"You wanna take the bed? I can sleep on the pullout." Nick offered, as he and Sabrina settled in the guest bedroom to go to sleep.
Sabrina smiled, "Rock, paper, scissors?"
"No, you take the bed, mama. I want you to be comfortable. You havin' to sleep on a flight 'cause of me is bad enough."
She chuckled, "Well, now that you mention it," She sat down on the foot of the bed.
"You look exhausted." He teased.
She flipped him off. "Thanks, asshole."
Nick smirked and sat down on the sofa across from her, "Thank you for comin' down here with a nigga like this. What I did in your apartment was beyond foul. I can't let my selfish ass emotions get the best of me," He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I ain't tryna make excuses, it just fucks me up thinkin' about you really bein with somebody else even if he's a good dude. And that ain't fair considering I've been with plenty of women since we broke up." He paused and sighed heavily, "I just wanna enjoy this break from reality before I go back to LA and focus on training camp. Might be my last season."
Sabrina sat quietly, listening to his words. She was aware that his contract was coming to an end, and there hadn't been any talks of an extension, so she understood the pressure he was under. Whether he was going to a new team, or retiring, Sabrina understood Nick was stressed.
"I'm here for you, no matter what. We used to be friends, regardless of anything. Niko needs to see that."
Nicholas decided this was as good of a time as any to ask, "You in love with this dude?"
"Nick—"
"Never mind," He shook his head, "One more question, then we can stop talkin bout it. That ring on your finger, y'all doin' that for real?" He asked.
Sabrina's eyes dropped to the floor, no longer able to look at him. Before she could answer, Nick spoke again, "You don't have to say it. I want you to be happy."
"I want the same for you," Sabrina said as a tear dropped down her cheek. "You're stronger than this. I know you can be better. We just have to find better ways to cope."
"I...Sabrina. I have to find better ways to cope. I won't drag you down with me."
The next day, after tossing and turning all night, Sabrina was up early. She went out into the backyard and called her son's grandmother.
"Hey, pretty girl. How are you?" Esther said on the FaceTime.
"I'm good. I'll probably fly out of here tonight and get Niko tomorrow afternoon, but Nick might stay a few more days."
"Okay, I'm so thankful that you're there for him. We both know he doesn't deserve it and you don't have to be, but I know how big your heart is."
Sabrina gave her a small smile, "Can I talk to my baby?"
Before she could even respond, Niko's face was on the phone, smiling wide. "Hey, Papa. You not driving your gammy crazy are you?"
"No, she let me help her cook. Are you gonna come eat with us?" He asked
"Not today, but I'll be there tomorrow to try it, okay?"
"I get to stay another tomorrow?"
"Yes, one more tomorrow." She smiled.
"I love you, mommy."
"Mommy loves you more."
As she was talking, Nick came outside. He heard his son's voice on the phone and brightened up. "Lemme talk to my mans." He got in the camera laughing playfully as Sabrina handed him the phone, "Hey, big man."
"Daddy. I wanna come with you and Mommy." He said, becoming sad.
"We'll be back soon. Mommy and Daddy just needed some grown-up time okay? We didn't forget about you. When we get back we'll take you to the Aquarium to see your favorite hammerhead sharks ok?"
"Gammy my daddy's taking me to see the hammerheads." He squealed.
"I know baby. I heard. Tell mommy and daddy bye." His grandmother instructed.
"Bye. I'm gonna hang up now. Love you guys." The call ended.
As Nick was handing Sabrina the phone it started vibrating in Nick's hands. He looked at the screen seeing the caller ID photo of Amir and Sabrina hugging.
Mr. Walker 💍❤️ Would like FaceTime...
Nick handed her the phone and walked away silently and that's how the day went on, even though she never answered any of Amir's calls. They went to brunch at a well-known spot where a few of the guys on BJ's team showed up including Vic Hart.
Sabrina wasn't bothered by it until Vic kept trying to force conversation out of her, even though all she did was casually greet him and return to her conversation with Candice, one of Bobby's teammates' wives. The extra attention didn't go over well with Nick, even when he was mad at her.
"Vic, you good? Whatchu keep talkin to my ol lady fa?" Nicholas asked, in the pool hall they were in. They'd walked there after brunch.
"Gone on with that, son. She a grown woman. She don't need you speakin' for ha." Victor stood his ground. "That ain't even yo place no more." He chuckled.
Bj stopped in the middle of his game and walked in between the men, "Man, y'all whilin. Don't do that in here."
"Nah, he obviously got a problem," Nick said, aggressively.
"It's cool, Nick. He not botherin' me. He tryna be seen, that's all." Sabrina said, simply, grabbing her baby daddy by the arm and pulling him away.
As Nick followed, Vic laughed, "Oh, so you got it like that?" He hollered behind them, "You gon bounce back and forth between baby daddy and husband?"
Sabrina let go of Nick and walked back over to Vic, looking at him like he lost his damn mind for speaking on her. She didn't care how much bigger than her he was. "And if I was?" She eyed him up and down in disgust as he stood there with his mouth open, unsure of his next comeback. She continued, "It was never gon be you so why don't you stay in your lane."
The guys burst out laughing as Vic picked his jaw up off the floor. Trying to quickly recover, he bitterly yelled, "Lemme call my nigga Mir and see if he know wifey down here actin' up. Playin' happy couple wit the next nigga."
Sabrina didn't care what he was saying she walked out of the pool hall. Once they were outside, she noticed that Nick was seething with anger. "Nick—"
"Don't fuckin 'Nick' me " he mocked stepping closer to her face. "Lyin' ass got me lookin' fuckin stupid. Why they callin' that nigga your husband?"
Sabrina looked at him with guilt. She didn't lie, but she didn't tell him the truth either. She looked around like a child in trouble and noticed his tone was drawing attention to them, "I didn't lie." She answered in a low tone, trying to back away. "Let's talk when we get back to the house."
"Sabrina, tell me you ain't married that nigga?" he begged. When she didn't answer, he grabbed her arm, roughly, "You gon stop fuckin playin wit me!"
"Nick, you're hurting me." She softly pleaded, as her eyes filled with tears and panic spread through her. "Let me go."
"But you get to hurt me, right?" He lashed out.
Sabrina stared into his cold eyes and saw nothing she recognized. She knew now that her trying to save this man was a big mistake. "Get your fucking hands off me." She yelled, trying to snatch away.
"You think that nigga better than me?"
He shouted in her face then shoved her into the wall, "Fuck you, Sabrina."
Bobby emerged from the pool hall doors and snatched his cousin away from her but it was too late. Sabrina's head smacked the brick wall before she fell to the sidewalk.
All she could hear around her was arguing as she tried to get up. Her vision blurred and she felt nauseous as she stood unbalanced before she fell to her knees and then vomited.
"Sabrina, don't move mama." She could hear Meeka's echoing voice as she tried to focus on her doubling figure. She was dizzy. "BJ we gotta get her to the hospital. I think she got a concussion."
"I'm... fine." Sabrina lied as her speech slurred. She didn't want to be taken to the hospital for fear of getting Nick in trouble, but she knew something was seriously wrong.
"Sabrina no you not. You fuckin bleedin from your head." Meeka panicked, halting Sabrina's movements. "Bj go get the fuckin truck and one of y'all call 911!" She shouted.
Sabrina heard Nick before she felt him putting his arms around her, "Sabrina I'm so fucking sorry. I didn't mean it."
Even though she could feel him touching her, he sounded like he was getting farther and farther away.