Page 51 of Crossing the Lines for Love

“In the final game of my college season, all four major ligaments in my right knee were torn. The pain was so bad I kept blacking out. The physical pain was already too much to deal with, then the doctor told me I could never play again.”

“Damn.”

“It was a lot. The first few weeks of rehab after surgery had me contemplating if I’d be better off dead. It was a very dark time for me. I never thought anything could feel worse than that period of my life. Once I got my shit together, I vowed never to allow myself to sink back into such a dark space.”

“I can’t imagine how much that fucked you up.”

“Leaving you stirred up unpleasant feelings that reminded me of that dark time, but then I remembered, I had a choice…and I choose you, baby.”

“That’s what the fuck I’m talking about. I love you, Aranda.”

“I love you too, Niko.”

One Year Later

A year ago,no one could have told me I’d be the head coach of a Division One men’s lacrosse team, working alongside my husband. After winning the championship game, Coach Crawford was a hot commodity. He remained committed to BEU until he got an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Obviously, his resignation left the head coaching position open. I’d only spent a year as an assistant and didn’t think I was ready to be a head coach. However, Coach Crawford disagreed and convinced me to apply.

I only felt comfortable applying for the head coach position because Mr. Richards, the former athletic director, was forced to resign. Unbeknownst to me, he had been very vocal about his disdain for me and had told anyone who would listen. Although I wasn’t aware he’d done so much talking about me behind myback, he made it clear during my interview and hiring process that he wasn’t very fond of me.

I remember the day he called me into his office like yesterday. It wasn’t long after we’d won the championship, which should’ve given me job security. By then, word about me and Niko had spread around campus. Not a soul could tell me Mr. Richards wasn’t about to kick my ass to the curb.

Niko refused to let me go alone. Mr. Richards was only expecting me, so he was shook when we showed up hand in hand with an attorney. Before he could speak, my attorney shut him down, citing cases similar to ours that had been filed against universities, and schools had to dish out large settlements.

When he realized firing me wasn’t an option, his disdain somehow became an obsession. Someone recorded him saying how much he hated women like me, but in the same breath, described very sexually explicit things he would do to me. The recording was leaked, and Mr. Richards was no longer a problem.

A new athletic director, a Black woman, was hired, and I went through a series of interviews with her and other members of the school administration. To say I was shocked when I was offered the position would be a major understatement. However, along with my experience, knowledge, and other excellent qualifications, I believe it helped that I was highly recommended by Coach Crawford.

Life had been moving full speed ahead, and I enjoyed every second of it. Niko and I waited until after the championship game to confirm whether or not I was pregnant. Getting a positive pregnancy test was the icing on the cake for us after such a monumental win.

After the first meeting with our parents, we were nervous about getting them together again to share the news. Thankfully, it went much smoother the second time, and we had their fullsupport. Our families were our backbone and had truly become one over the past year.

Embracing the role of a mother to a five-year-old was both overwhelming and fulfilling. Deuce welcomed me immediately, and I soon became his favorite person, which pleasantly surprised his father and grandparents. I adored him just as much, if not more, and my love for him was limitless. He brought immense joy to my heart and was a wonderful big brother to his little sister, Nikole Arissa.

“Get your head out the clouds, woman!” Montrell snapped. “You ready for this championship game?”

He was still my best friend and had agreed to travel with Niko and me to watch the kids while we performed our coaching duties. Our parents had inadvertently booked a cruise and weren’t available.

“I’m always ready. I was thinking about how crazy this past year has been. It’s hard to believe we made it back to the championship game with all that’s happened.”

“It’s definitely been a wild one. I remember when you came to my door crying about leaving Niko, and look at you now, Mrs. Kemper.”

“I was a mess.”

“Hell yeah. You left tears and snot all over my chest. You still owe me for that shit.”

“You don’t get mad when Nikole leaves snot all over you.”

“First of all, that’s my God baby and niece. Her snot is sacred.”

“Boy, shut up.”

“Somebody is hungry,” Niko announced when he entered the main area of the three-bedroom hotel suite, holding our three-month-old daughter.

“That’s my cue. I’m about to shower and get ready for my shift with your rug rats,” Montrell said.

“My kids are not rug rats, nigga,” I shouted to his back as he left.

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