1. Blessing
SEPTEMBER
“Good morning, Blessing. Mrs. Johnson wants to see you in her office.” Dejah, the receptionist, said as I walked into Oasis Cove Physical Therapy. Mrs. Johnson hired me full-time after my internship, and I’ve become the top physical therapist for the past few years.
“Good morning, Dejah. Thanks for letting me know.” I smiled before heading towards my office.
I took a seat at my desk and checked my calendar to see which clients I had scheduled for the day.
I usually have a full schedule because it’s football season, but over the past few weeks, I’ve only been seeing high school athletes.
It wasn’t a bad thing, just rare during football season.
After checking my schedule, I left my office and headed to Mrs. Johnson’s.
I hoped she wasn’t on bullshit today. We got along for the most part, but she could be overbearing at times. She’s a gorgeous older black woman, and I loved working for her. Most of the staff here is black, and we all work well together.
“Hey, boss lady!” I said, knocking on her door before entering. She was seated at her desk with a bright smile on her face. That was a good sign. I took a seat in the chair in front of her desk.
“Hey, Blessing, I have a new patient for you. He prefers outpatient treatment because he has a gym in his home, but you’ll have to bring some of your own equipment for his injury.”
“That’s fine. Who’s the new patient?” I asked.
“Saint Simmons, the defensive lineman for the Jags. He tore his MCL about two weeks ago in the first game of the season. It’s a grade three complete tear. He’s finally ready to start his physical therapy. He specifically requested you.”
I frowned. I hadn’t heard anything about Moo hurting himself, but then again, I hadn’t been on social media much lately.
Moo reached out to me after Seven’s funeral, but I hadn’t spoken to him since.
My heart went out to him. We’d joked that no one would get hurt this season, and he ended up being the one who got hurt.
“Wow, that sucks. I’m glad he chose me to be his PT. When do I start?”
“Kalia will be taking over your current patients, and you will start working with him today. His initial evaluation is at 11:45, so after we wrap this up, you can head over to him. Dejah should have his file logged into the system with all his information. He’s offered $500,000 for your services.
I told him that was way over the usual cost, but he insisted. ”
I choked on the coffee I was sipping and looked at her, confused. “Excuse me? That’s too much. I can’t take that much from him.”
“Well, that’s a conversation you can have with him when you get there. Congratulations, Blessing. I can’t think of anyone else who deserves this besides you. Now go.” She said, grinning at me.
Still shocked, I stood from my seat and left the office. Before I could leave, Mrs. Johnson stopped me. “Remember the number one rule, Blessing. No fraternizing with the patients.”
“You know I don’t even move like that.”
“I know. I was reminding you. There’s a lot of money involved, and I know how quickly lines can be blurred.”
I nodded and continued out of the office.
I wasn’t really pressed for money, but damn, that money would definitely help me out.
After Seven passed away, I received a big chunk of money from his life insurance policy.
I took that money and opened a high-yield savings account for our daughter.
His other baby mama, Jasmine, also received money.
Seven caused me so much trauma; the money didn’t mean shit to me.
This nigga was out there living an entire other life in Brindleton Bay, a city two hours away.
The only other person who knew was his trifling ass mother and sisters.
Once the funeral was over, I washed my hands with his family.
All of his clothes, cars, and jewelry went to them.
I walked into my office, plopped into my chair, and turned my desktop on.
Still taking sips of my iced caramel coffee.
Stopping at Sweet Brews every morning before work was a ritual for me.
They’re a small, black-owned coffee shop a few blocks from here.
They even source their own coffee beans.
After locating Saint’s file, I read over the notes.
It was just a little after 8, so I had plenty of time before I had to leave the office and head over to his house.
I spent the next two hours speaking with Kalia, updating her on the patients she would be taking over.
“Good morning, this is Blessing from Oasis Cove Physical Therapy. I’m calling to let you know I am on my way over to start Saint’s evaluation and go over a few things.
My ETA is 11:30, so could you have him up and ready by the time I get there?
” I asked. I’d called his mother; she was listed as the main number to call regarding his treatment.
“Sure, sweetie. I’ll let the guards know you’re on your way, and they’ll let you right through. Moo is really grumpy today. So, I apologize in advance if he’s rude. He’s taking this injury really hard.” She responded with a sigh.
“I understand, I won’t take it personally. I’ve worked with a lot of injured athletes, and they’re always angry in the beginning, but I promise he’s in good hands. I’m very confident in my skills. I’ll see you when I make it there.” I said before hanging up.
The drive there wasn’t too bad. I spent most of the time listening to music, having my own Beyoncé concert.
I pulled into the neighborhood Saint lived in, staring in amazement at the size of the homes.
I lived in a nice-sized house, but these houses were so big that they could probably fit my entire house in them.
I let the guards at the gate of Saint’s home know who I was, and they let me in.
I parked in the circular driveway next to a black Ashton Martin.
I grabbed my equipment from the trunk and headed to the front door. Before I could knock, the front door swung open, and a very beautiful older woman greeted me. I knew she had to be his mother because she had the same smooth, brown skin and pretty brown eyes as him.
“Come on in, Blessing, you can call me Jackie. Saint is already in the gym. I’ll show you where to go.
” She said, leading me inside. I glanced around the house, admiring its sleek modern features.
Warm dark wood stretched across the floors.
The floor-to-ceiling glass windows covered the home’s perimeter.
To my left was a sunken living room. On the way to the gym, we passed several rooms, including the kitchen.
This house epitomized black wealth. I could tell the house had been recently cleaned by the fresh smell of lavender and bleach.
We stepped into a gym painted in deep matte black, with tall mirrors lining the walls.
The fluorescent lights illuminated the entire space.
I couldn’t help but admire the equipment, knowing it was expensive.
I was very impressed. After placing my work bag on a bench and approached Saint.
He was sitting on one of the benches, dressed in a tight black compression shirt with matching shorts, his brace on.
His crutches rested against the wall nearby.
“Hey, Saint.” I greeted, looking down at him. His eyes were dull, with dark circles around them. It was obvious he hadn’t slept in a few days. He didn’t respond, just gave me a simple head nod.
“I’m about to head out. His girlfriend, Mariah, should be here soon. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to let her know.” Jackie said before kissing Saint’s head, then turning to leave.
“First, thank you for trusting me to be your physical therapist. I know this is going to be a tough journey, but I promise you’re in good hands. Today’s just your evaluation, and we’ll go from there. Any questions?”
His eyes roamed over my body, causing me to shift slightly and suddenly feel insecure.
“Thank you for coming, Bless. You were the first person who came to mind when I hit the ground during that game.” He sighed, running a hand down his face.
“Be honest, how long do you think it’ll be before I get back on the field again? ”
I placed a hand on his shoulder and gazed down into his eyes.
“I can’t give you a firm answer right now, but it might take anywhere from six weeks to three months.
I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure you have a full recovery.
Let’s get started.” I gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze, then began the evaluation.
“I’m going to press down on your knee gently. Let me know the level of pain on a scale of one to ten.” I kneeled beside him, adjusting the brace, and pressed against the inside of his knee.
He hissed and slightly flinched. “Eight.” He said,
“Look, I’m going to be honest with you. This is not going to be easy, and I’m not going to pretend like it is.
This shit will be painful, but if you want to get back on the field, then you have to push through it.
Your mother told me about your attitude lately.
The first step to recovery is changing that.
Having a negative mindset will get you nowhere.
From here on out, there should be nothing but positivity in your mind and body. ”
“I hear you. Is the pay rate okay? I want to make sure you’re thoroughly compensated for your services.”
“About that.. Saint half a mill is a lot. I can’t accept that. How about we cut it in half?”
“Nah, Blessing. I’m paying you what you’re worth.”
Saint (Moo)
My evaluation went by pretty quickly. I could barely focus on what Blessing was saying because I was too distracted by how good she smelled.
I hadn’t seen her since that night at the club, but I often found myself scrolling through her social media profiles.
I can’t even act like I wasn’t attracted to her.
But as bad as I wanted her, I could never act on it.
She’d worked with most of the other players on my team who suffered injuries, so I didn’t hesitate to reach out to the facility where she works to request her. Her success rate was impressive.
Getting hurt in the first game of the season wasn’t on this year’s bingo card.
Knowing I’d likely sit out the rest of the season really took a toll on me.
I’d been so angry lately that everyone was walking on eggshells around me, and I hated that.
I spent most of my days cooped up in my bedroom, barely eating or sleeping.
If I didn’t make a full recovery, I risked losing my contract.
The possibility of losing my career was the main reason I invested so much in having Blessing as my physical therapist – she has healing hands.
“Hey, babe.” I heard Mariah say, interrupting my thoughts. She was standing at the gym’s door with her eyes fixed on Blessing. I gave her a small head nod, then turned my attention back to Blessing. She was packing up her equipment, preparing to leave.
“For future appointments, please refrain from wearing tight scrubs like that. You’re being paid a lot of money, so use that to invest in better scrubs. Maybe try going up a size or two.” Mariah said, still staring at Blessing. Blessing’s face scrunched up as she rolled her eyes.
“Enjoy the rest of your day, Saint. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She said, walking out of the gym with her equipment in tow. Once I heard the front door slam shut, I looked at Mariah with a scowl on my face.
“What the fuck is wrong with you? Nothing was wrong with what she had on. Don’t come in here starting shit with her. She’s the best shot I have at making a full recovery.”
“Oh, please, Saint. You could’ve hired a man. You know what the fuck you’re doing.”
“Mariah, please don’t push my buttons. Go home and come back when you’ve got a better attitude.
And you will apologize to Blessing tomorrow.
” I said, giving her a stern look. Without waiting for a response, I stood up, getting comfortable on my crutches, and headed to the guest bedroom.
The master bedroom was upstairs, but staying down here was easier.
Mariah entered the room and flopped down on the bed with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Moo. I just don’t want anybody trying to come between us. We’ve been going through a rough patch even before you got injured.”
“Have I given you a reason not to trust me, Mariah?” I asked.
“No, but I could see the way she was looking at you. I don’t trust her around you!” She shouted.
I sighed, taking a seat next to her. “She wasn’t doing anything but coming here to do her job.
I doubt she’s even attracted to me. She’s one of the best physical therapists in sports medicine.
When Rome got injured last season, she was the one who helped him get back on the field so quickly.
So please, don’t ruin this for me. Just apologize tomorrow. ”
Mariah was right, we were in a really tough place even before I got injured.
We haven’t gotten along in so long, but we’ve been together for the past year.
I didn’t invest all this time into a relationship just to give up when things got rough.
While most women see dollar signs when they look at me, Mariah has her own bag.
Her beauty bar is one of the most popular spots in Oasis Cove.
She had some flighty tendencies, but it was nothing we couldn’t move past.
“I’m about to get started on lunch. Anything specific you want?” Mariah asked.
I tried not to laugh. Mariah knew damn well she couldn’t cook. She could barely boil a pot of water. “It’s fine, Ri, my mom cooked before she left. How about we order some snacks from Target and watch some movies?” I responded.
“I actually needed to go get a few things so I can go to the store myself. Text me what you want.” She climbed out of the bed and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before leaving the room.
Once she left, I made my way to the living room and propped my crutches up against the arm of the couch before slowly lying down. My body immediately relaxed against the soft surface. Shit felt like I was floating on clouds. Once I got comfortable, I pulled out my phone and opened Instagram.
“Shit,” I muttered, sinking my teeth into my lower lip.
Blessing’s post appeared on my timeline—a mirror selfie of her wearing a long-sleeved black crop top and matching biker shorts.
Her hair was in a ponytail, turned to the side to highlight her full, round ass.
Her left thigh was covered in tattoos. I couldn’t resist double-tapping the photo.
When I clicked her profile picture, her story started playing; she had posted a selfie from the front seat of her car.
Her smooth brown skin looked natural, with no makeup, and her full lips shone with lip gloss.
I tapped the heart icon to like it. I prayed I could get through these next few months without crossing a line with her.