Page 20 of Breaking the Rules

FIFTEEN

“Whew,” Areli blew. “That was a good one, Unc-Unc.”

Noble, in his cut-off compression Royals shirt, sweat glistening over his skin and his helmet covering his head, was popping leather-bound balls into the back of the net back to back. Savanhi was focused on how fast the ball flew out of the machine, met his bat, and flew.

Having them sitting comfortably behind him, watching, wincing, and clapping gave him a sense of pride. Before, the crowd was what would do it. Their roar. He’d never felt the pride from the purest form of joy. The things that were broken and bruised in him were being healed. Layer by layer.

Stepping out of the box, Noble hit the button on the side of the pole to pause the machine. Like clockwork, Areli hopped off of Savanhi’s lap and trotted over to him with a pink bat, gloves and helmet. Savanhi was behind her with a bottle of water.

“My turn,” Areli shouted, fumbling over her things and walking past her uncle.

“Can I get some water first?” Noble joked, taking it from Savanhi’s hand in thanks. “You want to try?”

“I am not coordinated like that,” Savanhi spoke with a nervous laugh. “That ball was flying out of there at 100 miles an hour.”

“I can govern it, Sassy.”

“I don’t have a helmet,” she replied.

A grin spread over his face. “I’ve seen you drop from the ceiling and do that thigh clapping shit, swing back up, and flip over and spin. You can hit a ball.”

“Ms. Vanhi, you climb poles, too? I love the poles on the playground,” Areli chimed, finally securing her gloves and adjusting her feet in her princess slippers.

Savanhi cut her eyes at Noble, who muffled his laughter. The gesture earned him a gentle shove to the shoulder. “That’s not funny, Deuce.”

“What’s funny is you still fighting this. What you afraid of? Folding or getting folded?”

Savanhi bit her lip and turned her attention to Areli, who was taking practice swings with her plastic pink bat. They were in a stare down, and Noble wasn’t backing down until he got an answer.

“Both,” Savanhi softly responded as he fully stepped out of the net.

He hooked her chin, lifted her face to his, and kissed her lips slow enough to let it linger but with enough vigor that she understood both would happen, and he had no plans of being anywhere else.

“I ain’t gon’ hurt you,” he said, punctuating his sentiment with a nip to her lip. “You’re up to bat next. Get your mind right.”

Savanhi huffed. “You just be talking to me any kind of way.”

“You like it ‘cause you ain’t beat my ass or ghosted me. So stop standing in your way.”

Savanhi teased a comment and then stopped when the restless four-year-old and her get up began click-clacking to the pole to hit the button. “Areli! No, ma’am.”

Noble looked over his shoulder, finding Areli snatching her hand back and putting it behind her back with an innocent smile on her face. “What I do? Y’all was smoochin’, I was ready.”

“My bad, babygirl. Come on.” Noble turned to Areli to soothe her impatience. “Tell Sassy to put a helmet on.”

“Helmet on, Sassy, I’m hitting homers!” Areli confidently spoke. Noble placed the tee in front of the plate and turned the speed down on the machine. Savanhi stood at the net in awe of how layered he could be. She captured a few moments, but there was nothing like the realness of the moment.

Noble always prided himself on being attentive and present. Values he had in everything he did that weren’t always appreciated were adored here. They were requirements.

“Good job, Areli,” Savanhi cheered. “Knock that thing out the park.”

“Clock that tea,” Areli grunted, swinging her bat and just missing Noble’s face.

“Where’d you get that from?” he asked, jerking out of the way. “Your hair gets done, oh that’s tea. Your momma?”

“Remi,” Areli said with a shrug. “Your turn, Sassy. You can use my tee.”

“I feel like you’re being shady,” Savanhi responded in laughter. “Your tee is short.”

“You are too. Plus, I don’t want you to get hurt,” Areli assured, removing her helmet. “Help her, Deucey.”

“You’re too short to be so bossy,” Noble stated, making sure Savanhi’s helmet was secured over all her hair. “You too. Both of y’all barely clearing five feet and telling me what to do.”

“You’re the one who wants to explore. This is what happens when you pursue after I told you not to. Smart mouth, Savanhi.”

“That smart mouth don’t bother me. It’s that guard I got to knock down. I’m going to enjoy watching you get soft as shit.”

Savanhi moved to the base. “You plan on getting soft, too?”

“As cotton,” he responded, tapping her hips. “Legs shoulder length apart and bend your knees.”

Savanhi did what she was told, her body brushing against his as he adjusted her hands around the bat.

“Knock your knuckles, but don’t choke the bat. The minute you see the ball come across you swing. Too early you miss it, too late you miss it.”

“Help me with the first two,” she hummed.

Noble felt an awakening in him. He knew the moment he encountered her, she was hyper independent and equally as stubborn. Asking for help was a glimmer of light. That whatever feeling was possessing his being wasn’t misplaced.

He didn’t rebut her ask, not wanting her to clam up, say something smart, and pull away. Sure he could see Areli in his peripheral, he held Savanhi closer and used his size to maneuver her body into the swing.

“Lead with your hips.”

Savanhi followed his lead, trusting him, barely hitting the first two balls. “Okay, let me try on my own.”

Noble stepped back and Areli’s face was pressed against the net watching.

Savanhi took a practice swing before taking the stance he’d showed her.

Noble watched her like a coach to his player.

The ball came out and right within her zone she hit it and gasped.

Savanhi jumped up and down before wrapping her arms around his neck. Joy.

Noble placed a series of congratulatory pats on her round ass and kissed her cheek.

“I’m a professional now,” she gushed, releasing him. “Put me on the team coach.”

“Me too!” Areli added, cheering with Savanhi too. “Good job, Sassy!”

“Both of you are already on the best team,” Noble spoke, moving to the knob to kill the machine. “Y’all ready for lunch?”

“Or a nap,” Savanhi yawned, taking the helmet off. “My sleep schedule is all out of whack.”

“That’s ‘cause you’re in the guest room,” Noble muttered behind her.

“You put me there, I tend to stay in my place,” she shot back over her shoulder.

“Oh word? Bet,” Noble buzzed, removing his batting gloves. “Babygirl, we’ll have lunch at the house, nap, and then pool time at Sincere’s.”

“Oh yeahhhh, pool time,” Areli said in a sing-along voice as she skipped, leaped, and danced away from the batting area.

“To have half of her energy,” Savanhi muttered, collecting Areli’s things.

“I’d get so much more shit done, I swear. There’s like a hundred emails Carl keeps recycling to me to look over, and I just can’t.” Noble took the bag before Savanhi could drape it over her body. “Stop doing that. I can carry yours and mine.”

She bit a grin. “How many of those emails are going to add to your brand?”

“They all claim they can.”

“Mm,” Savanhi hummed. “Fitness and nutrition seem to be your niche. I mean what I do I know, I’ve only been around you for real for a full day. But I think, if my opinion matters, those are the brands you should be looking at.”

Noble reached for the gate as Savanhi took Areli’s hand upon reaching her. “Your opinion always matters. I already have the protein-packed desserts.”

“Like ice creams, cakes, and cookies?”

“Exactly that. Before my pops put a baseball back in my hand, I was pudgy. I’m like a fat kid for real with a crazy sweet tooth.”

“Ice cream is my downfall. I’ll eat half a quart in a sitting if I’m not careful.”

“There’s a freezer full at the house. It won’t fuck up your dancer curves.”

“I might take you up on that. So why not just expand that to breakfast? You know these student athletes will buy the water you sell.”

“You might be on to something. I might keep you.”

“You already said you were, unless you’re lying. Let me know now before I mess around and fall for you.”

From the batting cages to the house, through lunch with Areli, the trio ended up on the couch. Areli laid on Savanhi, and she leaned on Noble.

“She misses her mother,” Savanhi shared, rubbing her back.

“She does. She doesn’t sleep through the night,” Noble muttered.

“I don’t think any of us are sleeping through the night,” Savanhi said with a yawn.

“How long has your mother been gone?”

“Her and my dad got locked up when I was two. We went to live with my granny. When she had a massive heart attack, it was me and my brother. How about you?”

“She left maybe two months after my sister was born. Pops thought it was post-partum because she went through it with me. She just never wanted to be a mother. That, I can’t wrap my head around.”

“Me neither. I’d love to be a mother. But like in a whole family situation. Give my kids what I didn’t have.”

“I feel you on that. Kym and I had Ms. Patty, but her and pops never really made their thing a thing. Both were still married, and I feel like they were both waiting for their spouses to come back. Trauma bonding.”

Savanhi groaned. “We might have some of that too.”

“Similar upbringings but I’m not bonding with you off that fact that life is fucked up. I’m bonding with you because as fucked up as life is, I want some beautiful shit.”

“You think you’re going to get that from me?”

“I know I am. And before you ask how, it’s because you’re guard comes down in layers. Every one that falls, shows me something different.”

“Humor me,” Savanhi softly hummed. “What have you seen?”

“Night one on the beach, you wanted to feel security. Blocking me at the club, you want purposeful, meaningful attachments. Last night, assurance. Today…you let that independence go for a second because you trusted me, and then the joy. The joy is my favorite part. That’s that shit I want to tap into. ”

“Tell me how you’re going to do that.”

Noble rumbled in tired laughter. “If I tell you, watching you break all those rules you made because you encountered bitch niggas won’t be as beautiful.”

“I hear you,” Savanhi muttered, her body becoming heavier against his.

A kiss to her forehead and repositioning underneath her, he slipped his fingers into her hair and drifted off too.

Noble felt like he was out for only a minute before he felt the squeeze and release of his nose.

He pulled an eye open to find Areli’s hair braided into two braids and dressed in full swim.

“Wake up, Deucey, we’re ready.”

Noble grabbed her as he sat up. “How long was I sleep?”

“Forever,” Areli hummed. “Hurry up, Sassy has to get to the studio. You like my hair?”

“I love your hair,” he assured, kissing her face. “I’m getting up.”

“Hurry up,” Areli spoke, squeezing his neck and roaming down the hall where Savanhi was putting on her shoes.

From his relaxed position, he took her in.

The natural beauty she held, the confidence she was rediscovering.

The security she longed for. They were all dancing around her.

Savanhi turned her head, finding his eyes on her.

A soft smile crept over her lips. The gesture sent his nerves into a disarray, like he was in high school with a crush.

This was more than a crush, more than something to take the edge off.

Savanhi appeared in his world at the worst time with everything he needed, and all he had to do was care for her, and she’d grant him access to everything he was void of.

She moved from the mirror by the door and closer to where he was still laying. “You slept good?”

“I needed that, you?”

“Needed it and I’d like to request that again,” Savanhi softly stated.

“With Areli spread out across us?” he asked with a brow raised.

“I don’t mind that. She comes with the package.”

“Mm,” he grunted, pushing himself up from the couch. “Let me get you to the studio before I have to give Areli some melatonin.”

She giggled and switched away. “Areli, let’s roll, pretty girl.”

Watching them take to each other was another added bonus. It solidified it all. Forget the rules, forget the restrictions they placed to keep themselves safe. This was ordained.

Noble ensured Savanhi was safely inside of the dance studio, a linger to her lips before him and Areli landed at Sincere’s.

“About time y’all got here. Fuck was you doin’, boy?” Sincere asked, carefully watching Areli enter the pool with all her floaties on.

“Smoochin’ Sassy.”

Sincere rose his brows. “Smoochin’ Sassy, huh?”

“Mmhmm,” Areli hummed before jumping into the two feet of water and going about her business.

“Who is Sassy?” Sincere questioned, turning to face Noble. “She crazy?”

“She got it in her eyes. I am not going to test the waters, though. I’m not your dumb ass.”

Sincere studied him. “She changing you.”

“That’s a bad thing?”

“Nah, nigga, not at all. Dare I say it, the shit is beautiful. You got off that flight from Majestic Heights lookin’ like the life was draining from you. Dare I think the lover boy has fell again?” Sincere teased.

“You gon’ live a sensible life vicariously through me?”

“Yeah, ‘cause I ain’t doing it,” Sincere stated. “Bachelor life for me forever. Anyway, off that soft shit. I’ve been listening to the streets.”

“Aight…”

“Some nigga named Manny set up the drop. They said Kym never had product anywhere near Areli so finding it in the house and in her car and all that shit in the café was a set up. Now you got to exercise that muscle. What you want to do?”

“Manny, huh?” Noble questioned, sitting down. He recalled the name spoken by Savanhi, what he resonated with more was the eerie feeling he had about her out of his space and the car lurking.

“Yeah, apparently he felt slighted by the nigga Zayden, he was working with and put the plan in motion with a nigga named Brixx and the sitter. I had them niggas go out lookin’ for Brixx, we can’t find him, but Manny…”

“Brixx will come. Go ahead and cut Manny’s water off. Anyone else who had anything to do with it, put them out of their misery. The shit is simple.”

“Still got that dawg in you.”

“Baseball is business. This is family. You ain’t a man if you let anything attack that. Let me know how much to send. Make sure it’s handled.”

Noble leaned back in the seat and watched Areli splash around, perfectly at peace. With his life, he would make sure that she always knew peace. He would always slay the dragons.