Page 80 of Intentional Foul
“I feel sometimes Malcolm wants a happy ending so badly that he can’t hear me. I’m scared he is going to leave me once Anissa blows her top. There is this lingering fear, I took this risk for us just to be left behind and alone,” I said.
Releasing my fears into the atmosphere forced my eyes to water. Malcolm’s chest rose and fell at my comment, but Dr. June paused him with her palm.
“And your response, Malcolm, to Jhae’s fears?” Dr. June asked.
“Jhae, you are my wife. My wife comes before my mother. I’m a little disappointed that you think I would throw us away. Do you need a reminder of the lengths I went through to get you? I’m not going anywhere, regardless of how hard Mom barks,” he said, gripping my hand.
The warmth of his touch settled the rumble within me.
“Now we have confirmation Malcolm isn’t leaving you. What will be your response to Anissa expressing anger and disapproval of the relationship?” Dr. June asked.
“I will. . .”
“Malcolm, I would like to hear from Jhae?” Dr. June interrupted.
“I’ll take it,” Jhae said.
“And do what with it?” Dr. June asked.
I shrugged, as a tear escaped from the corner of my eye, traveling down my face.
“No, you are not. I’m not tolerating any disrespect coming at my wife,” Malcolm interrupted, and tugged me closer to him.
“I deserve it,” I said as my eyes roamed the room, taking in the numerous books on the shelves.
“Jhae, you are telling me you deserve some sort of punishment for falling in love?” Dr. June asked.
“No, I love this man with everything inside me, but our love comes with a cost. And we have to pay for it,” I said.
I peered up at Malcolm and, for once, I could see a hint of anger in his eyes.
“Please don’t be mad, baby,” I said as I caressed Malcolm’s cheek.
“It frustrates me when you give up. You jumped to a conclusion and wrote off an entire relationship. Things may get bumpy, but it doesn’t mean you walk away. Pops said beingpersistent is the goal. If Mom gets mad at you, so what? You don’t give up on the relationship. I’m not giving up. We gon’ have it all,” Malcolm voiced.
My eyes traveled to the ceiling as I sighed.
“There is no world where Anissa would accept this,” I said with more tears.
Dr. June turned in her seat, confiscated tissues from her box, and passed them to me.
“We’re telling my mother to get this shit over with. I want to enjoy my marriage. I want your ring on your finger and the jumping at the door opening needs to stop now,” Malcolm said.
“No, I didn’t agree to that. We said we both have to agree before we tell her,” I said.
Malcolm used his free hand and polished his beard. “Jhae, we need to set a tell date,” he said.
“Okay, how about before the season opener?” I said.
“It will need to be before the season starts. We open with a fourteen-game road trip,” Malcolm said.
I leaned away from Malcolm in disbelief. My thoughts bounced around my head as my mouth parted.
“A fourteen-game road trip. What the fuck, Malcolm? How am I supposed to sleep at night without you in bed? Three games, max, is all I have in me. Fourteen days, are you serious? While you’re gone, what am I supposed to do? Why would the league schedule this for an opening,” I spewed.
A smile stretched across his face. “Record your album and we can talk on the phone or video,” he said.
“Video!” The word left my mouth with a bad taste.
