Odell
I got suckered in... I should have known it was gonna go Nayas way and not mine. I agreed to have Jaz come to visit for a couple days but I never expected the deadline to be extended.It's been 8 days three days more than what we had been set on, I was dying. In a way, I knew that Naya loved Jazzys company, especially on the days that I was out training.
"Hey, babe" I was greeted with a kiss when I stepped into the house "how was your day?" I asked setting my things down and following her to the kitchen "it was good Jaz and I went to universal studios with Kae and India" The smile she had on her face let me know that she had a great time there.
"Where's Jaz?" I looked around noticing that she was nowhere in sight "she's outside in the pool" she pointed out the window I nodded telling her I'd be right back.
"Looks who's back" I found her laying down on a chair relaxing "how much of a tan do you need, you know you're already black right?" I questioned seeing that her skin looked shiny like it was baking in the sun.
"Dell goodbye" she waved me off not having a comeback which had me dying. "Mom called" she said putting up her shades "what she say" I took a seat next to her
"My stay is officially over tomorrow" she looked upset. "I swear I didn't call her" I say holding my hands up. Yes, I wanted her back home but I was just gonna let time run its course, I never called my mom.
"I know dummy" she chuckled "I forgot I have cheer tryouts that's why" she explained I didn't even remember that she was a cheerleader. "Well I will say I enjoyed you being here to an extent and I know Naya loved having you around"
"Thanks for taking us to Disneyland" I reached in for a hug that might have been too tight since she started patting my back to let go.
"It's no problem aye just know you're welcomed at my place whenever" I was referring to New York letting her know she didn't just have to visit only when there was a game.
"Thanks, I'll be sure to remember that" she tapped my head letting me know she had put it as a mental note.
"I can go to practice late tomorrow so I can drop you at the airport" I say not wanting her to go there by herself.
"You don't have to do that Dell plus Naya's here" I shook my head "I know that but I wanna drop you off" I knew I was being stubborn especially since Naya was the one to pick her up from the airport when she first got here.
"If you say so just check with Naya first" she said as if I couldn't make decisions on my own "I don't need to" I rolled my eyes getting up from the seat "if you say so" she shrugged shaking her head. When I made my way back inside Naya had surprisingly shared a plate out for me as she waited for me to come back in.
"Okay so this week I have a shoot with billboard then next week I have a shoot with Cover-girl " she recited her schedule for me from her phone "when does tour start back up again?"
"July 20th I believe" she scrolled through her phone to get the right date "okay ima be back in New York at that time" I reminded "oh yeah I forgot camp starts soon" she face palmed her face "yeah in a couple weeks actually" I pointed out showing her the calendar on the wall.
"Damn I forgot that was even there okay so the original plan was to go back to with you to the east coast until rehearsals started" she looked at me for confirmation. "What if you have interviews and shoots that's traveling back and forth how do you feel about that?" I wanted to make sure she was good I didn't want her stressed with all the traveling.
"Yeah I'm good with that I just wanna be with you before we have to separate again" she frowned thinking about us being apart once the tour started back up and my season started. "Are you sure?"
"Odell I said yes I'm sure I'm positive do you not want me there" she questions arms now crossed "see no I never said that I'm just making sure this is what you wanna do" I say defending myself "who's watching the house when you're gone?" I could see that my questioning was beginning to piss her off "I can have my aunt come to check it out once in a while" she referred to a family member I had never met.
"What aunt is this?" I was confused she never spoke to me about any aunts or uncles. "My aunt Gina I'll have you meet her before we leave" she acted like it was no big deal "seriously?" This was the first person on her mother's side that I would even meet.
"Yes Odell she's only one I like so you can meet her" she laughed at my shocked face "she has no filter either so bare with her" she warned. "Before I forget I'm dropping Jazzy off tomorrow" I quickly said ready to get up from my seat. "What?" She put her arm out to stop me from moving "I'm dropping her at the airport tomorrow" I said once more but this time slower.
"You don't got training tomorrow?" Her eyes squinted at me "Ima just got late" I shrugged "Odell" her head tilted with my name "Naya" I copied.
"You serious right now?" I didn't see what the big deal was I just wanted to drop my sister off. "You know right now they're literally crucifying you for any little thing you do" I nodded knowing I had a target on my back every since the yacht situation "I don't care honestly I'm putting in the work missing a couple hours isn't going to all of a sudden make me bad at the sport" I didn't mean to sound angry my tone just came out that way.
"Okay I just hate when they bad mouth you" she frowned wrapping her arms around my next "I know baby's but that's what comes with the business you can't make them all love you" I reassured her I was good "okay whatever you want to do go ahead" she leaned in for a kiss.
"Just make sure at the end of the day you come home with our NFL checks" she half-joked walking away "I swear you tryna trap me!"
*********
Naya
After dropping Jazzy off it was back to business I had to get everything out the way before it was time to move back to New York.
Since I only had like two weeks left I decided to invite my aunt over. After my unexpected visit to my grandmothers home, my aunt and I had been texting back and forth. She had done a lot for herself, gotten up and out of the hood into a nice neighborhood now worked in a firm instead of being a CNA. If anything I trusted her to watch over things when I was gone plus if anything happened she knew how to handle it.
"Now Yaya you know you don't need no big house like this" she hadn't even walked through the front door fully and was already judging. "This is small you should see Odell's New York home it's twice the size"
"See Y'all get money and don't know what to do with it" she shook her head "see me I get money and I save it ion like spending" I knew she was lying that 2016 BMW out front said otherwise.
"Says the woman in a whole suit and some red bottoms on" I looked her over as she walked around "this is for work you know outside of this I like my jeans and a loose tee shirt" I guess I had to agree with her.
"Girl you defeating the whole purpose of a movie theater!" She yelled from the basement, I could tell she found the theater room. "Wait till your tired ass uncle see this" she laughed coming up the steps "how is he by the way?" I motioned her to sit down by the counter.
"He's good, living and breathing" she gave a short answer "aunt Gina" I gave her the side eye "he is doing just fine he still got that barber shop and he still going to his mama house every Sunday like the good boy he is" she low key made fun of him "I can't with you the way you talk about him make it seem like you hate him"
"Nah that's my honey he gets in my nerves but that's my forever" she smiled at the thought."Speaking of forever where's your little boyfriend" she looked around like he would magically appear "he training he should be home soon, I told him he would get to meet you"
"He treating you right?" She began her questioning "yes auntie" she squinted her eyes over at me "I be watching I'm not dumb I just don't be saying nothing" I don't know what she meant by that so I just stayed quiet. "I know y'all broke up some months back I be keeping up with it" she revealed making me laugh at how invested she was. "Oh my gosh" I shook my head
"So what he do cheat?" She got right to the point "aunt Gina" I tried to get away from the question but she wasn't budging "he got somebody pregnant?" She went on with them."Noo oh gosh we just needed space apart for a while" I say not going into details, I didn't think I should get into the cheating situation because knowing her she'd have his head as soon as he came home.
"Hmmm well, how's your sister?" I was happy she switched topics "she's good taking it Day by day" they knew what she was going through since Nattie had to go ahead and tell everybody. I didn't get why she did that she acted like they needed to know every bit of details about her life. "Marcel knows he's wrong for trying to take that boy away from his mom" I nodded agreeing.
After talking for a bit more we finally heard the front door open up "NFL is home" she continued with the nicknames.
"Babe!" He called out, this was the first thing he did every time he came home. "Kitchen!" I responded spinning my chair around so I could see him. I heard his footsteps before I actually saw him enter the room.
"Hello" he greeted "I'm Odell" he walked over giving her a hug "I'm Regina her aunt" she hugged back "nice to finally meet you" he stepped back smiling "likewise I'm tired of seeing pictures I wanted to see the actual person" she joked.
"You just came from what practice?" She asked making conversation "yeah kinda I do training up until I have to leave for camp" he informed her going in the fridge for a water. "Oh right the season starts back soon" she looked interested which surprised me because this woman knew nothing about sports. That means she probably did her little research about him or about the sport.
"Where are you from Odell" the questioning began "Louisiana" his accent came out "Ohh down south I know you be loving on those plates of seafood"
"Man what you gotta try some crawfish it goes back and some Jambalaya" he rubbed his stomach as he imagined the food. "I'm good on seafood I don't like the ocean taste" now it was my turn to look at her like she was crazy "you don't like seafood you're bugged" I judged
"Never did never will you know how many times you're uncle tried to change that." She shook her head "I grew up on food trucks then when I met her uncle I was introduced to the oxtails and curry chicken all that good stuff" she reminisced "I'm still waiting for her to make me some of that" he pointed to me.
"You know damn well she doesn't know how to cook none of that stuff" she shut any skills I had down. "Stop playing me like I don't know how to cook" I stay raising my hand, first of all, she was right I didn't know how to make any of those complicated dishes but I didn't know how to cook.
"What you cook?" She questioned. "She be cheffing it up in the kitchen I gotta give her that" he finally defended "okay I'll give you that"
"How's your ugly ass father doing" she randomly brought him up "oh gosh he's good living his best life" I say letting her know I was taking care of him I knew my aunt had mix feelings about my dad she still held it against him for leaving us.
From the side of my eye, I could see Odell rummage through the fridge as he tried not to listen to the convo which I knew he was. "You ain't ask me how your mommas doing?" She thought she was slick bringing her up "Why would I ask questions that I don't wanna know the answers to" I said with an irritated tone "I know but ima tell you anyway" she laughed at me.
"She works in the hospital now she's a nurse" she informed I nodded but wasn't paying attention "nice" I mumbled reaching over to Odell to wipe off the peanut butter he had gotten on his beard from his sandwich.
"Are you close with your mom Odell?" She now directed towards him "uh yes ma'am I am that's my world" he answered looking at me while he spoke "see please talk some sense into this girl to let that hurt go" she tried to urge
"Alright, we not gon do this" I was ready to get up and leave but O kept his hand on my leg stopping me "she's stubborn but she can't hold hate in her heart for long so give her time. She already came around with bringing you back in her life so I think give her a bit more time to think about and maybe she'll come around" he rubbed my thigh.
"Alright well, the man has spoken" I could tell she was impressed with the way he was defending me.
"On that note, it's my time to get going your uncle blowing up my phone" she was annoyed as she showed us her phone with multiple messages. "He misses you he knows you shouldn't be coming home this late" I laughed at how concerned my uncle seemed.
"Alright I'll text you if anything" I say getting up to lead her to the door "alright honey and Odell it was great meeting you" she gave him a hug "you as well"
Once she was gone I let out a sigh I didn't even know I was holding in. "She wasn't that bad" if only he was what she was saying before he came. "I suppose" I shrugged taking a seat on the couch
"Since we finally got the house to ourselves wanna do that thing you promised" he had a whole smirk on his face while he walked towards me "Odell goodbye get away from me" I playfully pushed him away.
"You promised though so come here" I don't know what control he had over me all I knew was that as soon as I was pulled by my legs I was immediately filled with laughter. In a matter of seconds, this man had lifted my mood by doing the most simple thing. This is why I was destined to keep him around no one cared for me the way he did or made me smile as wide the way he did, he also just had this charm about him that seemed to suck me in every single time.