Chapter four

A'ja Wilson POV

"Aht don't touch that Halo," I called out to the toddler as she reached for the stove. "Sorry TeTe," she said, withdrawing her hand. "I told you she don't got bad," Angel said as she sat at the island drinking some wine. The nothing Bundt cakes she brought, sat in the fridge as we waited for the others to arrive. "Mommy, up!" She said as she held her hands out for Angel, who scooped her up, peppering her checks with kisses. "You're so cute munchkin," I cooed at them as the doorbell rang. I turned the stove down before going to open the door and seeing  the other girls. "Hey yall, come on," I said as I held the door for Kate, KK, Chelsea, and Jackie."Oohhh you brought cheesecake? You just moved up on my favorites list," I said bumping KK's shoulder as she smiled. It was nice seeing the rookie starting to come out of her shell. Cause I saw the videos of her during her UConn days and I know she is not this shy. We all chilled and enjoyed each others company before Angel decided to go live on instagram. "Hey bookies. Yeah most of the team is here. I made A cook for me. Where's halo? She with her Godmommy," she cooed as she turned the camera to halo and I on the opposite side of the room. "Pose on em hay hay," I said as I held up the price sign, causing the two year old to mimic me. This caused everyone to laugh. "Who's all here? Uh, A of course, Chels, Jackie, KK, and my money girllll," Angel said as she friend the camera to everyone, but not lastly Kate who she has gotten really close with over the years. "I'm dead, someone called me white chocolate," Kate sis emailing us all laugh. "Yo, what!" Chelsea laughed as Angel gasped. "I'm crying, they said not too much laughing stud butt," this sent us all into a frenzy. "I thought we agreed to leave that back in 2024!" Chelsea protested. These were the times I cherished the most. KK's phone rang and we all stopped looking at her. "Yes?" She asked confused. "Answer the phone girl," I urged as she laughed."Oh yall had me scared. What's up P?" She said and I mentally put it together that it was Paige, her old teammate. "I just saw you on the live, get me plugs. like just let me talk to her pleaseeeee," she begged as KK's eyes widened beige she cut the other woman off. "You are on speaker girly pop," she said as Paige gasped a bit before laughing. "Oh shit. Never mind text me twin," she  said before hanging up. I optioned for Angel to get off live and she did as we all looked at the rookie. She shook her head fast though. "Bestfriend honor code!" I narrowed my eyes. "Process of elimination. I'm married basically, Kate is masc, Chels masc and married, Jackie is...eh we don't know, and Angel is straight," I said as Jackie threw her hands up in defeat. "I am straighter than a republicans ruler!" She said making us all laugh. "Besides the point, who does Bueckers want plugs with?" I pondered KK laughed trying to watch us figure it out. Eventually we all gave up until I remembered something I saw a few weeks back.

2 weeks ago...

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"Paige like black girls don't she?" I said out loud as KK nervously laughed. "Not you tryna be Nancy drew," she said jokingly as I got my answer. I mean it makes sense. They're the same age, she her type. Except Angel is the straightest person I've ever met. I deviously made a plan though. I found Paige's number and texted her.

To Paige Bueckers: just a heads up, KK didn't sell your secret, but you are not good at hiding it my girl 😭

From Paige Bueckers: wait huh? Wym

To Paige Bueckers: just know, Ang is the straightest of straight. Be careful P. Please don't get your heart broken baby

From Paige Bueckers : oh I'm not worried about that. Angel know what it is lol

That caught me so off guard. I went to Angel and leaned over towards her ear. "You got something to tell me Ciara?" I asked. Anyone who knows us knows that Angel is basically my first child. I knew everything about this girl, including when she's hiding something or when she's lying. "Okay hear me out. It's not what you think. I may or may not have, uh yeah," she said as I scrunched my face up cluelessly. She sighed and leaned over whispering in my ear as my eyes widened."With-," I started as she nodded fast. I gasped. Not she was sneaking around with Paige Bueckers during the wnba draft.  Paige didn't even get drafted the same night as her so that's shocking. "Well I'll be damned," I said as she shook her head as if to tell me to ignore it. I pulled Angel into the kitchen under the pretense of checking on the food. "Girl, you never told me about this. Two whole years?"Angel fidgeted with her wine glass, glancing back to make sure Halo was okay with the others. "It was just that one time, A. Draft weekend was crazy, we were both feeling good about everything...""And?" I pressed, knowing there was more to the story."And nothing. That's it," Angel shrugged, but I could see something in her eyes. "I wasn't with Balen then. It was a onetime thing ya know, "

My phone buzzed:

From Paige Bueckers: A'ja please don't say anything to anyone. I know I probably seem crazy still thinking about it after all this time.

To Paige Bueckers: Girl how long you been holding this torch? Lmao

From Paige Bueckers: Too long 😭 But I get it. She's got a whole situation with Jalen and Halo. I just can't help iy. Like she's her for gods sake

I looked back at Angel, who was now playing with Halo in the living room, her features prominent in her daughter's face. The situation was more complicated than I'd initially thought.————"You ever think about it?" I asked Angel later, after everyone else had left and Halo was asleep.

"About what?" She was scrolling through her phone, probably checking twitter or something.

"That weekend. With Paige."

Angel's fingers stilled on her phone. "Sometimes," she admitted quietly. "But I don't even know if that's... if I'm... you know. Maybe it was just a one-time thing. The excitement of draft weekend, celebrating, being young..."

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Angel's phone buzzed with a text from Jalen: We still on for family dinner tomorrow?I watched her type back "Yeah, see you then" before she turned to me. "A, you can't tell anyone about this. Especially not with everything being so complicated right now.""Baby girl, you know your secrets are safe with me," I assured her. "But can I say something?"She nodded, pulling her knees up to her chest like she used to do during her freshman year of college when she needed advice."It's okay to not have everything figured out. Your feelings, your identity, all of it. You're allowed to take time to understand yourself. You're only 24 Ang. Just don't let fear keep you from being honest with yourself about what you want.""How did you know I was scared?" she asked softly."Because I know you, Angel. Better than most." I pulled her into a hug. "Whatever you figure out, I got you. Always."My phone lit up again:

From Paige Bueckers: Sometimes I see her with Halo on Instagram and I just... I know I need to move on but I can't

To Paige Bueckers: I get it P. But you gotta give her time. She's got a lot to figure out, and a little one to think about too.

From Paige Bueckers: I know. Thanks for listening A'ja. Just don't let her know how much I still think about her?

To Paige Bueckers: Your secret's safe with me my girl

I looked at Angel, now dozing off on my couch, and sighed. Sometimes the hardest part of being the team mom was watching your kids figure things out for themselves, even when you could see all the pieces they couldn't quite put together yet.

Direct Messages:KK: You good? You seemed deep in thought earlierMe: Just watching my kid try to figure life outKK: Angel?Me: You know it's always Angel 😂KK: She'll figure it all out eventuallyMe: Yeah, she will. On her own time.

I pulled a blanket over Angel and Halo, thinking about how complicated love could be, especially when you're still trying to understand your own heart. But that's the thing about family - we stick together through all the messy parts, holding space for each other until everything becomes clear.

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Some stories don't have neat endings, I thought, watching Angel hold Halo closer in her sleep. Sometimes they're just beginning, even two years later, waiting for the right moment to unfold.