~Three

“So, when’s the wedding? Every time I wanna talk to Shank and can’t hear from him, I think about that question,” April spoke that part low enough for just me to hear. “I figure it would get him to talkin’, but…”

My attention shot down to my lap where my phone vibrated. It was Jade.

Jelly: We still on for your massage tonight after Ky goes down?

Excitement jolted through me at that reminder. About a month before I caught a calf strain at the Super Bowl, Jade set up one of the guest bedrooms as a spa room for me. I’d been done with my rehab on it, but Jade had been wanting to extend my treatments and play masseuse. She said she went to massage therapy school and dropped out a month before finishing.  

“Let me answer this,” I mumbled, typing into the phone. “This her right here.”

“Talkin’ ‘bout the wedding?” April asked next to me, in a chair of the hospital waiting room.

I chuckled. “Nah. I’mma kick it with her about that soon, now that I’m back home and the season is over.” I hit send.

Me: Fo sho

“And especially before I hit the road again for my camp up in Connecticut.”

It was something I’d planned on talking to Jade about. I promised her a wedding day and wanted to put that into motion.

“I hope y’all do it soon.” April rolled her eyes. “That way I can settle this bet with that man once and for all, if you’ll have a lot of babies.” She went back down to her word search puzzle in the back of some magazine. April was here at Cooper with my grandmother. She brought her to see my mother.

Jelly: What time?

April leaned into me, her chubby arm against mine, shoulder at the middle of my arm. “You ain’t gotta be here, you know,” she whispered angrily.

Only Trick’s old lady was in the waiting room with us and a man who’d been here since I had, going in and out of my moms’ room. April mentioned him being her boyfriend, but wasn’t quite sure because of how private and closed off my mother was. Dude kept looking at me with smiley eyes, but I figured it was because of football. Trick and my grandmother had been sitting with my moms for close to an hour now.

“The only reason I’m here is because your grandmother wanted me to bring her. And I reckon the reason why she coming is because your momma stepped up when Cora Mae had that last big stroke. Figure she’d show the support back. But you…” She sucked her teeth and straightened in her seat. “She can’t be having you sit out here like this. You’s a busy man, Trent.” She gave a determined nod, her lips balled up. “I see you back on the TV and hear your name on the radio again—now for positive stuff. You got a beautiful family.” Her eyes skirted around the room, then she tossed her chin toward the glass window that showed my mother’s door across the hall. “You don’t deserve this.”

My head went down to my phone. I didn’t want to deal with that. Today, I was able to peek my head in. She was sleeping and I didn’t feel right staying in there if I wasn’t invited. But I sent a nurse in after April came through with my grams to remind her I was here. Then Trick and his girl showed up and he’d been in there since.

Me: I should be there by nine. Choppin it up with April.

“All goodie.” I tried to keep her from worrying. April had been through this with me since I was a kid. She’d always known about the neglect. But now I was a grown man, and could handle myself better.

April tossed her forehead to my phone as I hit send. “That still Jade?”

“Yeah,” I croaked, stretching my arms in the air.

My body was cramping in this damn chair. I’d been sitting for a couple of hours now. Tyheem went out for a walk around the building earlier. Feels like I need another one. 

“I bet she ‘on’t know you’re here, dealing with this.” Her chin swung back over to my mother’s door.

My phone vibrated again.

Jelly: Oh! That’s why you’ve been down there. Is she okay? Does she need anything? Tell her not to be a stranger!

I rolled my eyes. Jade was hyper-inviting. That was the only way she knew. But I couldn’t deny the bullet I’d just dodged with avoiding the real reason I was down here in Camden.

“Cora Mae told me how Jade called Brenda and gave her a piece of her mind for not saying thank you for the Christmas gifts y’all sent down.” April giggled, eyes to the puzzle on her lap. “That Jade is a mess!”

Jade didn’t go off on moms. From what she said, she didn’t even “give her a piece of her mind.” She asked my moms if she received the gifts—knowing she’d signed for it—and asked why hadn’t she reached out to me to let me know. The call was aggressive, and that was interpreted as confrontational.

Either way, April was right: if Jade knew I was here waiting to see my mother two days in a row, she’d flip.

I shook my head as I sighed and scratched my eyebrow.

“Go home, Trent. You got a life waiting for you up there. That there,” she nodded toward the room again, “ain’t giving you nothing but grief. Lord knows if ya uncle was here, he’d say the same.”

Shank…

I knew something was off. The skin around her eyes was darker and her posture was off. She looked…hopeless. She may have spoken like the April I knew, but a light was off in her.

“Aye, April,” I turned to her as much as it was possible in my chair, “you good?”

April rolled her eyes. “Boy, I’m getting by with half a heart.” Her eyes blinked a few times. “If he would just talk to me, you know?” Her voice cracked and her hand stopped tracing within the word search box. “I’m so lonely. He said he’d be here.” I grabbed her in my arms when the tear fell. “That slickster swore that to me over and over again. I feel like he lied!” she cried into my chest.

Tyheem had just stepped into the waiting room and I saw the two heads behind us go up. I rubbed her soft shoulder as I hushed her. When she quieted, I lowered my head to hers.

“Why don’t you come stay at the crib for a lil while? I’m sure Jade won’t mind.”

She shook her head. “You got your life now, Trent. I can’t be a bother.”

“You won’t be. Just don’t try to cook without her permission,” I joked and April sniffled a laugh. “Just think about it. For me. Please.”

She tried wiping her face. “Why would it be for you, boy? You got a family now.”

“‘Cause…I—” My eyes shot around the room to be sure we weren’t putting on much of a show. “Because he’s with me every day.”

April’s head shot up and her red eyes narrowed. “That slick man been with you? He told me—”

“I know what he told you. He told me the plan for years, too. And I can’t for sure prove it, but I’ve been feeling him around me since about a month after he left us. I just can’t see him, but can feel him.”

April’s face fell and she cried again.

“I ain’t say that to make you mad. You know he’d kick my light ass if he saw this. I’m not even sure about it all. I’m just saying, you ain’t right and I gotta take care of you or I’m in trouble. And April…” Her head shifted up slowly to face me, “I think dude can still kick my ass.”

She blubbered, “He can!” Her head shook in my arms. “That’s why I’m scared. He meant every word he said, all them times!”

Now, we had a show. Everyone was looking our way, including doctors and nurses passing in the hall.

I hushed her, rubbing her meaty arm. It took her a few seconds, but April’s wailing turned into stifled moans.

“I told you to hit me up if you need anything. Why you ain’t tell me you been stressed like this?”

After a few seconds, her head popped up again, the tears stopped and so had her whimpers. She looked at me with a sharp emotion I’d never seen of her. “Because you got your own life,” she whispered. Her eyes circled the room and voice lowered. “A family you need to get outta here and be with. What… You just got back in town yesterday, and you here again?” The muscles on one side of her face went up, exposing her canines and her lips pressed into her teeth. “Go home to your family, Trent. You don’t need to be here, being treated like this. And you definitely don’t need to be weighed down with my grief. Go!” she demanded with a hushed but nonnegotiable tone.

I sighed, not knowing what else to do. I’d never seen April so apart like this. She’d been in the E.R. with my uncle in the middle of the night more times than I could count, wearing urine and vomit-stained clothes with a G’ed up posture. But here, she was a teary wreck. I didn’t want to leave her like this, but my gut told me if I didn’t, she’d come apart even more. So I nodded and stood. Then I turned to her and lifted her hand while observing her a last time. This was hard.

What would Shank say to do?

My grandmother was still in the room with my moms. Somebody needed to watch over her.

With her eyes wild and pinned to me, April nodded. “Go, Trent. Go where you’re loved. That’s all that matters at the end of the day.”

For some reason, that was the context I needed to recognize the April I knew. It gave me a little more peace about obeying. I looked over to Tyheem, who had been waiting on me to give him the word. I swung my chin toward the hall and he started out.

“This ain’t over, April. Call me,” I tried.

April turned her head and wiped a fresh tear from her wet face.

Me: 20 mins out. You need anything?

I dropped the phone back in my lap and rubbed the side of my index over my top lip as I exhaled. I snickered to myself under the blasting music.

As soon as you think all your problems are solved because you get your job back, you find yourself stressed the hell out again…

I needed to think of what to do about this April thing. After Shank died, my focus went to the field—and Jade. Life had started moving so fast around that time. Things just…took off. I didn’t have time to make sure everybody was good before going with it. I couldn’t leave April out there like that, and not just because Shank would haunt my ass. April had been too good to me growing up. She was right there next to Shank at every game. She was by his side when he enrolled me in every camp he could. She never once complained or looked annoyed when he was spending time with me. She showed love and support the whole time.

My phone vibrated.

Jelly: No. Just you. I’m putting Ky down. Strip and meet me in the room when you get in.

I tossed the phone in my lap again.

“A yo,” Tyheem spoke up. I turned the knob of the volume to hear him. “The Kings hit me up with two guys they think would be a good look.”

My forehead stretched, catching on. The Connecticut Kings’ owner, Eli Richardson, wanted extra muscle on me now that the spotlight was back on the team. He’d been hinting at it since December, and had been more aggressive since the Super Bowl. I’d been holding off on agreeing to it because I couldn’t tell if it was a strategic move, telling me he didn’t trust me.  Over the past few weeks, I decided to swallow my pride, especially seeing how much attention from fans and media coverage I got with the Cali trip. Tyheem couldn’t handle the crowds alone if something broke out. Elle had the forethought to hire a couple of bodies from a private company out there, but that was temporary. I had more appearances to do this winter alone.

“You meet them yet?”

“Nah. I was ‘posed to today, but you called about riding down to CMD.” His eyes stayed on the road.

He just reminded me how so quickly, I needed to get another fulltime security guard. My last guy that worked with Tyheem, Slim, was now with a guard on the 76’ers. StentRo passed him on to his old teammate when I got sentenced. I managed to find a gig for both of them. I lucked up having Tyheem available when I needed security again.

Eli was ready to move just when I realized I needed someone on the property. Before getting locked up, I had rooms for both my muscle at the crib, which made it convenient when I needed them.

Now…

The game had changed. I was married with a wife to consult and a kid to keep in mind. My life was nothing like it was pre-prison. No wild parties, unplanned overnight guests, or people coming in and out of my crib all day and night. It was another thing I had to kick it with Jade about.

We were at my place in no time after getting lost in my head. I saluted Tyheem as he pulled off. The house was quiet when I came in through the garage. Jade said she’d be putting Kyree down, so that was the first place I went when I made it upstairs. I snaked my head through the cracked door and saw Kyree lying on his side, looking sleep. Jade sat on the side of his bed, reading from her phone.

“My son, do not forget My teaching, but keep My commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man,” she spoke low, confident, and soothingly.

Proverbs 3…

I finished the passage with her in my head. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.”

Jade always managed to amaze me when it came to her mom game. She had a mean wife game, too.

Her eyes came up to meet mine and she smiled then nodded to acknowledge me. She gave a reverse nod, telling me to go get ready. I did, even though I was mad I missed Ky before he went down. I only kicked it with him once since being back home. On my way down the hall to the master suite, I told myself I would tomorrow.

I showered, wrapped a towel around my waist then took back down the hall to the converted spa room. The lights were low and music already softly flowing. It smelled fresh…clean. Stevie Wonder—my favorite artist—sang “Knocks Me Off My Feet.” I sat on the massage bed, covered with sheets that were warm. She added new plants to the room, even had fresh flower petals in the bowl with rocks in the corners. There was a silver tray table close to the massage bed with flower petals and three oil bottles. 

Definitely an energy in here…

I didn’t hear her come in, but I felt little arms push around my waist and soft hands move up my chest, cupping it. Her chin lay on my shoulder, in the crook of my neck and she squeezed. I could feel the deep breath she blew out from her nose against my damp skin. Then she lay the side of her face against my back and we stayed like that for a few seconds.

She pulled her arms from around me then patted my shoulder. “On your stomach.”

I swung my legs onto the table and turned over, adjusting myself so my face fit into the doughnut pillow at the top.

“How’s the temperature?” she asked close to my ear, voice just as gentle as it was with Kyree. 

I gave her a thumbs-up and she patted my lower back, acknowledging it. I heard a few clicks and realized Jade was lighting candles. Taking in a deep breath, I made myself relax into the table. I was home…with my feisty short stack and little homie—who was sick and not totally back to himself. Honestly, I loved being back on the field, but this home thing was turning into something new to me.

Jade started at my shoulders, those little fingers and palms moving firmly over my back. She took her time kneading where knots had formed over the past two weeks, or so, since my last massage. Some of those joints probably happened since hearing my moms was in the hospital. She moved lower, down to the wings of my back, making her tits push against the back of my head and neck. Her berry scent floated into my nose, under the table. The music was light, but powerful. Silk crooned “Girl U for Me” as she moved to my arms then lower back. She used her arms and really stretched me out. By the time she made it to my legs and calves, I was able to shut out everything outside of these four walls from my head. Jade took her time everywhere, but slowed at my left calf muscle, I knew, because of my injury from the Super Bowl. It wasn’t as tender as it was even a few days ago, but still sensitive.

When she asked me to roll over, I wasn’t embarrassed at how my dick swelled under the towel. She covered my eyes with a mask and went back to my feet, pressing her thumbs into my heels and stretching out my toes. Jade stretched out my arms again, this time focusing on my biceps and forearms.

She made her way to my head and rubbed deep with the tips of her fingers and thumbs, moving to my forehead and temples. Her soft hands gripped my jaw then slid down to my shoulders. But Jade didn’t shift in position, so she covered me. Her firm tits pushed against my face inside her soft silk house robe. Her nipple brushed my nose. Now smelling and feeling her, I couldn’t relax. My body stirred all over, and my mind was stimulated.

By the time she made it to my pecs, her oily hands sliding up and down, making her breasts push into my face, I used my nose and mouth to open her robe. After a few seconds, one plopped out. My tongue swiped over it until I found her nipple and pulled it in my mouth. I felt her stretch out over me, her hands pushing down toward my abs. I could hear her moan vibrate through her chest.

I reached over my head to grab her by her waist. My girl was so tiny, I could toss her little nasty ass and position her any way I wanted. I lay her over me on the table, then pulled her legs on my sides, putting her on all fours. Jade’s freaky ass was already pulling the towel from my waist. My cock was in her little oily palm before I could bring her ass to my face and find her clit with my tongue. When I did, I flicked it over the bell of her swollenness.

Her hot, soft mouth was on me, blowing me. My hands went to her hips, pulling her closer while I ate her. The sounds of sloppy sucking competed with Chante Moore and Keith Washington’s “Candlelight and You.” I swear I could do this for hours and be a happy man. It was a fantasy I had often when away from her. By the time the song came to an end, her hips were vibrating over my forehead. The skin of her plump cheeks smacked against my face. The meat of them plopped and her mouth worked faster, jaws tightened around me. But I wasn’t ready. I sucked her nub between my top lip and tongue until her mouth went slack around my cock.

“Trentiiiiin…” she whispered, trying to keep it down as she came in my mouth.

Jade scooted up, her legs crossing over my arms until they were underneath them and her belly lay over mine. She needed a minute to calm herself, I knew. I played with her wide ass while she did, kissing it, wiggling it. She moved again to mount me. In one hand, she held my throbbing dick, and the other she used to balance herself as she lined us up and sank down on me. She didn’t take long to adjust her walls before she started a steady pace. Jade rode me reverse cowgirl. I watched her jiggly, dimpled cheeks as she did. Her arms moved up, one folded over her head and the other crossed her back to her shoulder. My eyes rolled to the back of my head when I took in all of her: a narrow waist with a curved spine, pointy shoulders, and jet black weave pulled into a sloppy ponytail over her head. She tossed the robe at some point and was ass naked along with me on the massage table.

Not our first time…definitely won’t be our last…

My eyes shot wide open when Jade grabbed my thighs, her head and upper body bolted forward as she pushed her ass back onto my dick fast and hard. She was coming. Again. I grabbed her hips, her head swung back, and she moaned with just her throat. Her little body shook over me, and even though I couldn’t see her face or bouncy tits, she was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen, coming over me like this.

So amped up, the minute I knew she was done, my back shot from the table. I lifted her from me, pulling out, I swung her around to the top. I turned Jade on her back and ran up in her. She was so damn wet. Tight. I bucked into her until I felt the bottom of my balls heat up. My eyes stayed on her. I didn’t want to miss her in this moment.

Fear.

A flash of it brushed against the wet skin of my back.

What was that?

Her eyes were wide and mouth was open as she watched me. My hands cupped her waist, keeping her in place. Her thighs were folded at the wings of my back. Jade wanted me close. With her in the moment. It was inviting, but damn scary. I’d never cared, loved, or craved like I had with her—for her—in my life. It was scary as hell to be so crazy about anybody like this…much less, your old lady. It couldn’t be safe.

Right?

So wrapped up in her, I couldn’t think to decide. Then I decided to let it go. My weight shifted to my toes as I let it all go inside of her. I felt the arching in my spine and the grip of my hands tightened around her.

When I was done, my body froze over her. Jade’s arms pushed in the air and she grabbed my face, pulling me down to her mouth, kissing me until I could feel my damn feet again. She moaned as her hands ran over my shoulders and down my back. She purred, comforting me. I could tell she’d tired herself out when her head pulled back and she breathed hard and loud, but her arms were still wrapped around me. I lay over her with just my upper body, my legs still on the floor.

When I heard her snort, my head pulled from the crook of her neck. Jade’s eyes opened alarmed then she relaxed them. Yeah. She was done. Tired myself, I found the towel I wore hanging from the side of the narrow bed and used it when I pulled out of her. I sat Jade’s dead weight up and pulled her soft robe over her shoulders. After blowing out the candles, I lifted her into my arms and carried her out of the room. Halfway to the master suite, I lowered her to the floor at Kyree’s door, dropping her off, and kept going.

While she checked in on him, I went straight to the bathroom and started filling the tub. Jade had all types of bath soaps, bubbles, salts, and oils. I didn’t know which to choose, so I poured a little bit of all of them. As I was taking a leak, I felt her come in. I washed my hands and could see her behind me in the mirror, taking off her robe. As soon as it was off, Jade’s hands flew to her belly and her eyes ran across the room to me nervously. She moved fast, but I caught her little pouch. It wasn’t really that. It was more like a full belly after eating a big plate of food.

I shook my hands over the sink before grabbing the towel to dry them, dragging my eyes from her. Jade had been complaining about her weight for over a month now. It was stupid.

“You’re happy,” I gave my theory, walking over to the tub where she was slowly lowering herself. Her head lifted, eyes lit up, too. “If I wasn’t back on the field, I woulda put on a few, too. Ain’t that what happiness do to people?” I stepped into the warm water.

“Yeah, but you are on the field. And I’m with a popular football player, who could have any woman he wants.”

“But he chose—chooses—you.”

“Yeah, when I was a few pounds lighter. Before I moved in, took over, and cooked a whole bunch of food that’s only evident on me.” Jade pouted.

Cute…

I pulled her by the hips, in between my legs.

“Cut it out, J,” I warned over her head.

Her body was banging; no puffed out belly could change that. Plus, she’d been working out and skating to help with it.

I could feel her body relax into my chest and Jade hummed.

“How’s Kyree?”

“His appetite is back. That’s for sure.” Her little burgundy toes came up, breaking the blanket of bubbles over the water. “I wore him out by having him out so long earlier.” She snickered. “Wore myself out. I had to take a nap earlier.”

“That’s what’s up. You probably needed it.”

“I guess.”

I kissed the side of her neck then scraped her skin between my teeth. Jade always smelled so good.

“Have you been on your prayer schedule while out there?”

My forehead stretched behind her head at that crazy question. “Yeah. Why?”

“Because you came in so late last night, and I don’t know what time you left out today. You said you were going to get on a new schedule, now that the season is over, and that would begin with prayer.”

I did say that.

“I shot out of here so fast today, trying to follow up on last night.” That reminded me of Brown. “That was a nice touch you put on the article with J. Brown.”

Jade’s chin went into the air and lips pushed into a pout. “Oh! That. Has it been published?”

“Supposed to be tomorrow.”

“Cool!” she cheered. “He was really nice, that guy.”

“Nice?” I felt my face split. “What’s nice?”

She shrugged against my chest. “I don’t know… He seemed really interested in my design, here at the house. He even knew about Greek Revival versus Egyptian for the Victorian designs. He pulled out a picture of his grandmother’s living room in Charleston with the most breathtaking Gothic design I’d ever seen. He was even taken by the curtains in the living room I made by hand.”

I made an annoyed face over her head. “He was ‘taken’ by you.”

“He was not. The guy was just excited to have a connection with me. He probably thought his grandmother’s style was outdated and rare until he visited our home. He could’ve felt a sense of his childhood here—even though I didn’t go heavy on that style.”

“I ain’t invite him to my house with my wife to have fuzzy feelings.”

Her head shot up and she looked back at me.

“That’s not what happened, Trent! Now, you need to cut it out.” She turned to crawl up my body and kissed me on the lips before going back to her position between my legs.

And that was her way of deading the conversation. I knew it.

“We may have houseguests soon—at least one.”

“Who?”

“Probably Tyheem.” I yawned.

“Probably?”

“Yeah. My security basically lived with me before. Now that my schedule is amping up, they have to be on call. Last night, I had to stop in Newark to pick him up on the way. I was lucky he was available. Technically, dude was off like I’m supposed to be.”

Jade didn’t move much. “Yeah. Because you can’t be riding around by yourself anymore. Especially in Eagles territory. Those fans are terrorists,” she mumbled.

I chuckled quietly.

She was right. South Jersey was a divided section when it came to sports. It may have been a neighboring state, but everything was Philadelphia down there. It didn’t matter that Camden was my hometown.  I was a stranger to them on the field.

“You said guests.”

“Huhn?”

“Earlier. You said we may have houseguests, as in plural.”

I let out a breath. “April.”

“Oh! Right! You’ve been going down there for her.” My throat tightened because I would not correct her. Couldn’t. Jade lifted her arms from around my thighs, watery bubbles fell back into the water as she rubbed the bath brush against them. “How is she? Does she need to come up for a few days to get away?”

My eyes bugged out of my head. “You speak to her?”

“No.” She turned to face me, eyes rolling and a smirk playing at her lips. Jade was calling me crazy. “I would assume she’s having grieving issues. Sometimes getting away can help with that. What else is she doing with herself? Is she working?”

I shook my head. April used to be a secretary at a strip club for years. It’d been closed down for over ten years. For all I knew, she lived on Shank’s savings all these years. He had a few dollars saved from his dancing days. I wasn’t sure if it lasted long.

“Let’s have her up. It’ll be good for the both of you.” Jade smiled sweetly.

I yanked her ear with my hand before yawning again and sinking into the tub.

“Yeah, but she won’t come.”

“Why not?”

“She thinks she’ll be in our way.”

“Nonsense!” Jade blew out air. “It’ll be fun.”

“You sure?” I asked, seeing how down she was for this. We didn’t know how long April would stay. “You got your hands full around here with Kyree and me. I may not say it a lot, but you the plug, J. You hold me down to the max, and I ain’t tryna take advantage of that.”

“How would your aunt coming here to relax for a little while be taking advantage, Trent?”

My neck swung back. “Maaaaan, listen,” I breathed. “You are the biggest alpha female in that lil petite frame. You ain’t letting no woman come in here, cooking in your kitchen, J.”

Her forehead creased as she shook her head. “No, I won’t. But if she’s here, under the guise of R&R, she wouldn’t have to lift a finger. She could actually help me finalize my plans for the patio.” She flashed a fake smile.

“J.”

“It’s settled,” she quickly decided and turned back around to lay on me again. Jade hummed. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“Me, too.”

You gots no idea…

I enjoyed kicking it with the young kids, but hated being away from Jade and Ky. That had been bothering me.

“Thanks for letting me come to the meeting with you last night. Larry seems really excited to be working with you again.”

“Yeah.” I let out a breath, cupping water in my hand to pour over her shoulder. “Larry’s cool peoples. I’m just glad you held yourself together with Sylvia.”

Her neck swung over her shoulder as she looked up at me. “I’m not that bad.” When my eyes blew the hell up, she spoke louder. “Not anymore! I’m working on myself, Trent. I have too much to lose.” Her eyes fell and she bit her bottom lip.

“What’s that about?” I asked about her quick mood change.

She shook her head, the back of it to me now. “I know this is going to be hard—it’s been hard. You’re a high-profile celebrity. An athlete with a publicized, decorated scorecard, and personal life.”

Jade with her “decorated” words…

“Here we go,” I hummed lowly.

“Yeah. Here we go. You weren’t here when those flowers, undergarments, and fruit baskets were delivered from your old bedroom squad.”

“Jade, it wasn’t that serious; just a…coincidence.”

She swiveled back to me so fast, the water shifted. “A coincidence that six of your former lovers, who also happen to be celebrities—two of which, I’m a fan—sent you congratulatory gestures within days of each other? For a Super Bowl you lost? You admitted to sleeping with all of them.”

My eyes rolled to the ceiling.

Why did I cop to that?

“Let it go, J.”

“I did—am,” she corrected. “I knew it would be hard marrying a famous man.” I groaned. “Especially after that Brielle fiasco—”

“Jade!”

“I got into a fight with my mother last night.” I automatically pouted at that quick change in subject.

“I was able to make that out, shawtie,” I teased.

Jade shook her head and pulled her knees to her chin. “No. It was pretty bad.”

“How bad?”

“Shades of my teenage years, bad.” I didn’t respond. “I told her she wouldn’t be spending time with Ky anymore.”

“All because she caught us in the truck?”

“It’s more than that with her. It’s about control.” She shook her head again then turned to face me. “I can’t give her that anymore. I don’t need her leash on me. I need her to contribute to my son’s life—only as a grandparent, not a co-parent.” Tears welled in her eyes and her chin shuddered. “And you know the worse part?”

“What?” I stroked her cheek, upset that she was upset. Heated that there was nothing I could do to better the situation. To fix it for her.

“I’m mad at myself for allowing her to hurt me again.” Her voice cracked similar to April’s earlier at the hospital.

My damn stomach jumped. More than anything, it was because I’d been feeling the same about my moms. I thought she couldn’t get to me anymore. I realized this was one of the strongest connections Jade and I had: mommy issues. But it was common for women to have with their moms. They were women, dealing with female issues. It was not cool for a grown ass man like me to be hurt by his mother. Plus, Jade was strong. A fighter.

She never take flack from nobody. 

But here my little one was, sloping like a kid herself because her moms wanted to keep her that way.

Nah… Not my Jade.

“C’mere, baby.” I pulled her into me and wrapped her in my arms. Jade didn’t hesitate straddling me and wrapping her arms around my shoulders. “You’re perfect to me and for me. Okay?” She nodded against my shoulders, sniffling back a cry.

The cry I wouldn’t dare let out in front of my wife and stepson. I couldn’t. I’d have to find a way to shake the hold Brenda Bailey still had on me. The one she didn’t want and never earned.