Drake ✔️

Chapter 29

Drake

"Saved by the bell." Maxine, an acquaintance from music production, comments as I raise my ringing phone to my ear, effectively brushing off all the girls that are excitedly talking to me in the hallway. 

"Sorry, girls. Catch up later." I say with a forced smile, taking a few steps down the hallway and pressing my phone to my ear. It's my mom, and while I'd rather not talk to her right now I know she was watching the game on TV. She's sent me a bunch of texts already, my entire family have, they're super proud. 

"Hey, mom." I answer the call and hear a collective awwww! come from behind me as the girls all realise I'm talking to my mother. For god sake, I continue walking down the hall, putting in some distance. They'll get bored and return to partying soon enough. 

"Draaaaake, my boy! Baby, I just wanna pick you up and squeeze you and kiss you all over! You were amazing tonight, absolutely amazing! You're gonna be playing in the NBA in a few years, just you wait and see, baby!" Mom pretty much screams down the line, and I laugh as I hear all my brothers and my dad in the background, yelling their congratulations too. 

"I'd put you on speaker phone but I got about twenty people in my house tonight, eating all my food and drinking all my good beer!" Mom shouts as if she's scolding the house full of people she's putting up with, but she loves nothing more than being surrounded by family, I know she's totally stoked tonight. 

"That's fine, mom. I can't talk for long -"

"Oh, I know you can't! Team captain of the league champions don't got time for the little people anymore!" She laughs joyfully. "So tell me what you're doing now. Getting your picture taken? Talking to NBA scouts? Shaking hands and networking?"

"No, mom. I don't wanna play in the NBA, you know that." I reply. Music production always seemed like a bit of a pipe dream in my mom's eyes, but so did professional basketball until now. She's excited so I'll let her off. "I'm just celebrating with the rest of the team and the supporters, nothing wild."

"Nothing wild my ass!" Mom scoffs, making me laugh. "Well just you remember about us little people, and get yourself booked on a flight home, we all miss you. Christmas wasn't the same without you, baby."

This again? 

"Mom, please -"

"Don't you mom, please me. You may be a champion now, but I'm not gonna forget about you not coming home for Christmas. Unless you get your ass home to Atlanta soon for a visit, of course."

"Mom, leave him alone." I can hear my eldest brother Wayne talking to her. "Don't do that, not tonight, talk to him about it later."

"I am gonna talk to him about it properly later, believe you me." Mom replies to Wayne sternly. I frown, thinking I may be missing something. "I'm proud of my son, but it doesn't mean I'm okay with what he did!"

"Alright, momma." I can practically see Wayne sighing as he walks away from her. 

"What was that?" I ask. 

"I want you home, Drake." She says seriously. "Soon. Valentine's weekend."

"What?" I frown. I knew she wanted me to book a flight some weekend, but Valentine's? First I've heard of this, although I gotta admit it's not entirely unexpected. My parents got married around Valentine's Day so their wedding anniversary coincides with the holiday. It's a very big deal in my house, always has been. She tried to get me home over Valentine's weekend last year too but I managed to dodge it. It's right during semester time, I can't afford to be leaving North Bridge right in the middle of February.