Page 50

SIXTEEN

Mellow.

Your ph…

Your phone…

The words never escaped me. Exhaustion lured me into an even deeper sleep, completely ignoring the vibrating cell lost between the sheets of the bed.

Bzzzt.

Bzzzt.

Bzzzt.

Bzzzt.

Stirring awake, I felt around in the bed, aimlessly searching for the vibrating phone to silence it completely. Rome’s light snores were evidence that my baby was tired and possibly experiencing the best sleep of her life. Waking her up simply wasn’t in my plans.

Bzzzt.

Bzzzt.

“Alright, shit,” I whispered.

Finally, I located the device. I silenced it, but it began vibrating in my hand almost immediately. As I pressed the side of the phone to disable it completely, I noticed the familiar texture of the case surrounding it. I released the buttons and watched the screen light up in my hand.

Mom.

I answered the call. My mother’s voice awakened me, confirming it was my phone ringing. Not Rome’s.

“Sac!” She whimpered, startling me.

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

“Mom, everything good?” I whispered.

“Yes. We’re all fine bu– but–”

“But… but what?”

She paused, gathering herself.

“Mom– what’s the matter?”

“Aliza was found dead in her home,” my mother sniffled.

I sat upright in bed. The pain in my chest wouldn’t allow me to keep resting. I was fully alert now. Fully awake.

“Come again–”

“Ali–Aliza. She committed suicide,” my mother broke down, unable to keep it together.

“Wha– when? How?”

I bolted from bed with absolutely nowhere to go. However, I didn’t want to disturb Rome’s sleep. I stepped out into the hallway and began pacing as my mother explained.

“It’s been a week or so since I talked to her mother.

It felt strange, you know. We talk two or three times a week.

Always have. After a full week, I started calling her.

I didn’t get an answer. I called Neil’s phone and didn’t get an answer either.

So, I told your father that we’d go by there if I don’t hear from her in the next few days. ”

“Um hm.” I urged her to continue.

“We never made it by there. A detective called me two hours ago.”

“A detective?”

“Yes, son. They wanted me to come down to identif–” she choked up, “to identify the bodies.”

“Bodies?”

I pressed my back against the wall. This news was crippling.

“Aliza didn’t just take her own life, son. She murdered Aleena, Neil, and every living thing in their home. She then killed herself.”

The wind left me. I landed on the floor with my legs bent and a hand on the side of my head. Nothing made sense to me. Trying to process any of this felt like trying to work my way through a maze blindfolded with a broken spine.

“Tell me you’re not mes–”

“I would never, Sac. They’re all de– dead. Authorities didn’t find Aliza until Wednesday. The condo had begun to smell. The scent concerned a neighbor. When the police investigated, they found Aliza’s head against her neighbor’s bedroom wall. It was the only thing separating them.”

Wednesday was two days ago.

“How long had she been there?”

“Since the night of the championship.”

“Sinc– since last Sunday?”

“Yes, son.”

I pushed out a heap of air.

“And, they contacted you?”

“They went to her parent’s home to inform them and that’s when their bodies were discovered.”

I rubbed a hand down my face repeatedly as I digested every detail.

“There’s no way. There’s no way. There’s no way Aliza was that fucki– that bad off.”

“But, there’s more,” my mother cried into the phone, piling on detail after detail.

My stomach was in knots.

“I don’t know if I can hear ano–”

“They found poison in her home. Lots of it. Likely purchased illegally.”

I sat up straight, listening intently.

“Poison?”

“Yes. Plenty of it. According to the detective, a lot of the containers were empty. She’d been using it for some time now.”

“For some tim– for– Rome ,” I concluded, standing on my feet.

“Yes,” my mother sobbed. “Yes, son.”

What was once pain quickly turned into rage. Unfiltered, uncontrollable rage.

“That bitc–” I paused, quickly remembering who I was on the phone with. Disrespecting my mother wasn’t in my deck of cards.

“She is insane, Sac. She’s insane.”

“Was– was insane and now she’s right where she belongs.”

“Saint!”

“I have no remorse for her, Mom. Not for her or those two people who knew she was a sick individual and tried to make us all believe she was at least a little bit normal. I wasn’t a fool. I saw little signs.

“They revealed themselves every so often. But, I never though– I never thought it was this bad. Her grandparents are dead and the uncle she does have is no use to society as a whole. I’m not paying to bury her. And, I’m ordering you not to either. Let the maggots have them all,” I exclaimed.

“Son–”

“I have to get back to Rome. Do me a favor and never mention her name to me, around me, or in the same sentence as me again. I love you. Tell Pops I’ll call him back later this evening.”

“Sa–”

“She is the reason my child is not growing in Rome’s womb right now.

For three days straight, I watched her bleed so much we thought she’d need a second supply.

She wept on that floor in my bathroom from the stomach pains that had her bent over the toilet gagging as her body violently rejected a life we’d created together because it was trying to heal itself from the inside out.

I have no remorse for Aliza. May she rest in hell! I love you. Goodbye, Mom.”

I ended the call and marched back into the room, prepared to wake Rome and share the news I’d just received. Her beauty halted me, instantly calming the storm brewing inside of me.

I released the pressure building from the information I’d been bombarded with. Before sliding under the covers and pulling Rome into me, I got rid of the negative energy my morning had quickly adapted.

When better, I sat on the bed and then tossed my legs over. I wrapped my arm around Rome and buried my face in her hair. She smelled like lemons and lavender and love and lifetimes.

“Baby?” She stirred.

“Go back to sleep.”

I kissed her skin.

Muah.

Muah .

“Is everything okay?”

“Everything is perfect.”

Near the edge of my steps, I waited with a thudding heartbeat and a smile on my face. The custom grill with black diamonds covering the canines represented the team I’d just led to the championship and dominated it.

Four games in a fucking row .

I nodded, recalling the beast unleashed during the finals. Playoff De Bacco was much different from regular season De Bacco. I was Sac, surely. And, Sac was unmatched.

I cleared my throat as the thought of my journey reminded me that I was built for this moment. Five years in the league and I finally had that ring. I’d come close, but never close enough.

As a first round draft pick at the age of twenty-three, fresh out of college, I imagined hugging a championship trophy within the first three years of my career.

Naive . I shrugged. Young .

The sound of heels colliding with the steps jarred me from my memories, bringing me back to my reality. My dream. My life. My love. My world. My fiancée. My Rome.

My entire face lifted a full inch. Her beauty was remarkable. In a cream dress that ruffled at the edge, she strutted toward me. Her skin was delectable. Figuratively and literally. I’d tasted her loving, and it was just as good as it looked.

Buttery.

Brown.

Sugary.

Sweet.

Soft .

Every part of me livened up as I observed her carefully ending her stride. I extended a hand, prepared to assist her down onto the first level. Instead of accepting it, she shoved my hand away. Her arms surrounded me. So did her lips. Her tongue greeted me, allowing me to have my way.

“Ummmmm,” Mellow moaned as she pulled back.

I wiped her remnants from my lips, wondering if there was anything more a drink from the bar could do for me. Rome was intoxicating enough. I was hoping I could manage behind the wheel. She’d spiked my alcohol levels undoubtedly.

Eyes low and heavy with lust, I showed every tooth in my mouth. Every diamond in my grill. Every inch of my gums possible.

“You’re incredible,” I whispered, craving too much of her to not lean over and touch her lips with mine again.

“Thank you,” she sniggered, unwrapping her arms.

She circled me, forcing me to turn as I followed her with my eyes. She stopped at the console and began sliding her jewelry on, one piece after the other.

Rolex watch.

Hermes bracelet.

Cartier ring.

Cartier bracelet.

Diamond bracelets.

Two.

Diamond anklet.

Gold rings.

Each finger.

And, the necklace .

Rome turned around, holding the necklace behind her as she waited for me to grab ahold of it. I squeezed the ends between my fingers as she held her long curls up in a makeshift ponytail. Once I secured the chain, I stepped back, admiring her chiseled frame.

“Let your hair down,” I instructed, using her waist to turn her around.

The powdery pink diamonds I’d chosen sparkled against her skin.

Perfect .

The ballerina on the charm was in Rome’s favorite position. The latest. It seemed to change often, depending on the production she was part of.

Fourth position .

“Alright now, icy.”

Her face upturned.

“Icy?”

“Have a look at yourself, Mellow. You look like you fucking with a nigga who loves your pretty ass.”

I turned her around and walked two feet down the hallway where we met the mirror on the wall. Rome’s hand landed on her chest. She picked up the charm and centered it. Her head tilted to the side as she gazed at me.

“Hopefully, I am messing with a man who loves my pretty– and my ugly– and my good– and my bad,” she expressed, carefully watching and waiting for my response.

I grabbed her left hand and pressed my lips to the diamond ring she hadn’t taken off since I slid it on her finger.

“If this isn’t enough to prove it, I pray my actions are.”

Her smile reached her eyes again. Right where it belonged.

“I love you.”

She softened, turning me into mush as she did so.