Page 5 of In the Safety's Zone
This lady’s hugs were like a warm blanket on a freezing day. And she was probably the coolest old lady I’d ever met. And that was saying a lot given where I was from.
“You staying for dinner, right?”
I nodded because I knew she was gone get into them pots and make some magic happen. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good. Gone call Billy now before it’s finished. You have plenty of time.”
I looked between the two of them and saw the sly smile on Rye’s face. “I hope you didn’t think she was going to get you off the hook? That lady is even bossier than I am. She’s just nicer about it.”
Grams grinned and kissed Rye on her head before she gave me a wink. I wasn’t about to fight the two of them so I just stood up to follow orders.
“I hear y’all. I’ll go call her.”
I walked out of the room and headed outside toward the pool house. The hesitation of reaching out to Billy was something I’d battled within myself. When she met me, I was an arrogant kid who listened to whatever my mother said. I was full of myself especially because of the name I was making separate from my brother, and I approached her in a completely fucked up way. My brother and her husband had no problems setting me straight, but I hated that she’d seen me in that light. Hell, I hated that I’d represented myself that way. So much about me then had been ego driven and I was always worried that her lasting impression on me would be that kid instead of the man I was turning into.
Since I had her number I dialed it up not thinking she was going to answer since it was the weekend.
But leave it to her to be unconventional.
“Hey, Anthony.”
Her voice was always striking even when you’d heard it before. It was southern and island drawls mixed with a no-nonsense intelligence that left many people bewildered after she’d bowled them over. It was the audible version of a velvet glove over an iron fist. Bejeweled brass knuckles personified.
I cleared my throat because I’d been prepared to talk to the machine not to an actual person. Especially not one that had seen me at my worst and might still judge me for the person I used to be.
“Hey, Billy, uh, I had a quick legal question. Is there a way I can pay your hourly rate to—”
“Anthony, I will walk my ass over there to slap you if you keep on. And then have Jacoby finish you. Pay me like we’re not family. Tell me what you need.” Her accent got deeper as she was fussing at me like it always did when she got animated.
I had to laugh off what she said but I did it quietly because I knew she meant everything she’d said. “I got this letter in the mail.”
“Who is it from? Are they trying to offer you compensation and have they reached out yet verbally?” She started firing off questions and I put my hand on the letter again because it was crazy how she knew what was going on.
“Hold up, how you know they trying to offer me money?”
“Damn, you really have put that shit behind you haven’t you?” She didn’t have to elaborate on what she was talking about but I had to let her know I had.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?” I stood up a little taller because I felt proud knowing the truth in my words.
“Frankly, I thought they would’ve reached out to you sooner than this but I bet they couldn’t find your current address. You got it at Antwan’s house?” She was asking questions again without answering mine but I hoped she would get on to what was up.
“Yeah, how in the world did you know that?”
“Because of the money that’s involved.” Cryptic again but now she had me interested.
“What money?” My brows shot up because I wasn’t sure what the hell she was talking about.
“The settlements for people who played shortly before the NIL was implemented. You haven’t heard about it?”
“Nah.”
To be honest, I kept my head down and focused only on shit I could control. College football still left a bitter taste in my mouth so I tried my best to avoid it. I’d learned from living with my uncle that I had to learn to manage my triggers. And constantly watching people do what I used to but no longer could was a huge trigger for me. I’d kept my watching to only my brother’s games because my love for him could override anything. When I got onto the practice squad it was slightly easier for me to train my mind to look at watching the sport as being a part of my job. I never faulted anyone else for being able to get the money they did, but I wished I had been smart enough not to fall for the bullshit.
“Yeah, they’re looking for kids for the first four years before it was implemented. They’re going to cut a check for y’all and plenty of people are trying to buy your settlements for pennies on the dollar.”
Of course Billy knew everything and I was glad I’d called her. “Damn, I know somebody is getting a bunch of money doing this.”
“Yep. Just like everything else in this world, they’re preying on the people that they know don’t have the financial means to wait it out.”
