Ryland
Iwaited for Somee’s door to close before I tossed my backpack on the floor and moved toward my sister’s room. I pushed the door open and leaned against the frame, watching Rylee sleep peacefully. At least she had this moment because things would be turned upside down soon enough.
I walked in and grabbed the massive bean bag sitting in the corner, dropping it beside the bed.
I hissed from the bruising on my left side and did the best I could to get comfortable.
My body was too big and likely would crush it but I managed to position myself with my knees damn near in my chest. I was close to the wall so I dropped my head back and stared at my sister, wondering how the fuck I was going to make this work.
A hand raked down my face as I recalled the blow up I had with Coach after the game.
By the time I was dressed, the rumors were already circulating.
This might be Parks’s last season with the Sharks, and based on tonight’s blow up, I wouldn’t blame the owners.
Who’s going to take a wild card like Parks?
“Just be honest, Coach. You knew, didn’t you?”
“No one said anything to me.”
“That’s bullshit.” I slammed my fist on his desk and glared at the man I had grown to love and respect since I first put on a Sharks jersey.
“Calm down, Ryland. I get that you’re upset…”
“You don’t know shit and I don’t want to hear a gotdamn thing you’re saying. You knew they were considering a trade. You brought it up before the rumors were circulating. You expect me to think that was a coincidence.”
“It was.”
“Nah, fuck that. I’ve given y’all everything that I am. Three gotdamn championships. Omiri throws that ball but I’m the one who makes sure he gets it done by protecting his ass, but that doesn’t matter, does it? It’s fuck me, right?”
“Nothing is set in stone.”
I laughed dryly. “If that were the case, my name would be out there like that. You know how this shit goes. When your family business is aired on every media platform, that shit is as good as done. Do what you gotta do and I’ll do the same, but just know this shit is fucked up, Coach.
Everything y’all are doing is fucked up. ”
I pushed out of his office with Coach calling my name. Omiri was next in line to try to talk to me but I hadn’t wanted to hear a muthafuckin’ thing from him or anyone else. I had a flight to catch.
Now here I was, watching my sister sleep, knowing once I took her home I might have to pack her up and move again.
How the hell could I ask her to trust me when I couldn’t trust myself?
I didn’t know what my future looked like.
At thirty-four years old, I should be facing a legacy contract, not starting over with a new team.
What the hell was that even going to look like?
I was in the best shape of my life. Probably had another five or six good years on the field left in me, but no matter how good I was, all anyone would see was that the only team I’d ever suited up for was turning their back on me.
Other teams would start to question whether or not I was worth the investment and that would kill me.
Football was my life. I didn’t know what I would do without it. My concern wasn’t about the money. I could walk away from the game today and never have to worry about a dime, but without football, I didn’t know who I was.
“Fuck…” I mumbled, yanking a hand down my face as I looked at my sister again.
It wasn’t just me anymore. Every move I made affected Rylee.
The custody order I had was temporary. What if they decided I was unstable and took her from me?
Trades weren’t permanent. It was possible to be traded every season.
I’d seen it happen to vet players, and hell, although rare, some had even been moved twice in a season.
No matter how much money I had, bouncing a child around wasn’t favored. So not only was this trade talk fucking with my ego but it could potentially compromise my ability to keep Rylee with me. I already had strikes against me because of my past behavior.
“I’m going to figure this out, baby girl. I promise,” I said quietly, then dropped my head back, trying to calm my racing mind. I was exhausted, my body ached, so it didn’t take me long to drift.
I awakened to the feeling of something pushing against my arm.
I swatted the assailant away and frowned, shifting until I felt a sharp pain in my back.
I groaned and peeled my eyes open to find a tiny body positioned in front of me wearing a purple nightgown with “princess type behavior” printed under a crown.
She had a purple silk bonnet on her head and a scowl on her face.
As soon as she noticed my eyes were open, her small hands started moving. “You broke my bean bag.”
I looked beneath me and noticed the side was split and some of the stuffing had spilled onto the floor.
“Sorry. You have one just like it in your room at my house.”
“But I have to have one here when I come back. It’s my favorite.”
She thinks she’s coming back…
I wouldn’t address that now, so instead I signed, “I’ll make sure I get you a new one for here. Deal?”
She studied me for a minute then extended a hand. I clasped it with mine and shook before she signed. “Deal.”
The gesture brought a smile to my face because I could tell I was going to have my hands full with this one.
A thump on the dresser made me turn my head toward the door where I found a sleepy-eyed Somee shuffling into the room.
She had been up for a while considering she was now in jeans, a button up, and chunky loafers.
She signed good morning and offered Rylee a smile before her eyes were on me with a frown.
Rylee stepped away and her little hands started moving. “He broke my bean bag but said he’ll buy me a new one. I told him it’s my favorite and I need it for when we come back.”
Somee tensed and her eyes shifted toward me. I watched for her reaction but she didn’t give a thing away. Instead she signed to Rylee to brush her teeth and wash her face then tapped her nose.
Rylee nodded and ran out of the room as I grimaced, shifting my body, trying to get up. The stiffness in my neck, back, and legs was not pretty but I managed to get to my feet.
“She thinks she’s coming back,” I signed.
Her hands moved in a jerky manner. “I didn’t tell her she was.”
“But you didn’t tell her she wasn’t.”
She stared at me, not responding, and I let it go, deciding to choose my battles. “It’s fine.”
Somee’s eyes lowered to the bean bag. “You slept in here?”
“Didn’t mean to. That thing damn sure isn’t comfortable.”
She grinned and she was fucking stunning. Something as simple as a barely there smile had me all wrapped up in the possibility of her.
“Is that why you broke it?”
I chuckled and glanced at the deflated purple material. “Wasn’t intentional.” I lifted my wrist to check the time. “Bathroom? We have about an hour to get to the airport.”
I’d chartered the plane so they would wait as long as required, but a delayed takeoff would cost me money I didn’t want to spend if I didn’t have to. I also wouldn’t tell her that because I had a feeling she would purposely take her time just to spite me.
“You can use the one in the hallway when Rylee’s done,” she signed and I nodded, rolling my neck to relieve some of the stiffness, then lifted my arms above my head and turned from side to side to stretch my back.
Somee left me to get dressed, and when Rylee finished in the bathroom, I took my turn.
I’d showered and changed for the flight after the game, and with the quick turnaround, I didn’t bother bringing a change of clothes.
All I had with me was my toiletry kit which I took into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth.
While Somee made sure Rylee was dressed and had what she needed for the flight, I loaded their things into the car. There were five suitcases in all, which had me optimistic that Somee was sticking to the plan to stay for a while. I was hopeful that at least one of those belonged to her.
Neither of them said much to me on the drive.
It was mostly Somee prepping Rylee for the flight.
With me trying to focus on driving while watching their hands moving, I only caught bits and pieces of what they discussed but enough to know Rylee was asking about seating on the plane.
She wanted the window seat, and based on my method of travel, she would get exactly what she wanted. They both would.
After a stop at a drive-thru to grab breakfast, we made the twenty-minute drive to the airport, where I had someone waiting to return the rental so I wouldn’t have to deal with it.
Rylee seemed content, taking it all in as she held Somee’s hand, smiling alongside her, seemingly happy.
I hated that I was jealous of the bond between the two of them but it was hard not to be ’cause Somee was more of a sister to Rylee than I was a brother.
She knew everything about her. Her moods, her wants and needs, anticipating them so she could adjust and make this transition smooth.
I appreciated having her but found myself feeling detached from their world when I wanted entry bad as hell.
“Why are we going in through here?” Somee signed with a scowl when we reached the private entrance to the security station for chartered flights.
“This is where our plane is.”
Her frown deepened and I signed, “Trust me.”
She did as I asked and we moved through the FBO security check in a matter of minutes since all they did was check our IDs and do a quick scan of the bags we were bringing on board. After we were done, we were taken to a golf cart that drove us to the jet I’d chartered for the trip home.
“We’re flying private?” Somee signed after we reached the aircraft.
“Didn’t you demand first class for your first flight?”
She rolled her eyes and signed, “This is an upgrade from first class. I don’t have to be a frequent flyer to know that.”