Violation (2 page)

Dee, Lance and I, we were the three amigos. The media had dubbed us The Magic Oreo. This term best described us and none of us took offense to it.

I was White. Deshawn was Black and so was Lance. When we would pose for pictures I was always in the middle. That had to be why they started calling us The Magic Oreo. We weren’t always so magical. The magic came much later after we won that first NBA championship.

I walked through the tunnel going over the previous plays in my head. I had to go and pick up the rest of my belongings before I headed home. I chatted with one of the stadium employees for about ten minutes. I ran into the owner’s son Kyle Kozlowski. We chatted and he was totally fucked up but he had a sober friend with him. He was in no shape to go to the strip club but I’m sure that’s where he was headed.

It was time for me to go home and chill. Who was this on the bench outside the locker room? I recognized her. It was Serena, Deshawn’s wife. I assumed she had left for home. Deshawn was already on his way to the strip club. What was she still doing hanging around?

“What are you still doing here?” I asked when I was a few feet away.

“I was waiting for my husband but I found out he left without me about twenty minutes ago.”

“Oh okay.” I knew better than to deny or confirm anything. I wasn’t married but our team had a strict code when it came to the wives. Simply put, I don’t know nothing and I didn’t see nothing.

She looked up at me with her sad eyes and unhappy mouth. “I’m still stuck on this bench.”

“Why are you stuck?” I tried to sound upbeat. I’ve turned her mood around before. Sometimes it’s harder than others.

“Because I’m an idiot.”

“No you’re not an idiot.” I pretended to give her a smile. I wish I had come the back way. I wouldn’t have run into her. It feels surreal when she’s unhappy. I’m used to Serena being upbeat and lively but sometimes Dee treats her like shit and it’s bad for everybody in general.

“That’s up for debate.” She shrugged.

“You’re funny. Fine, let’s debate.” I had a minute.

“Do you even have time for a debate?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re not going out with your teammates to celebrate your win?”

“No, no, not tonight.”

“Why not?”

“I’m not feeling it.”

“You don’t want ten basketball groupies hanging all over you?”

“Serena you know me better than that. I’m not like that.”

Sadness was deeply engraved in her flawless face. She was still pretty but just a gloomy version of pretty. I was failing in turning her mood around.

“Yeah, I know that. I just wish some of your teammates felt the same way.”

She was talking about Deshawn. This was awkward but it always was. I hated to see her hurt. She was a really sweet girl, well a sweet lady she was about six years older than me. Her face didn’t show her age. She was wrinkle-free. She was thirty-six and so was Deshawn. They were married a few years after he was signed to his first NBA team. I don’t think Deshawn really understood how he hurt her today and so many other days. I don’t think he cares but this is not any of my business.

“Serena it’s late. You should probably go home to the kids. Everyone has already left the stadium. You don’t want to be here by yourself.” It was pretty deserted around here. There were just a few stragglers.

“DJ isn’t home. He spent the night at a friends and Tenisha is away at college.”

“Yeah I forgot. She grew up so quick. She just started driving and now she’s in college.”

“Yeah life goes on, sometimes without you.” Serena covered her mouth and shook her head.
Please don’t cry.

“Noah, I don’t know what I’m doing wrong?” She stood but I was six feet six inches. She still had to look up at me.

“You’re not doing anything wrong.”

“He left me here alone. He just left me. What is wrong with him?”

I decided to ignore the last question. “Do you need a ride home?”

“No, not this time. I drove my own car.”

“Okay well.” I shrugged.

“You played pretty hard tonight.” She changed the subject.

“I did.”

“Rebounds check, assists check, points, double check.” She tried to smile and it worked. “You took a few tumbles.” She giggled at my fumbles and her once gloomy face was lit up. Good, I don’t like to see people distressed. This engaging Serena is so much better.

“You saw that, huh.”

“We all saw it. You almost got kicked out of the game.”

“Yeah, yeah. I got to control my temper.”

“You were turnt up tonight. Why?”

“I don’t know. The ref was on some bullshit. I swear that ref has it out for me.”

“Really?” She closed one eye and pursed her lips.

“You tell me Mrs. Jones. Why would I be turnt up?”

“Did you replace Shelley?”

“That’s it. You want to go there?”

“Yes I do. I’m already there. You need to catch up.”

“Okay fine. No, I didn’t replace her. She has a new guy, some actor. I’m going to let her stay in the past.”

My breakup with Shelley Pinkerton was six months ago. I can’t say I miss Shelley. Sure she was hot, blonde and a model but every attractive woman in my circle is a model. I’ve dated three lingerie models, two playmates and I even had a pornstar barking up my well-endowed tree. None of that means anything to me. Shelley was replaceable. I decided to keep that to myself. I didn’t want to sound like a prick.

“Maybe you should get another steady girlfriend. You’re turning into a sourpuss.”

“Well I guess you have some secret gold-digger detector. I don’t know the difference from the good ones and the bad ones. I’m kind of rich. I can’t just date anybody.”

“You athletes always think every woman wants your little contract and endorsement money.” She puckered her generous lips.

“Oh Serena you have no idea.”

“I’m sure I do.” I guess she sort of does. Her husband is the epitome of a gold-digger magnet. He is the highest paid player on the team. Twenty-four million is not pocket money.

“Okay fine. Let’s go get coffee so I can tell you how much better off I am without a girlfriend.”

“I can’t wait to hear this garbage woman-bashing rhetoric.”

I chuckled. “Where do you want to go?”

“That coffee shop on Damen Avenue and Iowa Street, in West Town.”

“Where are you parked?”

“Underground.”

“Me too. I’m going to grab my stuff. I will see you there in fifteen.”

“I will text you when I get there.”

“Cool, get ready to eat your words Mrs. Jones.”

She rolled her caramel eyes at me and walked away. I’m glad she calmed down. I can’t have her attacking Dee. He doesn’t need the stress. We need to keep our momentum for the regular season. Domestic drama disrupts the entire team. Happy wives mean happy players. Just another thing I’ve learned since I turned pro so many years ago.

***

I had been in my Lamborghini for five minutes when I heard my cell phone ringing under the sound of a singing Drake. I turned the music down and the dashboard registered that it was Serena Jones. I tapped the button on my steering wheel.

“Hey Serena.”

“Noah there is a change of plans.”

“Oh, what’s up?”

“I’m sure the paparazzi is out in full force tonight because you guys won. I don’t think it would look good for me to be at a coffee shop with you without Deshawn.” She was right. I never ever thought of that. “I’m going to grab us some coffee and just bring it back to your place. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

“Just make sure you buzz me in your gate. I’ll be a few minutes behind you.”

“Okay, see you in a few.”

She hung up first. I thought about her words. It would be a disaster if the press got a picture of Serena and I sitting alone in a coffee shop. I’m glad she thought about it. Sure we’ve been alone together many times during the day but never at night. Innocent encounters like this make it impossible to live like a regular person. Being an athlete is not like being an actual celebrity but it’s pretty close.

I wonder if Serena is right about me. I have been a bit more aggressive in the preseason. Do I need to get a girlfriend? Serena gives good advice. She called it with my ex Shelley. She warned me that Shelley wasn’t the one for me. I can’t say I miss Shelley. But clearly I’m missing something.

I made it home in less than thirty minutes. The Chicago traffic was as bad as I thought it would be. The cold weather hadn’t hit yet and people were aching to have one last night on the town. Something about the bright lights was exhilarating. The Windy City had become my home.

It was late but I wasn’t sleepy or exhausted. My adrenaline was pumping tonight, much like every night we played a game and crushed the opposition. It almost felt like I was still running up and down the court. It usually took me two or three hours to turn down. Sometimes more if we won big. We definitely won tonight. The game didn’t matter that much. We were favored to crush this one. Whatever it took to get us to the playoffs.

I got some water and brought it to the open living room. My place was on six acres, much more than I needed. I lived in South Barrington. Dee and Serena lived only a few miles away in Barrington Hills. My place was listed as a mansion but it feels weird to say I live in a mansion although I do.

I have the money and the means. I live in a simple world with expensive trinkets. My parents made sure I was humble, grounded and charitable. I liked nice things but I’m in no way considered one of the extravagant players in the organization.

I popped some popcorn like I always did when I came home after a game. I grabbed my iPad and connected it to my home security system. I turned the flat screen on and watched my team’s highlights on a rebroadcast of the late night news. Of course they replayed me falling on my ass in slow motion and they played Deshawn getting fouled for yelling at the ref on my behalf. I was fouled by that asshole Dietz. I played college ball with him back in Indiana when I was a Hoosier. I never liked him much. He was younger than me. He was cocky, arrogant and just in it for the fame and money. I loathe that kind of player. It felt good to beat that ass on the court. I fucked his girlfriend back in college and he still doesn’t have a clue. She’s his wife now. I can keep secrets.

Serena arrived soon, within minutes. I saw her Mercedes pull up to my front gates from my iPad. I opened the gates with a push of a button. I watched her drive into my property. I made sure my gates closed behind her.

Last year a rabid fan scaled my wall and gained access to my grounds. I upgraded to a better security system after that. I disabled my home alarm. I’m not sure why I bothered to rearm it in the first place when I arrived home. I met Serena at the front door. She was standing there with two paper shopping bags in her hands. I reached out and removed the bags before she could walk into the threshold of my front door.

“I stopped off and got wine instead of coffee.”

“Wine?”

“I hope you don’t mind. It’s celebration time. You can drink a little wine in the preseason.”

“No I don’t mine. I can have a drink or two.” I kicked the front door close.

“Look at you, you rule-breaker.” Serena led the way to my kitchen. She knew her way around my place she even helped decorate it. I was living in a rented condo until she hooked me up with one of her real estate friends. I appreciated all her help. Serena was like that. She would give you her time, her ear, her money. It was always sad to see how things between her and Deshawn started to deteriorate over the years. Their marital problems were not my concern, but it was still sad. They were both good people. They are my adopted family. Their kids call me Uncle Noah. I’ve known the Jones’ for eight years. I love them. They were my go to when I was in need.

I placed the bags on the kitchen counter. Serena removed the four wine bottles. She opened the wrong drawer looking for my corkscrew. I had already grabbed two large wine glasses out of the cabinet. She purchased those expensive glasses too. They were a house-warming gift from her and Dee.

“Corkscrew, second drawer on the left.”

She handed the corkscrew over to me as soon as she retrieved it. I placed the wine glasses down on the counter. I took one of the bottles and went to work. She flinched when the cork popped.

“Your place never changes.” Her chestnut eyes floated around the room.

“I like it the way it is. There’s no need for change.”

“Some change is good.”

I poured her glass of wine first. I filled it to the top. She’s a big girl. I’ve seen her totally loaded before and it was funny. I handed the full glass over to her.

“Some change yeah.” I half shrugged.

“Shelley wasn’t the right girl for you. You really aren’t dating anyone new?”

“Nope.” I watched her plump rosy lips as they sipped from the wine glass. I quickly looked away and tilted my full glass to my lips. Why the fuck did I do that? Why the hell did I look at her lips? I think I should have gone to Club Honey Pot with my teammates. My unnecessary celibacy is playing tricks on me.