Chapter 2
Luke “Deke” Deacon
My eyes were glued to my phone screen while I half-ass listened to the TV playing in the background. I was reading another one of her articles and right now it was more important than the film I should be studying.
Hollis Walker.
Or Shanel Deke as she went by whenever she published an article on the messy ass gossip site Caught Live. Every time I saw the name stamped on the site, I smiled to myself that even after all this time she wore a piece of me, even though it wasn’t my official name.
I wouldn’t have known if my Grandpa Jimmy hadn’t told me. Somehow he managed to keep up with his granddaughter-in-law as he still referred to her, even though we had been divorced for the last ten years.
Ten long ass lonely years.
Hollis was my one I let get away way too quick.
Even though the articles had nothing to do with her, I read them religiously, as if this was my only way to ensure she was happy without me.
I hope she is because I am for damn sure not.
“Nigga, you supposed to be focused on the big screen, not the little one,” my homeboy and teammate Shep said as he walked back into the video room at the stadium. We both played for the Badgers. He was a hitter while I was the catcher and it was game day.
“I am, had to check an email real quick.”
“Uh huh, sure. I didn’t know Caught Live was sending you personal emails now.
When you reply, please tell them muthafuckas to get off my ass.
” I locked my phone and looked over at him as he retook his seat, releasing a heavy sigh in the process.
I knew what was going on in his personal life and hated to admit it was heavy, especially on game days, because the press was ruthless with those damn cameras and shit.
“Both of y’all fools need to be paying attention. Tonight’s a big game for us and I can’t carry y’all old asses.” Rando, another batter who doubled as a fill in pitcher, said as he walked into the room. We all came to the Badgers around the same time a few years ago.
I was sure we all had our reasons, but mine wouldn’t even acknowledge I existed.
“Old? Nigga, please. Youngin’, you’ll be lucky to reach my status in this game when you get my age.
That’s if you last that long. I heard your knees popping the other day.
Now sit your ass down and learn some shit,” Shep said, making me crack up.
Rando wasn’t that much younger than us but always made it his mission to remind us of the four years we had on him.
But I got it, in baseball player years, those four years made a huge difference.
Shit, the amount of injuries to my body told me to add ten to the number. I’d broken fingers, torn my rotator cuff multiple times, and a shit ton of other things.
The sound of my phone ringing had my attention back on the smaller screen. I frowned at the number I didn’t recognize before I hit the button to accept the call.
“Hello.”
“Yes, is this Luke Deacon?”
“Yes, who is this?”
“My name is April. I’m a nurse at Crescent Falls Memorial. Your grandfather, Jimmy Deacon, was rushed here earlier this morning.” I was moving before she could even finish her sentence.
Jimmy was the only father figure I had ever known. When my father, his son, died, I moved in with him since my mom was already gone, staying with him until I graduated high school. But even after that, we remained close.
“Is he okay?” I asked through a cracking voice as my heart began to pound uncontrollably.
“Yo, you good?” Shep called to me. I nodded as I made my way toward the back of the room for more privacy.
There was a long pause on the line before she spoke again.
“No, unfortunately, Mr. Deacon, your grandfather didn’t make it and—"
I collapsed to my knees, unable to process her words beyond hearing my Grandpa Jimmy was gone.
I didn’t notice Shep and Rando had come over until Rando took the phone out of my hand and Shep pulled me up.
“Yo, what’s going on?”
“They said Jimmy was rushed to the hospital…and he’s gone, man.” I choked, barely able to get the last part of my sentence out.
The following days moved in a blur after planning then attending a funeral for someone I selfishly knew I would have forever. Since the team only gave me just enough time off to do the bare minimum, we got Jimmy buried in less than a week.
“Deacon, are you good?” my cousin Kay asked while placing a plate of food in front of me.
She had been staying with me at my house since the funeral.
Growing up, it was always us and her brother Ray together.
They were both older than me by a couple years, so she immediately snapped into protective mode when it came to me.
Both of them for real. The only difference between Kay and Ray was when Hollis came into the picture, she didn’t switch up.
“Yeah, Kay, I’m good. Thanks for the food. Did you eat something?” She nodded but I knew that was a lie. She barely ate much as it was, calling it eating while cooking.
“Yes. Now don’t worry about me. You got that meeting with the lawyer in a few and can’t be late.” I didn’t fight her on the lack of food because she was right. I had to head out in a minute to handle Jimmy’s will before practice.
I finished eating, then headed out, arriving at the lawyer’s office with minutes to spare.
“Hi, welcome to Yates and Long. How can I help you?” The chipper receptionist greeted me with a smile. I did my best to match her energy.
“Um… hi, yes, I’m Luke Deacon, here for an appointment with Skyla Howell.”
“Oh yes, I’ll let her know you’re here. Please take a seat.” I opted to stand while I pulled out my phone, immediately going to Skroll to get to Caught Live’s page to see the latest piece by her. When I didn’t see one, I huffed, locking my phone just as my name was called.
“Mr. Deacon?” I looked up to see a light skinned woman dressed in black pantsuit.
I followed her to her conference room where there was water and coffee waiting on the table.
“So, you’re here to discuss your grandfather’s will. As I mentioned on the phone, the formal letter is set to go out in the mail, you didn’t have to come in.”
“Yeah, I figured I would save you from wasting a stamp and paper.” Jimmy didn’t have much, and what he had should come to me and Kay since Ray stopped fucking with the family, going down the same path as our parents, in and out of prison and running the streets.
Skyla cleared her throat. “Yes, well, let’s get started since you’re here. We can go over your portion in Mr. Deacon’s will.” She flipped open a document, scanning it until she spoke again.
“Oh yes, here we are. He left you his two motorcycles and the property on Russell Road along with your wife, Hollis Walker, and also—” I cut her off before she could finish going over the details.
“Wait, my who?”
“Your wife, Hollis Walker.” I chuckled as I shook my head.
“She’s my ex-wife, so I’m sure we can count her out.”
“Um… legally speaking you two are still married. Since she’s living and her name is in the will, we can’t legally leave her out.”
“Legally?”
Skyla flipped through the folder before producing a file with my marriage status, dated three days ago, that said I was still married to Hollis. I sat there quietly while she continued.
“Yes. Shall I continue?” I nodded, giving her the okay while I sat there trying to make sense of the news she had just dropped on me.
I’m still married to Hollis?
But how?
“He also left you two his 1969 Camaro and set up a college fund of fifty thousand for your future son or daughter.” I laughed out loud as I grabbed the back of my neck.
My mind flashed at all the memories Hollis and I had and made that involved both of those things and knew what Jimmy was doing, even from the grave.
“Jimmy, you’re a sneaky muthafucka.”
“Excuse me?” Skyla said, bringing me back to reality.
“Oh my apologies, not you, just talking to the dead that still think they got jokes. And I’m sure you’ve already informed Hollis.”
She frowned in confusion.
“No, honestly. I assumed she would be in attendance with you today, given your relationship status. As I said before, the letter was set to go out. But now, my concern is if you’re still in communication or contact with your wife.
I will be blunt, if you're not, none of what I have to say will matter beyond this point. So before I continue, can you assure me of that?”
Of course I lied.
“Yes, we’re in contact. We’re still together, just didn’t know that we were still legally married.” Skyla squinted, quietly reading me, then continued.
“Okay, well, let’s start with the minor details. Your grandfather has a clause set in place that you and Mrs. Deacon have to be in a good relationship status to inherit the property and the assets.” I snorted at her referring to Hollis as Mrs. Deacon.
That was never her name even when she owned the title.
I nodded as I went for a bottle of water, taking a sip first, thinking about how fucked up my shit was.
A good status?
My damn wife wouldn’t even allow me to breathe the same air as her.
“Define good status?”
“Um… ya know, not legally separated, living together and not on the verge of getting a divorce. Those are the terms your grandfather has listed in his will.”
Well shit, we’re not now, but once Hollis finds out, she’s going to re-file yesterday.
“Can he legally do that?”
She snickered.
“Yes. For both of you to inherit. But if things aren’t, then this whole situation could get messy and take months, possibly years, in probate court before going to your cousin Raymond.
I don’t like messes, so please tell me for the sake of keeping this all clean that you and Mrs. Deacon are on good terms and living together. ”
I released a heavy sigh. “Yes, we’re on good terms.”
A lie I wished was true.
I’ma make it true.
She squinted, looking me over. I was sure she didn’t believe me. Hell, I didn’t believe me.
That’s because it’s not true.
“Okay, well, once you get me all the information and evidence that you two are in fact a loving married couple, then we can get the ball rolling on the transfer of deeds and titles. In the future, it will help if Mrs. Deacon is present during our conversations.”
I almost told her that she lost me right then but decided on a different response.
“Oh, and she never took my last name legally. So please, going forward just call her Ms. Walker or Hollis.” This time it was Skyla shaking her head.
“No mess and a good status, Mr. Deacon.” I stood to leave with another mission on hand. I couldn’t even get Hollis to be in the same room as me, how the fuck would I convince her to live with me long enough to handle this will shit.
“Promise. Be back soon.” I walked out with my phone now in my hand, calling the one person I hoped would at least make a meeting possible with my wife.