Chapter 13 Hymn
HYMN
I stared at the doctor while he peered at me. My back teeth were clenched together, and my nostrils were flaring. My irritation had nothing to do with pain.
“It sucks, Hymn I know. Four weeks out of the game is almost the rest of the season but what are you going to do? Play on it and fuck it up worse?”
I had just played in one of my best performing games since the season started.
I was damn near untouchable on that field.
Until I wasn’t. Out of all my years of playing football the only injuries I’d ever gotten were a dislocated toe, broken finger, and muscle strain.
Now, this muhfucka was telling me I had to be sidelined for a month due to a sprained ankle.
Yes, I was pissed. At least it wasn’t something that ended my career but still.
I had busted my ass because I wanted us to make it to the Super Bowl.
If we did make it, I could still possibly play in it, but missing multiple games leading up to it was some bullshit.
My misfortune wasn’t the doctor’s fault, however, so I stopped glaring at him like he’d just called me out of my name.
He gave me a few prescriptions, and I stood as best I could on my wrapped ankle to leave.
This was the exact reason that I was thinking almost daily about when I’d give the game up.
The hits and strain my body took in my twenties and thirties would cost me for the rest of my life.
It wasn’t about the money. My last contract was for sixty-three M’s.
It was about my love for the game and the things that I wanted to accomplish before I walked away.
In the car, I checked my phone and saw I had missed calls and text messages from my sister, Huncho, Brion, and a few other women that I’d had sex with and given my phone number to prior to meeting Brion.
They could see on live television that I’d gotten an injury if they were watching the game.
As I was about to text Divine back, my manager called.
Closing my eyes, I rested my head against the seat for a moment and ignored the call.
I would text, but I didn’t feel like talking to anybody.
I was going to sulk for the rest of the night and hopefully wake up in a better mood the next day.
Usually, after a game I was starving, but I didn’t even have an appetite.
Isaac called me, and I added his name to the list of people to text back after I took my medication.
The phone rang again and when I saw it was Divine, I kissed my teeth and answered.
I had never messaged her like I’d intended.
“I’m good sis. Sprained my ankle. Gonna be out of the game for at least four weeks.”
I was still pouting. What was the point in fronting?
During the season, football was my life.
I could still work my upper body out, study plays, and all that jazz, but I wanted to be in the trenches with my team.
If I wasn’t on the field, I didn’t feel like I was doing shit.
Divine knew me, and she knew I wouldn’t be happy about being injured.
One thing she knew how to do was read the room.
After making sure I was good, she’d leave me be for a minute.
“Well, I’m glad it isn’t something more serious. Let me know if you need anything. Don’t be overusing that ankle trying to be independent. Do you need me to fly there and do anything?”
“No, it’s just a sprain. I didn’t break anything, and I’m not bedridden. You have enough on your plate. Don’t worry about me.”
“Tuh,” she scoffed. “One less thing on my plate is your mother.”
“What you mean?” my brows furrowed.
“I was trying to help her get dressed for the day, and she told me she hated me. That was fine. I’ve been ignoring her because she’s going through it.
When that lady fixed her mouth like she was going to spit on me, I looked her dead in the face and told her if she did it, I was gon’ forget she was my mother. ”
Closing my eyes and flexing my jaw muscles, I attempted to calm myself down.
“I’m looking for facilities for her tomorrow.
She’s not going to be in your house acting like that.
The other day the doctor told me it’ll be at least another few months before she’ll be done with physical therapy and released from his care. ”
“I’m not even going to try and talk you out of it.
Funny thing is, when she was about to spit on me, I realized why Huncho hasn’t been by.
This lady never nursed us back to health when we were sick.
She wasn’t really there for any pivotal moments in our lives but just because she gave birth to me, I stepped up and have been dealing with her around the clock for weeks even when the nurses are here.
It’s a physical and mental strain that I was willing to endure until she showed her ass.
That’s when it hit me. I don’t have to disturb my peace and be disrespected just because she gave birth to me.
She had me then handed me off to whoever would take me.
So, I’m done playing nurse. I need my head in the game for this real estate class. ”
Divine was indeed fed up, so I could only imagine the things my mother did that Divine never complained or spoke about.
By the time our call ended, it was decided that I’d pay for my mother to go into a rehab facility to finish the rest of her treatment.
I would worry about where she’d go after, once she was released.
Prior to her being hospitalized, I wasn’t even sure where she lived.
More than likely from pillar to post. It was a challenge for me to get my mother a place because if I got her one in a nice, suburban area, she’d have all of her junkie friends coming over and doing Lord knows what probably making the neighbors call the police every other hour.
If I got her a spot too close to the hood, she’d be tempted every day to indulge in the same shit she’d been indulging in, and she wouldn’t have to go far to cop the poison that she was addicted to.
The only thing I could do was wait and see if she was going to get it together.
After a long, hot shower, I forced myself to eat leftovers that Alonzo made the day before, so I could take my medication.
I wasn’t in a lot of pain, and most of the pain I felt only occurred if I put too much pressure on my ankle. I grabbed an ice pack and elevated it.
If it wasn’t practice or a game, I really didn’t have anywhere to be. I was going to sit my ass down, rest my ankle, keep it iced, and do everything I could to ensure that I wasn’t out for the rest of the season.
Two days after I sprained my ankle, I was sitting on my couch confused because the doorman called from the lobby and said I had a delivery.
I hadn’t ordered anything, so I wondered what it was.
When I told him about my injury, he assured me that I could stay put, and he’d bring it up.
I went ahead and stood up, so I wouldn’t keep him waiting while I hobbled to the door.
I hadn’t left my condo in two days, and I was starting to go a little stir crazy.
I could walk, but I couldn’t walk good, so I didn’t really want to go out in public.
I was already near the door when the bell rang. After opening the door, I saw the doorman, Lenny, holding a brown paper bag. I hadn’t ordered food or groceries. “I appreciate it, man.” I took the bag from him.
“No problem. Let me know if you need anything else.”
With a head nod, I closed the door. I sat on the couch and placed the bag on the ottoman that I’d been resting my leg on.
The bag was folded and stapled to keep it from coming open.
After popping the staple out, I peered inside the bag, and my mouth watered at the bundt cake that was on top.
Slowly, I pulled out the red velvet bundt cake with cream cheese icing.
Underneath it was a strawberries and cream bundt cake.
Underneath that one, was a chocolate bundt cake.
Pulling the envelope off the bag, I opened it and removed the card.
I wasn’t sure what kind of cake you like, but I remember you saying you eat like a fool when it comes to sweets. So, I hope you like at least one of these. Get well soon. – Brion.
The card had me chuckling. I hadn’t talked to her since the day before my game.
My ass was still sulking and hadn’t been talking to anybody.
I figured that when I did reach out to her, she might have an attitude, but she was sending me cakes and shit.
Grabbing my phone off the couch beside me, I facetimed her.
After three rings, Brion answered the phone wearing a full face of makeup looking amazing.
“Damn where you going?” I asked taking her in. She was gorgeous without makeup, but she was looking like a superstar with a full face. Curls framed her face, and the visual of her had my dick hard pretty much instantly.
“London talked me into filming with her for a scene where she went to a baby shower. This is the second time. She did negotiate pay for me this appearance, but I’m not sure I’m trying to do the reality show thing. Those women are a lot.”
From the day I met Brion, she never gave clout chaser, gold digger, or any of the kinds of women men like me tried to stay away from. I really believed she was a genuine person with pure intentions.
“Thank you for the cakes. They look delicious. Although, you didn’t have to call me a fat ass Kelly Price in the note.”
Brion’s jaw slacked, and she looked appalled for two seconds before she laughed.
“I did not call you a fat ass Kelly Price.” Something got Brion’s attention causing her to look away from the camera.
“What is it?” her tone was low. “Me? If they’re from ole boy, I don’t want them.
” She was speaking low, but I heard every word.
Then, she kissed her teeth. “Let me see the card.”