Page 25 of Your One

“Okay.”

She followed me to the door, and when I got to it, I turned back to her awaiting lips. I smiled at her beautiful face and kissed her puckered lips. “Have a great game, handsome.”

“You here, so I’m sure to show out. See you.”

I walked out of the door before I couldn’t leave. When the door closed, I took a deep breath. I felt good inside, and I could only pray that this was it for me. I couldn’t stay single with all the love I had to give. The way things had gone this weekend with Kenya, I knew it wouldn’t be long before I was professing my love for her. I fell easily when it felt right. This was beyond right. It was perfect.

“Foul on number thirty-three!”the ref yelled as I got up from the floor.

I had been fouled hard when I drove to the basket. It somewhat dazed me because I’d hit my head on the floor. The entire crowd had ‘oooh’ed’ when it happened. My teammates were about to go apeshit on that nigga. The referees upgraded it to a flagrant foul once they reviewed it. I was down there for a minute, but once I got up, I’d looked toward where I knew Kenya was seated and winked. I wanted her to know I was okay, although I was still somewhat off balance. The plus was that the ball still went in, so the free throws would be an extra cushion in the point spread. Then we would get the ball back.

The problem was when I went to the line, it looked like two hoops were there. I shook my head as I closed my eyes and before I could get ready for my shot, my coach called a timeout. I made my way to the sideline, but not before stumbling. “We should have called a timeout immediately,” I heard someone say.

Everyone had surrounded me, and the team physician was checking me out. “You may have a concussion. We need to get you checked, Nate.”

I nodded slightly. The headache was coming on, I supposed since my adrenaline was slowing down. As I stood, two of my teammates propped me up on either side and escorted me to the locker room as the crowd stood to their feet and applauded me. I wasn’t sure of my stats, but I was glad the game was almost over. We were in the fourth quarter with five minutes left. It was only a ten-point game though.

I turned to Hosea and said, “Y’all seal the deal, man. Don’t let this shit slip through our fingers.”

“We got it, Captain. You just focus on getting better. We gon’ need you.”

I nodded as the trainers helped me to the locker room. When we got to the end of the hallway, I saw Kenya standing there behind a security guard with tears streaming down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them and said, “Twenty-eight points, thirteen assists, three blocks, and ten steals.”

Although she didn’t say anything else, I knew she was worried. I could see it in her scrunched but lifted eyebrows, not to mention the tears. “Thank you, baby. I’m gonna be fine, okay?”

She nodded as I went inside the locker room. I wished she could have come in with me, but I would see her once the game was over. Hopefully, whatever was going on wouldn’t have me sitting out too long, maybe only a game or two. I would be back just in time for post season play. We had a real chance at a championship this year. As Noah would say, Satan was a liar, and he wouldn’t keep me from claiming what was mine.

By the time they’d run all the necessary tests, they’d ruled it a mild concussion. The doctor recommended a two-week break. That would put me missing eight games. I wouldn’t be able to go back until the first game of the post season. He also said that if my symptoms eased up after a week, I could go to practice and see how I felt. If I was good, he would release me earlier.

That meant I couldn’t celebrate the win with my baby tonight. We ended up beating Miami by eight points. There would be no screen time for two days. They said I should be okay to fly out tomorrow, though, since there was no bleeding, and the injury was minor. My vision was already better. I just had a nagging headache.

Once I was able to leave, I walked out of the locker room to see Kenya seated in a chair in the hallway. I gave her a slight smile as she stood and made her way to me. She grabbed my hand and pulled me to the chair she was seated in. She stood in it to be face to face with me. I chuckled slightly as she puckered her lips for a kiss.

She brought her hands to my face and softly kissed me as cameras began flashing.Fuck!She quickly hopped off the chair, and I shielded her from the vultures. We were surrounded by security, so they kept them from getting too close. The flashes had my head pounding though. By the time we got to the car, I rested my head against the seat.

Feeling Kenya’s soft caress on my face had me opening my eyes. “I want to believe that you have a concussion. How bad is it?”

I figured she suspected it. That was why she didn’t allow me to bend over to kiss her. “It’s minor, baby, but I have to sit out for at least a week. The doctor suggested two but said I could go to practice after a week and play it by ear. No screen time for two days. I can still fly out tomorrow.”

“Damn, baby. Can I stay with you tonight?”

“You didn’t have to ask. I don’t know why you didn’t check out of the room you were staying in.”

She giggled, then said, “I actually checked out earlier. They are holding my luggage behind the desk. I just wanted to see what you would say. Had you said no, I would have just gone to the airport tonight instead of tomorrow morning.”

“Damn. You always welcomed to be anywhere I am. You feel me?”

“Yes.”

“So, I have to go home first, but I want to join you in Baltimore. Are you going to stay until the funeral?”

“Yes. The funeral will most likely be next weekend. I’ll check with Taryn tomorrow morning before I leave. They were supposed to be making plans today.”

“Okay. That gives me a couple of days to recoup. I should be able to fly back out on Wednesday.”

“I think I’m gonna stay with you. I want to fly back to Houston with you.”

My eyebrows lifted. “For real?

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