Fiction/Relationships/Football
O.N.C.E. — Chapter Fourteen
One night changes everything
“It’s time to go,” Ericka called out from the living room.
We were getting ready to go to the airport and catch our flight back to Alabama. I think I had everything packed. Ericka packed everything Brook would need for the trip, so all I had to worry about was me.
She still hadn’t said anything about our night, the one where we celebrated Christmas early. So, I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not. I’m just happy she didn’t take it overboard like the last time, where she didn’t talk to me for days on end.
“Okay. I think I got everything.” I set my suitcase down beside the three Ericka had already packed and ready to go.
Ericka rolled her eyes at me. “If only I could’ve had it that simple.”
I lightly pushed her shoulder. “I told you I would’ve gotten Brooklyn’s stuff ready. But no, you were all like, ‘I got it, Trent, you go ahead and get all your stuff together.” I made sure to have my tone in a higher pitch like she did.
Ericka waved me off. “Whatever. Would you have packed her warm clothes? How many diapers for the plane trip? Are there any snacks for her?”
I didn’t have a comment. I wouldn’t have thought of any of that stuff.
“Exactly.” Ericka loved to be right. “Ready, baby.”
My eyebrows shot up. Was she talking to me?
Uh, no. She picked up Brook and kissed her a couple of times on the cheek.
“Let’s go see your Grandma.” Ericka carried Brook out, leaving me with the luggage.
“It’s Nana,” I called out after her. “She wants to be called Nana. Mom thinks she’s too young to be known as a grandma.” I locked the door behind us.
“Come here, baby.” My mom was waiting for us at the luggage pickup when we landed at the Montgomery airport.
I thought she was talking to me since I am her only child and she hasn’t seen me since last month, but no, she went straight to Brooklyn. Mom took her from Ericka’s arms and hugged her close. Brook automatically got a pouty lip face, and tears built in her eyes. She squirmed around and reached her arms out to Ericka.
Ohh, she better go back to you,” Mom handed Brooklyn back to Ericka. “She doesn’t remember me.”
Brook snuggled close to Ericka’s neck and kept playing peek-a-boo with Mom. There was a hint of a smile on her face, but she still wasn’t ready to let anyone else hold her.
“She saw you last month and on Facetime.” I made my presence known since mom totally ignored I was here.
Mom wrapped me in a big hug. “Welcome home. I’m so happy all three of you could come back for Christmas.” She pulled Ericka over to us so we were all standing together in a group hug. “I know Brook has seen me on Facetime, but it’s so different for them in person. I’m sure she and I will be snuggle buddies by the end of the day. How was the flight?”
“Long.” I was the first to break away from our group hug. We were blocking foot traffic, and I wanted to get our luggage and go home. We moved to where our luggage should be coming out through the conveyor belt system. “We were at LAX by six this morning. The flight took a little over four hours. Then we had a layover in Charlotte for ninety minutes. By that time, the girls were cranky.”
Ericka stuck out her tongue at me. But it was true, I think she complained more than Brook on the second leg of our trip.
“Ericka, honey,” Mom held onto Ericka’s elbow in a motherly way. “You look amazing. I mean, you were stunning when you left here, but it seems Cali made you exquisite. Did you do something to your hair since Thanksgiving?”
Ericka’s eyes widened as if it were the first time anyone had ever told her she was beautiful. “Um, just some highlights.”
Of course, I had to do a fake cough.
I mean, yeah, there I said it, she was beautiful. Maybe not a Gigi, Bella, or Kendall stunning, but Ericka has shaped up nicely over the past several months.
Mom slapped me on the arm.
“What?” I acted all innocent, like I didn’t do anything.
“You.” Mom shook her head. “Are you telling me you don’t think Ericka looks beautiful?”
“I never said that. You said exquisite. She’s not exotic, like,” Luckily, a woman of maybe Armenian background, you know a Kim Kardashian look-alike walked near the other luggage conveyor next to us. “Like that girl.”
Everyone glanced over to where I motioned, and at the same time, the young lady looked over our way. She smiled—a beautiful, sensual smile—and gave a small wave. Her gaze stayed on me, and she blatantly checked me out from head to toe. It was all good; I felt like I was back in the game, and then…
“Dada..” Brooklyn held her arms out for me to take her. “Dada.”
“Hey, honey, “ Ericka held Brooklyn out for me to take. “I think the baby wants to go to you for now.”
I glanced back over the Kim look-alike, and she raised her eyebrows, shook her head, and turned away from us.
Mom snorted out a chuckle as I took Brook. She quickly covered her mouth when I shot her a glare.
“Now who’s going to get our luggage since I got the baby, sweetheart.” My attention was back to Ericka.
Brook pulled on the chain around my neck, which got my mom’s attention.
“Oh, that’s beautiful, honey. Where did you get it?” Mom gently touched the horse pendant.
My eyes flickered over to Ericka. “Ericka bought it for Christmas.”
Mom glanced Ericka’s way. She was wearing a scoop-neck sweatshirt that showed off our matching chains. “You have the same one. That’s,” Mom paused, and her eyes shifted between Ericka and me. “Are you two together? Like a couple.”
Ericka barked out a laugh. “Uh, no. That’s not happening.” Her eyes kept a steady stare on me. As if she were making a statement to convince herself.
“Nah,” I shifted Brook in my arms. She was wiggling and wanted down, but this wasn’t the place for her to be crawling around. “We didn’t know we’d gotten each other the same present. It was all an accident.” This time, I made sure to hold my gaze on Ericka. If she wanted to throw secret shade and innuendos my way, I could do the same.
“Mmhmm.” Mom always said that when she didn’t believe what someone told her.
“Hey, there’s the first of our bags.” I broke the discussion on my and Ericka’s there-and-not-there relationship. The first of our three bags was bouncing along on the belt. “Are one of you ladies going to grab this since I have Brooklyn.” And I got the Wicked Witch of the West glare from each of them for suggesting such a preposterous idea. “Then here, take Brook so I can grab our luggage. Please and thank you.” I handed off Brook to Ericka.
“Well, at least you still have your manners left.” Mom had to have the last remark.
After another fifteen minutes of gathering our bags, we were finally settled into Mom’s SUV and heading back home.
The story will continue…
