Page 98 of Rebound

“Yeah. Where is that”—Stella looks at Jasmine, who is busy putting all her dolls on the new stroller before she says—“bitch? Let me tell you,” she adds, walking over to me, “if that ho so much as puts a finger on my daughter and granddaughter, I’m going to fuck her up. And when I get done with her, Donna will get her turn. Layla’s sorry-ass father will have his moment too because what no one is allowed to do is fuck with me and mine. And you three are mine,” she hisses.

“Let me know where she is, and I can end this tonight,” June Bug says.

“If we knew where she was, we would have called the cops,” I say.

“The cops? What the hell are they gonna do?” Stella asks. “That bitch needs street justice, not cops.”

“What the hell kind of mess did you get my cousin into? See, Auntie, I knew this marriage was a bad idea. I’m just going to move in here until this woman is gone.”

“June Bug, you don’t have to do that. We’re fine,” Layla assures him. “And Seth didn’t get me into anything. He’s trying to protect our daughter.”

Just as the words leave Layla’s mouth, Jasmine runs to June Bug and wraps herself around one of his legs. He picks her up and she pulls on his dreads.

“Cookie!” she yells.

He looks at me, and I shake my head no. He turns his back to me, grabs his backpack, and takes Jasmine to the couch. A few seconds later, he unwraps a pack of Oreos.

“June Bug,” I warn.

“Julian to you. You have to earn the right to call me June Bug, and you haven’t earned it yet.” He completely ignores me and puts a cookie in each of her hands. “What are you gonna do about it?” he taunts from across the room.

“Let me take her home,” Stella suggests. “And I dare that bitch to come to my door.”

I want to say that I see where June Bug gets it from, but I keep my mouth shut. They love my daughter, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted for her. She has family that extends beyond me and my father, and I’m not going to jeopardize that.

“Mom, please,” Layla says.

“Thanks, Stella, but I’ve got it covered. Their bodyguard starts tomorrow.” And it’s my job to keep them safe. “I promise everyone will be fine.”

And everything has been fine. Six weeks pass by from when Barbara tried to take Jasmine. A few days later, Brandi called to let us know her mother was back home, and she was trying to convince her father to get her professional help. I haven’t heard from her since, but I’m not convinced this woman will be receptive to getting help. I’ve dealt with a sick parent all my life. Dad was resistant to therapy for years and only agreed to go when I threatened to cut him off. Brandi and her husband don’t have the leverage I have over my dad.

Even despite the help Dad’s received, it’s taken him years of treatment to get to the root of his issues. He’s only now starting to go outside, but he goes every day now. Even if it’s only to the backyard. He goes grocery shopping with the housekeeper twice a week. He called yesterday to tell me that he walked to the end of the street by himself. It was a FaceTime call, and he looked happy and proud of himself. I was happy for him. A few months ago, if he had done this, I would have rolled my eyes, but now I see what a big accomplishment it is for him.

The basketball season has begun, and I’m back to traveling regularly. I was relieved when Jasmine didn’t have a meltdown at my first few away games. When I video call her at night, she’s happy and content. She’ll babble for a minute before running off to her toys. Layla will usually go to Vickie’s apartment to watch the away games, and the kids will play together.

But the best part is that Layla promises to be at all my home games unless Jasmine is sick. I’ve never had family at my games before. For the first home game of the season, I got tickets for Donna, Stella, June Bug, and Leon. June Bug promised he’d sitbetween the women and Leon to intervene in case someone decided to throw a punch. According to Layla, everyone behaved.

Because they were in the stands, I played my best game that night. I remember watching them cheer me on. After the game, I kissed my wife in the middle of the court, and everyone went wild. We were the talk of the sports talk shows for days, but that had its downside too. Several women came out and talked about being with me. There was talk that our marriage is fake and that I’m only trying to repair my image. Thankfully, the talk died down after a few days, and Layla didn’t seem too bothered by it.

Even after losing tonight’s game, it was still a rush to have her in the stands, wearing my jersey and cheering me on. I know she’s on the other side of the door now, waiting for me. She was anxious to leave after tonight’s game, and she promised there would be a big surprise for me when I get home. That made my heart skip a beat because the last time I got a surprise, I became a single father.

I tap the code to the front door and go inside. I stop short when I see my surprise standing in the middle of the entryway. Layla is behind him and giving me a smile.

“Dad?” I ask. I blink rapidly, certain that this can’t be right.

“I told you I was working on coming to see you. Layla helped me surprise you.” I drop my bag, and for the first time in years, I run to my father, hug him, and lift him off the ground.

“Put me down, you giant,” he teases.

When I put him down, I see tears in his eyes. I pull him to me and hug him again. “I’m so happy you’re here,” I practically sob. I open my arm and Layla joins us.

“Me too, Son,” is all he says. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle a game this trip, but—”

“Whatever you can do.No pressure.”

That night, the three of us eat together before Dad complains about being tired. Once he goes to bed, I help clean up before I take my wife to bed and make sweet slow love to her.

Chapter 62

---