All That Matters (5 page)

But now she was headed right to her heartache and he was looking even better than he ever had. When he wrapped his arms around her when she saw him headed to market she literally felt like she would fall into him if she hadn’t found some way to control her emotions.

She shook that off there was no need to think of him in that way. No matter how many times she saw it she still didn’t want to believe it but the fact remained Sedric was not single, and if Evan had his way neither was she. But that was something to deal with another time; she wasn’t ready to deal with anything other than putting on her brave face. After all she wasn’t going to see him she was going to give Nanny K her present and say hi to a few familiar faces.

Four

‘Sedric sweetheart could you run inside and get some more ice I think it’s just about all gone in the cooler over there…oh and some napkins they are on the counter.’

‘Sure ma…is that all you need?’

‘Yes baby that’s all we need…have you eaten I didn’t see you much last night?’

‘Yea I ate a little while ago…and I know I was just tired that’s all so I stayed here with Uncle Frasier.’

‘Are you coming home tonight?’

‘Ah…well I think they will need help getting everything cleaned up here so I might stay here tonight.’

‘Ok baby…you can’t run from me your entire stay I hope you know that.’

‘I’m not running mama…let me get that ice.’

There wasn’t going to be much more skipping out on his mother’s questions and worries but he would take whatever chance he had to avoid them. When he entered the house he walked right into the other half of the torment on his mind Ayida. She was just about glowing with her hair pinned up on top of her head in a messy bun and her dressing flowing almost to the ground in multi shades of yellow and orange. Looking at how the neck line dipped right at her cleavage made him involuntarily lick his lips. Then she smiled at him and his heart flips over in his chest.

‘Hey I came to give Nanny K her birthday gift….sorry I just came back your cousin said everyone was in the back so.’

‘Hey…yea most of us are back there…you look beautiful Aydee.’ He mentally hadn’t wanted the last part to slip out but the smile it produced made it somewhat ok with him.

‘Thanks Sed….I guess I should go take this to her I don’t want to impose on your family it looks like everybody came down.’

‘You’re not imposing on anything…and yea just about I mean you know we don’t get to do this much so my mom and Aunt Brenda did a lot of planning to make sure we all made it down.’

‘That’s really good I know Nanny K is happy to see everyone at one time.’

‘Yea…she might be sick of us before it’s all over with…everyone doing all this stuff for her that she can do for herself as she would put it.’

‘That sounds like her.’ Oh course the awkward silence came as they stood there taking each other in wondering what thoughts where floating through each other’s head. Instead of waiting Ayida broke the silence feeling like her heart would actually come out of her chest simply being in the same room. ‘Did you need some help?’

‘Nah I got this you go out…and get some food there is plenty out there.’

‘Ok well see you later.’

‘Right behind you.’ Once she was out the door he was breathing normal again and leaned against the counter to get his thoughts together. Before he could move to lift his head his sister Fiona stepped in the kitchen.

‘Guess my superstar brother still has a little crush on his old girlfriend.’

‘What are you talking about Fi?’

‘I heard you talking to Ayida just now and I saw your face when she left. What’s so wrong with admitting you were wrong for once?’

‘Wrong about what?’

‘Stop answer me with questions Sed you know what I mean…
she is better off without me in her life….this life is not for her she is too good for this.
That’s what I’m talking about I know you can’t still believe that.’

‘I have to get the ice out to mommy…’

‘Sedric…come on for once just admit that was a bad move.’

‘Fi…I love you I do but let that go.’

‘Why is it because of that girl from the magazines I’ve seen you with…you know they say she only dates right athletes?’

‘Well she isn’t dating me anymore so you don’t have that to worry about.’

‘Really….ha well that’s news Charles said you two where practically living together when he came to see you.’

‘No we weren’t she doesn’t even stay at my place like that she has her own I have my own.’

‘Well you’re gonna have to make some decisions little brother Ayida isn’t going to be free long.’

‘Stop doing that Fi…Ayida is free to do whatever she likes.’

‘Yea well you keep being suborn and someone else is going to have her…I’m going to get something to eat talk to you later.’

Fiona wasn’t the only one with an opinion on what did or didn’t happen between him and Ayida but he left those feelings where they were and refused to let anyone else stir them. Once he got everything out to his mom he noticed Ayida over with his great aunt and decided to avoid all the looks and questioning eyes and joined the family members in the front of the house.  A few of them were playing with the kids and a soccer ball, when he noticed Brandon on the front porch with the baby he went over.

‘I swear no matter where I look I can never find anything like this back in the states.’ Brandon was reclined on one of the chairs on the front porch with his three month old Lalayha laying across his chest when Sedric walked up.

‘I know exactly what you mean it’s why I haven’t looked for anything other than the condo I’m in. I see you got her away from your mom.’

‘Only because she wanted to eat I’m sure somebody will come steal her away soon enough…but right now we having some daddy and Lay time….wassup man your good mood changed I see.’

‘Nah no mood change just relaxing that’s all.’

‘Ight man I will take the hint.’

‘Thanks.’

It was the reason Brandon was the one he came to lately for just about everything. He never wanted to know anything he wasn’t giving out. He had unknowingly given him what he thought was the best advice he had ever had when he told him about what happened to him back in college.

It was when he made the decision that he would have rather go without Ayida than to hurt her. But lately he had been questioning that and wondering if that was right. Wondering if he needed to rethink the choice after all they hadn’t had the problems Brandon and Taye had. And even though they had those issues they were more than happy now. It was possible for him to be just as happy, or where these feelings what he was having because he had ended things with Kemi.

Instead of digging that tunnel any deeper he dug his phone out to finally look over some of the messages he had. Like he assume most of them where from Jake and Kemi, looking past her message and ignoring the three voicemails from her he read the agenda Jake had sent him and the shoots and meetings he had scheduled.

‘Jake is all business man…he is earning every penny I tell you.’

‘Why what’s he got you up for.’

‘I told you about the shoe thing right? That and like four or five different clothing and sports brands he wants me to talk to about rep’n them.’

‘It’s worth it though trust me…put your work in now so later on you can sit back and reap…trust me man after next season I’m done and not looking to do anything other than little simple stuff…family man I shall be completely.’

‘You say that now…but watch when you get to the door you gone be looking back.’

‘I’ve been in the league for a while man it’s what I wanted for sure…I’ve just found somethings I love a lot more.’

‘Ight man I don’t want to be the one telling you I told you so when you suiting up again after your roll out date passes.’

‘You sound like my wife now…she is always going on about that same thing every time we talk.’

‘Cause man I don’t think I have ever seen you without a ball in your hand.’

‘Ha…don’t even pick one up when I’m home…crazy right?’

‘Hell yea…I can’t think of anything but getting that ring right now.’

‘I know the feeling…I’m lucky the battle has been won…don’t worry you next but trust me you just get hungrier at first.’

‘Let me get there first then I’ll let you know.’

Silence being the best thing for them both they relaxed without the distraction of what was going on in the back. After a while he knew hiding out in front was just the coward in him so he headed back to mingle with everyone else. No matter how their eyes travelled from him to Ayida nothing about that was changing at the moment.

**

‘Hey Aydee…thanks for coming did you get food we have a ton you would think there was a million of us.’ Fiona found her way right to the one person she had her sights set on from the moment she left her brother inside.

‘Hey Fiona how are you…yes I have some over there I was just getting something to drink you want to come eat with me and Nanny K.’

‘I’m good this family get together is going to kill my diet I only have like ten pounds left to loose from the baby.’

‘What are you saying you look amazing…and your little on is only like ten months old.’

‘Your sweet these hips have got to go girl I refuse to buy more jeans.’

‘I understand that.’ They both shared a knowing giggle.

From the moment she stepped into the backyard Ayida noticed how everyone’s eyes lite at the sight of her. Even the people she didn’t know must have been filled in on who she was because they all gave her extremely friendly smiles. Sure it could have been in her mind or they could have just been a family happy to be celebrating. After all to her knowledge they had never had a gathering like this. She was probably being paranoid but the one thing she was happy for or mostly relieved about was not having to endure Sedric’ new love interest there was no sign of her and by the start of sunset she had seen every person that was at the house. She did however notice that he had politely disappeared for quite a while then reappeared with his cousin who greeted her when she came up.  Even though she had met him once before when he was down before he got married she still didn’t get over just how much he and Sedric resembled each other, it made her smile thinking about how Sedric would grow into another version of him.  

He stayed his distances from her the entire time which did help her poor heart focus on all the questions about her studies and what was going on in her life now. When Nanny K finally opened the gift she had for her it made her happy to see she hadn’t forgotten everything about her and the fact that she loved silk scarfs. She even caught a little smile on Sedric’ face when Nanny K hugged her. She had to shake herself a little to get rid of the feeling his smile did to her. Just his smile made her feel like butterflies had filled her since day one he had that effect on her.  There had been a time when she had that effect on him but now with his new life she was sure that was reserved for someone else.

‘Hey you want me to give you a lift home it’s getting kinda late.’ He came up behind her at the cooler looking for something else to drink catching her off guard slightly.

‘Ah…sure I need to get some sleep I have two shifts tomorrow.’

‘Why are you working so much…everything ok?’

‘Yea everything is fine…I just want to save up for next term I won’t be working as much so I need to make sure I have enough saved that’s all.’

‘And there is no way you would let me offer you any help so you wouldn’t have to work so much right?’

‘Sed I don’t need help I’m young and healthy besides…what would I do if I didn’t work?’

‘You could come visit me…I mean we are still friends right? It would be a nice little break for you before you head off to doctor school.’

‘Yes we are but I don’t even have a passport…I’ve never renewed it from when I was younger.’ And of course she didn’t want to be around him and some other woman that fact she keep to herself has he led her to the front and through the many cars parked in front.

‘Well I could get it renewed for you….just a thought anyway come on it’s this one over here.’

There probably had never been that many cars outside of Nanny K’s house at any time so he had to direct her to where he had parked the rental. Once they were on the way they had a cordial conversation about each other’s lives. It was more than clear they were both avoiding the conversation on both their minds but neither wanted to be the first to bring it up. From the moment they got in the car his phone had started buzzing and he was sure he knew who the call was coming from. But he ignored it hoping to get a little more detail on what his sister had hinted to earlier. Ayida never hid things if he asked so he took the leap even though his lungs where feeling like they would collapse at the thought.

‘So how did it go last night with Evan…that’s who you said you were going out with right?’

‘Yea that’s who I went out with…it was nice he took me for dinner and for a walk.’

‘So how long have you two been dating?’