“Good,” Ma said, putting her hand over mine. “Baby, I know you don’t like conflict. I know you try to see the good in people. But some people don’t deserve that grace. Especially when they’re putting your life in danger.”
“I’m going to handle it,” I said again, but this time I meant it. “Police report is filed. I’m getting my lawyer involved if I need to. Using my privilege and platform, all that. She’s not getting away with fuc… messing with me. Y’all please.”
Everyone stopped and looked at me. I didn’t come here to be hassled; that was just the truth. I appreciated the concern, but today had been a fuckin day from hell. This needing to be right could wait.
Pops nodded and was the first to speak. “Good. Now let’s talk about this firefighter.”
I almost choked on my greens. “What for? There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Don’t play dumb,” Omni said, grinning. “You know exactly why he’s saying that.”
“There’s a video going around,” Ma said gently. “Of you at the fire scene. With a woman in uniform jacking you up. Do we have a new problem?”
“It’s not a big deal. I wasn’t thinking tryna run in the crib, and she stopped me. Nothing to tell.”
“You sure?” Pops asked, eyes twinkling. “Because you looked like you enjoyed that ball of fire jacking you up.”
“Pops, you gossiping, too? I’m disappointed in you,” I said before looking to my sister and momma. “Now you two, I expected this from. Minding y’all business is like calculus. Difficult.”
“It ain’t no damn gossip, boy,” He fussed as he took a sip of his sweet tea. “I watched it. You were looking at her the same way I looked at your mama when we first met.”
“Oh Lord,” Omni muttered. “And I passed calculus so...”
I waved her off.
“It’s true!” Pops reached over and squeezed Ma’s hand. “Two decades later, and I still look at her like that. That’s my baby right there.”
Ma smiled, that soft look that came whenever Pops got romantic, which was often. “So who is she?”
I shrugged because what else was there to say? I didn’t know her, didn’t know if she’d give me the time of day, didn’t even know her first name. But I wanted to find out on my own terms.
“You don’t know?” Omni raised an eyebrow. “How you gonna be making eyes at somebody and don’t even know their name?”
“All I know is she’s the Lieutenant and her last name is Grant. Soon to be Bryns.” I flashed a quick smile.
Omni snickered. “Oh my God, please. Don’t tell me you’re in love, brother.”
“Nah, she shut me down, saved my house, and walked away.”
That still blew me away.
“And you’re thinking about marrying her,” Ma said, not making eye contact with me.
I put my fork down. “Honestly, I don’t know.”
It got quiet again. Not uncomfortable, just thoughtful. My family knew me better than anyone. I was going to do whatever I wanted. There was no need for speeches and long, drawn-out conversations. I’d always been in charge of my own life and destiny. I just needed my family to support me, not think for me, and especially not love for me.
Dinner shifted to different topics. Basketball. The restaurants. Omni’s new menu ideas. But I could feel them processing what I’d said, turning it over in their minds. Hell, it shocked me too. But there was something about this woman that made me think she could happily make me a husband and a father.
That fire was what I hadn’t found yet, well, not in a long damn time. And I wasn’t getting any younger. I spent years dealing with women who saw my stats before they saw me. Fake laughs, fake interest, fake everything. I knew bullshit when I saw it now because I'd been swimming in it. When you've had as much fake as I have, you recognize the real thing immediately.
“Just be careful and make good choices, Son.”
Later, I was on the back deck of my parents’ house, sipping on some Gentleman Jack while Omni smoked a blunt. This was our tradition when I was in town and had time to spare.
“You got lazy last game,” Omni said, leaning back and blowing smoke rings. “Robertson’s left ain’t got shit on yours, and you let him almost beat you. I almost disowned you.”
I smirked, shaking my head. “I hate that Pops taught you the game. But you’re right. I almost let that nigga get in my head.” My knee had me playing twice as hard, twice as sharp. I’d already paid my dues to this league—still one of the best players in the country. No rookie wet behind the ears was ever about to school me.
