One Month Later
Zora
My final decision was based on many things and one of those included my need to stay in Philadelphia. I also wanted to be a part of a growing franchise where I could grow as well and have autonomy. It also allowed me to bring my whole coaching staff and eight of my players with me. A good majority of the rest of them were recruited to play for other professional teams and that was our goal. The other reason, was I wanted to be close to home. Which included Harvey.
He knew it but kept telling me if I wanted the Liberty to take them as well. New York was great, but I liked the fact Philadelphia was not as fast and I had more ties here in the city. Therefore, starting the next season, I was the Head Coach of the Philadelphia Rage and Sasha and Justine were by my side. Joyce, Shaw, Christy, Monique, Hightower and Shawn were signed, and we began to build and grow from our humble beginnings.
The other teams did not take us seriously at first, since Rage was obsolete but when we started working harder on the court, they were forced to recognize and respect us. The old coach for the Liberty came to me after a game we lost to her new team and said, “Told you, we would see each other in a different arena.”
I laughed, and she gave me a big hug.
“Glad you made it.” She smiled.
“Don’t speak so soon. We plan to beat you the next time we meet.” I warned her.
“I’d expect nothing less.” She smiled, and we went to our prospective lockers.
Six Months Later
Harvey
“Sweetheart,” I whispered. “Don’t give a fuck how you marry me. Just walk down the goddamn aisle and say you’ll be mine forever.”
Zora slapped my chest, then pulled my beard to bring my mouth to hers.
“Shhh, and kiss me.” Zora breathed against my lips.
The night before our wedding day and we were supposed to go our separate ways to the bachelor and bachelorette parties. Neither of us were trying to go and wishing we could find a way out of it. Zora had just suggested we sneak out the back and go to Vegas. I honestly didn’t give a damn how we got married, I just wanted my partner to be by my side, forever.
“Come on you two.” Justine banged on the bathroom door. “Tomorrow you’ll have time to get nasty. Now, it’s time to have some fun.”
She kept banging on the door and I swear I growled.
“Come on,” Zora whined. “They’ll kill us if we don’t do this.”
Shit.
“No strippers. Don’t touch anyone’s dick or their bouncing pecs. No lap dances and the only lips that touch any part of your body is mine. Got it?” I told her.
Knowing damn well, Zora wouldn’t give me the same warning because she didn’t get jealous, like ever and she trusted me. I trusted her, but I also saw the dress she has on, so I trust no man.
“Got it, Harvey.” She kissed me one last time. “Let’s go.”
***
The next day, she agreed to love and cherish me until death did us part. We postponed our honeymoon because I received an offer of a lifetime. It was my next move. Zora, and I weighed the pros and cons, then I made the decision to be the owner of the Philadelphia Titans. A professional men’s basketball team in the National Basketball Association. My tenure and transformation of the Warriors caught some onlookers and even my dedication to developing well-rounded players, thanks to Zora’s leading, I was spotlighted and an offer was made, that we couldn’t refuse.
Zora was my partner, my mate and my friend. One snippy reporter asked me what about Zora attracted me to her?
I answered, “It’s her quiet confidence. She has nothing to prove. The woman has a code she explains to no one and doesn't care what anyone thinks about it. My ability to see the beauty that reaches, beyond how good she looks. But, to have it match the brain and heart of her. That’s a jackpot. I don’t need to be a genius to know that. I’m just glad I got there first and I’m never giving her up.”
She gave a wry smile and said, “You sound a little possessive.”
I nodded my head and said, “When you know what you’ve got, you know the time and hard work it took to get it. You tend to be possessive.”
That concluded my interview. If the interviewer didn’t have anyone being possessive over her, I could give fuck about her judgments.
Two Years Later
Harvey
I was sitting behind the Rage’s bench as Zora paced up and down the sidelines of the court holding her stomach.
“We’re not here to play with them, Shawn. We came to do something, now do it!” She was yelling and clutching her stomach.
Fuck this.
“Joyce, get your head in the goddamn game,” Zora yelled. “They need your leadership.”
I was right behind her, when I told her, “Call a timeout.”
“Harvey, what are you—”
“Call a damn timeout now,” I snapped and put my hand on my very pregnant wife’s stomach.
“Shit,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “Timeout.”
Both of her hands went up to form a T.
“Justine,” I called. “Sasha.”
“Yeah?” Justine came to the huddle as the Rage players ran to the sideline.
“You’re coaching. Zora’s going to the hospital because she’s having contractions.” I told them as they all gasped.
“I can talk, Harvey,” Zora snapped back at me, then looked to the team. “Y’all need to keep your heads. You can win this game. They are not better than…” She winced. “You. Okay? Shawn, take charge. You too, Hightower and get their big people in foul trouble. Strategize.”
“Okay, Coach,” someone yelled.
I dipped to pick up Zora and put her in my arms.
“Good luck, y’all,” I said as I carried my wife to the ambulance waiting outside. “Let’s go, Honey.”
The crowd began to clap as I carried her off the court. Shit, then it turned into a standing ovation, before the commentator came over the speaker and said, “It appears Coach Zora Black is off to have a baby. Wishing you the best of luck. Rage has the ball, it’s ten minutes in the first half.”
Two hours later, little Miss Regina Black was born with a head full of curly hair, caramel complexion and her mother’s eyes. It was a high-risk pregnancy since Zora was in her late thirties but she was fine. Coaching through the playoffs while having contractions. I swear, she deserved a red ass for that shit.
The entire team showed up with gifts that filled the room. Rage had won that game, which put them in the championship game to be played the next week. Zora thought she would be able to make that game. When the team couldn’t convince her not to, I had to step in and tell her no. There wasn’t much fighting about it. She knew, even if she put the team before her health, I always put her before anything.
While she recovered at home, holding little Regina, we watched the Lady Rage win the National Championship with Joyce winning the Most Valuable Player award. Every member of the team, found a camera and said, “This is for you Coach Zora. This is for you.”
Tears pooled in her eyes as she witnessed just what working hard meant. She led by example and everybody, including me, had no choice but to follow.
I kissed her tears, put the baby in her crib and carried my lady to bed, where she wept but for good reasons. Everything she wanted, she achieved. Including giving me everything I needed.
Which was her.
The End.
Dear Reader, I hope you enjoyed Take A Knee as much as I enjoyed writing it. Love these two. What did it bring up for you? How do you feel about everything? Tell me in a review. I’d love to hear from you.
Also, check out my latest release, Hazard in Paige Tyler’s Dallas Fire & Rescue Kindle World. Keep flipping to read Chapter 1.