Page 32 of So This Is Love

I look around for the man behind the voice until my eyes land on my friend Chris across the gym. He has a big goofy grin on his face as I walk over to him and the other guys sitting on the bleachers in the gym. When I get close Chris and I dap each other up in greeting.

“Only your loud mouth ass would have this much energy at 5 in the morning,” I joke back at Chris.

“Nigga it’s good to see you, I thought Chris was lying when he said you were gonna join in on the game,” Malik says as I dap him up too.

Chris has had his unserious, class clown personality since we were kids growing up together. His family lived down the street from mine when we were in middle school so we often spent a lot of time at each other’s houses. Malik joined our friend group in high school and we have stayed friends ever since, staying connected mainly through social media when I was in LA. Malik and Chris were two of the few people I personally invited to the Oasis soft launch and it had been a good time hanging out with them again. When Chris invited me to join in on their weekly basketball sessions with some other guys they knew, I gladly accepted.

Chris introduces me to the other guys in the gym and I acknowledge them all. I set my duffel bag down on one of the bleachers on the sideline and take out my sneakers to replace the slides I wore into the gym.

“Deuce is sick,” Chris says. “So Sonny can take his spot on your team Malik.”

“Let’s get it,” I say.

I finish tying my shoes and stand from the bleachers to join some of the guys already on the court warming up.

***

“That’s game,” Chris says after one of his teammates makes a layup.

After two games the score is split 1-1. We all walk over towards our bags to get some water and take a small break.

I haven’t played a full game of basketball in years, so this break is much needed. I take a long swig of water from my water bottle and take a seat on the bleachers to catch my breath.

Malik looks down at his watch checking the time and then grabs his bag, tossing it over his shoulder.

“Aight I gotta head out,” Malik says.

“Tapping out early cause you know your team won’t win that next one,” Chris says.

“Nah, I gotta get home before baby girl wakes up. I want Jess to be able to sleep in.”

“Damn, Malik is in full on dad mode,” I joke. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

Malik pulls out his phone and shows me the picture on his lock screen. A chunky, smiling baby with warm mahogany skin and only her two front teeth.

“She’s beautiful.”

“Man, it’s true what they say about finding your person. Baby girl and her mom are my whole world.”

When we were younger, Malik was the guy who never stayed in a relationship for long and had no interest in settling down, and now he has a fiancée and a beautiful daughter.

Growing up, I saw firsthand what love looked like through my parents' relationship. They loved each other deeply and it made me want that for myself but I haven’t found it just yet.

My mind goes to Laila, something I’ve found myself doing a lot lately. I stayed up way too late talking on the phone with her last night, and I should regret it based on how tired I am now. But I don’t. I enjoyed the simplicity of talking with her and hearing about one of her favorite tv shows.

Chris chest passes me the ball and I catch it, caught off guard and knocked out of my thoughts.

“Let’s get this last game going.”

11

Laila

I opt for ahand basket instead of a cart in an effort to only buy what I came into the store for, champagne. I resist the temptation to walk down the aisles that have nothing to do with why I am in the store and make my way over to the liquor section. A candle from an end cap that was on the way over did end up in my basket but it’s on sale so it practically doesn’t count, right? Right.

When I find the aisle I need, I grab two bottles off the shelf and place them in the basket. I contemplate whether that's enough before grabbing another for good measure. I turn to leave the aisle the same way that I came but of course at the end of the aisle a man is standing off to the side looking at bottles of sangria, with his shopping cart blocking the entire aisle, making it impossible to get by.

“Excuse me,” I say, trying to get his attention while keeping the annoyance out of my voice.

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