“Thank you for coming to check on us and for making it better. I know you’re busy, and there were probably much better things you could have been doing today,” Ellie leaned her head on his shoulder. She knew he had paused his entire day to fix a heart he didn’t break, and it counted even more because the heart he had repaired was Tessa’s. His compassion and empathy revealed an emotional maturity that most men didn’tpossess.
“I’m where I want to be right now; don’t sweat it,” Loyal replied.
“We should head back,” she proposed.
The drive back was quiet. Tessa was worn out and slept the entire way, and Ellie was in her head. Still, there was a peace in the car that she appreciated. Loyal allowed her to be with her thoughts as he listened to the Pistons game play-by-play on XM.
“You’re probably the only Pistons fan left,”Ellie mumbled.“You and Papa.”
“Don’t do my niggas dirty like that. Look at the Lions. Thirty years of losses, and almost to the Super Bowl last year. Itain’t never too late to make a comeback, and I’m riding when they down. Iain’t like the bandwagon jumpers,” Loyal defended.
“I am impressed by your loyalty,” she stated sarcastically.“No pun intended.”
He chuckled.“The Pistons was my dad’s team. Can’t give up on‘em. I remember the Ben Wallace era,” he gloated.
“Oh my god, that was like 20 years ago!” she shouted, laughing.“Robertgon’have to choose a new team.”
“Not Robert, my biological dad,” Loyal corrected.
Ellie paused, noticing the inflection in his voice.“Oh,” she whispered.“Is he still alive?”
“I don’t know,” Loyal stated.“He suffers from schizophrenia, which led to addiction. He’s been on the streets my whole life. Robert adopted me when I was seven, but he’s been around since before I could remember. He was my mother’s social worker. Saw how we were living, saw the struggles she was going through with my dad, and saved us. He even tried to get my dad help, but that didn’t last long. He thinksthe medication is someone trying to poison him. He’s homeless. I used to ride my bike down to this hole-in-the-wall bar where he used to sweep up in the wintertime. They used to let him sleep in the basement if he worked for free. It kept him warm, and it gave me a place to go watch the Pistons games with him. Giving up on the Pistons feels like giving up on him, so I’m riding for the long haul.”
“How long has it been since you’ve seen him?” Ellie asked.
“Three years is the last time he was seen at the bar,” Loyal stated.“He’sa’ight, though. I know it. It’s just taking him a minute to get his mind to come back to him. When he remembers, he’llturn up in the right place.” She could tell it bothered him, but he was too strong to put his weakness on display.
They pulled up to her father’s house, and Loyal idled the car.
“How about we take this tree inside, let Tess spend some time with her papa, and we go catch the end of the game at that bar?” Ellie said.
He looked over at her in shock.“Nah, thatain’t necessary, E. This an old game, anyway. Pistons don’t play ‘til later tonight, but it’s not even that serious. I’m cool.”
“It’s Christmastime,” Ellie reasoned.“And he’s your dad. The least we can do is try, and if he’s not there, you try to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me at the end of the night.” She shrugged.
“That second part sound like a move,” Loyal said as he leaned back against the headrest and looked over at her.
“You helped me with something that hurts me. I’d like to try and return the favor,” she said gently.
“Yeah, a’ight,” Loyal agreed reluctantly.“Let me get this tree set up first, though.”
Ellie grabbed Tessa from the backseat and then went to get her father so that he could help Loyal get the tree inside the house.
She kissed Tessa’s cheeks as she lay lazily on her shoulder.“Wake up, baby girl. Time to decorate your tree,” Ellie whispered.
She stood back on the porch as she watched her 65-year-old father try to lift his end of the tree.
“Well damn, Ellie, what y’all do, pick the biggest tree on the whole farm?” Bishop complained.
“You should see the one your granddaughter wanted to get at first,” Ellie laughed.“Come on, old man. You’re the strongest guy in the world,” she cheered, smiling.“Do it for your girls.”
“Thismu’fucka is heavy than a bitch,” Loyal said, gritting his teeth as he backed into the house.
Both men were winded when they finally got it put on the stand.
“Go thank your papa.” Ellie placed Tessa down, and she ran, hugging Papa first.
“Thank you, Papa!” she yelled. Then she rushed Loyal.“Thank you, OG!”
