Chapter Thirty- Four

04:27, 9 January 2025

A'ja Wilson-Love

"Jo, pick up your feet, mama. If you can't keep up, I'm gonna carry you," I directed, watching the toddler toddle behind me.

"Mama said I'm a big girl now. Big girls walk!" she protested, her tiny hands on her hips as we made our way down the tunnel.

"Big girls also listen when their mommies ask them to do something," I said as Jonah folded her arms.

"Not the mean mommies,"I shook my head, biting back a laugh. Her sass was going to be the death of me. "Mmhm. Where is this mama of yours? She can deal with the 'tude, Miss Ma'am."

Jonah giggled and stuck her tongue out at me, making me roll my eyes. We finally made it all the way in and were greeted by Kris and a group of league photographers.

"Hey A, pics of Jo allowed today?" Kris asked, motioning toward the other media members who were itching to snap photos.

I looked down at Jonah. "You wanna take pictures today, baby?"

She nodded enthusiastically, and I shrugged. "Alright, go ahead."

It was super important to Jordyn and me that Jonah only be showcased online when she wanted to, and that she had the autonomy to say no if she wasn't feeling it.

We posed for a few together, Jonah's tiny arms wrapped around my neck, and then she took a few solo shots before we headed toward the locker room.

"Hi everybody!" Jonah shouted as we walked in, her voice echoing off the walls.

"Hi, Jonah," the team replied in unison, clearly used to her loud entrances.

Jonah marched straight to Angel's locker, plopped down in her chair, and pulled out a snack like she owned the place.

"I'm surprised she's in here with us and not in the Hurricane locker room," Kate teased as I nodded.

"I know, right? You know how she gets about that damn mama of hers," I said, playfully rolling my eyes.

"Oh please, like you're not the same way, Miss New Ring," Chelsea teased, motioning toward my left hand.

It had been about three months since our desert date, and Jordyn and I were working back to being together. This past weekend, she surprised me with another ring to replace my old wedding ring, symbolizing our fresh start.

"And what about it?" I replied, laughing as the team erupted into teasing cheers.——The energy in Michelob ULTRA Arena was electric. Fans packed the stands, and the air buzzed with excitement. This wasn't just any game—it was me against Jordyn.

Across the court, Jordyn was running shooting drills with her team. She looked laser-focused, but when our eyes met briefly, she smirked. My chest tightened. As much as I loved her, I couldn't let her show me up tonight.

Angel jogged over, smirking. "She's been staring at you since she sat down. You gonna show out for wifey tonight?"

I rolled my eyes, grabbing the ball from her. "I show out every night. This ain't new."

"Mmhm. Just don't let her break your focus out there."

I glanced over to the sidelines, where my parents sat with Jonah sandwiched between them. She was already on her feet, waving her foam finger.

"Mommy!" she shouted, her tiny voice cutting through the noise. "Go fast, mommy!"

I laughed and motioned for her to sit down, but she wasn't having it. My dad just shrugged like, You know your kid, and my mom gave me a thumbs-up.

From the tip-off, the game was intense. Jordyn set the tone early, hitting a three from the wing over Jackie and talking trash as she ran back on defense.

"And one," she called out, her voice sharp and teasing.

I laughed it off, but I was ready. On the next possession, I caught the ball in the post and spun past her for an easy bucket.

"Nice try, Love," I said, emphasizing our last name.

The crowd was eating it up, the rivalry adding an extra layer of excitement.

On the sidelines, Jonah cheered, jumping up and down with her foam finger. "Mommy, you did it! You did it!"

But then, Jonah switched sides for a moment. "Go mama!" she squealed, waving to Jordyn as she blocked one of Angel's shots.

Jordyn grinned, blowing Jonah a kiss from the court.

During a timeout in the second quarter, Jonah somehow ended up by Jordyn on the Hurricanes' bench.

"Jo!" Jordyn exclaimed, her face lighting up as she crouched down to Jonah's level. "What are you doing over here, muffin?"

"I wanna see you!" Jonah said, wrapping her tiny arms around Jordyn's neck for a quick hug. "But you not winning. Mommy win!"

Jordyn laughed, smoothing down Jonah's curls. "You little traitor."

"'Bye!" Jonah said, giggling before waddling back to my parents.——We were down by five, and the Hurricanes were giving us hell on both ends of the court. Jordyn was in her bag, leading her team with 15 points and locking down defensively.

As I made my way to the tunnel, I spotted Jonah still glued to Becky's side. She was chattering away, her little hands moving as she talked.

"Jonah, what are you telling Coach Becky?" I asked, stopping in front of her.

She looked up at me with wide eyes. "I want you to win!'"

I laughed, shaking my head. "Alright, Jo. I'll try my best."————With two minutes left in the 4th, we were down 2 at 88. Every possession mattered, and the tension in the arena was palpable.

I stuck my hand out as Jordyn hit a pull-up jumper, putting the Hurricanes up by four. She turned to me with a grin, mouthing, "Step up."

I called for the ball on the next play. I backed her down in the post, spinning baseline and drawing the foul. As the ball dropped through the hoop, I let out a roar, flexing for the crowd.

"AND ONE!" "Yay mommy!" Jonah's tiny voice rang out over the noise, and I glanced over to see her waving her little hands happily.

With 10 seconds left, we were down by one. Chelsea inbounded the ball to Jackie, who swung it to me at the top of the key.

Jordyn switched onto me, locking in defensively.

"You ready for this, Love?" she said, her voice low.

"Always," I shot back.

I took one dribble and pulled up for the jumper, releasing the ball just as the buzzer sounded.

Swish.

The arena erupted as we sealed the win, 93-92. I couldn't help but glance at Jordyn, who shook her head with a small smile.

Jonah bolted onto the court, running straight for me on wobbly legs.

"Mommy! You win!" she squealed, throwing her little arms around my leg.

I scooped her up, balancing her on my hip.

Jordyn approached, a knowing smile on her face. "Nice shot, A."