Page 28 of Breaking the Rules
TWENTY-TWO
“Part of me was thinking you weren't going to show up,” Savanhi gushed as she opened her arms to welcome Yandi.
“Girl no,” Yandy replied, hugging her. “How many games did we have back-to-back. I love those kids. God knows I love that man, but this break is what I need.”
“I hear that. I figured the season was busy, but I feel like I’m spinning,” Savanhi said.
That was the truth for the last couple of weeks.
She’d woken up spinning and chalked it all up to her demanding schedule, trying to keep Areli’s schedule and be present for Noble.
It was a lot. Sure, at times she taught her classes sitting down.
She attempted to eat more and drink more water to combat her dizziness.
Even now, standing in the tattoo shop with the weed smoke serving as an air freshener, she was feeling the queasiness.
“Girl, do not drive yourself into the ground trying to do everything. Home games, be there. They know how to behave on the road. We burn out now by the time the playoffs come, we can barely be present.”
“I appreciate that advice. Because trying to do it all, oh my God,” Savanhi huffed.
“How are you feeling, though?”
Savanhi smiled wearily. That’d been the question of the night – the week really. If she took a longer nap than Areli, there would be doctor toys spread out over the bed and a fake thermometer shoved in her mouth.
“Like being the new girl on the block, are the other wives and girlfriends actin’ like they have sense?”
Savanhi chuckled and gave Yandi a knowing look. “Girl, I don’t be paying attention to them for real. But for the most part, yes. There have been some side comments about me being a stripper or whatever, but they’ll never say it to my face because I’ll think about beating them up.”
Yandi and Savanhi shared a laugh.
“Sometimes some of these bitches need to be slapped in their mouth,” Yandi spoke. “If you got to lay hands, do it and say amen afterward.”
Savanhi dropped her head back and laughed. “Not amen.”
“Amen. Because why are you trying me and not Jesus? That’s insanity,” Yandi snickered. “Did you get a tattoo?”
“Crazy that this was my bright ass idea and my skin isn’t having it.” Savanhi showed her the dots on her side. “Everything is so damn sensitive.”
Yandi hummed, seeing the signs, but chose to leave the reveal to Savanhi. “You probably need to get some real rest.”
Savanhi yawned. “I will soon, as you bitches are too drunk to get home.”
Another hour of girls night, laughs, tears, and women bonding without the need to tear one another down was beautiful.
She had this with Lawryn and Remi, but to have this with Yandi and a handful of women she brought with her felt good.
It felt like she was finally getting all the things she desired and didn’t have to go through any additional pain.
Without question, Savanhi knew there would be pain in life.
That was a given. But the purpose behind that pain was becoming clearer to her.
Deuce: you want the JoyRide now?
Savanhi laughed to herself.
Sassy: please. I am tired. Can I have a cuddle?
Deuce: you can have whatever you need. Areli is knocked out. Fell asleep waiting on her Sassy
Sassy: our Sassy and Areli days have been surrounded by busy days
Deuce: if you need to take a break, take one. Taking a day off isn’t going to stop you
Sassy: I hear you
Deuce: yeah but you won’t do it unless something makes you
Sassy: coming from the man on the road four days a week
Deuce: if I got to fly home for twelve hours to sleep I make it home. Baby, you can rest
Sassy: have my t-shirt ready
Deuce: already got it for you. Car pulling up
Savanhi looked down the street, seeing a lavender-painted Range Rover approaching. The driver stopped at the curb, and the window rolled down. Noble’s wide grin shone brightly in the ambient-lit interior.
“I heard my baby needed a ride home,” he said.
Savanhi’s expression was twisted in a smile and confusion. “Whose car did you steal?”
Noble hopped out and rounded the trunk and open the passenger side door for her. “I didn’t steal it. It’s yours.”
“No,” Savanhi said in disbelief. “No, it’s not!”
“Shh, sleepin’ beauty is in her car seat.”
Savanhi’s mouth dropped as she spun to get a full look of the car. “You didn’t do this for me?”
“I absolutely did,” Noble chuckled proudly. “I can’t have you in and out of JoyRide’s, and I know push comes to shove, you will be on the bus happily.”
“I’m not above public transportation. Deucey, baby, this is beautiful!” she cried, happy tears. “Why would you do this for me?”
“Because I’d do anything for you,” Noble stated, meeting her at the driver’s side door. He wiped her tears and kissed her face. “Anything.”
There went the spinning again. The scent on his t-shirt she loved hours ago, was upsetting her stomach. She felt it coming.
“Deuce. Move,” she grunted, trying to turn away from the car as fast as she could to empty the contents of her stomach on the asphalt. “Ewww.”
“What’s wrong? You ate something bad?” Noble asked, holding her hair. He closed his eyes, unable to take the sight.
“I can’t eat. As much as I try-” another eruption just as Lawryn walked out of the shop to find her cousin. Discovering her hovering over and violently vomiting in the street cured her suspicions.
Lawryn rushed over with a bottle of water in her hand. “I was coming out here to see where she went.”
Savanhi panted, eyes watered from vomiting. “Everything is spinning.”
Noble looked at Lawryn. “She’s been saying that all week.”
“I thought she was just exhausted. Take her home, I’ll JoyCart some stuff. Don’t let her go to the studio tomorrow.”
“I don’t have anyone else to teach my classes,” Savanhi whined, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “I won’t dance, I’ll just go and instruct from my seat like I did yesterday.”
Careful not to step in anything, Noble eased her into the car. “Don’t worry about any of that. Let’s get you better first.”
Savanhi gave a weak inaudible reply. Once Noble got her home, he ran in to put Areli in her bed and came back to carry Savanhi into their bathroom. He washed her in the shower, dried her off made sure to use her body oil, but she stopped him.
“Mm mm the smell is going to make me sick. You think one of those girls got me sick?” she questioned leaning on him. “Use Areli’s fragrance free oil, please.”
He did. “Either that or you’ve been going too hard. Probably both.”
“I’ve worked harder than this with the flu at that,” she whined.
“Your body needs rest. I’m happy I’m home for a couple of days to help you out.”
Moisturized and in bed, Savanhi curled herself into a ball, and Noble spooned her. Within seconds, she was knocked out. When morning came, Savanhi was woken up by the headache that hadn’t gone away, and Lawryn walking into the room.
Savanhi groaned. “What time is it?”
“Almost noon. Noble told me to let you sleep. He took Areli out grocery shopping. I came with something’s for you.”
“I don’t want to eat,” Savanhi grumbled. “Like nothing.”
“Depending on what this says determines if that man is taking you to the hospital or not. I had to talk him down this morning.”
Savanhi popped an eye open finding the pregnancy test in Lawryn’s hand. “You can return that. I’m not pregnant. I have an IUD.”
“I’ve seen your boyfriend. Judgin’ by the way he walks, that IUD didn’t stand a chance. Just humor me. I know you have to pee. You peed twelve times last night.”
Savanhi groaned and lifted her head tiredly from the pillow. “I’m going to take this just to prove to you there is nothing growing on the inside of me. Just goodness and mercy.”
“Mm,” Lawryn grunted. “Is that what we’re calling cum these days?”
Savanhi rolled her eyes, took the box, and roamed into the bathroom. She took the test, placed it on the counter, and washed her hands.
“It says you need to wait five minutes,” Lawryn said from the other side of the door.
Savanhi looked over finding her fate. Fear and anxiety seized her. “I don’t need five minutes.”
Lawryn walked in not caring about Savanhi’s appearance. She looked at the test and then at her cousin. The fear in her eyes broke her. “Don’t you do it.”
Savanhi gasped for air. “He’s not going to want me.”
“Vanhi,” Lawryn crooned, holding her face. “This is not that.”
“It is. It is that. It’s always that…”
“Sassy!” Areli screeched, running down the hall before Noble shushed her.
Lawryn stepped out of the bathroom, stopping Areli and closing the door so she wouldn’t see what state she was in. “Give Sassy a couple of minutes. Did you get the soup?”
“Yep,” Areli nodded.
“Okay, let’s go make it.” Lawryn held her hand out for Areli to take and ushered her out of the room and past Noble. “Go in there.”
Savanhi nervously tapped her foot as she stared at the results. She’d been here before. Twice, to be exact. And all of the feelings she suppressed were ripping through her. The bathroom door opened, prompting her to wipe her face and clear her throat like she was fine.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” Noble posed, moving closer to her.
She’d hidden the test behind her back and looked up at him. The pain in her eyes not turning off. “I um I’ve been thinkin’ maybe. We uh…”
Noble shook his head. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Noble.”
“Don’t go backwards. I can see and feel something is wrong with you, and I need you to tell me what it is.”
Savanhi sniffled. “Do you love me for real? Like it’s not just something you’re saying to keep me around?”
“I love you for real. I don’t play about that shit. Why are you askin’ me what you know the answer to?”
Her trauma was showing, and that was upsetting him. Not that she had it, but it shook her core. Savanhi slowly revealed the test to him, jumping slightly when he took it from her hands.
He placed it on the counter and gazed down at her. “Why are you scared?”
Her face contorted. “Because…you’re not going to want me.”
“Sassy, I’ll always want you. You pregnant?”
She bit her lip, shut her eyes, and nodded.
“Look at me, baby. I’m not going to hurt you,” he assured tenderly. “I would never hurt you.”
It was evident that someone had. He sat on the ottoman and placed her on his lap.
“I want to celebrate this moment. But I need to know where this fear is coming from first.”
Savanhi looked down at her hands. “The butterflies on my waist. It’s for each child I miscarried.”
“There’s two butterflies.”
She nodded, face frowning more into a sob. “When I told him I was pregnant, the first time he threw me down a flight of stairs. The second, he stressed me out so bad. I don’t want to go through that again. Wanting something and losing it. Or having it snatched from me on purpose.”
Noble closed his eyes. His being now vibrating with anger. “I want you, Sassy. And I want us to have a family.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, finally giving him her eyes. “If you don’t tell me now and I’ll get out of your way and not ask you for a thing.”
“That’s fear talking, and I don’t fuck with that. I don’t fuck with not being a man and not taking care of mine. You are mine. That baby growing inside of you is mine. You have nothing to worry about, and I put that on my life. I told you I love you and I meant that shit.”
Like his words were balm to her troubled spirit, Savanhi allowed the vulnerability to be safe to crumble into his arms. The floodgates opened. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you apologize to me for healing. You’ve been holding that in.
I’ll hold everything – your fears, your anxieties, your troubles – everything.
I’m sorry that that bitch ass nigga hurt you like that.
And I’m tempted to find him and put him through the fuckin’ floor.
But you, our baby, and Areli are my reason.
I got y’all.” He swiped her cheek. “I got you.”
She laid her head on his shoulder and kissed the curve of his jaw. “I love you, Noble. I’ve thought about the way I was loved before, and nothing was it. And nothing will ever be this. And no one will ever be you. You came in right on time, even though I fought you on it.”
He chuckled, leaning forward to pick up the test. “I’m inclined to believe you left with more than my heart that night.”
“It seems like I did. We’re doing this?”
“We are doing this. You know, Areli did say that if I kept kissing you, you were going to get fat.”
“Not fat, just round. I hope.”
“The way you’ve been leaping and twirling across the floor, you’ll be fine. More for me to hold.” Noble placed a series of kisses on her lips. “I’m happy you’re having my baby. Are you? ”
She nodded. “Yes. I am.”
“You ain’t leavin’, get that out of your head. I will chase you down, drag you back by your ankles. And you’ll like it.”
“Like you did to me last week?”
“You were running,” he said with a devilish smirk.
“You want to get back in bed or lay on the couch. I had your receptionist email your girls. Practice will start back next week. This week, you’re home with me and our very bossy girl.
Soup, water, rest, and whatever else you need. I owe you a new leotard, too.”
“I love how every conversation surrounding me feeling better results in you taking us shopping. Never mind the stuff at my apartment. That side of the closet is damn near full.”
“Speaking of your apartment. You’re building was up for sale…Kendrick and I decided to go in together and buy it, gear it toward low-income and single-parent families.”
“I love that. So that means I need to go clear it out?” she asked.
“Just the stuff you want, everything else I’ll have a team pack up and put in storage.”
“No need for storage. Donate it. I’ll get what I need out of it.” Savanhi kissed his face again. “I’d like to watch Areli run around the living room.”
“I got you come on.”
“You know I have to have this implant removed.”
“I’ll be there.”
“You sure? Everything you got going on?”
“I will be there,” he assured, standing up and placing her to her feet. “I need your social too.”
Savanhi’s brows creased. “Why?”
“Adding you to my insurance.” Noble tapped her hips. “No talking back either.”