Chapter 15 Hymn
HYMN
Isaac hated when the camera crew was at his house so when they were scheduled to come, he always invited some of the guys over.
All I had been doing was sitting in the house, so I agreed.
I didn’t know Brion would be there but per usual, the moment we locked eyes, my dick got hard.
I gave no fucks about the cameras rolling or the nosey ass women that were present.
I wasn’t going to pretend like I didn’t know her.
And whatever slipped out of my mouth was what slipped out of my mouth.
Her bitch ass baby daddy didn’t pick the girls up, so she had to wait until they were asleep to come over.
“I know I’m not a prostitute, so what’s the money for?”
With a chuckle, I shook my head. Brion had been holding back from venting about her ex because she didn’t want to bring baggage into our situation, but when she told me how he didn’t do shit, and she didn’t have him on child support it made me want to help her.
“Because I see you working hard as hell, and it was either give it to you or buy some sneakers with it.”
There was a pause, and I knew Brion was trying to figure out how to process my generosity.
Another reason why I liked her. I had money out the ass.
Spoiling a woman wasn’t an issue, but I wasn’t tricking on a woman just because she spread her legs for me.
A woman like Shannon would have expected a $10,000 purse after the first time we interacted.
I was more than certain the money that I gave Brion would be put to good use.
“I just need you to understand that I don’t deal with you for your money. However, my mama didn’t raise no fool. I’m not turning it down, but that’s not my motive. And money doesn’t replace certain things.”
That was her way of telling me that giving her money wasn’t going to give me a pass to play in her face, and I respected that.
“Trust me, I know how to peep game, and I know that’s not why you deal with me.”
We talked until she made it home. I was ready to go to bed my damn self, but I got a call from Divine.
I wasn’t at the house when Divine, my grandmother, and one of the nurses took my mother to the rehabilitation center that she’d be in for the next two months, but I heard she showed her ass.
Cursing and spitting. She even tried to pull Divine’s hair.
If my sister was calling me this late, it had to be something going on.
“What’s up?” I answered the phone with a sigh.
“I just got a call from the county jail. Huncho is locked up under a $100,000 bond for possession of marijuana, Xanax, and Percocet’s.”
My eyes closed while my jaw muscle ticked. I should have known the shit was too good to be true. Huncho was determined to fuck his life up, and I was tired of trying to stop it. When I spoke, I spoke with finality. “I’m not bailing him out, and you better not either.”
Divine knew I was serious, and she wasn’t going to go against the grain.
If his father couldn’t get him out, I didn’t know who would.
Possibly my grandmother, and I damn sure couldn’t tell her what to do.
Huncho needed to learn that I wasn’t a sucka that would keep running to his rescue when he wasn’t even trying to do right.
I wasn’t worried about going broke, but I had watched an episode of Snapped where an NBA player ran through fifty-five M’s.
By the time he was cut from his team, he was broke, and his ex-wife killed his ass for the insurance money.
It was easy to run through money when a person was constantly spending and giving it out. I wasn’t hurting because I had other business ventures, but I wasn’t about to keep throwing my money away helping people that didn’t want to be saved.
“I’m not going to bail him out. I promise, but I’m just curious. If no one else gets him out, how long are you willing to let him sit in there?”
“He’ll be there for as long as he has to be there. Huncho hasn’t even gone to court for his last charge that I bailed him out on. I’m done. He can sit there until his court date. The judge can either give him time served, or he’ll leave from jail and go to prison. Either way it’s not my problem.”
Speaking those words made my gut churn, but I couldn’t be soft. I had to stand on business, or Huncho was going to keep thinking shit was a game.
“Okay. I didn’t mean to stress you. I just wanted you to know what was going on.”
“You’re the last person that’s stressing me, Divine.”
“I love you. Bye.”
“I love you too.”
After I ended the call, I tossed my phone to the side. Mentally, I was exhausted and not sure how much more I could take.
A few days later, I was headed to an ice cream spot downtown to meet Brion.
She had just finished a makeup job and had an hour and a half to spare before she picked her daughters up from school.
Since I no longer had practice or games, I had been talking to Brion every day and seeing her frequently.
It was safe to say that I didn’t care about who may see us and post it in the blogs and obviously, she didn’t either.
Having a lot of extra time on my hands while not being able to do too much was annoying as fuck.
I read a few books and even ordered a real estate book.
I wouldn’t take the class until the season was over or until I was done in the NFL.
Either way, it wouldn’t hurt to read and start becoming familiar with the material.
Maybe Divine was right. I could start my own firm and hire a team of agents.
I had a lot of connections and not just athletes.
I was cool with a few rappers, a few R&B singers, some actors, and reality TV people.
Once I got my license, I doubted it would be hard at all to find someone that was interested in buying a house.
Honestly, there would be people that wanted to buy a house from me just to get close to me.
I was definitely gon’ use that shit to my advantage.
The team doc gave me a handicap placard for my car, so I parked directly in front of the ice cream parlor.
When I saw Brion sauntering toward the entrance dressed in olive green cargo pants, a white fitted tank, and red flip flops, I licked my lips at the visual.
Her hair was in a ponytail that touched the nape of her neck.
She looked like a mom but a baddie at the same time.
Brion always appeared comfortable and stylish.
I didn’t have anything against women that wore heels to grocery shop or dressed lavishly every day, but there was something effortless as hell about Brion.
She was so damn sexy without even trying.
I emerged from the car, and she smiled at me. “Not we have the handicap joint hanging from the mirror.”
Ignoring her jokes, I hobbled over and hugged her. “I hope they post you in the blogs making fun of a handicapped man.”
Brion rolled her eyes. “By the time I get posted in the blogs, my skin will be thick, and I’ll be a pro at taking heat. Trolls have been playing on my page lately, and I have a good idea of who it could be.”
My brows furrowed as I held the door open for Brion. “Who?”
“For the most part, I think it’s the skank that my ex is screwing but for some odd reason, Shannon popped into my head as well.”
“What are they saying?”
The cashier asked us for our orders, so Brion didn’t respond to my question right away.
When shorty walked away to get our ice cream, Brion turned to face me.
“I posted a picture of my client yesterday, and a fake page with no avatar or any pictures commented that she looked a mess. Then, someone went and commented under a picture of me and London and said they wonder which NFL dick I was sucking to get in good with London. Now, that sounds like Shannon for sure. But I’ll probably never know. Trolls are everywhere on the internet.”
“I can’t believe muhfuckas act so childish,” I frowned, “I’ve never said more than ten words at a time to Shannon, so her being jealous is nasty work.
And in your relationship, you were the one that got cheated on.
You left the man and let her have him. So, what’s the point of trolling you?
” I reached for my wallet to pay for our ice cream.
“As far as Shannon, you already know I don’t fit in with the WAG aesthetic. I’m not a bad bitch, so a person like her can’t fathom why a man like you would want me.”
“That’s dumb as shit. I can like who I want to like. Everybody doesn’t want a surgically enhanced air brain that makes it her life’s mission to find a rich nigga. Speaking on the next man isn’t even something that I do, but your ex is lame as fuck shawty.”
“Don’t I know it?” she frowned slightly.
Our ice cream was handed to us, and we found a seat in the corner.
A few people recognized me, and while I peeped them taking pictures, none of them approached me for an autograph or a picture.
People that weren’t into sports didn’t have a clue who I was, so it was possible for me to go places and not be bombarded. It just depended on where it was.
“I hope you’re not going to let that shit bother you.”
“Absolutely not. In the last twenty-four hours, I’ve had ten deposits paid and bookings on my website.
Literally between the paralegal job, makeup, and the kids, I don’t have time to worry about who’s talking shit behind a fake page.
If it’s not directed, it’s not respected.
I sleep well every night knowing I haven’t done anything to anybody. ”
“Talk yo’ shit mama,” I hyped her up making her blush.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. Pulling it out and eyeing the screen, I saw the number for Atlanta’s county jail.
Huncho had been trying to get in touch with me for the past three days, and I had ignored every call.
I didn’t have anything to say to him, and I didn’t have any money to give him.
My grandmother had called and said with a bail bondsman, she could get him out with $10,000.
I told her to be my guest, but she hadn’t gotten him out yet.
I placed the phone face down on the table.
I had been standing on business, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t get harder with each phone call.
I found myself wondering if he’d learned his lesson yet.
“You don’t want to at least talk to him?” Brion asked in a comforting tone.
“Nope,” I answered with finality. “He’s either going to be talking like he has some sense and make me feel guilty, or he’s going to have an attitude that we haven’t gotten him out yet.
I already had to curse his father out this morning.
Talking about how do you sit in jail for days when your brother is in the NFL?
I told his dumb, broke ass to get his money up and bail his own fuckin’ son out. ”
Brion appeared to be in deep thought as she bit her bottom lip. “I get it. And I understand how not talking to him makes you feel. Don’t let anyone try to make you feel like you’re wrong. I know you want the best for him and if he’s smart, he knows you do too.”
“I’m sick of you always making my dick hard.”
“What?” Brion erupted into laughter. “Sir, I’m simply engaging in a conversation that has nothing in this world to do with sex. If you’re turned on, that’s on you.”
Grinning, I placed a small scoop of ice cream in my mouth. “You’re the main reason I’ve stayed sane and haven’t crashed out from cabin fever. A pretty distraction never hurt anybody.”
“You sure know how to flatter a girl,” Brion simpered. “You’ll be back on the field before you know it. Enjoy your last few weeks of rest.”
I was starting to feel like Isaac had done his big one when he encouraged me to get at Brion.
I saw two young, black boys who appeared to be around eight or nine approaching.
I looked over, and they were inching forward hesitantly.
When I smiled, they smiled back and moved toward me with ease.
A man that I assumed was their father turned around from disposing of his trash, and his eyes widened before he took long strides in our direction.
“Is your name, Hymn?” the taller of the two asked.
“It sure is,” I grinned. “I take it you like football.”
The young man nodded eagerly as his father approached. “I’m so sorry. I told them not to bother you.”
“They’re good. Y’all want a picture?” I asked directing my attention to the boys.
“Yes!” They exclaimed in unison.
“I appreciate it man,” their father pulled his phone from his pocket and took a few pictures of me and the boys. When he was done, he asked if he could take a picture, and I told him of course.
“You seem pretty good with kids.”
“I don’t have a lot of experience with them,” I admitted. My siblings don’t have kids. Isaac doesn’t have kids. I don’t get much practice in that’s for sure.”
“I got some practice fo’ yo’ ass,” she stated matter of factly making me laugh.
“Oh, you trying to set me up with the three for one special.”
“Speaking of the three for one special, I better get going. Thank you for the ice cream. It ain’t tricking if Big Daddy got it,” she winked, and I shook my head with a grin.
“Insane.”
I walked Brion to her car and when she was inside, I leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Yeah, I was getting in deep with a newly single mother of three, and I gave no fucks about it.