His eyes shot to the led-lit dashboard of his Audi, reading the numbers and quickly guesstimating if he had enough time to run home and be at the practice facility on time.
It was a long shot that he'd make it, but he had this feeling in his gut that he had to go. Maybe it was his subconscious telling him that he needed his own protein shake since the ones at the facility always had him running faster than ever to the nearest bathroom.
Pulling away from the well known sweet shop, A Bite of Blue, Damon tried his hardest to dodge the early morning traffic by taking back roads and shortcuts. The meeting he'd just had with the husband of the building's owner was heavy on his heart as he could imagine the plans going from paper to reality.
Demetrius LaCour, co-owner of the LaCour and Brown community center—LAB for short—was eager to update Damon with the latest about the football field he was sponsoring at the center. As the quarterback of the Atlanta Blaze, Damon was compelled to give back to his community with something he could only dream of having access to as a child. He wanted to be a part of every step of the process, and not just donate money so they'd slap his name on there for societal praise.
The beauty he'd met briefly on his way out also lingered in his mind. The little interaction ended almost as quickly as it started, but the way she smiled at him was burned into his memory. It was brighter than the sun that was peeking over the horizon. He felt blessed that the third face he saw this morning was her gorgeous one.
His gaze made its way back to the clock as he pulled into his round, pebbled driveway. He was doing terribly with time. Jumping out of the silvery gray SUV, Damon quickly hopped out and ran to the door, inputting the code. He darted inside and went straight to the kitchen to grab his protein shake out of the refrigerator.
Turning on his heels, he headed back to the front door but was sidetracked by the theme song of Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse.
"Capri?" He questioned aloud.
"In here!" The response was unexpected since he knew his niece should have been at school by this hour. He walked in to see her as he'd left her, dressed in her uniform with a, now soggy, bowl of cereal.
"Where's my mom? I'm an hour late for school." She looked up at him through her glasses that made her eyes appear a little bigger than they actually were.
Damon took a deep breath, trying to hide his frustrations from her since Capri was too smart for own good. He didn't know where his sister, her mother, was. And he didn't have the heart to tell his niece that her mom had forgotten about her. Again.
"I forgot that I was supposed to bring you this morning, I'm sorry." He was sincerely apologetic for other reasons. "Come on, let's go." Damon grabbed her backpack as she cut off the tv, knowing Damon hated it when it was left on.
He helped her into her car seat, calling his coach to let him know yet another family emergency came up and he'd be late for practice.
The traffic became worse by the time he made it back out. Thankfully Capri's school wasn't far from their home, but he knew what it was like to be the last kid walking in class after instruction started. Capri was turning five soon so she wasn't numb to the feeling of embarrassment, and she was getting to the age where she'd never forget it. He still remembered being one of those kids who'd always come late. The stares and whisperings of teachers were weaved into his memory.
He thought Reyna felt the same way, and they vowed never to expose their children to the things they went through without their mother being present in their lives. It was difficult for Damon to realize his little sister wasn't who he thought she was. He couldn't grasp the person Reyna had become. Or rather what she pretended to be.
Growing up with their grandmother wasn't the worst outcome that could've come from their mother falling off the face of the Earth. He was grateful that they didn't struggle with the hardships of adoption, but in a sense, they were still on their own because there were only so many things their elderly grandmother could do.
Twelve years ago, his grind began. He was in high school, Reyna in middle, and he was determined. He studied day in and day out to maintain his honor roll status and trained right after to become the best football player he could be. Damon considered himself a smart man, but he knew that ball was the thing he was truly great at and that it would get him and his sister everything their childhood was robbed of.
No amount of money could bring their mom back, and he wasn't sure if he wanted her back anyway, but knowing that he and his future family would be set with no worries was enough to keep him content for the rest of his life. Things like being able to send Capri to one of the top Black private schools in the country healed a part of him, his soul was at ease knowing his niece was getting a head start on a successful life, even if she didn't know it yet.
He felt like he was doing at least one thing right by her since he couldn't get her mom to remember that she existed. It wasn't that he minded being there and stepping up as a father figure for Capri, he just wanted Reyna to do her part as the one who brought her into this world. His niece didn't ask to be here and he wholeheartedly believed that she deserved to be treated like more than an afterthought.
"Uncle Dee? Are you mad?" Capri asked as he held her hand, walking her into Angelou Institute.
"Nah, I'm just tired. You had me up late watching that Miranda movie."
"It's Moana, Uncle Dee! Mo-ah-nuh." She said it slowly for him behind her little laughs. After checking in, they arrived at the office where one of the assistants was getting ready to bring Capri to her class.
He kneeled to her level, his workout shoes creasing, "Have a good day, baby girl. Don't forget to tell Ms. Jayla about your birthday party invitations, okay? Love you."
"Love you too." Capri wrapped her arms around his neck before waving goodbye and disappearing down the hallway.
His fingertips ran hot as he rapidly tapped the screen of his phone. He would call Reyna to tell her off but he knew she wouldn't answer. She probably wouldn't respond to his text message either, but there was a chance she'd read it, and he hoped that she could feel an ounce of the shame he did when he had to tell Capri she wasn't there.
Damon sighed as he made it into his car, wondering what it would take to fix this situation. As he pulled off in the direction of the Blaze's practice facility, he couldn't help but dial his little sister's number anyway.
_____________________
"Girl, what are you still doing here?" Mila heard her boss' voice come from behind her as she cleaned the tables before decorating them with a fall decor centerpiece. The one she'd just placed was a faux jar of pumpkin spice.
"I'm almost done, I just have a few tables left." Mila chuckled as she turned to her, looking down at her short self while she wore her baby in a sling. "What do you think of the place?"
"You did amazing as usual, this is why I give you the card and let you do what you do best. Thanks, Mila." Saija smiled sweetly. "How are you doing?"
"Dylan is-"
"I asked about you, Mila. Not Dylan. I already know you're doing amazing with her, but how are you?" She emphasized, knowing how easy it was to fall in the shadow of your children.
"I'm good." Mila nodded her head and believed what she said. "I have no complaints, and life is peaceful."
"That's what I love to hear. Let me know if you need anything."
"I always do." Mila smiled as they gave each other a quick side hug. Saija left her alone to finish, and when she did, Mila got into her car and back to the area of Angelou Institute. It was the place besides work she left her home to go to, except for her biweekly trip to the grocery store which she dreaded because of the lines and Dylan's excessive need to ask for everything sugary in sight.
Pulling into the school's nearly empty parking lot, Mila noticed the only other cars out there and shook her head. She just knew she was about to walk into something chaotic. It was always that when Yasmine and Jilly paired up.
The fresh scent of lemon left by the custodians filled her nose and the brisk air conditioner cooled her body down from the late summer heat. She followed the noise of children and it led her to the cafeteria where she saw her daughter playing, and her friends chatting it up in the mayhem.
Jillian, more fondly known as Jilly, was over this after-school program, one of her many roles as she was heavily involved in the PTA. Mila couldn't imagine wearing as many hats as she did, with grace at that. Her son, Levi, was in the same class as Mila and Yasmine's daughters, which is how she was added to Mila and Yasmine's bond that had years to bloom. She was a good amount of years senior to Mila and Yasmine, so she became a big sister that neither of them biologically had. She was their rich and mature best friend, and they were her young and fun ones.
When Yasmine saw her best friend, she immediately pulled out her camera and pressed record with Mila in the frame. "Y'all's favorite finally remembered me."
"Girl hush." Mila waved her off and rolled her eyes before taking a seat at the lunch table next to her. "Dylan!" She raised her voice loud enough just to catch her attention, and Dylan waved quickly before resuming her play session with Halle. "Hey, Sam."
"Everybody's always in my comments asking me to get you to come back, Mila. They miss you." Yasmine sang the words, making Mila shake her head.
"That's very nice but I don't think so. Plus, what do they need me for when the Beyoncé of YouTube is right here?"
Yasmine flipped the camera to show the both of them in the frame, "Oop, you spilled, Bestie. Let them know." She giggled, loving the nickname her supporters gave her. "I'm starting a petition for them to change it from YouTube to YasTube. It has a ring to it, doesn't it?"
"Jesus." Jilly chuckled as she listened to them while observing the children. "Can you pause YasTube so we can finish talking about the party?"
"Yeah, and we're going, too." Yasmine directed her gaze to Mila so she knew she was talking to her.
"What party are y'all talking about?"
"This one." Jilly held up the gorgeously decorated piece of cardstock that was tucked in all of their children's folders. "One of the kid's classmates has a birthday party coming up soon."
"You're trying to force me to go to a kid's party? Really, Yas? This is a new low." Mila's face turned down as she shook her head.
"The kid that this party is for is Capriya Cosey. All the DILFs and tall, muscular, and fine Blaze players may show their faces, so we must be there too." Yasmine put her manicured finger to her chin, just imagining how much better they'd look in person and out of their uniforms.
"Cosey...that sounds familiar. Is her dad on the team?" Mila asked, the gears in her brain now oiled up and turning. Her father was a huge football fan, so she knew some things about the rules and flags, and in her move, she found herself using the Sunday football games as background noise as she tidied her home.
"Damon Cosey is on the team; he's the quarterback. And he's not her dad, he's her uncle." Jilly filled her in as she grabbed her phone to show Mila a picture, and why Yasmine was a bit eager.
She hoped the widening of her eyes wasn't as big as she felt it was when Jilly's phone displayed the handsome stranger she saw this morning. He was in his dynamite red jersey, his muscular arms flexed as she held the distinct brown ball, and eye black greased under his eyes that were slimmed as his unforgettable smile charmed the camera. Though, it did him no justice compared to reality.
"Look at her. She just had her sexual reawakening." Yasmine whispered making Mila flip her off. "Dylan, tell Mommy you want to go to the party."
"Mommy, I want to go to the party." Dylan effortlessly repeated while her hands were full of baby dolls.
"I hate you." Mila got up and began to grab Dylan's things so they could go home.
"You love me." Yasmine grinned while crossing her legs over the other.
She had no idea what she was about to get herself into.
The ingredients are being added to the pot that I'm sooooo ready to stir 🌚🤭
comment your thoughts so far & thx for readingg 💜