Page 21

Leah

Sitting in the school gymnasium on a Friday night was just the dose of normalcy that Leah needed.

The game had just started, and Leah’s palms were already sweating.

Quinton cupped his hand over her knee to stop the nervous bounce.

With everything that had been happening in their lives, Leah was happy about this distraction, even if it was wrecking her nerves.

Watching Skye play basketball was just as intense as it used to be when she watched Nova.

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay? We’re still in the first quarter.” Quinton leaned over and pointed to the time clock on the wall across from where they sat.

Before Leah could answer, a player from the other team fouled Skye. Bayou High was behind by two points, and Skye needed to make both free throws to tie the game. Leah bit her bottom lip as she watched Skye bounce the ball a couple of times then aim toward the goal and ... swish. All net.

Leah and Quinton sprang to their feet. “Alright, Skye!” they shouted.

When they sat, Quinton talked with the guy beside him about the game, while Leah tried to focus on the basketball court, but an uncomfortable feeling drew her attention away from the game and to her right, where a group of women were obviously engaged in a heavy conversation that had nothing to do with the basketball game.

As soon as they saw Leah watching them, they quickly averted their gazes.

“What are you doing?” Quinton shot from his seat again. He cupped his hand over his mouth and shouted, “Are you going to call anything right today, Ref!”

Leah tugged on his T-shirt, the one they both wore proudly announcing that their daughter was number seven.

Skye wore the same number that Nova used to wear.

Leah’s parents loved that Nova chose that number.

They said in the Bible, it signified the number of completion.

Leah had no idea what that had to do with basketball, and she never asked.

Questions like that always came with a long, drawn-out explanation.

Quinton was so fired up he didn’t even feel Leah. It wasn’t until Skye’s coach called a time-out that he finally sat down again.

“I think we’re the entertainment tonight,” Leah whispered as she leaned over to Quinton.

He furrowed his brow and tilted his head.

“Don’t look, but there’s a group of women who were staring at us. As soon as they saw me looking, they turned away.”

“So what? Let ’em look.” Quinton hunched his shoulders.

Leah knew he was right, and she wished it didn’t bother her, but it did.

This was the only time Leah wished they’d made Skye go to school in Baton Rouge instead of Bayou.

There were plenty of schools in Baton Rouge with great basketball programs, but Skye wanted to play for Bayou High.

The high school that her mom, dad, and aunt graduated from.

Not to mention that it was also the school where her best friend Ava attended.

Once halftime came, Leah was tired of sitting. She needed to move around, and the lady next to her had nachos that made Leah’s mouth water. “I’m going to the concession stand,” she told Quinton.

Leah stopped and talked to a few of her parents’ friends who were sitting at the bottom of their section. The people in Bayou, young and old, loved their sports. Of course, there wasn’t much to do in Bayou in terms of entertainment, so attending church and the games was their idea of fun.

“Hey, Leah.”

Leah smiled, prepared to greet the person behind her, but her smile immediately faded when she saw it was two of the ladies who’d been staring at them.

If Quinton and Nova had a fan club in high school, then Danielle and Monica would’ve been the president and vice president.

They acted like Nova and Quinton set the standard for the perfect high school relationship.

“Hey.” The word flew from Leah’s mouth so fast that she almost missed it herself. She turned back to the front of the line and away from them.

“Um ... Leah.” Both ladies stood beside Leah. “We just wanted to say how happy we were to hear the news about Nova,” Danielle said.

Leah didn’t have the energy to fake a smile when she looked at them again. “Thank you.”

“I know your mom must be so happy,” Monica added.

“We were all very happy.” Leah was grateful when the line moved up and hoped they’d leave it at that, but of course that was too much to hope for.

“How are Quinton and Skye? I’m sure they were happy too, huh?” It was Danielle’s turn to ask the question.

“We were all very happy,” Leah said before they went down the whole family tree.

“But ... um ... We don’t mean to pry,” Danielle continued.

Then don’t.

“Does Nova know? You know ... about you and Quinton? We’re only asking so we won’t slip up and say anything that could give it away, you know?”

Leah forced herself to keep her face from showing the frustration she felt.

“Nova’s using this time to heal, so you won’t have to worry about seeing her out anytime soon, nor is she accepting visitors, but thanks for your concern,” Leah answered as politely as she could without telling them where to stick their fake concern.

“Oh, okay.” Danielle smiled, but Leah couldn’t miss the disappointment in her eyes.

Instead of taking a step forward with the rest of the line, Leah stood and waited to see if they were going to be bold enough to ask the real question.

“So, we were talking the other day, and our hearts just went out to all y’all. I know this can’t be easy for Nova, being away for so long. And even you and Quinton. It has to be hard for the two of you too.”

Leah opened her mouth to respond when Quinton walked up and excused himself, moving past the two intruders to get to Leah.

“Hey, I was wondering what was taking so long. Now I see.” He nodded toward the people ahead of Leah.

“Hey, Quinton,” Monica spoke.

Danielle waved.

“Oh, hey, ladies.”

“You’re just in time,” Leah informed him. “Danielle and Monica were asking if Nova being back was hard on us. I’m assuming you mean our marriage, or in general?” Leah played dumb.

“No, we were just ... I mean ... hard on you, Quinton, the whole family,” Monica rambled.

“Especially Nova,” Danielle added.

“Yeah.” Quinton dragged the word out before turning his attention to Leah. “The next quarter’s about to start. I’ll come get you some nachos once this line goes down.” He took her by the hand and left Danielle and Monica standing behind.

Quinton led Leah to the other end of the hallway and away from the crowd going and coming out of the gymnasium.

“You alright? You look like you’re ready to spit fire.” He gently massaged her shoulders.

“I told you they were staring at us. They couldn’t wait to find out if Nova knew about us.” Leah was breathing so hard that her chest started to hurt.

“You have to calm down, babe. You know how these people are. They don’t have a problem being in everyone’s business.”

“Well, that’s fine. I don’t care if they’re in everyone’s business, I just don’t want them in mine.”

“Why are you so upset?” Quinton asked.

“Why aren’t you more upset?” Leah questioned.

“Because I expected this, and you should’ve expected it too.”

“I guess. I don’t know, I just hate the thought of people watching us and asking questions that are none of their business.”

Quinton pulled Leah into him. She let him hold her for a quick second before she moved away. “Let’s get back in and cheer for our girl. I don’t need those two busybodies to know they got to me the way they did.”

Leah and Quinton walked back into the gymnasium, and Leah saw and felt the eyes of too many people watching them.

What she wanted to do at that moment was go home and stay far away from Bayou for as long as she could.

These were the looks they endured at the beginning of their relationship, and now, here they were, getting them yet again.

Leah hated it. She hated everything about this whole situation, especially the fact that she was still withholding this information from Nova.