I shook my head. Although, they made no move to approach us, my mother waved at me from her seat, then blew a kiss. “I did tell them to let me handle this, right?”
She shrugged. “Yes, love. But they have a vested interest in the outcome.”
“Whatever you say.”
Several minutes later, Young Duke emerged from the locker room. He scanned the court and when he spotted me, he made his way over. “What’s up?” he said.
I cleared my throat. “Nothing much. What’s good with you? Good game.”
I couldn’t describe how it felt to watch my son command the court in the way he had. I wouldn’t even try because my emotions were all over the place. After years of being on the periphery of his life, praying that he was happy and healthy, and keeping my promise to stay away, he’d reached out to me on my IG page. The message was short, to-the-point. An invitation to attend the Michigan State High School Championship game, where his team was favored to win.
Young Duke smiled slightly. “Well, we didn’t win, but it was a good experience. I do have interest from a couple of colleges, some campus visits set up.”
“That’s good.” An awkward silence settled between us for a moment. Demi cleared her throat. When I looked at her, she tipped her head, seemingly suggesting I needed to say more. So I did. “What schools are you looking at?”
My son smiled. “Actually, I’m interested in staying here, becoming a Wolverine. My mother told me that you attended University of Michigan too.”
“I did,” I admitted. “It’s a family thing. Only a few of us decided to go elsewhere.”
“A family thing, huh?” Young Duke said. “You have a big family.”
It wasn’t a question, so I figured he’d researched me. “Huge,” I told him.
To my right, I noticed Donna standing there, watching. Young Duke glanced at her, then back at me. “My mom told me about you.”
My heart swelled in my chest. The love I felt for him almost threatened to choke me with its intensity. When he’d asked me to come to his game, I had a feeling he’d somehow found out who I was to him. I didn’t expect him to come right out with it, though.Something I would’ve done. “Did she?”
Young Duke nodded. “She told me you were my biological father.” He looked at Isaiah in his stroller. “Is that your son?”
“Yes.” I pulled Demi closer. “And this is my wife, Demi. Demi, this is Duke.”
Demi grinned. “Hi, Duke.” She gave him a hug. “It’s good to meet you.”
Young Duke bent down to Isaiah’s level. He didn’t say anything to him, just stared at him, before he stood to his full height. “Mom also told me you didn’t know about me for a long time.”
“That’s true.” I took a deep breath. “You should know that if I did, there is nothing and no one that would’ve been able to stop me from being in your life.”
He stared at me, searching my eyes for the truth. It felt like I was looking in a mirror. His eyes, his face, his chin… that was all me. “I believe you,” he said. “I was upset with Mom for not telling me.”
“Don’t be,” I assured him. “She’s your mother and she loves you.”
“She told me that you agreed to step away so that my life wouldn’t be turned upside down.”
“I did,” I confirmed. “Because it wasn’t about me. It was only about you.”
“Thank you.” Young Duke sighed. “Since the truth is out, I want to know you.”
I swallowed past a hard lump in my throat. “I’d love that,” I croaked.
Demi leaned into me and gripped my hand, offering me silent, strong support. Again. “We’d love to have you in our lives,” she chimed in.
“I still have to learn to make those salmon bites,” Young Duke said. “My girl watches your videos.”
I barked out a laugh. “Oh yeah, I got you.”
A young girl walked up on us and waved. “Are you coming?”
Young Duke told her he’d be right there. Turning back to me, he said, “I need to go take pictures with the team, but do you want to grab dinner or something?”
