner. He knew I felt something more than the norm for her. I was hoping to run into her for more reasons than to warn her, but I had no idea it would be under these circumstances.
“I don’t know what I’m feeling, but I do know it’s different than anything I’ve felt for any other woman. I’m confused as fuck because I barely know her. It doesn’t make sense to feel this way for someone I’ve barely conversed with.”
Whatever fantasy I conjured up in my head about exploring something more with Nyomi would remain a fantasy. It was obvious she wasn’t feeling me as much as I was feeling her, and the last thing I would do was beg.
Knox left, and I drove a few blocks over to my house.
Before I got out, I realized I was still hungry, then headed to pick up a deluxe chicken Caesar salad from Elm Street Blues.
I’d been eating out entirely too much lately, and that needed to stop, but at least today I chose something on the healthier side.
Once I arrived back home, I quickly showered, pulled on a pair of sweats, and grabbed my salad and something to drink before making myself comfortable in my den. I turned on the television, and it was already on one of the sports news stations, so I tuned in while eating dinner.
My phone rang, and I smiled when I saw the name flashing across my screen. I didn’t think he’d be calling me back so soon, but I prayed he had good news.
“Wassup, nigga! I hope you’re about to tell me something I wanna hear,” I greeted my former teammate.
“Let’s get this work and take the Eagles to the championship!”
“Word?”
“I’m ready. I can fly in on Monday to finalize everything.”
“That’s wassup! You made my fucking day! I’ll have one of the admins in the office send over your contract in the morning and let the AD know you’re joining the team. We’re having a coach’s meeting on Wednesday with the rest of the staff.”
“Sounds good. I’m excited to work with you.”
“Aye, our coaching staff will go down in BEU football history as the best to ever do it.”
“Bet. I’ll hit you up if I have any questions.”
We ended the call, and I sent Knox a text to let him know Ward was in. He responded immediately with a thumbs-up. The last piece to our puzzle was Nyeem Kurrie. If he decided to join the team, I had no doubt we’d be unstoppable.