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“I don’t think you should do that, bro,” Jah warned me as I prepared to lift the blunt to my mouth.

I shrugged. “Chill. It’ll be out of my system before our next drug test. My life is fucked up right now. I need something to ease my mind.”

I inhaled the potent strain and instantly began to choke on the thick smoke filling my lungs.

Jah shook his head. “Virgin ass lungs. Give me my shit back.”

I continued to cough feeling as if I couldn’t catch my breath. “I thought coughing gets you higher?”

“Yeah, when you actually pulling. That little baby hit shouldn’t have you barking like that. You about to waste all my weed. Give it here, nigga.”

I ignored him and hit the blunt for a second time. My phone began vibrating beside me. I picked it up quickly, feeling like shit when I saw it was her calling me again. Jah laughed from beside me.

“Damn, your ass so sprung I don’t know why you’re ignoring her. You need to take your ass home.”

I ran a hand down my face. “It’s hard to explain.

Everything in me is calling for her but there is this root of doubt I can’t get rid of.

I don’t want to fuck up, man. Charmony is my dream girl.

I’m not even sure I deserve her. I got to get my mind right first.” I allowed my head to fall to the back of the cushioned couch.

“I don’t have a choice but to go back home. I’m miserable without her.”

Jah sighed. “Yeah. I’ve never seen you like this over a woman. It’ll all work out, but you have to be honest with her. Let her see into your heart. Your vulnerability will make her trust you even more. She’ll know you’re actively trying to be the best you can be for her.”

I shook my head. “I know you’re right. I just don’t want her to doubt me or think I’m weak. It’s only been like twelve hours, and it feels like forever. I’m going over there after this press conference bullshit Deb and Hurbert are making me do. I need to see her.”

He snatched his blunt back because my high ass had completely forgotten about it as thoughts of Charm flooded my mind.

Even though she was pissed at me for posting the pictures, she was still texting to let me know she had my back.

She didn’t deserve my silence and that’s why I was going to fix it as soon as the dust settled with the press conference.

The feed on my camera went live, lighting up my phone. I glanced down to see my father standing there. He glanced at the camera.

“I know you see me. I’m not leaving until we finish our conversation.”

I allowed my head to flop backward on the couch and sighed.

The last thing I wanted to do was have a conversation with his ass.

He was going to stand out there until his legs got tired because I was not letting him up in here.

Picking up the remote, I intended to turn the volume up on ESPN to drown out his potential knocks on the door.

“Kianis… Open the door. I need to talk to you.” Hearing Deborah’s voice then seeing her standing beside him was the only reason I got up to go open the door.

I placed one hand on the knob and the other on the back of the door to brace myself. Eventually, I found the courage to yank it open to reveal them on the other side. Deborah took one step into my place and began fanning her face.

“Oh, God. Please tell me you were not stupid enough to smoke that mess.” She turned to me quickly with a panicked expression. “The owners are drug testing you. That’s what I came over here to tell you.”

I tossed my hands in the air. “Fuck!”

I’d forgotten all about my father being there until he started running his mouth. He chuckled drily, shoulders bouncing jovially and all.

“I told you.”

My body tensed as I clenched my fists. “Told me what?”

He straightened his posture and pinned me in place with a glare.

“That you’re just like me. I knew you were going to keep fucking up.

” He shook his head as if he had the right to be disappointed in anyone.

“First, you publicly announce your joke of a marriage and claim a baby that’s not even here yet.

Now, you’ve gone and jeopardized your career once again.

” He palmed his forehead. “You better be lucky I keep myself up so I can piss clean for you.”

Hearing him explain exactly how I was like him rotted me to the core. I knew I wasn’t making the best choices right now, but he was the last one who needed to speak on it, not when he was a fuck up himself with nothing to show for it.

“I told you to stop saying that, and I don’t need shit from you,” I spat.

“Since I’m such a fuck up, how about you and that miserable wife of yours get the fuck on.

I don’t need y’all. Matter fact, I don’t even want y’all in my life.

Don’t call and ask me for shit. I’m done.

” Turning to Deb I asked, “When’s the test? ”

She gulped, eyes jumping from me to my father who stood wordlessly. The tension was thick in the air as I tried to control my breathing, but his voice was too loud in my mind for me to be calm.

“This evening,” she finally replied.

I nodded. “Okay. Y’all can see your way out.”

Without another word or glance, I spun around and headed toward my bedroom.

Slamming the door behind me, I sank to the floor and dropped my head in my hands.

There was a part of me that wanted to take the cowardly way out, but I knew one thing to be true; I was not my father.

That was how he would get himself out of this situation.

As my head fell backward on the door, all I saw was images of Charm when I closed my eyes—cooking…

cleaning… smiling… Even with knowing my career was in jeopardy, all I wanted was to make things right with her.

I was far from a perfect man, but I loved that girl with all my heart.

I gave her parts of myself I didn’t even know existed until I decided I wanted her to be mine.

When I told her losing her wasn’t an option, I meant it.

I ran a hand down my face, trying to settle my racing heart, but it was no use.

I had no clue how everything was going to turn out.

I had to find a way to be okay with that while knowing doing the right thing was more important.

One thing my father lacked was accountability.

Lifting my head, I realized it was time to show him and the world that we were nothing alike.

I was my own man. I was Kianis Kinga, Mr. Most Likely to Win, king of the motherfucking court, and it was time they respected it.

“I want to thank you all for being here. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding my name recently, and I want to clear some things up.”

Running a hand down my face, I prepared myself for what came next. My heart was hammering against my sternum, and my breathing was a little choppy, but this still felt right.

“All I’ve ever tried to do was make a name for myself in the sport I love.

But my talent has been overlooked more times than I can count for the entertainment of discussing my fucked-up family instead.

I know I haven’t made it any better with my many mistakes, and I take responsibility for that.

I’m not no cookie cutter ass nigga. I was raised in the fucking trenches and fought my way here today.

“It may look like I want to throw that all away, but I have no intention to. The owners have decided to drug test me, and I will fail it because I was trying to run away from the mess I caused. Moving forward, I want to be the type of man who doesn’t run from his problems. Whatever happens next, is out of my hands, and I’m okay with that.

Now, there is one more thing I want to address, and it ain’t got shit to do with y’all. ”

I inhaled deeply then stared directly into the camera. If she was watching, I needed her to know I was talking directly to her. She deserved a public apology after embarrassing her.

“I want to set the record straight that yes, I will be a father in less than ninety days. There’s no ifs, ands, or waits until the baby is tested that can change that.

The life I’m building with you is the main thing I live for.

I love basketball, but I realized I love you way more.

I’ll give this all up to make things right with you.

You’re all I need, Charm. You’re my heart. ”

I felt myself becoming overly emotional, so I simply walked away—from the cameras, the pressure, the judgment… None of it really mattered anyway. So, I kept going until my heart led me exactly where I wanted to be… Charm’s front door.