Hate the Game ( Urban Sports Romance )

Work it out

Thursday, September 17th.

"You hungry, bookie?" Chantelle asked Sabrina who was seated in the passenger seat. Chantelle was driving her best friend to a doctor's appointment. "I can stop and get you something now before we be in there waiting."

Sabrina shook her head slowly, not making eye contact, "I'm okay, thanks." She replied, looking out the window.

Her phone vibrated in her lap and she picked it up immediately, but sighed disappointedly when she saw it was just an email. She hadn't received a real reply from Amir when she texted him first thing in the morning to remind him of her appointment. He liked the message.

The couple hadn't talked to each other since the day Amir fought Nick, only text. He gave Sabrina the chance to cry it out and calm down after Nick left but then he told her she needed to take some time to herself to figure out what she truly wanted.

Not wanting to rush things, he had her apartment lease renewed for another six months and paid the rent for entire term.

It hurt to leave her like that, but Amir was standing firm on his boundaries. He didn't want to push Sabrina into anything. If she wanted their marriage, she'd need to do the work to heal herself.

Him attacking Nick like he did made him realize their relationship may have been becoming toxic, without them noticing, and that was the last environment he wanted to raise his children in. The kids don't deserve that.

Chantelle pulled Sabrina's SUV into the parking spot and turned off the engine. Sabrina wasn't even paying attention when Amir walked over to her door and opened it for her to get out.

She finally looked up at him and her heart started racing.

"Hey gorgeous," he greeted her, holding out his hand to help her out of her seat.

"Hi." She smiled accepting his help.

"Preciate you, Chanty." Amir thanked Chantelle, throwing a head nod her way before shutting the passenger door and walking Sabrina inside.

The two sat quietly in the waiting area until Sabrina's name was called. Then they went into the exam room and Amir helped Sabrina onto the bed and took his seat next to it. She stared at him as he sat reading a book. She missed him so much.

When Amir left her that night she spiraled in the days that followed. After denial that he'd actually leave her if she didn't change. Then came anger, because why would he leave her all alone, pregnant with his children? The thing she was afraid of but this time caused by her own actions.

Next came the confusion of whether she could do it all on her own. Followed by guilt that she'd done this to her children, including Niko. The regret for trying so hard to save Nick because the feeling of being needed fulfilled her past traumas of when he abandoned her once he had a high-paying contract. And finally came acceptance once she took accountability for her decisions. She knew she handled situations incorrectly, which led her to some outcomes she could've avoided.

After her check-up, the two walked out of the doctor's office in silence. Amir was staring at his new ultrasound photo showing him how big his babies were getting inside their mommy's tummy.

Sabrina finally decided to speak up because the silence was killing her.

"You can go ahead if you want. I'm gonna call Chantelle and let her know I'm done so she can come back." She told him, looking out and seeing her truck wasn't in the parking lot anymore.

"Would you like to come with me, Sabrina?"

She did. She did want to go with him, but she didn't want to tell him that. Fear of rejection. "It's okay, if you have something to do."

"Don't matter what I have to do. I want you with me." He stated, clearly. "Come home, baby."

Tears welled in Sabrina's eyes as he reached out his hand. She gave him hers then he pulled her into his embrace and she relaxed into his chest. "I missed you, my baby."

"I missed you too and I'm so sorry for all the damage I've caused us, being so selfish and not thinking of you when I made decisions." She confessed.

"That's alright if you don't always think of me, but you do need to think of yourself." He said, kissing the top of her head. He pulled away slightly and lifted her face so she could look up at him. "I trust you Sabrina, but you can't go putting yourself in harm's way. I need you to not be so headstrong and impulsive that you think damn the consequences all the time."

She nodded, knowing he wasn't wrong. "I understand, I've gone through the shoulda coulda woulda's a thousand times. I know I can't change the past, but I promise to do better. Therapy is at the top of my list because I want you. I want us and our marriage and I'm going to show you that."

He took her hand and kissed her knuckles and guided her to his SUV. He opened the passenger seat and said simply, "Let's go home, and we'll work it out together."

Two weeks was long enough for both of them.