Unbreakable

Chapter 9

The Calm
*

* Journee**
{2 weeks later}
“Mom I can’t find my bag. I’m going to be late.” “EJ where did you leave it at?” “Mom.” “Where EJ.” “I don’t remember.” “But you want me to find your bag.” “I found it.” “I bet. Where was it?” “Under my bed. I will see you at the game mom.” I smile to myself even though my heart is in a million pieces knowing that tonight my son will play in his final game. 
 
“Hey, baby,” Ethan says as he comes home from work. “Hey, love is everything set for EJ tonight?” “Yes, and everybody is going to be there to support him.” Ethan, have you noticed how much EJ has changed and grown in the past few months?” “He’s becoming a man.” I sit and look at Ethan in his ocean eyes. “Ethan how did we get here how did we make it through,” I ask as I intertwine our hands together.  
“God is the center of us.” “No, I mean look at EJ he’s about to become a dad, one of our daughters could have been paralyzed but she wasn’t just minor bruising and knocked out for a while, but she is thriving and is so excited about the talent show in a few weeks.” “I am still mad the school did nothing about those girls who were bullying her and made her fall.” “Yeah, me too and I am planning to go back to that school because I want answers and I want to know why that girl wasn’t punished but they turned it around on Grace.” “Journee our daughter is great to let’s focus on that.” I give Etan a questionable look. “And why should we? What if she.” Ethan interrupted me. “But she wasn’t.”   
 
“Eww parents. Your child is in the room.” I look up to see Mercy giving Ethan and I disgusted look. “What time does the game start?” “Why.” “Because I have a project I need to finish school.” “We are about t leave now. We have to make sure everything is set for this party.” “Why is he getting a party for quitting? If I quit school will I get a party?” “Mercy if you quit school you will get more than a party.” Ethan says giving Mercy a look.” “Got it, daddy.” She says with a smile. “I’ll be downstairs.” “That child of yours.” “She’s my child now Ethan?” Ethan walks up to me and kisses me and says, “I love your kids.” He says laughing. 
{game}
“Ethan have you noticed EJ’s performance during this game. He’s not himself.” “I think its just nervous, plus he’s scared. Hopefully, it will all turn around soon.” “Mom we are giving EJ a party for missing shots.” “Mercy.” Grace starts laughing. “What’s funny?” Curtis asked. “Apparently we are giving EJ a party for missing shots,” Mercy says as she and Grace burst out into a fit of laughter.
When the bell tolls signaling halftime, I got up and waited out by the locker room.
Moments later the team along with the coaches exited the room and I saw EJ leave the room last with a sad face.
“I wonder who that is out there playing on the court that looks like my son, but it can’t be my son he knows how to play.” EJ looked at me and smiled. “Mom, what are you doing back here?” “Why are you playing like you do not know how to handle the ball.” “I never thought this would be my last game. I love it and now I’m giving it up.” “You're giving it up to replace it with something better. As much as you love the game you will love your son or daughter more. I promise.” It’s scary mom. And the pressure knowing this is my last game is makes it even worse.” “Well are you going to go out losing or are you going to changes that and make your game the greatest one you ever played. Remember when you were little you would play with your dad and you would say, mom, this is for you and then you would miss ‘til you got it right.” I watched EJ laugh. “I remember mom” “Your practiced first half go dominate now.” “I love you mom,” EJ says and kisses me on the cheek and takes off running as I walk back to the stands.  
“What did you tell him? EJ is lighting up the court now.” I smiled at Ethan. “Easy I just reminded him of his love for the game.” “GO EJ” Mercy and Grace yell out.
“Ethan do you remember practicing with him and now to see this is his last game how does it make you feel.” “It hurts but he is growing up and becoming a man. I know we never wanted this for him. To play his last game in high school in order to be a dad.” “No, we didn’t but here we are. The game is almost over and his high school basketball days.”
“MOM” I hear EJ yelling my name from the court. “MOM” then again. I stand up for him and he continues to yell.
“MOM” I watch as he goes down the court “THIS IS FOR YOU,” he says as he releases the ball into the air for a 3-pointer. At the buzzer, the ball goes into the net. The crowd cheers loud and a lot of people are chanting EJ’s name and he comes running up the bleachers and kisses and hugs me tight. “I love you, momma. Thank you.” then he ran back down to be with his teammates.
(later that night)
“Journee are you ok my love” “Just thinking about the kids. EJ use to call me mommy all the time now its mama this mom that and I don’t know I guess I just miss it.” “Baby Tristan is still young.” “OH, shut up. He will be like his siblings when he gets older.” “You don’t think I miss my girls being a daddy’s girls. They are growing up so quickly. I don’t even have daddy-daughter time with them anymore because they are ‘so busy’. Sweetheart as much as we want them to stay young and little they won’t. 
 
“I know baby.” “Let’s pray and get some sleep.” I nod. I reach and grab Ethan’s hand. “Journee you do know you have given me more than I ever could have imagined it doesn’t matter if things didn’t go according to our plans. They are God’s plans.” “I love you, Ethan.”  
 
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