~Nine

“She can’t get enough of you,” was whispered from next to me.

My eyes were still ahead on Kyree, talking to his great aunt. We’d been here for over an hour, and he seemed to have talked with more adults than children. He even walked his one year old baby cousin, Jaquan, around the party by holding his hands in the air.

I turned toward Lakisa, Ryshon’s first baby’s mother, and followed her line of sight across the hall. Shontel, baby’s mother number four, had just diverted her eyes away from me. It was of no surprise. She’d been doing it since Ky and I walked through the door with pans of dessert in hand.

“She has nothing to worry about. I don’t want no trouble.” I turned to Lakisa.

Shontel and I had come to physical blows in the past, needing to be pulled apart behind Ryshon’s immature antics. Our kids were close in age, making it obvious how Ryshon bounced between our beds frequently. All night, I refused to give her a reason to believe I had any animosity toward her. I didn’t even want to be here. This was a true “mommy duties” assignment.

I’d never been exclusively around Lakisa this long. She was pleasant. Always pleasant. She had even pulled me aside at one “Welcome Home” party of Ryshon’s, aka Ryder, and told me I needed to stop playing myself over him with his other women.

“You fighting these chicken head-ass girls ain’t gonna keep them from coming. It’s him; not them. You need to do better,” she warned.

The “normal Jade” back then would’ve popped off on her for even suggesting Ryshon would keep cheating. But Lakisa was older, pretty, now educated, and most importantly, had moved on from Ryshon years ago. Their daughter, Adeline, was a couple of years older than Kyree. Lakisa was older than Ryshon when they met in high school, and he had been young when he conceived his first child, their daughter. The reason I didn’t snap on her or perceive her as a threat back then was because I could never see how she fell for him in the first place. She seemed way out of his league.

Lakisa’s brows met and her eyes dropped down to the plate she was eating from over her lap. She appeared to have been choosing her words.

“I think that’s what she’s trying to figure out. You haven’t been near Ryder, unless he’s over here offering you a shot. And you’ve been away from Renee, the queen bee. People ain’t used to that.”

I took a deep breath, sinking further into my chair, trying to get comfortable on the metal seat. After checking my phone for the time, I placed my uneaten plate on my lap.

“Well, they can get with it. I’m only here for my son, and it’s all about to end in about fifteen minutes.”

Lakisa snickered, then went back to eating.

I was surprised to see baby’s mother three, Tanya, wasn’t here tonight. Last I heard, she was vying for the number one slot of Ryshon’s attention.

“Where’s Tanya? Did I miss her?” I asked Lakisa.

Maybe she had come earlier, before Ky and I arrived.

“Girl, Tanya got a new man now! An old Trinidadian one. He got her ass on lock, too. I don’t think Ryshon’s seen her since he’s been home. Big Renee said Tanya dropped their lil girl off to her house for her father, and ran back to the big ass Caddy her old man brought them in before Big Renee could say hi.” Lakisa cracked up.

I scoffed. “Well, at least that leaves one less person Shontel has to compete with.”

“I know that’s right.” She laughed again. “So, you heard about the new house he bought her?”

“Who bought who a house?” I was genuinely confused.

“Ryder,” Lakisa spoke low. “He bought Shontel a flip house two years ago in Irvington. Well, it’s in her uncle’s name because you know she ain’t got no job. Her uncle flip houses around the way and he and Ryshon worked out a fixer upper.”

With my lips poked dumbfounded, I swung my neck. This was news to me. I hadn’t been in touch with Renee. She didn’t seem to be much interested in Ky after Ryshon had gone to prison this last time, so I backed off. It was during that period when things began to click for me. I’d started to grow up.

“Yup,” Lakisa continued, her eye perusing the room as she shared. “I think like seventy-thousand, that house was. Her uncle paid about fifty for it and fixed it up for twenty. They moved into a practically new house.”

“How do you know this?” I asked casually as I added up the time in the back of my mind.

“Girl, you know Renee run her mouth. I don’t even get down with her like that, but any time I bring Adeline around, Renee fills me in on everything.”

“When did you say he bought the house?”

“It’s been almost two years now. Remember that summer big Renee’s brother died?”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. She told me that week ‘cause I called her to give my condolences.”

Ryshon’s uncle had been in hospice for years. I recalled his death. It was the year I began getting those eviction notices. I was so swamped in stress, I forgot to take Ky to see Renee when her brother passed. It was the year I lost my apartment.

That motherfuck—

“You must be ready to go. You ain’t even eat.” Lakisa’s eyes were amused.

I glanced down at Renee’s barbeque Swedish meatballs, an old favorite of mine. I had no appetite. I was tired, had been at it since early this morning, taking a conference call with Ase Garb for the L.I.A. endorsement. Then I had to hurry and put the final touches on April’s room: a lamp and aromatherapy candles I settled on earlier this week, and fresh flowers in the perfect clear vase. Not to mention the unpacking, sorting, and washing Trent’s laundry from the week I did before April arrived today. Then I had to finish and pack up the desserts for this party, at a local community room. I was tuckered out. The last thing I needed was a confrontation with Shontel…or even Renee’s food. Even better, the last thing I needed to discover was how Ryshon paid tens of thousands of dollars to purchase a home for his daughters when his son was evicted. Suddenly, the thought of eating it made me turn up my nose in disgust.

“I’m just tired. Had a long day.” My eyes scanned the room for Kyree and they brushed against Shontel’s, whose were directly on me.

Oh, when will this stop!

“You’ve been busy.” Lakisa smirked. “I see you with Zoey Rogers and them. I follow everybody on IG. StentRo posted that group picture with you, him, his wife, and TB at Alton Alston’s party.” I hardly recalled taking a picture with them. We were in our own zone in V.I.P. that night. But I did loosen up after a couple of shots there…

Ugh… I got tipsy at that party. What if I’m pregnant and was drinking all this time?

“My sister crushes on Jordan Johnson so bad! She’s such a damn stalker: she follows whatever girls she think he’s dating.” My eyes widened and I laughed, momentarily forgetting what could have been Ryshon’s biggest betrayal. “Seriously! Strippers and all! She sent me a picture of him at Alton Alston’s party with you in the background. She was psyched, thinking she ‘knew’ somebody!” We were both tickled by that one.

“Too funny.”

I wouldn’t divulge my time with Trent and his friends to Lakisa, but I trusted her to not even ask. I could understand the curiosity, but expected people to respect my privacy. Trent was private.

“That’s how I found out you were with TB. She texted me that video of you dancing on him in the club in Connecticut last year because she was stalking Jordan. Then she sent me the shots of you and him on that yacht.”

My amusement waned. The memories of invasions from that event were sharp.

“Mommy!” Ky ran up to me. “Daddy said I could stay the night with my sisters if I want.”

He was as excited as a kid on a Ferris wheel.

I sat up in my seat and caught Ryshon across the room, sitting with Shontel now. Someone grabbed his shoulder to get his attention. It was Little X, his old friend. I swallowed hard. The two greeted each other familiarly, and Little X took off. Ryshon began whispering something to Shontel while watching Kyree and me. There was mischief in his eyes. I knew it, but didn’t have time to figure out what it meant.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. You and little Renee or Karma don’t get along.”

Kyree and his sisters fought constantly. Lakisa’s daughter, Adeline, was at that funky stage where she needed distinction from her brother’s “young” age. She always wanted to be the “big” girl. Lakisa stayed on her regularly about how she practically ignored her brother and was rude to him. Hopefully, she’d grow out of it. Shontel’s oldest daughter—Renee also, named after Ryshon’s mother—taunted Kyree. She and her sister, Karma, were younger than Kyree—too young to have such strong feelings against a kid. I had an inkling their mother was feeding them poison about my son as soon as they were old enough to understand. Tanya’s daughter, Nevaeh—heaven spelled backward—was just a few months younger than little Renee. There was major drama behind those births. Nevaeh often fought with Ky, too. It was something I never understood.

Suddenly, little Renee walked up on us.

“He said y’all new house better than ours! I told him it ain’t. We got a new house. It’s our house. Not that little place where we was with my great-grumma. My mommy got a house. My daddy bought it for us!”

My face opened up in shock and bemusement. I hadn’t seen little Renee in close to three years. She’d grown so much and had always been very pretty. Back then, she’d only roll her eyes at me. Yeah… A little girl—practically a baby—rolling her eyes at an adult. I believed Kyree was targeted because he was Ryshon’s only son. Ryshon put a lot of emphasis on wanting only one child, and a son at that. I don’t think Shontel liked that; so much so, she got pregnant by him again a month after little Renee, but produced another girl.

Now her oldest was here telling me she had a house. A house her Daddy bought her. The house Lakisa had just told me about.

My eyes skirted over to Lakisa, who dropped hers to her plate as she fought a snicker.

Needing to break this confrontation, I addressed the kids.

“KyKy, maybe their house is bigger than where we live.”

I hated formulating my words that way, because Trent had gone out of his way to convince Kyree and me his home was ours. My words felt like betrayal.

“Nu-uhn!” Kyree argued. “She ain’t got no gate. She ain’t got three garages. No gym, no pool, a bowling alley—”

“You see how he lie?” Little Renee charged animatedly.

“Girl, I ain’t lying!”

From her perspective, I could see how unbelievable that was.

“Hey!” I tried intervening. “Hey! Ky, you haven’t been to ther house. Maybe it is bigger. You don’t have to argue about it.”

“Maybe he can come over and stay the night to see for hisself.” I glanced up and saw Shontel standing over us, one hand on her hip and her head cocked to the side. She was still small; possibly a size four. But Shontel had a bit of height on her. She still wore cheap, store-bought weaves and had an acne problem. But she wasn’t a bad looking girl. Tonight, she appeared heavily preoccupied in the mind. “NeNe and Karma got they own rooms now. It’s enough space for him.”

My neck jerked back and eyes ballooned. She’s acknowledging Kyree? Shontel may not have referred to him by name, but she gave him an invitation. Unfortunately, I knew the motivation for it. She had a new place and wanted to show it off. Rub it in our faces.

The old Jade…

Instead, I dropped my shoulders and took a deep breath. After a beat, I peered up to her again.

“Thanks so much for the invite, Shontel. Hopefully, we can schedule a playdate with Kyree and the girls.”

“He can’t sleep in my bed. I ‘on’t want him peeing in there, and junk!” Little Renee popped back on her hip.

Kyree dropped into the seat next to me with slumped shoulders, defeated. I wanted so bad to put that little girl in her place, but a bigger part of me just wanted to leave this place unruffled.

I swung my eyes from a pouting Kyree, up to Shontel, wondering if she’d correct her daughter this time.

“Oh, shut the hell up, Ne! Ya Daddy’ll just buy a new one like he did when he bought us the house.” She turned to me and threw a glance over to Lakisa, who followed this exchange. “We been in there since two summers ago.”

“Oh.” My eyes brushed over to Lakisa, fighting a grin. “Congratulations. That’s an incredible accomplishment.”

Shontel’s eyes glossed over. Not only was she not expecting courtesy, she couldn’t follow basic vocabulary.

She switched hips. Lakisa snorted a laugh. I was so not in the mood.

My phone vibrated on my lap.

Trent: Yall good?

I quickly replied.

Me: I guess.

“I’m just saying: he could come over,” Shontel couldn’t help the crossness in her tone.

She was trying me. This was when I was supposed to retort with a fuck you or some equivalent to it.

Oh, my god!

It had suddenly hit me. Was I that programmed and prone to confrontation?

Trent: I’m home. Time for you to come home too

My face tightened in thought. He was unusually demanding. And that was what I needed. Out of nowhere, I was reminded of a scripture: “when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

What passage is that?

I couldn’t think, but it didn’t matter. A coat of peace washed over me, and before I knew it, my body began to move.

“Okay. Thanks, Shontel!” I forced a smile while turning for Ky. “Come on, baby. It’s late and we have to get up for church tomorrow.” Still with a pout, Kyree obeyed, standing and taking my hand. “Lakisa, it’s been good talking to you.”

“You, too, Jade!” Lakisa smiled with amused eyes. “You take care.”

My regard went between the two women. “Maybe we’ll see you next weekend at Ky’s party.” I had Kyree hand them invitations when we arrived.

Shontel didn’t respond. She walked away rudely. I didn’t care. I’d finally had my fill of this circle, and my husband had summoned me home.

Home.

In motion, I murmured down to KyKy, “Go look for your Dad and grandma, and tell them goodnight. I’ll wait for you by the door.”

Ky took off and I watched him all the way until I made it to the door while I put on my coat. By that time, he’d found his grandmother. I stepped outside needing air and decided to wait for him there. He couldn’t miss me. It was cold out, but the wind wasn’t brutal. I took a deep breath. My phone buzzed again. This time, it was Lashawn.

Shawnie: Wutz the name of that mac brush u use for your liquid foundation

I scoffed. Shawnie was too cheap to buy MAC brushes. She preferred drugstore brands. I’d just convinced her to not use all of their products and to visit Sephora more often.

Me: It’s 107. When you going to buy it? I’m coming with.

I laughed at myself, teasing her. I knew once she saw the price she’d change her mind. But all talks of makeup, nails, and hair secretly excited me like nothing else.

Well… Except for watching Trent over my shoulder when he’s hitting it from the back. …with his hat on. Oh, my gawd!

I felt my cheeks heating at the visual. My hand went to my lower face as I giggled quietly to myself. It was sick for me to be aroused in the parking lot with mere thoughts of my husband.

“That nigga got you cheesin’ like that?”

My head swung up and I caught Ryshon putting out a blunt and making his way over to me. I was stunned into a stupor.

“He—hey,” I tried over a deep breath, my thumb pointing behind me. “I’m just waiting on Ky to say goodnight. He’s probably in there looking for you now.”

Ryshon’s lazy eyes brushed from my shoes up to my mouth. “Yeah?”

With ballooned eyes, I answered, “Yeah.”

“Yo, peep this,” he started then licked his lips, “I know we been bumping heads since I been home, but I want you to know I got mad respect for you. It’s just…” He tried bowing his head and swiping his nose as though his words were difficult to speak. “I thought me and you was gone be together forever. I expected to come home and be right back with you and Ky. I ain’t expect you to give it to another nigga.”

My face opened up. “Give it?” My mouth formed a “wow” gesture. The word I couldn’t speak.

“Yeah. The more I think about it, I guess I could understand you getting lonely out here without me. But I think you shoulda got with a nigga more appropriate. You know: a regular Joe you could shake real quick.”

“According to you, this one is going to shake me soon.” I was being cheeky, I knew it. My face was placid and voice low. But I couldn’t help myself.

“Yeah. But you better than that anyway.” Ryshon attempted a soothing tone. He was trying to coax me. “You know you was always special, Jadee. That’s how I fell in love witchu. You was smart and sexy as fucky. Ya body stayed lit.” His curled index brushed against my thigh.

Reflexively, I backed out of his reach, hitting the brick building behind me.

“Don’t—”

The door burst open.

“Mommy—” Ky’s words were halted when he recognized his father and me right next to him. “Oh.”

“Come on, baby. It’s late.” I grabbed his hand and moved past Ryshon.

“But wait…” Ky tried.

“He can’t say bye to his old man?” Ryshon spoke concurrently.

I stopped and dropped Ky’s hand, my face falling and an exasperated breath leaving me. I didn’t turn around to watch the pair exchange pleasantries. I was ready to go. In no time, Ky was back at my side, grabbing my hand. I began my stride to the truck.

“Aye!” Ryshon called out. I tossed my chin over my shoulder. “You know I was just talking shit the other day. If you ever need anything, just call, yo. The block lit right now. I got you.”

“Like you had me back in 2015 when you bought Shontel and her girls a house?”

His neck snapped back as though offended.

“Yo, that was between me and her. What goes on between me and you is our business.”

My head rolled. “What was between us was an eviction.”

A slick smile formed under his chinky eyes, high from weed. “Yeah. I fucked up. But what’s between us now?”

I lifted my clasped hand over Kyree’s. “Just him. Only him.”

Then I turned and continued to the truck. I had to be on high alert to make sure we got there safely. Of course, this wasn’t something Ryshon thought to do. After getting in and making sure Ky was strapped in and with his device, I pulled off for Alpine. The drive home was quiet. I didn’t want to discuss the party with my son, something I normally would to see how he was feeling. I was too preoccupied settling with my own feelings of the night.

I didn’t hate Ryshon. I really didn’t. I just struggled to understand his love for his son and respect for me. But I tried being objective. Ryshon hadn’t changed. I had. Just as I was struggling to understand him, I bet he was trying to figure out the new me. Before this last bid in prison, I would’ve melted at the prospect of his attention. I craved approval, believing it was love.

In all honesty, I didn’t really understand my transformation over the years. Didn’t get how I’d evolved from the old Jade, but I had. I didn’t crave approval like I used to. I now worked to create a life for two incredible human beings to thrive and be all they were born to be. Kyree and Trent were amazing individuals and all I wanted to do was push and polish them for the world to be blessed by.

My hand dropped to my belly absentmindedly.

How can I make room for another?

How was I going to acclimate Ryshon to a life where I was no longer physically or emotionally available to him for manipulation? Kyree’s party was quickly approaching and I gave in to Trent’s adamance of having it at his mansion where Ryshon would be welcome to come and bring his other children. I was meeting with a wedding coordinator on Tuesday and seeing a GYN on Thursday for a possible pregnancy…all before my son’s birthday party. Oh, and I couldn’t forget hosting Trent’s grieving aunt. How was I going to hold it all together if I was indeed pregnant?

We pulled up to the house and I rolled down the window to punch in the code. The gates opened and I drove around, crossing the front of the house for the garages. I reached up and tapped the remote to open the one I used then waited for it to open. As the door retracted, I saw ankles then hairy muscular legs. Eventually, I made out purple basketball shorts as he leaned casually in the doorjamb with his inked arms crossed, waiting.

I pulled the truck in and parked. Before I killed the engine, Trent was at the back, opening the door to lift a sleeping Kyree out of the truck. I tapped the remote to close the garage door and made my way into the house. En route, Trent grabbed my bag and motioned for me to go ahead of him. I dropped my coat off by the laundry room and took the back stairs up. We quietly passed April’s closed door before making it to Ky’s room. Trent was on my heels and lay Kyree’s dead weight onto his bed. I began removing his coat and clothes, replacing them with his pajamas. Then I managed to get him underneath his comforter. Crouched over the side of his bed, I observed my son as I often did while he slept. I whispered a few lines of prayer over him then kissed his soft cheek.

When I moved to leave the room, I found Trent’s imposing frame at the door, waiting with crossed arms and ankles. He didn’t have my bag and Kyree’s coat was no longer on the floor where I’d dropped it. Trent asked for my hand with his own and led me down the hall to the master suit. He closed the door behind us and moved me to the middle of the floor and dutifully undressed me in silence. His eyes were busy at task, but there was no seduction to this act, I could tell. As he was pulling down my underwear, the last garment, he motioned for the bathroom.

The moment I was at the threshold, I could hear the water spraying from the shower. He’d started it for me. After relieving myself, I pinned my weave up and stepped under the steaming shooting water. With closed eyes, I tossed my head back and let the rush of the spring pound against my neck and cascade all around.

Wedding planning…

My mother’s out…

Trent’s youth football camp endeavors…

Doctor’s on Thursday…

Trent’s photoshoot next week…

Shontel and Ryshon in Trent’s home…

Being pregnant…

April’s comfort…

Kyree’s upcoming science project…

Seeing Little X…

Ryshon’s manipulative lengths…

The Gucci and Ase Garb contracts…

A baby…

Feeling weak at the knees I backed up to the bench off the shower wall and I sat down to catch my breath. A well of tears shot from my eyes and I cried into my palms, fighting desperately to keep the wails low. Failure. A familiar foe. It was encroaching again. In my new world. The one I wanted so badly. The life I couldn’t even dream of because my mind had been so polluted with fast living and engaging with people who didn’t know how to dream.

God had given me more than I had even imagined and I screwed it up with poor decisions that were catching up to me and a possible pregnancy I could have easily prevented. My shoulders vibrated and diaphragm danced furiously. I cried until I told myself to stop. It was counterproductive. I had to perform, not pity myself. Solutions wouldn’t come through tears. I had to move until they arrived.

I stood from the bench and washed. When I was done, I left the shower and brushed my teeth before drying off and throwing on one of Trent’s t-shirts. I opened the door to find him in the bed, on his iPad. He glanced over at me then yanked the comforter on my side of the bed open, inviting me in. I toed across the room and crawled into bed. Trent placed his device on the nightstand and snuggled with me, pulling me into his hard frame.

“How did it go?”

My face hardened and I swallowed hard. I was exhausted, body throbbing with fatigue. There was no way I could give him an honest answer. I didn’t have it in me to open that can of worms.

“That scripture that speaks about God providing an escape when you’re tempted; which one is that?” I murmured, my eyes bouncing around one side of the room curiously.

Trent didn’t answer right away, but I knew he was considering it.

His thick chords vibrated, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Yes! That’s the one!

It never failed to impress me how Trent was able to retain so many Bible verses and apply them to life.

“First Corinthians, Chapter ten Verse thirteen. Why?”

I relaxed into his arms finding comfort. “That was how it went tonight,” I whispered. “God provided an escape.”

“How?”

“You.” That was it. It was a multifaceted answer, but true. “You.” I reached over and kissed his soft lips to end the conversation.

I shared what he needed to know.

“So we need to stick to May?” Tessie Bell asked, her eyes shot up from her writing pad and landed on Jade.

So did mine.

Jade hesitated. She looked over to me as I stood by the window peeping at people passing in the city. I pulled at my beard, waiting on her.

Again…

Jade licked her lips. “Sure—yeah. Yeah. May.” Her long lashes fluttered and swung away from me.

Tessie’s confused eyes rolled over to me. Jade had been doing this since we got here at DiFillippo’s over an hour ago for this meeting with the wedding planner. Each time we needed to make a decision, she froze. I had to push her to make a selection—we had loads of them. I ain’t know jack about planning a wedding. Couldn’t pick out a flower to save my life. Didn’t know materials to place on the chairs and tables or if white doves were necessary or ice sculptures versus a waterfall with our name cascading. These were things Jade did know about and could decide on for us. But her head wasn’t in the game.

The one thing Jade and I were able to agree on was no engagement party. I wasn’t with spending money for that, especially since we were already married.

Tessie smiled big. “Any particular time of the month? Memorial Day weddings are growing popular.” Her eyes went between the two of us in the private room.

“The twentieth.” I snapped.

Jade and Tessie both jumped in their seats.

“Oh!” Tessie chirped, jotting it down on her pad.

Jade, next to her, threw me wild eyes. Why? Somebody had to make the call. Why were we dancing around doing what we were paying this woman to fly out from West Hollywood to do?

I could rip her little ass a new one right now!

“Alright.” Tessie sat up in her chair, clearing her throat. “We have an afternoon wedding and evening reception. Approximately two hundred guests—no more than two hundred fifty. The ceremony will be in Harlem at Redeeming Souls for Abundant Living in Christ Family Worship Center. Pastor Ezra T. Carmichael will be the officiant. The wedding party will consist of no more than six members, including flower girl and ring bearer.” She looked up from her pad to make sure we were still with her.

I nodded. Jade chewed her lip.

My phone rang. Chesney’s number showed.

Damn…

“I gotta take this.” I held the phone in the air. Then I walked over to Jade, sitting next to Tessie at the table looking smaller than I’d ever seen her. I bent down to her ear. “You changed ya mind?” She shook her head. “Then play nice. You’re hurting my feelings.”

I heard her suck in air as I stood to walk off. She was stressed. Hell, so was I. Not knowing if she was pregnant was killing me. Some days, I wanted to push for a home test that every other woman took. But Jade had been so damn sensitive lately, I didn’t think it was a good idea for me to stress her out. I kept telling myself a few days of waiting wouldn’t kill me.

“Yo,” I answered the phone before I made it out the doorway.

“TB, it’s Pete. Chesney and I are on a conference call and we’ve included you.”

I knew this call would come sometime today. Pete, my agent, told me to expect it. He was here in New York City and Chesney was in his L.A. office this week.

“Whaddup, Ches.”

“All’s well on this end, Trent. I should be in New York in a couple of weeks. Let’s do lunch.”

“That’s what’s up.” I scratched my chin through my beard, watching a waiter breeze past me. “How’d it go?” I wanted to get right to it.

“Jackson Hunter just left my office happy about the settlement,” Pete started. “But you know I had to remind him of why he hired me.” He laughed. I chuckled more to myself. When Jackson started Love Is Action, the sports agency under Dynamic Branding, he recruited the top agents and product managers in the game. Pete was one of the O.G.s Jax snatched from bigger and more established firms. Funny how I read an article written about his genius right before Super Bowl. Jackson did the same thing when he formed L.I.T. Music, a record label lighting up the music industry in no time. Jackson was for no games. He was definitely going to leave a legacy, and even bigger than his pops’.

“Well, Trent, you know Eli and his team started off with fifty over five,” Chesney kicked it off.

“Yeah.” I scratched the back of my head and was reminded I needed a haircut.

“We came back with ninety-two over three,” Pete chimed in. “We knew they’d balk at that, but between our formidable argument and Cole Richardson being your new A.D.P.S., we had lots of ammunition.”

“Not to mention,” Chesney spoke up, “your current contingent contract.” He grunted. “The disgusting thing! You’ve proven you’re still the real deal.” His tone was firm, confident.

“So we settled on four years, seventy-seven million, with a twenty mill signing bonus, and thirty-eight million guaranteed.”

“What’s the base for year one?” I asked.

“Nine million,” Chesney quickly came back. His voice was easy to identify; he used like ten different tones and they all had their own personalities. “They’re tacking the big numbers at the end of the four-year period. Wise asses.”

“Protection against early release?”

“The first two years are guaranteed at nine million each. Also, TB, don’t forget the twenty you’ll get at signing.”

My team seemed to have once again secured the bag.

To God be the glory…

“Cool.” My eyes squeezed in relief I didn’t know I needed.

The Kings were the only family I knew, but my trust game was weak. I needed to know what would happen if they tried to release me before the full payout. The devil on my shoulder wanted to remind me of how much more this contract would have been had I not gotten locked up. I refused to go there. Overall, I was seeing real NFL money again.

“I’m sure warm pussy and endless Mauve is on your agenda tonight!” Pete cheered.

I chuckled, rubbing the back of my head. “Maybe after I hit my knees in prayer.”

Pete shouted, “Yes, my brother!”

“Speaking of Mauve,” Chesney spoke up. “I have a few investment ideas for you to consider, TB. Now with your portfolio swelling again, it is a great time to secure returns on your wealth.”

“True that. Ches, what’s up with that Athan’s yogurt endorsement?”

“I have the paperwork on my desk now. I want to return it, recommending small but key changes. The contract as is, isn’t fluid enough for my liking. Greeks can be impulsively aggressive, but their impatience will work in my favor. That should be settled by the end of the week.”

“That’s what’s up.” I eyed the door where Jade and the wedding planner were.

I was low key stressed about how Jade was getting on in there.

I took a deep breath, my eyes closing again. On the one hand, my heart overflowed with gratitude and joy for God providing. On the other, it was heavy with fear of losing my treasure. Jade. She was off, and there was no way I could celebrate without her.

“Yo, y’all did good. Again,” I made sure to emphasize. “I know I put us all at risk with my bullshit, but every time I’m on that field, I work hard to make sure we all eat. Y’all been good to me.” I placed my hand on my chest. “I can only hope to make you feel like you’re making good on your investments.”

Hell, Pete technically followed me to L.I.A. He knew it was a move I wanted to make and he took the opportunity on the strength of me. The nice sign-on bonus Hunter paid him didn’t hurt either.  

“My gratitude is with you, Trent,” Chesney came back with.

“You’re my brother, bro,” Pete spoke at the same time.

“A’ight. I’m in the middle of a meeting. I’ll hit y’all later.”

“Okay, TB.”

“All right,” Chesney agreed and I killed the call. 

My back hit the wall, out of the walkway of passing DiFillippo’s staff members, and I prayed words of gratitude. My worship was more than an act of religion, it was a working relationship with the Father. One that had intensified in my loneliest hours: in my empty home, in a jail cell. It was about that night before I turned myself in to the FEDs, when I cried so hard on the floor in my foyer. My greatest fear then was that it would be my last night in the crib in Alpine because I’d lose the house. I kept apologizing and begging Him to take the pain away. Instead, He did me one better: He walked me through the fire and restored me, for my testimony. Can’t tell people the goodness of Jesus and His power if you haven’t experienced it yourself.

I walked back into the private room with more swag in my step. Slowly, I opened one of the double doors blocked by a curtain and crept in quietly. Jade’s back was to me in her seat.

“Are you open to LaChateau in midtown Manhattan? They have several glorious ballrooms.” Tessie wasn’t looking at Jade while she tapped into her laptop.

There was an uncomfortable pause. Jade was hesitating.

“Would that force us to increase the budget?” she asked.

Tessie stopped typing and looked over to my wife, who seemed so small in that chair. She took off her glasses and shifted closer toward Jade with a friendly smile.

“As your planner, it’s my job to protect your best interest for your big day. The day you’ll express your love to Mr. Bailey in your own special way.” She paused, deepening her smile.

“I understand, and thank you. It’s just that my hus—fiancé conducts his financial affairs prudentially. His admin team calls him cheap, but I don’t mind adhering to it.”

Cheap?

I wanted to laugh my ass off.

“Two hundred thousand dollars is very generous, if I may say so myself.” Tessie’s smile didn’t fade. “There’s so much we can do with that.”

“Like LaChateau?”

“Of course, and without cutting corners. Your guest list spares us that. Also, the two of you are forgoing an engagement party.” Her hand pushed over and covered Jade’s. “You and Mr. Bailey are going to have the most splendid wedding day, I assure you.”

“Wow!” Jade blew out almost in a whisper. “My mother worships LaChateau. She wanted to marry my stepfather there, but learned it was way beyond their price range. He’s a corporate attorney! I heard her tell a friend she could only wish I’d have my wedding at a place half as elegant.” I saw her head bounce back in the chair and she giggled. “You’re telling me I can possibly have my reception there?”

Tessie nodded with big eyes. After trying to convince her with a kind touch and warm smile, Tessie went back to her laptop. “Now, your wedding gown. Do you have one or would you like for me to assist with that?”

Another pause.

This time, I could see Jade’s shoulder and arm move. I could easily guess her hand moved to her belly.

She’s thinking about being pregnant… 

“I had something in mind. Something my mother sent me just before Christmas. Circumstances being what they are, I don’t know if it’s still appropriate.” Shit. “If it’s not, I’ll need assistance in finding a reasonably priced one. I’ll have a definitive answer for that soon.”

I felt my face getting hard.

Chéri…

She kept mentioning Chéri.

Fuck…

I need to talk to Chéri to help get my wife’s head back in the game. The pregnancy—if it’s true—I can’t control. These two beefing, I can damn sure try to get that right.

I stepped further into the room. Tessie saw me approaching, on my way to the chair next to Jade.

“Oh! You’re back.” Her tone was cool and pleasant as it had been since we started. She went to close her laptop and pack up her things. “I’m sure you’ll be happy to know we’re done. I have everything I need to get started.” I took Jade by the hand. “I’ll arrange the conference call in two weeks. Jade and I have set the date already, and I’ll have all the preliminaries of today settled by then. After that, we can move on to the smaller details of the ceremony and reception. And then we’ll take it from there.”

Jade looked at me as I gripped her hand. I didn’t speak. Had lots of stuff to say, but wasn’t sure about what should come first. Tessie was all packed up and standing to go in no time. We stood to thank her and say goodbye, then she left out of the private room.

I took my seat again and pulled at her arm for her to sit, too.

“Little one, you know we’re partners. Right?”

“Yeah.” I could see her throat as she swallowed.

“You know what you go through, I go through. Right?” She nodded. “That’s what marriage is all about. God ordained two people to share the burden. There’re some things as a man, I gotta carry alone. But as your man, when it comes down to anything you’re going through—even if it’s about Ky—I’m here for you. You can come to me. I’m here to protect you and help you figure it out.”

She nodded while staring me straight in the eyes. I could see the tears rimming, but she didn’t let them fall. They disappeared even quicker.

Out of nowhere, she sniffled. “Okay. We have to go.” Jade turned to grab her coat and bag.

And I knew she was shutting the conversation down. I waited for her to get her things together then followed her out of the room. I waited for her little feet in heels as we passed through the restaurant’s main dining room. My head was spinning. I didn’t know how we’d get through the next two days.

She slowed for me to come to her side. “When was the last time you spoke to Trick?” Her amber eyes stayed on me for an answer.

Where’d that come from?

My mind went back to the hospital, a couple of weeks back. There was no way I was going to cop to that. I wasn’t ready.

“It’s been a minute.”

We made it up to the hostess desk. “I think you should reach out to him.” My eyes blew up as I tried keeping pace with her little legs. “With all this talk of the wedding, I think now is a good time.”

“Why?”

“The wedding makes me think about Shank and how we can honor him. I think one way is by you personally inviting Trick now that we have a date. Maybe that can initiate some kind of communication between you two to bring about reconciliation.”

We made our way out of the restaurant. A blonde haired girl recognized me and asked for a picture. After Jade said yes with her eyes, I took a few shots real quick. By that time, Tyheem had pulled up with the truck. That one yes had others realizing who I was. Eyes popped and minds were going. Soon, someone else would ask and that would hold us up. We were able to hop in the truck without trouble.

I helped Jade in and climbed in on the other side. Never agreeing or responding to her suggestion, I pulled her by the shoulder over to me and kissed her head. I may not have been down with reaching out to Trick, but I was happy to have a sign of my petite, bossy pit bull back.