Downplay| Jordan Clarkson & Quincy Brown

•t w e n t y f i v e •

May 2022

So, you're really still going to ignore me bro?

Jordan stared at the text from Bear and shook his head before locking his phone screen and downing his second glass of D'usse. He wasn't still angry; he just knew that initiating a conversation with his brother would lead to the same thing it always did. Bear would accuse him of being pussy whipped and he'd deny it which would cause things to escalate. Bear would remind him of two things, Yara's past patterns and the fact that he'd slept with Maranda and Mylin while with her. He didn't care to be reminded of or remember either fact.

He was still licking his wounds from Yara leaving him and now, he was having his last day in Colorado following an embarrassing loss to the Denver Nuggets. Yara was still out of his reach and despite the conversations they'd had every day on the phone he couldn't help but feel that things with them were once again in an odd place. Maybe he should've gone with her, maybe she resented him for trying to keep her with him.

Her mind seemed to be everywhere these days, on her family, her work, and their son. Sometimes, he wondered how much room she'd left for him? Maybe he was demanding too much of her attention, but then again, he'd never had to beg anyone for attention before. He loved her independence, but he wished she'd lean on him every now and then. If she'd just let him take control maybe he'd feel more secure in what they were doing.

They both had gone through traumas and neither one was truly opening up to the other which only added to a pot of troubles that was already threatening to boil over.

Yes, she had his ring, but he still didn't truly have her and deep down he knew that. If she knew the truth, he'd lose her.

Shaking the thought from his head, he got up just in time as a knock resounded on his door no more than five seconds later.

"Who is it?" He queried only to be met with silence.

Scratching his head, he cracked the door and immediately felt the air in his throat tighten as Maranda glared at him momentarily before sliding her way in and closing the door.

For a moment, they stared at each other. Her eyes were unreadable and his shocked, then she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.

"I heard about your son." She explained, her voice as soft as a whisper "I'm so sorry J. I can't imagine how hard that was for you."

Her arms were warm and most importantly she was here for him, like she always was. The most dependable person in his life was standing right in front of him and he realized that he'd always taken that quality for granted. Maranda would move the sun, moon, and stars for him, and he missed her. He missed their friendship.

"Thank you." That was all he could muster. He clung to her for a few more minutes and realized just how much he'd needed that hug, her hugs.

Yes, Yara had held him when he'd first broken the news, in the weeks that followed she'd been her most affectionate, most nurturing self. She came to Utah, took care of him, delegated her work elsewhere and gave him all of her. He'd loved every moment and then reality hit and she went back to her work. Why couldn't she stay that way? Why couldn't she just be available when he had the means to take care of her and he'd do it with no hesitation or restriction?

"No problem J. I missed you." Maranda confided affectionately as they pulled apart and continued their reunion on the loveseat in his suite.

"Yeah, things got complicated. Randa, I didn't mean to hurt you... it's just Yara and I we're a family and you were like my sister. I didn't share your feelings and you didn't seem like you were open to anything but yes."