Page 25 of Breaking the Rules

NINETEEN

“You are glowing,” Lawryn stated, meeting Areli and Savanhi at the family entrance of the Royals’ Stadium.

Lawryn was donned in a royal blue jersey that matched Savanhi’s oversized jersey. “You look so good.”

Savanhi waved her off. “It’s just a jersey, jean shorts, and a crop top.”

Lawryn smiled, filled with joy that her cousin was tasting a portion of how good life was about to get for her. “I don’t know. It’s more than that. That skin is popping, body is tea, hair is shining. You look like you know who the fuck you are, and it’s about damn time.”

Savanhi beamed, embracing Lawryn. “What can I say? The last couple of days have been different…”

“You let go of that control?” Lawryn posed, after squatting down and handing Areli a giant glove. “Nice to meet you, Areli.”

“You’re the lady in the phone with all the drawings,” Areli spoke, lighting up and taking the gifts from Lawryn’s hands. “I like them.”

The drawings that Areli was speaking of were the colorful ink Lawryn had all over her body. Lawryn beamed. “Thank you. I got a secret, when your uncle isn’t watching, I’ll give you one.”

“Can it be a pony? A pink one? Right here?” Areli asked, pointing to her stomach.

Savanhi snickered. “Deuce will have a heart attack.”

“He has them too,” Areli huffed. “Everywhere. Some I can’t even see.”

Lawryn stood up and snickered. “She shady as hell.”

“As hell,” Savanhi started, walking arm-in-arm with Lawryn through the entrance. “This morning she told me – you’re lucky you dance because all these pancakes and kisses will make you fat.”

“Kisses?” Lawryn asked.

Areli chimed in from Savanhi’s right, ending her mini dance break to occupy grown folks’ business. “Mommy said kisses make you fat. She told me that when Tommy kissed me on the playground at daycare.”

“Who the hell is Tommy?” Lawryn asked. “I want the tea.”

“No tea, here today, gone tomorrow,” Areli stated with a hand wave and returned to her dancing and spinning to the music blasting through the stadium.

Lawryn nearly fell out in laughter. “That’s why you’re glowing. You got a man and a family, all because you listened to your big cousin. Have I ever steered you wrong?”

Savanhi raised her freshly-waxed brows towards the laid baby hairs. “Do you want to go there with me? Do you?”

“Tell me.”

“Haseem Anderson.”

Lawryn winced. “My bad. I didn’t know he was missing six teeth, had a receding hairline, or that the sister he claimed was his sister really wasn’t his sister. But I’ve been right every time after.”

“You’ve been right this time. And it wasn’t relationship-related, just so you know.”

“Well, either way, what a glow up, baby. Let’s slam dunk that ball.”

Savanhi cut Lawryn a look. “Stop playing. This is football, it’s a touchdown.”

Lawryn blurted in a laugh. “Bitch, it’s soccer, and it’s called a goal. Get with it.”

The day of laughter with her cousin and dance-offs in the stands with Areli was exactly what Savanhi’s spirit had been missing. She was missing joy. Day by day, it was restoring her past capacity.

“Hit it, Deucey!” Areli cheered as the fest entered the third round. “Hit it, Deucey!”

Savanhi had yet to see Noble play in an actual game.

Only batting cages and today. She was enthralled and equally as turned on by him in his uniform.

Gold and ruby chains hanging freely against his rich brown skin.

The white jersey contrasts perfectly, sweat glistening off his skin.

Every swing and hit of the bat was strong.

His stance, sturdy. His personality was in his athleticism.

Everything about Noble – despite how many curveballs were thrown his way – he stood steady, on his business and knocked it out of the park.

This is why he was respected the way he was, why people looked at him with stars in their eyes.

Why she looked at him with stars in her eyes.

Yes, she had Zayden, but Noble. He was rewiring her.

Savanhi stood with her hands on her hips. “Three more, Deuce.”

He was currently at fifteen homerun hits and needed three more to qualify him for the fourth and final round against Ganton Hills pitcher Leo Santon. Savanhi spotted the tiredness in his swing.

“Come on, baby,” she muttered. “Shake that shit off. Three hits. Give me three hits.”

The crack could be heard around the stadium. Savanhi watched the screen anxiously. Over the fence.

“Woohoo, Deucey!” Areli screeching. “Give me twooo!”

Areli was hopped up on sugar on purpose. After falling asleep on him last night Savanhi wanted Areli dead to the world and unable to interrupt them again.

Crack!

Savanhi picked Areli up so she could see the final hit. “You think he’s going to do it?”

“He always does it,” Areli spoke confidently.

Even Lawryn was on her feet watching Noble set up for his last swing. Areli started clapping, inciting a chant from the family section. “Let’s go, Deuce. Let’s go, Deuce. Let’s go, Deuce. Let’s go, Deuce!”

Crack!

Everyone held their breath and watched the ball fly through the air and be caught by a drunk fan in the stands.

Their section erupted. Everyone was on their feet until the middle of the fourth round.

A representative from the Royals found the women and led them to the field.

Areli cut away from Savanhi the moment she spotted her uncle.

Noble scanned the spectators and found the smile he’d work forever to keep on Savanhi’s face. Savanhi moved toward her assigned seat with Lawryn and made a swinging motion.

She mouthed, “Hit that shit.”

Noble winked at her. He kissed Areli’s cheek and handed her off to Remi. The pair made their way over while Noble readied himself for the last up to bat. The group greeted one another, and the proper introductions between Remi and Lawryn were made.

“Law, this is Remi. Her brother is Sincere,” Savanhi said, keeping her face neutral.

“Oh, the rapper?” Lawryn asked.

The question made Savanhi squint her eyes and watch her man on the field so she couldn’t blow up Lawryn’s spot.

“Yeah, that would be my crazy ass brother. Wild man,” Remi said with a chuckle. “He’s cool or whatever, but these tattoos…where can I sign up?”

Lawryn laughed with relief. “I have a shop in The Village. Come by anytime. Savanhi is overdue for another one.”

“And I’m getting a pony,” Areli shared, pointing at her stomach again. “Right here.”

“Your uncle is going to lose his mind,” Remi cackled. “We need to keep him steady.”

“Please,” Savanhi buzzed.

“Let’s plan a girls’ night,” Lawryn suggested. “A tattoo party.”

“Ohhh. Let’s plan that for a night Noble is home, so Savanhi can come up for air,” Remi shared.

“I’ve been breathing just fine, thank you,” Savanhi hummed, nodding her head toward Areli. “Breathing just fine.”

“Ohhh, she a little blocker?” Lawryn quizzed.

“The biggest,” Savanhi chuckled. “Alright, y’all, Deuce is up.”

Eighteen home runs out of twenty-five hits was Noble’s final standing. Leo was up next and scored eighteen, too.

“Oh my God, a tie?” Areli shouted, distraught. “Really?”

Noble turned around with a smirk. “Unc got this, Areli.”

“You better, I bet ice cream, a new tutu, and princess shoes on this,” Areli announced, making the five men on Noble’s team fall out in laughter.

Both men prepared themselves for the sixty-second tiebreaker. Noble motioned for Savanhi to come up and help him with his batting gloves.

“You don’t care about all these cameras?” Savanhi asked, pushing his gloves on his large hands.

“Don’t give a damn. I got a charity riding on this. You would think I never hit a damn ball for real.”

Savanhi paused and looked up at him. “Noble…today is about having fun. Have fun. Stop putting pressure on yourself. Okay?”

He clenched his jaw and nodded. “Aight.”

“I’m serious. You’ll still be that nigga. Mine, if we’re getting specific. Now go out there, do your shit so we can celebrate,” Savanhi replied, strapping the last glove on and kissing his lips.

“Go, Deucey, go!” she giggled, chanting Areli’s chant and tapping his firm butt.

“Keep that up,” he muttered sinisterly.

“I will. Keep the trophy in L.O.”

She walked back to her spot and watched him swing the bat like this was the bottom of the ninth in a World Series game. Leo came up behind, scoring half the hits in sixty seconds that Noble made. Savanhi jumped up and down with Areli. Who needed fans when they had Savanhi and Areli cheering?

“That’s how you secure a bag,” Remi shouted.

Areli stood by, watching her uncle do a few interviews before he scooped her up. Savanhi watched nearby, like Areli was hers to protect.

“I’m not cashing the million-dollar check for me. I’ve been blessed. This money is going to a local charity here, called The Refuge. It’s a group home that helps both children and families be reunited,” Noble shared with the journalist.

Savanhi felt a light tap on her shoulder and turned her body slightly to see Yandi Saxon. Though she was happily married to Kendrick Saxon, she was a force of her own. One of, if not the biggest, developers on the West Coast.

“Hi, I wanted to introduce myself. I’m Yandi. My husband has been going on and on about us meeting. I wanted to do it before our games next week and all those women and their ears,” Yandi shared with a warm smile.

“Deuce has been telling me about you too. I’m happy to finally meet you. I know their schedule is crazy, but if you’re down for it, my cousin is doing a girls’ night tattoo party in The Village.”

“You mean I get to leave the kids with their daddy and have some adult fun?”

“Precisely,” Savanhi laughed.

“I’m there, take my number and shoot me the details,” Yandi screeched. “I love my kids, but momma wants to go out too.”

The women shared a laugh, exchanged numbers, and went their separate ways. Noble hosted the crew to dinner at the Saxon’s steakhouse. After enjoying a meal and dessert, Remi took Areli off the couple’s hands, leaving the pair to a night alone. As Savanhi walked into the house, she hummed.

“I don’t know if I like this.”

“Silence?” Noble asked, dropping his bag in the laundry room.

“Yes. I miss her. What are you doing to me?”

Noble smirked and rose a brow. “What you talkin’ about?”

“You know what I’m talking about, Deuce. I feel like I have a family.”

“You happy?”

“I haven’t stopped smiling. However, in the light of being child-free. You should meet me in the room.”

“You gon’ be sleep when I come in?” he joked, but his tone held a hint of seriousness.

“Nope. I had two energy drinks,” Savanhi sassed, walking away. “I can go all night.”