Thank you to my girl Mel for providing a banging playlist that helped me get this chapter together. It's a lot longer than I intended but I hope you all enjoy!
"Her mom had Benni. They had just dropped her off..." Grace urged as Spencer rushed around Olivia's living room to find his shoes.
"Wait, dropped her off? You mean to tell me my daughter was in the fucking car before they crashed," he had stopped in his tracks. Anything pertaining to Benni was sure to rile him up even more.
"Spencer." The sound of his girlfriend's voice couldn't even calm him down.
"Baby, she is fine. That's all that matters right now," Grace replied, knowing that wasn't enough to calm her son's anger.
"I knew this dude was no good," Spencer continued, finally finding his shoes to slide on. "I'm on my way."
"Please be careful. I know you're upset but I don't need you getting hurt too," the mother begged.
There was no way Olivia was going to let Spencer drive to the hospital under these conditions. He could barely grip his keys due to his shaky hands. "I'll come with you. How about I drive?"
"Nah, I'm good, Liv," he argued, trying to side step Olivia's hands. "I'm good." All he could see was red. Kia being hurt was worrying enough but Benni was his world. Spencer had yet to meet Scottie like they agreed to do before having their daughter around him. Was he being irrational about this?
"Nope, I'm driving. Hand over the keys," Olivia repeated, holding out her hand. "I'll get you there. You're not in your right mind to drive to the hospital. I got you."
Finding a speck of peace in her support, Spencer placed his car key in Olivia's hand and followed her down to the parking garage. On their way to the hospital, he texted Kia's mother to get an update. Then he realized that he wasn't the only person in this situation that once was in love with one of the people involved in the accident. He glanced over at Olivia who was carefully maneuvering his sports car through the thick traffic. She hadn't seemed worried at the apartment but now he could detect the worry behind her eyes.
As much as Scottie had broken her heart, she still cared about his well-being. "Hey." The harshness in Spencer's tone had dissipated. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be," she replied, keeping her eyes on the road. "Just trying to get you to the hospital in one piece." Driving a sports car on the busy Los Angeles highways wasn't an easy task when your nerves were already bad.
"I know you and Scottie aren't on good terms but that's your ex. Someone you used to care about. It's normal to be worried," Spencer explained, sliding his hand over the armrest and into Olivia's lap. "Everything is going to be okay," he added, mostly to calm his own nerves that were going haywire.
Families were gathered in the waiting room as the hospital doors rolled open. Grace was standing up, in hopes of catching Spencer before his temper flew off the rails again.
"Daddy," Benni screamed when she saw him walking through the doors. Her tiny legs carried her as best as they could when she took off running, crashing into Spencer's shins.
Grace followed behind her, "Kia is in surgery. She got pretty banged up and it pretty much shattered her right leg."
The father hugged his daughter to his chest as he got an update on her mother. "What happened?"
"All I heard was that speed had something to do with it. He was driving a fast car and they were going at a high speed when someone collided with the right side," Grace tried to explain without getting upset. "Your dad is on his way up here."
Spencer could barely let her finish before his left hand balled into a fist. Remembering he was holding his toddler, he took a deep breath before letting the exhale push through his lips.
"Daddy, I go fast," Benni said innocently, playing with the silver link chain around his neck. Even though she couldn't understand a word Grace had told him, he knew Benni was like any child. She told the truth and he didn't find it a coincidence that she was mentioning going fast after being in Scottie's sports car.
"She's been saying that ever since I got here," Grace mentioned apprehensively. Could Corey take any longer getting to this hospital, she thought.
Olivia stayed back, giving Spencer room to get all the information he needed from his mother. As she leaned against one of the waiting room walls, Scottie's mother and brother came rushing inside.
"Where is he," Rosa screamed, falling against her eldest son's chest as a sob racked through her body. "Where is he!?"
One of her family members explained what had happened in hushed tones while other people in the waiting room watched from afar. Rosa became inconsolable when she found out Scottie was in worse condition than his girlfriend who was on the same side as the collision. Scottie wasn't wearing his seatbelt and suffered an injury to his spine. Too much was happening at once. Too many people talking. Olivia stayed stuck to the wall, closing her eyes for a beat to get a second of silence before she felt herself being pulled down into a chair.
With no new updates, those left at the hospital waited impatiently for news on their loved ones. Grace and Corey removed Benni from the situation and took her to their home while Spencer and Kia's family stayed behind. Rosa Kane and Scottie's brother, Jalen, waited on the opposite side of the room. Only a few other patients were left in the once busy emergency room, leaving less distraction between the two different families.
Olivia's arm was wrapped around Spencer's forearm, providing him with enough comfort to stay in his seat when Jalen's gaze kept finding him. Rosa paced back and forth, mumbling under her breath what sounded like a prayer.
"I'm going to get coffee, do you need anything," Olivia asked Spencer, giving his hand a slight squeeze. The tenseness in his shoulders had not subsided but the frown lines between his brows had softened. "Spencer?"
"No, I'm cool," he responded.
Once Olivia was down the hall, Rosa took off down the same one finding Olivia at the coffee machine. "Didn't get to say hi back there," Rosa said, looking over the caffeine choices and settling for a cappuccino.
"Oh...that's fine. I know how stressful this all is. I'm sorry," she said, holding the small cup of cheap tasting coffee to her lips.
"I appreciate you for being here. I know you two didn't end the best, but you've always been one of my favorites. I've told Scottie numerous times that he messed up not keeping you," Rosa explained, her eyes glazed over with unshed tears.
Think before you speak, Olivia thought but her mouth was already moving, "Um, I was actually here with my boyfriend. Kia is the mother of his child."
While Rosa had her sweet moments, she could be intense, especially when it came to her son. Rosa's lips set into a straight line before she huffed, "Mmmmm. And I guess congratulations are in order. I heard you got the job with Sandra?"
"Yeah, thanks," Olivia frowned, sensing a change in Rosa's demeanor.
"I stay heavily involved with Sandra's museum, you know? Since I'm on their board and make a hefty donation every year," she continued, it sounding more like a threat or way to intimidate Olivia. "Just like Scottie did."
"I'm not sure I understand why I need to know that," Olivia answered, genuinely confused by Rosa's need to share such pointless information.
"Money talks," Rosa simply replied, wiping the corner of her eye and leaving Olivia to think.
The artist dumped the last bit of grainy coffee into the trash. It wasn't the only thing that left a bitter taste in her mouth. By the time she rounded the corner that led back into the waiting area, she could hear Spencer's voice. A tone she wasn't accustomed to because most of the time Spencer kept his cool.
Scottie's brother was on the other side of the room, standing over Spencer's chair before the receiver stood up to stand his own ground. "What the hell you say," Spencer spat. Whatever words they had exchanged while Rosa and Olivia were occupied at the coffee machine must have been harsh enough to rile them both up.
"Spencer," Olivia called out, her voice going unheard over the men's arguing and the nurse's pleading at the front desk.
Not heeding Spencer's warning, Jalen's hands pushed against the football player's chest, his fist swinging at Spencer's cheek. Spencer landed a right hook sending both men to the floor. No one was able to get between them to break up the tussle on the floor of the emergency room. Security ran in moments later, separating the two men.
Not in enough time to stop onlookers from capturing the moment.
—---------
"It would have been nice to get a warning if I was going to have to play cleanup, Spencer," Damita sighed.
"I didn't think anybody recorded it. It was handled that night and that was it," Spencer replied. "What was I supposed to do, D? Not defend myself?"
"That's not the point. The video posted on the internet only shows you wailing on the guy," she explained. "It hasn't spread too far but I'm sure your team and the league is going to have some questions. It's only on a small blog site but I'll get in front of it before the bigger journalists get a hold of it."
"You would think people in an emergency room would be more worried about the emergencies," Spencer grumbled.
"The quicker you realize who you are to this community, the better. I thought college prepped you for all the eyes that are going to be on you," Damita continued, sending a quick text message to her team. They needed to be prepared for when this blew up and people began running with their own narrative. "You're the LA Rams starting wide receiver, of course someone would take their phone out if they saw you imitating Mike Tyson. You're Spencer James. Remember that sometimes."
Damita was right. College was good preparation for the league but Spencer still felt like he had a bit more privacy then. Los Angeles was home, though since he entered the league it was starting to feel less like home and more like a microscope. Any move he made was being watched, even when he thought no one was looking.
"You in here getting fussed at," Olivia grinned as she came into the living room from Spencer's bedroom. Burying herself into his side which had become her favorite place to be lately.
"Someone recorded and posted a video of the fight. They conveniently left out the part where dude hit me."
The past few days were certainly stressful for many reasons, but Olivia and Spencer tried to remain stable. Because outside of the walls of Spencer's condo, things seemed chaotic. Kia was still recovering in the hospital with a shattered leg and broken arm. For Scottie, reality was harsher. He was facing a long road ahead of him and the doctors weren't sure if he would ever play baseball again, let alone walk again. They were both lucky to be alive from the way the car looked.
"I'm sorry. I wish I would have been in there. Jalen's always been mouthy but he had no right to come at you like that. Emotions were already running high," she added. "Are you going to get in trouble with your team?"
"I don't know, yet. I guess we'll have to wait it out and see. Enough about that though, you ever get back to those people about the job offer," he changed the subject. The less time he spent thinking about the situation, maybe it would blow over without any leftover drama.
"I was pretty confident I was going to take it until Scottie's mom got real passive aggressive with me at the hospital. I told you she was a part of the interview process," Spencer nodded in response. "Well, she was going on and on about how much she donates and how important she is because she is on the board. I don't know... I don't think I want to be connected to her in that way. Especially if she's going to hang that over my head because she's mad I'm not with her son anymore."
"Damn, I guess you really are a big deal, huh," Spencer joked, gripping the bare flesh below her shorts.
"Apparently," she shrugged, pushing her lips against his, ignoring Damita loudly clearing her throat across the room.
"Sorry to interrupt and I will surely be getting out of here soon but I need to run something by you, Spencer," Damita shared, smiling at her friend and client. He wasn't the broody type but it took a lot to hold his attention. Seeing him genuinely happy looked good on him. She hated to burst his bubble.
Once outside on the balcony, Damita shared that Jalen had already jumped in front of the bandwagon. "Jalen just went live. Bruised eye and all. He's making it seem like he did you a favor not pressing charges but you look like a bully beating up on a guy that has a brother in the hospital fighting for his life."
"Shit! So what now," Spencer questioned. "I need to get on social media and put on a show?"
"No, whatever you do, stay off social media. Matter fact, how about you just log out completely and we will handle whatever needs to be posted in regards to this." Damita suggested. "The league will most likely investigate due to the personal conduct policy." Spencer's hands tightened on the balcony railing. "Look... at most you'll probably get a three game suspension once camera footage is available. The situation isn't complicated. No one was charged with anything."
"The NFL just has an image to uphold," he said knowingly. "They made us read that long ass agreement. I shouldn't have even given that asshole the time of day."
For the rest of the afternoon, Spencer was thankful he didn't have access to his social media. Ignorance was bliss when it came to this type of madness and he was already under enough stress. When times got rough in college, Spencer knew there was one person in his corner that understood those difficult times.
"Wassup, son," Corey called out from the grill. Frankie Beverly blared through the speakers in the backyard as he flipped grilled vegetables over on the hot grids.
"Hey, pops. Whatchu smoking out here," Spencer asked, peeling back the foil on one of the pans.
"Some grilled vegetables and I just took some chicken off. You're more than welcome to some because you know I made more than enough," Corey replied, blotting his face with the towel around his neck. "Your knucklehead brother already swiped one of my damn wings. I tell ya, I think that boy eats more than you."
"I believe you. He used to almost drink a gallon of milk when I was still living here," the receiver added, taking a seat on the patio. He let the heaviness of his body sink into the chair as he let out a frustrated sigh.
Corey James peered over his sunglasses, "What's going on?"
"I fucked up," he started, throwing his head against the back of the chair. "After you and ma left the hospital, I got into a fight with Kia's boyfriend's brother. Someone recorded it and posted it on the internet."
"Son," Corey sighed. "We've talked about your temper countless times. What have I always told you?"
"I can't control what everyone else does but I'm in control of my reaction and actions," Spencer repeated nonchalantly. "But he put his hands on me first and I'm not about to let someone disrespect me or my daughter either. You know you would have reacted the same way if it were me or Dillon."
"What did he say about Benni?"
"You hear someone say 'fuck your kid' and you let that slide? Nah," Spencer shook his head, his blood boiling all over again. "How else was I supposed to react?"
Corey nodded, "Yeah, I would have probably reacted the same. I don't play when it comes to my granddaughter."
"Damn, not even me or Dillon? Just Benni," he chuckled. "Y'all really do forget about your kids when the grandkids come."
"You damn right," Corey bellowed. "But in all seriousness, you have to move differently now. People are going to want a reaction out of you and if you let them see you're easy to trigger, they'll go for the gut. Back in my day, we didn't have to worry about cameras and people posting on Facebook. If I wanted to beat somebody's ass, I could do that with no consequences. Nowadays, you will get caught so that means you need to be more careful. Trust me, I'm not mad at you defending yours, but the league isn't going to care. They're all about image and maintaining their sponsorships. That means they want to also maintain how their players look in public."
"I can't even lie to you...I'm not used to all this, pops. College was one thing but I'm starting to feel like a stranger in my own home. Los Angeles used to seem so big. Now I feel like I'm suffocating. Can't go out without being recognized. I just want to play ball. Without people in my business." Fame was exhausting and it was a part of the dream that Spencer wished he could silence.
"I understand. That's the same thing I said too. No one prepares you for the life off the field and to me sometimes that was the hardest part of it all. And once you have kids, it changes again. But you have to promise me you won't get too lost in this. That you remember why you picked up that ball and ran around this background with your old man. If you keep reminding yourself about that then nothing can get in your way," the father explained. "But while you're here, tell me what you got going on with Miss Baker?"
Spencer blushed, the simple mention of her name making it hard to keep the smile off his face. "What about her?"
"Boy, don't play with me. It's obvious you're sweet on her. Your pops wasn't born yesterday," Corey teased, snapping the tongs in Spencer's direction.
"Yeah, I guess you could say I'm sweet on her or whatever you old men say," Spencer repeated, slapping his father's arm as the smile on his face spread even wider.
"Whoa, now wait a minute. I haven't seen you smile that big since middle school. What was that little girl's name," Corey snapped his fingers together, hoping the name would come to him.
"Monica," Spencer answered. "You know how you used to tell us about how you and mom just seemed to work? Like you couldn't explain why but it felt right? That's how it feels with her. We get each other and I've only known her for such a short amount of time. It's crazy."
"Love is a crazy thing," the father smiled. When Spencer frowned, Corey added, "Don't fight it, man. I see it in your eyes. Like I said, I wasn't born yesterday. Listen to your old man."
"On that note, I'm going to head out. I'm going to take Benni up to the hospital to see Kia. I'll grab a plate to go."
"I'm thinking about doing a dinner here soon. Maybe you can bring your lady with you next time," Corey yelled after his son. Any excuse for him to use that grill.
——————-
The next couple of days were trying. Luckily, Spencer had an amazing PR team surrounding him so he felt more at ease about the media side of things. He had talked to the GM and his coach and would most likely have to serve at least a three game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct rule after they investigated the event. Damita was working on making a statement to ease the fire since Jalen and the rest of the Kane family tried to spin the story in their favor.
When Spencer arrived home after practice, he was greeted by the sound of pots and pans clanging around in his kitchen before a head of curls popped up.
"Oh, hi," Olivia waved, shutting the cabinet door. Spencer laughed at her making herself right at home. "I finished right in time."
"Finished what," the player questioned, putting his bag down in time to catch Olivia as she jumped into his arms.
"I made stir-fry. Don't worry, I made sure not to go too hard on the sodium," she added, knowing Spencer was strict about his diet during the season. "Figured we could chill tonight. With everything that's been going on lately, I think that'll be good for us. Non-alcoholic paint and sip included."
Spencer's eyes focused on the canvases and paints in the corner of his living room. "Thank you. I could use some peace and quiet. And if you're teaching me some of your painting techniques, then that's just a bonus."
"Sit down, I'll fix our food. How is Kia doing," Olivia asked, creating small talk as she moved around the kitchen.
"Better. She should be going home in the next couple of days. They wanted to make sure she didn't get any infections after the surgery. Her mom is going to stay with her until she's able to move around on her own."
Sitting their plates on the coffee table, Olivia continued, "I bet Benni misses her."
Spencer was waiting for the right time to have the conversation with Kia about him being ready to formally introduce their daughter to Olivia. He still felt slightly betrayed that he had yet to meet Scottie before she had Benni around him but he was trying his best to let that go.
"The food must not be good," Olivia's voice brought him out of his head.
"I'm sorry, just thinking and zoned out," he replied. "It's good, baby."
"You know you can be honest with me, right," she responded with a soft grin.
Putting his fork down, Spencer leaned back against the couch, "I got a lot on my mind. All the stuff with Kia, making sure I'm protecting my daughter from all the mess. Dealing with this fight and all the shit that's come with that. Feels like I'm spinning right now." Even with an amazing team surrounding him, there was a heaviness that had been weighing him down. When he tried to ignore it, he was quickly reminded that life was different. "This was supposed to be a relaxing night. Sorry for bringing the mood down."
"Don't apologize for having feelings. Talk to me," Olivia said warmly, inviting Spencer to lay his head in her lap while he vented.
"I've been doing better with my temper and I let a dumbass take me out of my element. I'm embarrassed that you even had to see me like that. That won't happen again," he pressed, toying with the name plate necklace hanging around Olivia's neck.
"You were protecting your daughter. Plus, I know Jalen is just like his brother. An even bigger piece of shit if I'm being honest. You have nothing to be sorry for when it comes to me," her hands massaged at his short curls, coaxing him to continue talking.
"When Benni was born it was like this switch flipped. I wanted to protect her from this cruel world from the first day I held her in my arms. If nobody was there to stop me, Jalen would have been a dead man," Spencer pointed out.
"And I'm sure she will appreciate you so much once she's old enough to see how great of a dad you are to her," Olivia comforted, bending forward to kiss away the frown lines on Spencer's forehead. He gazed up at her. Who knew a visit to an art show would introduce him to such a light. Things felt easy like a breath of fresh air. Like this was where he was supposed to be all this time. The swell in his chest couldn't be denied and he was tired of pushing it down. He was in love with Olivia Baker.
After dinner, Olivia unwrapped the canvases and filled two paper plates with paints while Spencer put together a quick playlist. As a kid, Olivia thought painting was the best way to calm a chaotic day. It was a safe place and a release. A world where perfection didn't matter and the art was whatever you made it. She took joy in seeing other people have that same experience. So she could only hope her attempt to help her boyfriend relax and take his mind off the madness would be successful.
He watched as Olivia dipped her paint brush onto the palette and made a single stroke on her canvas. "You want to start light and then build up as you go. The more pressure you apply to the brush, the more the paint spreads right here. Painting is similar to sex."
"Hmm," Spencer hummed, following the artist's instructions. "How so?"
In order to demonstrate, Olivia put her own brush down and got up to stand behind Spencer's stool. Slightly wrapping her hand around his, she guided his hand to the palette and placed the brush back on the canvas. "It's all in the strokes of your brush. Gentle, slow strokes leave the edges smooth. And the rough ones make the edges a bit more rigid."
He could feel her chest press against his back briefly, "Which one is your favorite?"
"You need both to make a masterpiece," she replied softly. The once weighted mood in the room had shifted and they hadn't even finished painting the background.
Olivia dropped her hand and began walking back to her own canvas when Spencer caught her by the hem of her shirt. "Thank you," he said, grateful that he hadn't scared her off and instead she listened and understood his feelings.
"I just wanted you to feel better. I know it's been rough," Olivia replied, letting him pull her onto his lap. "Oh, you don't want to finish this?"
"Yeah...yeah. I gotta practice these strokes you're supposed to be showing me," he flirted, pressing a wet kiss to the side of her neck. "Maybe we can finish this one together?"
"Okay, I like the way you think," Olivia nodded. "And I forgot to tell you about my good news today. I got an email from an interior designer that works here in LA with you high dollar athletes. Supposedly, a WNBA player saw my work and wants me to do some art work for her home. Her husband plays in the NBA. They're newlyweds and just brought this huge ass house in The Hills."
"How the hell did you forget to tell me that? That's dope, baby! Did they tell you who it was," Spencer asked enthusiastically. Olivia had been struggling with the idea of taking the job at the museum after her encounter with Rosa. Maybe this opportunity could give her another option and open another door.
"Nope. I guess it's top secret information until I talk to their designer. But, I'm really excited about this. If all works out, who knows, maybe I can blow up and have enough clientele to focus on my craft. That's all I've ever wanted to do," the artist explained passionately.
"And you will."