"More like anxious. I have no control with this thing covering my eyes."
"That's the plan, Sweetheart. Do you trust me?"
"Brook—"
"Yes or no, lil’ mama. You trust me?"
"If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have hopped a plane with you."
He laughed. "Aight. Lemme ask this way; do you trust me with your emotions? The part of you that needs a little healing. You trust me to do what I can to help repair that part of Bronx?"
I sniffled; the blindfold caught my tears. Unable to speak, I nodded.
"Aight." Brooklyn's door opened and closed. Seconds later, he opened my door and took my hand.
The sound of a basketball hitting the hardtop had my heart pounding. When Brooklyn removed the blindfold, the bright sun caused me to squint. We were in the middle of nowhere, at a basketball court surrounded by trees.
I chuckled and waved at PJ and Zoo, then turned to Brooklyn.
"What're we doing here?"
"We're here to play some ball." He tugged me behind him until we were standing in the paint with PJ and Zoo.
PJ and I embraced, while the fellas dapped each other.
"Two on two," Brooklyn announced.
What?" I hadn't played contact ball in years. Fear gripped me.
"Yep," he confirmed. "You and PJ against me and Zoo. Shall we propose a bet?"
"Brooklyn, I can't—"
"You trust me, right?"
I nodded, remembering our conversation back in the car.
"Then, you can," he solidified.
Inhaling the fresh air, I listened to the birds chirp, and the trees tussled as a gust of wind blew through. As the wind washed over my skin, I released the fear I felt and allowed it to drift away with the breeze.
"Okay," I conceded.
"The bet?" Zoo asked.
"We get a shopping spree," PJ tossed out
"Pshh! That's light work—"
"—In Miami," PJ added, interrupting Zoo.
He grinned. "Still light work."
"Exactly," Brooklyn threw in. "When we win, y'all gotta join Naomi in the grillz gang."
PJ's face hilariously balled up as the two men bopped fists.
"Oh, hell muthafuckin' no!" she blasted. PJ couldn't stand Naomi's grill. I, on the other hand, thought it was cute on Naomi. A grill for me? I wasn't completely against it.
