“. . . throws it away. Deal for the drive inside, blocked by Glory. Glory throws it cross court, Santoro for the slam! The Pumas have won the championship! The fifth of Santoro’s career.”
“The Pumas have taken the league by storm. The championship resides here in Cherokee Springs, and an era hascome to an end as we say goodbye to Ashton Santoro. What a way to retire, Mitch.”
“I can’t think of a better way to put this baby to bed than for the four-time MVP shooting guard to get the game winning points right at the buzzer, Adam!”
I dropped to my knees, holding the basketball in my arms and close to my chest. I felt the surge of victorious energy from my teammates surrounding me. We had traveled a long road to this day. We almost lost everything when our family was torn apart. Upper management had decided to trade Alex when they learned all the details. Our team was better and stronger for that decision.
Blocking out everything, I repeatedly whispered, “Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness. I humbly praise You.” Tears streamed from my eyes, but that didn’t stop me from repeating those words. Even when my teammates lifted me in the air, I didn’t stop repeating those words.
Nothing stopped me, until I was lowered to the ground, and my woman’s arms were wrapped around my midsection. I didn’t give a shit that people were watching us and speculating about what had really happened between Chanel and me, and my marriage to Zoe. I looked over her head and met Coach Jesse’s gaze as he made his way through the crowd.
I released Chanel, and she held her microphone out. “Ashton, this is the last game of your career. It was a challenging one that many people doubted you all would be able to pull out a win for. What was the foremost thought in your mind when the buzzer went off tonight?”
I wiped the sweat from my face and eyes with the hand towel someone had shoved into my hand. Placing one hand on my hip and wiping my head, I stared into Chanel’s eyes. “The only thingthat I thought about was that this was the end of a chapter in my life. As that book closed with a ring, I want to start the next book of my life with a different type of ring.”
I dropped to one knee, and Coach passed me the blue box. Noise erupted all around us as my teammates cheered, while others patted me on the back.
“Every player needs the right coach to lead their team to the championship. In or out of the league, my coach is Almighty God. But every team also needs dedicated, loyal, and hardworking players to be hungry enough to go after the victory. I’m building my team one moment at a time, from love, honesty, and loyalty. I need an MVP player on my team for this second leg of the journey. Amora Chanel Dubois, I want you on my team as I pursue the ultimate championship: building a family. I know that I can’t win without you. Will you accept this ring and marry me?”
Tears sprouted to her eyes, and I knew she was thinking about the “family” part. But I had already told her there were so many ways we could build a family, and I wasn’t about to let her infertility stop me from loving her and building a life with her.
“Yes, I’ll marry you, Ashton Leale Santoro.”
I stood and pulled her into my arms. We shared a deep kiss but were ultimately pulled apart, as my teammates lifted us both in the air. Someone broke out champagne bottles. They were shaken, and corks were popped. Champagne spewed everywhere, soaking both Chanel and me. She remained by my side throughout the celebration. Even when we took to the stage to receive the Vance Best Championship Trophy by the commissioner, she wasn’t very far away.
But as the excitement swelled around us, another sort of commotion took place. Coach was talking when I noticed some of my teammates looking to our left. I leaned forward to see what was taking place just as someone shouted, “Santoro!”
Moving from where I stood next to Coach, I saw a couple of men carrying Chanel. My heart drummed wildly in my chest as fear and shock overwhelmed me. What the hell had happened? She had just been down there cheering us on and waiting to get interviews from some of the other players, and the next, Chanel was out cold.
Some of my teammates rushed behind me as I ran with the medics off the court.
“What happened?” I shouted.
“We don’t know. We’re going to find out now,” one of the medics answered.
“The fuck you mean you don’t know? Somebody better tell me something right now! Chanel, baby, wake up,” I shouted, reaching out to touch her. Someone pulled my arm away, and I swung around.
“Chill, Santoro. Let them do their work.” It was Angelo Song, and I jerked free from his hold.
“He’s trying to help, Ashton,” Wade Glory, another teammate, chided.
“I don’t need help! I need my fucking woman, okay?” I shouted as they lowered her to the ground and immediately began working on her.
My head was banging, and I thought I was about to lose my mind. What had been the greatest moment of my life had quickly turned into a nightmare. I wasn’t even sure why. My mind swirled with unanswered questions, and fear rolled through me.
I threw my arms on top of my head and spun around. Both Glory and Sean Hope grabbed me.
“Back up, man, and give them some space to work,” Glory stated.
“Fuck. What the hell is happening? She was just okay, man,” I declared as I stared sightlessly at him.
“I know, man. She’s gonna be okay though. You know we’ve got the best medics and team doctor in the league,” he stated, pointing at our team doctor who was right there with the medics working on her.
“At times like this, we need to pray,” Hope stated, glancing at me.
I clenched my jaws and thought about my faith. It was taking a beating at the moment, but I knew that it was stronger than what I was showing. I kneeled, and my teammates kneeled around me.
Marc Anderson prayed softly. He prayed over Chanel, the doctor, the medics, and me. I felt a hand on my shoulder squeezing and then another on my right shoulder squeezing. I didn’t hear anything that Marc said. The only thing that was going through my mind were all the memories that I had created with Chanel over the last seven months, and all the ones I had yet to create.
