“That’s alright.” A man’s voice called from the audience. “We still claim you.”
He chuckled. “Appreciate it because I still claim y’all.”
“As you should,” A woman yelled, and more applause sounded through the hall.
My purse became my security blanket as I hugged it to my chest. I couldn’t seem to take one foot back out the door, and I couldn’t take a step into the ballroom. Instead, I stood stuck in between. The irony is that I’d been in this position when he first left me—stuck between wanting to wait for him or moving on with Kody, who had more than stepped up to the plate.
“It’s been a few years since I’ve been in Dallas. Traveling here and abroad. Even with all the fans and awards, I had this void inside. Then it hit me, sometimes you have to lose your way to remember you knew the way back home all along.” He said, “I’mgoing to sing a song I used to love as a kid. It was one of my mother’s favorites and a classic. If you want to hear my songs, then I suggest you make it to my show tomorrow night.”
Several people yelled, “It’s sold out.”
He laughed. “Aww, shit, that’s right. Who has tickets?”
More yells from what sounded like most of the crowd of two hundred or so people.
“Then I guess I’ll have to take a few requests of mine after this first song for those who can’t get in tomorrow night. Give you a little bit of my show. DJ, are you ready?”
The first chords of The Temptations'Just My Imaginationplayed, and tears sprang to my eyes. Freedom used to sing that to me when he would crawl through my window long before we made love. He’d once told me that the song soothed him whenever his soul cried or when he thought of his love for me.
My cheeks streaked with tears while he sang clearly and strongly about a man who dreamed of being with this special woman.
After fifteen years, Freedom Cade had returned home to claim me.
SENIOR YEAR.
Kody threw the basketball to me, and I bounced it back to him in the empty hallway leading to the front doors. Most of the students had already left since we were kept back for detention for being tardy the first week of school. “Free, this is your last time to try out for the team. You could be the other starting forward.”
“Craig already has that position and I ain’t trying to fight him to get it.” I caught the ball he tossed and dribbled it a few steps.
“Coach been on me about you. You may not even have to try out. That’s how bad he wants you.” He deftly caught the ball and whistled, “If we’re both on the team, Homie…do you understand that we would run this school?”
“Basketball not for me.” I held my hand out for the ball before I realized a girl walked between us. Kody threw it withoutpaying attention, and I quickly jumped in front of her to grab the ball. “Sorry, Shortie…didn’t see you.”
She grasped my arm tightly to keep from falling. “Why are you throwing the ball in the hallway anyway, like this is the gym?”
I squinted. “Jamaica?”
Jamaica pushed back her freshly done thin braids, folded her arms, and didn’t quite meet my interested gaze. “Why are you saying my name like we haven’t been in the same classes since ninth grade?”
Kody looped his arm around my neck. “He's saying it like that because you look pretty, and we can’t figure out what’s different.”
“Speak for yourself. Her braces are gone, and she’s never worn braids. She’s even more gorgeous,” I replied before I could stop myself. I also wanted to add that the brown beauty with the sultry eyes had gained more breasts and ass over the summer, but I didn’t want to get slapped.
Jamaica and Kody stared at me like I’d grown two heads.
“What?” I shrugged. “Am I right?”
“Yeah…thank you.” She nodded, and in her expression, I saw surprise and something else that flipped my stomach. “Um…I'd better go before I’m late for the Urban League meeting.”
Emboldened by her coy look of interest, I took the ball and spun it on one finger, and smiled at her. “Maybe I need to join the Urban League this year.”
Her eyes widened, and she smiled before she ducked her head. “Maybe.”
Kody and I watched a blushing Jamaica continue down the hall. He whistled again and spoke loudly, “When did she become fine?”
“She been fine.” Annoyed that he seemed to be making a play on Jamaica, I started twirling the ball faster. “She keeps her headstuck in the books and in the organizations. Plus, her cop daddy don’t allow her to date.”
Kody raised one amused brow. “And why do you know this?”
