The kind of respect I command isn’t easily come by, especially for someone who’d come from my very humble beginnings.
It was a source of pride with me that the people I interacted with these days respected me, and my achievements. So far everyone else has.
But for the first time since I left the football field I’ve run into someone who either didn’t know who I am, or just didn’t care one way or the other. And she was damn near half my size.
I found myself smiling when I remembered our earlier interaction and by the time I stepped into the shower under the heavy spray of hot water, I was outright laughing.
It looks like I have a worthy opponent. Life had been growing dull here of late anyway. I had all the money I could ever spend in three lifetimes, my health was good and my momma was having the time of her life.
I’d been able to keep all the promises I’d made to her and the people I loved. Promises I’d made when I had nothing and no way of knowing how to fulfill them other than my will.
I’d grown bored with the menagerie of women who ran in and out of my bed and was well on my way to thinking that life really had nothing more to offer me except more work, more money, and more endless nights spent alone.
I’m not saying that she’s going to fill the void, but she damn sure is going to make things interesting for the next little while.
The next day I showed up at the club half an hour before she was due, scaring the shit out of my staff who had no idea I was still in the city.
Since I didn’t have to answer to anyone I left them all staring after me as I made my way to the office. It took me ten seconds to switch on the security cameras on the special bank of computers and zoom in on the entrance.
I puttered around with the shit on my desk counting down the minutes until she arrived, my heart racing in my chest like I was about to win something.
I must’ve scanned the doorway ten times in five seconds looking for her to appear, wondering what kind of mood she was going to be in today. My excitement grew as the minutes passed and I knew I was in deep shit.
I haven’t felt this way since the draft. Not even when I won the super bowl did I feel this kind of excitement. For me the win had been a given. Besides, I was usually ice on the field.
With this one there was no guarantee how things would shape up. And I still didn’t know what part she would play in my life if any.
I’d kept her on my mind all night until sleep finally won out, knowing that I was going to dream about her. How could I not?
I hadn’t though. I can’t even remember what I did dream about if anything. But it was the most peaceful rest I’d had in too long to remember.
She was the first thing I thought of when my eyes finally popped open this morning and the hours seemed to drag on between then and now.
I could hardly sit still as I waited for her to show up. Then I felt the bitter uncertainty of wondering whether she was going to or not.
My mind was already moving ahead to the steps I’d have to take to find her if she didn’t. I didn’t have much to go on but I’d make it work if I had to.
I no longer questioned why I felt so strongly about it one way or another. But accepted that for whatever reason I wanted her here.
It could be as simple as the fact that I knew she was in need and I knew that here, more so than anywhere else in this fucked up city, she was sure to be taken care of.
I only relaxed when I saw her walk in five minutes before call time. I released my pent up breath and rubbed the knots from my gut. I tracked her all the way to the employee lounge on different cameras.
She wore the same ugly jacket from the day before, but instead of jeans her legs were covered in nude stockings under a short skirt that was mostly covered by the too large jacket that came almost to her knees.
When she made her way downstairs to the employee lounge, I watched the manager approach her. They shook hands and exchanged a few words before she removed her coat and hung it up.
Once she was hired she’d be given a locker where she could keep her stuff safe, that was protocol. I wanted to run downstairs and bring her purse and coat back to the office with me instead of leaving it out in the open like that.