Colin's POV
"I saw that Colin," Becca raises a judging brow at me as she places an oversized duffle bag under her seat. Nothing gets past her, and definitely not the stunt I pulled the last game.
"Saw what?"
"Let's just hope Vera saw it."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Becca shakes her head. There's no point in trying to bullshit. But I'm in a playful mood right now. I'll beat around the bush.
"I'm pretty sure the whole nation saw that Colin."
"Hmm."
"I hope you guys get back together soon."
"You don't think she should ditch me like everyone else does?" The thought surprises me. I already know I'm not good enough for her. The revelation came to me a long time ago. But still, something deep down inside of me kept saying otherwise. A small voice, but a voice nonetheless.
"No, I think you guys are meant for eachother."
"Thank you!" I throw my hands up in mock defeat.
"I also think that you need to keep your head out of your ass and stop making horrible decisions. Like going to a trap house and taking drugs. It was also a bad idea to be alone in a room with one other football player and a woman. I mean come on Colin, sometimes I feel like you don't think."
"Ok this conversation isn't going the way I thought it was. Besides that was a long ass time ago."
"A few months ago isn't too long."
I bite my tongue as Becca sits down. The bus lurches forward and within minutes, the players are lulled to sleep. I can only pray that Vera was watching the game...and that she saw me at the end. She's all that was on my fuckin mind during the game, during our victory. I put on my headphones trying to escape my feelings. I'm a damn fool.
Vera's POV
"Aunty Ray? Do you need anything from the store?" I zip up my gray Nike hoodie over my baby bump. Everything has been tight fitting nowadays. I'll have to go shopping in the maternity store soon. Leah would love that.
It's been two days since the game and Aunty Ray is still trying to get over the shock from the news that Colin Kaepernick happens to be the father of my baby.
"Yeah sure, can I have a kiwi-strawberry Arizona tea?" She calls from her office.
"Got it!" I grab her car keys from the key holder next to the door and waddle out to the car.
I've been replaying Colin mouthing my name in my mind since the game. I've been losing sleep over it. So he's still thinking about me? Me? All I can think about is how he kissed his hand and held it to his heart. After everything, everything, does he really still love me? Can he still love me? Regret. Maybe I should have given him a chance to explain, a chance to tell me his side of the story. I'm always so quick to jump to conclusions, to think the worst of him. Maybe I should tell him about baby girl. I swallow a knot in my throat before putting the key into the ignition and reversing out of the driveway. No. No. There's no going back now. My phone vibrates against my thigh. I pick my phone out of my pocket, keeping one hand on the wheel.
"Hello?"
"Um, don't hello me! I know you saw the game the other day! The only reason I didn't call you right after is because I've been bombarded with work and school!"
Leah's voice hits me like Seattle hail on a windshield.
"Here we go," I mutter.
"Vera, you got some damn problems, can't you see that man loves you!? I swear, if you don't call him or tell him about this baby, I'ma do it myself!"
"Leah, will you calm yourself down?"
"No, do you have any idea how difficult it is to run into this fool and see how depressed he looks? All the while I just wanna bust out and say 'oh by the way Colin, do you know you're going to be having a beautiful baby girl in a few months?'"
"Depressed? He's depressed?"
"Why don't you fucking get it Vera!"
"Look, I don't need this right now Leah, I'm driving."
"V, I'm not trying to be rude, I just hate seeing you both going through this!"
"Ok, Ok, we'll talk about this later, I'm driving. Do you want me to get into a car accident?"
"No, no, no, call me back when you get home!"
"Ok, love you."
"Love you!"
I pull up to the Safeway a few blocks from the house and park, trying to take in everything Leah just told me. It aches my heart to know he's in pain. But a selfish part of me is satisfied that he's losing as much sleep over me as I am over him.
Colin's POV
"Russ." I'm on the phone with Russell again.
"What's good bro?"
"When do you plan on using the address I sent you?"
"Aww shit, almost forgot about that.
"Russ, come on bruh, go today, please. I gotta know she's ok."
"You can't call her or anything? Man, I feel like a damn stalker!"
"Please, who doesn't want to be followed by Russell Wilson? And nah, she changed everything. Numbers and all. You're the only person I know of out there who can check on her for me."
"Hmmm. Alright, I'll head over there man."
"For real?"
"Yeah, I had to go that way anyway. She's actually pretty close to the training center in Renton."
"Ok, keep texting me like the whole time. Ima be blowing up your phone if you don't."
"Ah geez. Well I'm stopping by the Safeway a couple blocks down from her house first to grab some toilet paper."
"What?"
"Come on man, it's a lot cheaper at the Safeway down the street from her than it is at the Albertson's by my place."
"The Super Bowl Champ is concerned about the price of toilet paper? Are you kidding me? You need some coupons too!??"
"Quit playin bruh, I'ma start couponing soon."
"Man, just text me when you're on the way there."
I hang up and sit anxiously in the meeting room.
Vera's POV
Safeway is so fucking crowded and I'm not in the mood to deal with people. I grab a cart from the entrance area and weave in and out of traffic to make my way to the pharmacy section with prenatal vitamins. For some reason the ones I was prescribed have been making me feel nauseous. Oh the joys of motherhood!
The aisles are a sea of blue and green, with 12th man flags hanging from every corner. I smile at a mother pushing a fidgeting son in her cart. He plays quietly with his toys as she looks through the same aisle as me.
"How many months are you?" she asks cordially, moving her cart out of my way.
"I'm five months."
"Oh wow, that's going to be a big baby!"
"That's what the doctors are saying."
"Are you getting prenatal vitamins?"
"Yes."
She reaches above me and grabs a blue box.
"These ones are the best."
I take them and put them into my cart, smiling.
"Well, thank you. Is that your only one?" I motion to the little boy in her cart.
"Oh no no no, I have three others. They're at home." She laughs.
"Whoa, that must be a handful," I say, thinking of having to take care of four children.
"Yeah it is, but my husband is a sweetheart, loves 'em to death. I don't know what I would do without him," she smiles, making her way out of the aisle.
I look down at the box of prenatal vitamins. Feeling that knot reemerge in my throat, going down to build up in my stomach right above babygirl. Colin would love you to death, I think quietly, rubbing the top of my stomach. I continue walking and try to change my train of thought.
A few aisles down, I turn into a section of Arizona teas and see that they're right next to shelves of toilet paper. What the hell? I try not to laugh. Why the hell would they put Arizona teas next to toilet paper? I push my cart to the side and slowly bend down, using my wallet to point through the teas to try and find Aunty Ray's Kiwi Strawberry.
"AhhhHH!"
Just as I come across the Kiwi-Strawberry, I'm knocked over. I don't even know what's hit me.
"Oh my gosh!" A concerned voice breaks through my daze as powerful hands lift me up.
"It's ok," I say, dusting myself off as I realize what's just happened. Someone's accidentally bumped into me while I was kneeling to look for Aunty Ray's tea. I look up into a kind face...a familiar face. He's heavily hooded and immediately bends down to pick up the contents of my wallet, which he knocked out of my hand.
"Man, I'm so sorry. I was in a rush to grab some toilet paper I didn't realize I was about to knock you over!" He picks up a stack of coupons that fell out of his pocket, his gentle eyes searching me.
"Oh, no worries! I don't know why they put the toilet paper right next to the teas anyway," I smile. He reaches to scoop up the change and cards that have fallen out from my wallet. He stops for a moment when he sees my internship card from Levi Stadium.
"Vera?" he asks, slowly looking up. "Is your name Vera?"
"Ummm, yes." I say cautiously. He stands up straight, handing me my wallet. He looks me in the eyes with questioning brows and looks down to my protruding stomach.
"Wow," he mumbles under his breath. Damn, is my stomach that big?
"Hey, do I know you from somewhere?" I ask, narrowing my eyes. His expression tightens as he quickly shakes his head no.
"Uhh, no, no. Um, I'm sorry for knocking you over! I've gotta go," he says, grabbing his pack of toilet paper and sprinting down the aisle. I look down toward the kiwi strawberry teas and shrug, bending over once more to reach for one. Soon after I hear commotion coming from the front of the store.
"IT'S RUSSELL WILSON!" several voices yell. Russell Wilson.... Russell Wilson. People start running toward the front of the store and I realize the man who knocked me over is Russell Wilson, the quarterback for the Seahawks! That's why he looked so familiar!
Colin's POV
My phone starts to vibrate and I pick it up. It's Russ.
"Bro?" I ask urgently, "Did you go by the house?"
Russell lets out a long breath.
"What happened? Is everything ok?"
"Uh, yeah. Yeah...uh, just let me gather myself, I nearly died in a mob at Safeway."
"People recognized you?"
"Yeah I guess I'll have to go in more than just a hoodie next time."
"Did you see her or not!?"
"I think I did. Does she have long black hair? She's like, Samoan...big brown eyes, and had an internship at Levi?"
"Yeah, yeah that's her, why?"
Russell is silent.
"Bro, don't leave me hangin like this."
"I saw her in Safeway. I'm pretty sure it was her."
"Is she okay!? How is she? What was she doing?"
"Colin, she's pregnant."