Page 34

CREED

" C reed, give me something, man! A smirk, a nod—hell, even a blink would work!"

The photographer’s voice was grating my nerves.

I shifted slightly, forcing my face into an expression that was probably more menacing than modelesque.

"Creed," Sheena muttered from behind the camera crew. "Tighten up."

I barely acknowledged her.

This entire photo shoot was the last place I wanted to be. I had zero energy, zero patience, and I was one second away from snapping at the next person who told me to “relax.”

I heard the photographer mutter something under his breath, then gesture for his assistant to come adjust the lighting.

"Alright, man, let’s try another angle?—"

"Nah, let’s wrap this shit up," I cut in, my voice sharp. The entire studio went silent.

"What?" the photographer asked, blinking.

I huffed. "Y’all got enough shots, right? I hope so because I’m done."

I swung my legs off the chair, about to walk the fuck out, when Sheena stepped in front of me.

“What are you doing, Creed?”

“Leavin’, once you get yo’ ass out my way.” Her eyes widened, head tilting slightly to the side like only a black woman could do to signify I had her fucked up.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she demanded; arms crossed.

"Sheena, move."

"Not until you tell me why you’re acting like a damn brat."

I clenched my jaw.

“Aye, look… get the fuck on bruh. I’m done doing this shit and instead of being in my business, how about you have these mutha fuckas wrap this shit up.” Her jaw clenched and she rolled her eyes.

“Creed…”

"Man, just drop it."

"Drop it?" she scoffed. "You just embarrassed yourself and me in front of these people and you expect me to just drop it?"

I glared at her.

"I don’t need a damn lecture."

"And I don’t need a boss who acts like a damn child," she snapped. "I swear to God, Creed, if you talk to me like that again in front of people, I will quit."

I blinked because I know she meant it.

Sheena was family—my real life cousin. Once I got drafted, Martin told me I needed people around me I could trust, so I reached out to her asking if she wanted the job. She had been managing my schedule, keeping my life in check since my rookie year.

And if she left? I was fucked.

"Damn, Shee, I?—"

"Save it," she cut me off putting her hand up to stop me. "Get your shit together. Instead of moping around like a fuckin’ simp, how about you figure out a way to fix your damn problems?"

Then she turned on her heel and stormed off. And I just sat there, rubbing my temples, knowing she was right.

On the ride back to the hotel, I stared out the tinted window, my mind a mess.

"You gon’ apologize, or I gotta wait ‘til next week?" Sheena asked from beside me.

I smirked a little, shaking my head. "My bad, Shee. I been trippin’."

She scoffed. "Understatement of the damn year."

I sighed, leaning back against the seat.

"So," she mused, tapping her acrylics against her phone screen. "What’s the plan? ‘Cause if you think Serenity just gon’ take you back without you doin’ some real work, you dumber than I thought."

I shot her a look.

"I ain’t say all that," I muttered. "I just…" I exhaled. "I gotta fix this."

Sheena hummed, unimpressed. "Fix what exactly?"

I glanced out the window. "Everything."

Me: Yo, I’m in LA, you free tonight?

I texted Sevyn once I was back at the hotel.

Sevyn: For what?

Me: Dinner. Need to talk.

Sevyn: Bout my sister?

Me: Yeah.

Sevyn: You lucky I like you, nigga. Meet me at 7even around 8.

Me: Bet.

Later that night, Sevyn greeted me with a smirk and a slow shake of his head.

"So, you finally ready to talk about how you fucked up?"

I rolled my eyes. "You gon’ let me order first, or?"

He chuckled. "Nah. I wanna hear how you plan on fixing this before I let you eat my food."

I sighed. "Obviously, I know I fucked up, Sev," I admitted. "I know I hurt her. I know she got every reason to hate me."

He nodded. "That’s a start. But how you gon’ fix it?

" I hesitated. Sevyn sat back, arms crossed.

"Look man, Tootie is stubborn," he said. "It’s gone take a lot to fix this shit, not gonna lie. She stopped talking to my mama for two years. Showering her with gifts ain’t gon’ work.

You need to figure out why you did what you did in the first place and be honest with yourself about it. "

I went silent. Then my mind drifted—back to that night I regretted happening.

I was drunk, not wasted, but enough to be reckless.

Gianna knocked on my door around midnight. "Creed, we need to talk about Gio."

She sat on my bed, started talking about co-parenting, how we needed to get back to being a “family.” Then she started crying.

Next thing I know she started touching me and I let her. Then she started kissing me and my dumb ass let her do that shit too. Truth be told, I was missing my baby and I was lonely. So, instead of stopping it, I just let all that dumb shit happen.

The next morning, I made her leave my room completely ashamed of what had gone down. I didn’t even mention it to my mom, but I knew I had to get Gianna out of my crib. I just wasn’t expecting Serenity to pop back up before I had a chance to.

I clenched my jaw. "I gotta handle Gianna," I admitted. "For real this time."

Sevyn nodded. "Yeah stupid, you do."

She sounded hopeful when she picked up.

"Hey, Creed."

I shut that down quick. "This ain’t gon’ work no more, Gianna."

"What?"

"Going forward, we only communicate through a parenting app. We only talk about Gio. That’s it."

"Creed, you’re being ridiculous—" she laughed like shit was funny. Even with my kicking her out my shit weeks ago, Gianna still thought this was a fucking game. And I knew it was because I had made the mistake of letting her think that for years.

"No, I’m setting boundaries," I cut her off. "You are no longer welcome at my house. You will not pop up, you will not use Gio as an excuse to be around me, and if you try some slick shit, I will take you back to court."

"Wow," she whispered. "So, this is it?"

"It’s been over," I said. “Not sure why you refuse to accept that.”

Silence.

Then—

"This is all because of her?"

I exhaled through my nose. "Serenity is pregnant."

The silence stretched and stretched until…

"What?" she whispered.

"She’s pregnant," I repeated. “And that’s who I’m rollin with.”

"So y’all just playing house now?" she snapped. "Like I don’t even exist?"

"You and me were done a long time ago, Gianna," I said. "I just finally made it official. I love Serenity. I’m building my life with her."

Gianna let out a dry laugh.

"Wow nigga…Good luck with that." Then she hung up and the sigh of relief that was released from my body was almost overwhelming.

I had tried to set boundaries with Gianna before but the problem was I had not only her to deal with, but my mama too. She was my next call. Pressing her contact, I waited for her to answer.

“Hey baby.”

“Hey ma, I need a minute.”

“Okay, what’s going on? Is Everything okay with Serenity and the baby?”

“Yeah, she good. This is about something else.”

“Okay, well what’s up?”

A long silence rang on the line. I didn’t know how to tell her any other way, so I just ripped the band-aid off.

“I think maybe we need a break.”

“We who? You and Serenity? I thought you two were already on a break.”

“Nah, I mean me and you.” There was another long silence, so I continued.

“You was out of line bringing Gianna and Lynette to my place. You made the comment about me fuckin’ off in a house I shared with Serenity, but you brought that girl and her mama to our crib knowing SB didn’t fuck with them.

Why would you do that, if you wasn’t tryna be messy? ”

“I—”

“And you and Ms. Lynette need to get over this notion that I’m going to be back with Gianna. That shit ain’t happening. Truth be told, that girl ain’t never want me for me. She wanted me for what I could do for her, for the life she knew I could provide. Do you know I DNA tested Gio?”

“Why?”

“Because Nas told me he saw Gi coming out of Nate’s bedroom one day while she was pregnant with my son. Why the fuck you think I ain’t have no instant connection with him? Why you think I didn’t want to bond with Gi that whole time? Let me guess, you thought it was because of Serenity?”

“Well, yeah we all assumed?—”

“That’s the problem y’all was assuming shit and didn’t know the full story.

Gianna was fuckin with Nate on and off the entire time I was in school.

It’s part of the reason that nigga didn’t like me, he was fuckin my girl.

She was just playing her role. And it was by chance that Giovanni came out to be my son on a fluke.

I wasn’t even supposed to be at her house that day.

So, when he was born, I had him tested. Thank God he mine. ”

“I didn’t know Creed. I just wanted you to be happy.”

“Did you though? Because I told you I was happy with Serenity and you didn’t believe that shit.

I showed you I was happy with her and you still didn’t believe it.

I got her name tatted across my chest you’ll never see Gianna’s name anywhere on me.

I fell in love with her in months all before I could even have her.

I love that girl so much that not having her is slowly killin me—” my voice cracked but I took a deep breath trying to calm down.

“Bottom line, I fucked up the best thing that had ever happened to me. She didn’t want shit from me, but me and I gave her my ass to kiss.

I accepted my role in that, I just got off the phone with Gianna and made sure she knew hers and now I’m doing the same with you.

You gotta do better Ma, because when it comes to that one I will go no contact with you. This is nonnegotiable.”

“Wow, okay.”

“I love you to death. I’d do anything for you, but I need you to understand me when I say I am going to marry Serenity Bradshaw one day. If you can’t get on board with that, then you’re out. Period, point blank.”

“You love her that much?”