The Basketball Player's Wife

Chapter 14: Understand

"You know you don't have to go talk to him. You don't owe that man anything." August said to me as I prepared some chamomile tea.

I had become an avid tea drinker since coming out to the country side with August. It helped to calm my nerves and was actually suggested to me by the therapist I had been seeing.

"I know, Aug. But this meeting isn't about Tremaine or even for him. It's for me. I need this closure. I've only ever loved three men in my life, Aug. You, my father and Tre. I never got to say goodbye to my dad, I couldn't even face you when I gave you the ring back years ago."

Pausing to chuckle bitterly at the memory, I continued, "I had to have the flight attendant give it to you with a note and never got on the flight. I couldn't face you. I've always been horrible with goodbyes and closure. But this with Tre, I need to end it correctly. My therapist thinks so too."

"Gab, you don't have to explain yourself to me. I just want the best for you and honestly I just don't like the thought of you being around Tre. Especially with the people he's been affilating himself with and the fact that he's using cocaine....Addicts are unpredictable and I just want you to be safe." Aug said while roughly running his hand through his hair.

"Stop that or else you gonna pull your edges out boy."

"Chile please, don't worry about my edges when you barely got any. I'm rich, chick. I can always buy new ones" Aug said, imitating the voice of Nene Leakes.

"Aug, we got to lay you off the Real Housewives of Atlanta reruns before you get hurt boy." I jokingly threatened.

"It was you who put me on that trash anyway. I use to just watch CNN. I was perfectly normal and b-"

"Basic." I interjected cutting Aug off with a smirk.

"Funny Gabriella." Aug said cutting his eyes at me.

"I know. If I wasn't an obstetrician, I'd be a comedian."

"A very poor one." Aug teased.

"Why are you trying to play me Aug?"

"You played yourself ma." Aug replied.

"That's it, no more Love and Hip Pop NY for you either. Since when, did you start calling people ma, August Simmons?"

"Gabriella Hart, are you forgetting I grew up in Brooklyn? I was always the only white boy in my group of friends." Aug teased back but I was honestly stuck on something he said to even banter back.

"Gabriella Hart." I said testing the name out on my tongue.

"That is your name, well going to be your name again. Unless you were planning to keep the surname Green."

"No, I'm definitely changing it. It's just that, no one has called me Gabriella Hart in years. 6 years to be exact. It is going to take some time getting use to.  I thought I was going to die being Gabby Green but I guess God had different plans." I softly smiled.

"Well I think Dr. Hart sounds way better than Dr. Green." Aug smiled back.

"You know what, me too Aug." I said serenely. I was slowly coming to terms with the changes in my life.

Going into my marriage with Tre, I had always prepared for the worst. We had a prenup, separate accounts, different cars, and different properties. I had taken the utmost precaution for just in case. I knew the possible consequences of marrying a ball player but after being so meticulous and laying down a foundation, I just never thought Tre would actually risk it all. I didn't think he'd actually step out on me.