16. Reiana #3
Rhyse’s bottom lip trembled before he pressed his lips together. “So you want me now?”
Lennox looked almost offended by the question, but the emotion in his eyes kept his response soft. “I wanted you the second I saw you.”
Rhyse dropped his head again, and this time he didn’t wipe the tears away fast enough to hide them. I wanted to grab him and hold him, but I knew my son. He was trying to work through his emotions all at once and smothering him wouldn’t make it easier.
“I’m sorry, Boosie,” I told him. “I’m sorry you spent all these years believing something that wasn’t true. I didn’t know it wasn’t true either, but I’m still sorry you had to carry that.”
“You really thought he knew?” He asked, finally looking at me.
“I did,” I answered. “I thought he knew, and I was angry with him for it. I would’ve never kept you from your father if I knew he wanted to be here,” I answered honestly.
He looked between Lennox and me again before rubbing both hands down his face. “This is a lot.” Rhyse stood there another few seconds before looking at Lennox. “So do I call you Dad now?”
“You can call me whatever makes you feel comfortable,” Lennox assured him.
He looked down at the floor before asking, “You leaving after today?”
“No,” Lennox answered. “I gotta go home eventually because I’on live here, but if you asking if I’m disappearing out your life… the answer is no.”
“You promise?” Rhyse asked innocently.
“You got my word,” Lennox responded.
Rhyse studied him like he was deciding whether to believe him. Then he walked back toward the island and climbed onto his stool. He still looked emotionally drained, but the anger had eased enough that I finally felt like I could breathe again.
Lennox sat back down across from him, and neither of them spoke for a minute. I stayed beside Rhyse with my hand resting lightly against his shoulder, grateful when he didn’t pull away this time.
After a while, Lennox looked at him. “So what you like to do?”
Rhyse shrugged at first, still looking down at the counter. “Basketball.”
“You play?” Lennox asked.
“Yeah,” Rhyse responded, finally giving Lennox his attention.
“You nice?” Lennox quizzed.
Rhyse looked at him like the question was almost disrespectful. “Hell yeah.”
“Aye,” Lennox said as his eyebrows lifted. “Chill out with all that cursing.”
Rhyse’s eyes widened. “You’ve been my daddy for a minute and you already telling me what to do?”
“Yeah, I gotta a lot of time I gotta make up for.” Lennox smirked. “What position you play?” He asked.
“Point guard mostly, but Coach lets me run shooting guard too,” Rhyse answered, sitting a little straighter now.
“What number?” Lennox asked as he settled back against the stool.
“Three,” Rhyse answered.
“That’s wassup. Who’s your favorite player?” Lennox continued.
“Ja Morant,” Rhyse answered immediately, like that one didn’t require any thought. “I like Ant too, but Ja is my favorite.”
Lennox gave him an approving nod. “Yeah, Ja is nice. You trying to play like him?”
Rhyse sat up straighter, some of the heaviness from earlier finally leaving his face. “Kinda. I like how he gets to the rim, but Coach be telling me I need to stop trying to do too much and make the easy play sometimes.”
“Sounds like Coach knows what he’s talking about.” Lennox chuckled.
“You ain’t never even seen me play.” Rhyse frowned.
“I’on have to see you play to know if your coach telling you to stop doing too much, you probably be doing too much,” Lennox replied with a smirk.
Rhyse looked at me like he expected me to defend him, but I shrugged because Lennox wasn’t wrong. “Don’t look at me, Boosie. I tell you the same thing.”
Rhyse sucked his teeth before looking back at Lennox. “I still be scoring though.”
“Aight, then,” Lennox said with a small laugh. “When I see you play, I’ll decide for myself.”
Rhyse went quiet for a second, and I noticed the slight change in his expression. “You gonna come to my games?”
The question wiped the amusement from Lennox’s face almost immediately. “Hell yeah. I’ma be right there cheering my boy on.” Lennox smirked.
“I’on play until it gets cold, but you can still come.” He shrugged.
“I’on care how cold it is… I’ll be there,” Lennox confirmed causing Rhyse to smile.
Before either of us could say anything else, the doorbell was going off again.
All three of us looked toward the hallway, and I frowned because I wasn’t expecting anybody. Lennox’s eyes moved to mine as I slid off the stool.
“You expecting somebody?” Lennox asked.
“No,” I answered as I headed toward the front of the house.
Rhyse hopped down like he planned to follow me, but I looked back at him and pointed toward the kitchen. “Stay right there.”
He stopped, and Lennox glanced over at him. “You heard your mama.”
Rhyse dropped back onto the stool and shook his head. “Damn, both of y’all bossy.”
“Rhyse,” Lennox and I said at the same time.
He pressed his lips together, but the smile he was trying to hide gave him away. I shook my head as I walked toward the front door, and for the first time since telling Rhyse the truth, some of the weight sitting on my chest had finally started to ease.
I reached the door and looked through the peephole.
The feeling disappeared immediately when I saw Dorian standing on the other side.
My hand stayed on the door as my stomach tightened, and behind me, I heard Lennox get up from the stool.
Whatever little bit of peace had finally settled over the house disappeared just as fast.