Charnae pouted as she laid back in her bed after getting off the phone with Leon. It was February and all of the boys were in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine. Charnae, Torah, and Tia were throwing tantrums because their boyfriends were so far away.
"All three of y'all are about to get on my nerves with all of this pouting and shit." Faith said as she walked into the room.
"Easy for you to say." Charnae replied. "Drew is not all the way in Indiana."
Faith scoffed. "So. It's baseball season so I've been seeing him less than usual."
Charnae pouted again. "I've just never been this long without Leon except for when we were mad at each other. I just want to live in his skin."
"Girl, you are too much." Faith laughed. "You want to get some lunch?"
Charnae lifted her head up. "On you?"
"Of course, boo. Let's go." Faith said.
-
Leon shook his head as he saw Mike approach him. They were getting ready to do the vertical jump and Leon was currently doing his stretches.
"Sup, man?" Mike asked.
Leon looked at him and smirk. "Not shit, you?"
"Not much. I just wanted to ask you how's Faith doing." Mike said.
"She's good." Leon simply replied.
"Okay, that's good." Mike said awkwardly. "She blocked me on everything so I—"
"I'm not sure what you expect, Mike." Leon told him as he stood up. "I understand you want to be on good terms, but you did some fucked up shit and things won't be the same between any of us. I can't speak on anyone else, but I still love you, aight? I wish you the best in everything—it's just that shit will never be the same, man."
Mike sniffled as tears threatened to fall from his eyes. "I know, man. I hurt everybody—especially Faith. I wish I handled shit differently."
"I love you, aight?" Leon assured him.
Mike nodded. "I love you too, man." The two of them hugged before joining the rest of the wide receivers who were waiting for instructions for the vertical jump.
-
"Lee Thompson jumped up to forty-five inches in the vertical jump—just one inch behind Gerald Sensabaugh who reached forty-six inches in 2005." The ESPN announcer said on television as Leanne and James watched after working long hours at the hospital.
Leanne smiled as she shed a couple of tears. "He knows he makes me proud."
James kissed her cheek. "You did a great job raising him. He's a great kid."
"Thank you." Leanne said as she wiped her tears. "It was far from easy, but I'm glad he turned out amazing."
"You know he's gonna get you a big house, right?" James teased.
Leanne laughed. "He promised me that and a Rolls Royce. He's been saying that since he was five."
"Mama?" Tierra said, peeping her head in the living room. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I have a situation."
