Chapter Fifteen

00:10, 30 November 2024

Jordyn Love

"I told yall, the 16-19th are off the table for me. My wife needs me so that trumps everything," I said as I leaned onto my fist. I had been on this zoom call for over an hour now and I was exhausted. "I understand that Mrs. love. We are going to try to work around that schedule. But until he mean time, we want to give you the options that we have at hand," the investor spoke up as I rolled my eyes. Thank god my camera was off. "No offense David, I am not interested in any further offers. The trade simply doesn't benefit me. My life is stable in New Orleans, my family, activations from my personal brand endeavors. Leaving to Los Angeles, Minnesota, or Connecticut does NOTHING for me. So I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to refuse talking about it. What you all decide to do is up to you, but I will not willingly accept," I said before leaving the call. My agent texted my phone but I ignored it. I was supposed to be the franchise player, and they wanna Make a trade? Fuck them. I grumbled as I walked into the bedroom to lay down. It was times like this when I wish I wasn't so far from my wife, because one of her hugs could make everything better right now. My phone buzzed and the frown that had previously occupied my face was erased when I saw A'ja's contact. As if God answered my prayers."Hey mama what's up?" I answered as I saw her face pop up."Hi baby, nothing just missing you. How are you?" She said as she propped me up and I watched her pick out what seemed to be pajamas. I took this time to admire her body as she walked with nothing but a thin silk robe on. "I'm doing as good as I can. They still bothering me about this trade shit," I said as she nodded."Don't stress too much about that. I did want to ask while I have you here though, what do you think about us buying another house?" She asked as I shrugged not really caring. "Sure, here or in Henderson somewhere?" I asked as she shrugged this time."I don't know, but I do know that one day I want to have all of your babies, and in order to do that we need somewhere to welcome them home. And lest be frank, neither of our current houses are fit for raising children," she said with a laugh as I agreed. "That's sound reasoning. Tell you what, we can call up Cora and look into it when I visit for the. Away game," I said as I made a mental note to schedule our Realtor for a consultation call. "Perfect,""What you been up to though lately?"I asked as I smiled watching her get dressed. "Nothing just practice and home. Oh wait, I did go with Jackie to her booking. But that's it. I've been missing you ," "That's all you've been doing? Practice and hanging out with Jackie?" I teased, letting a soft chuckle escape. "No secret adventures you're hiding from me?"

A'ja rolled her eyes playfully and tied the knot on her silk robe before settling down onto her couch. "What kind of secret adventures do you think I'd be having, Jordyn? I've been too busy thinking about how much I miss my wife."

I smiled, the tension in my chest easing slightly. "I miss you too, mama. Every day."

Her face softened, and I could tell she knew just how much I meant it. The stress of the trade rumors had been eating at me for weeks, but moments like these, where it was just us, made everything else feel insignificant.

"Have you eaten today?" she asked suddenly, tilting her head as if she could see right through me.

"I grabbed something earlier, but I wasn't really hungry," I admitted, knowing exactly where this was going.

A'ja gave me her signature glare—the one that said I'd better listen. "Jordyn Love, don't play with me. You can't let these people stress you out to the point where you're not taking care of yourself. You're no good to me or yourself like that."

"Yes, ma'am," I said with a mock salute, grinning at her. "I'll eat something after we hang up. Happy?"

"Not yet, but I will be once you actually do it," she said, smiling back. "Now, let's talk about this trade mess. I know it's weighing on you."

I sighed, leaning back against the pillows on our bed. "It's just frustrating, A'ja. I gave everything to this team. I built my life here. And now, out of nowhere, they're talking about shipping me off like I'm disposable? Like I don't matter?"

"You do matter, baby. You matter more than anything to me," she said softly. "But I get it. It's not easy feeling like your loyalty isn't being returned."

"That's exactly it," I said, the anger simmering just below the surface. "I'm not just a player to them. I've put my heart and soul into this city, this franchise. How can they expect me to pack up my life and move like it's nothing?"

A'ja nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "You're allowed to feel hurt and angry. But don't let them take your peace. You're worth so much more than their decisions."

Her words were like a balm to my frustration. I took a deep breath, letting them sink in. "You always know what to say."

"That's my job," she said with a wink. "Now, listen. If they can't see your value, then that's their loss. But no matter what happens, I'll be here. You and me, Jordyn. We'll figure it out together."

I couldn't help but smile at her confidence. "You make everything sound so simple."

"Because it is," she said, leaning closer to the camera. "At the end of the day, it's just basketball. You can always find a new team. They can't find another you Jordy."

Her words hit me right in the chest, and I found myself blinking back tears. "Damn, A'ja. You're really out here trying to make me cry, huh?"

She laughed, her smile lighting up the screen. "Maybe just a little. But seriously, baby, don't let them steal your joy. You've got too much to look forward to."

"Like having all those babies you mentioned?" I joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Exactly," she said with a laugh. "And I'm not kidding about that, Jordyn. I want a house full of little Love-Wilsons running around."

The thought made me smile, the image of our future suddenly feeling so real. "You really think I'm ready to be a mom?"

"I think you'll be amazing," she said without hesitation. "You've got the biggest heart, Jordyn. Our kids are going to be so lucky to have you."

"And they'll have the best mama too," I said, my voice soft. "We'll figure it all out together, won't we?"

"Always," she said, her eyes shining with love.

We sat there in comfortable silence for a moment, just enjoying each other's presence, even if it was through a screen. It wasn't the same as being in the same room, but it was enough to remind me why I was fighting so hard—to protect the life we were building together.

"I can't wait to see you next week," I said finally. "This long-distance thing is for the birds."

"Tell me about it," she said with a groan. "But just think, when we get that new house, we won't have to do this anymore. No more time zones, no more missed moments. Just us."

"Just us," I repeated, the words filling me with hope. "I love you, A'ja."

"I love you more," she said with a smile. "Now go eat something before I have to fly down there and make you."

I laughed, the sound genuine for the first time all day. "Yes, ma'am. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay, baby. Sweet dreams."

"Sweet dreams," I echoed before ending the call.

A'ja Wilson-Love

I ended the call with Jordyn and sat there for a moment, staring at my phone. I could hear the stress in her voice, no matter how much she tried to play it off. She was tough, but I knew this whole trade situation was eating at her. It pissed me off to think about how her franchise was treating her like she was just another piece on a chessboard.

"She deserves better," I muttered under my breath as I stood up, stretching out my legs.

I grabbed my water bottle and headed to the kitchen, trying to distract myself from the knot of frustration forming in my chest. Jordyn was my rock, the one person who made me feel like I could take on the world. Seeing her so upset made me want to fix everything for her, but I knew I couldn't. This was her battle, and all I could do was support her from the sidelines.

Jackie popped her head into the kitchen, interrupting my thoughts. "You good, sis?"

"Yeah," I said, forcing a small smile. "Just got off the phone with Jordyn."

Jackie raised an eyebrow as she leaned against the counter. "Let me guess—trade drama?"

"Always," I said with a sigh. "She's so stressed, Jackie. I hate seeing her like this."

"She'll get through it," Jackie said confidently. "Jordyn's one of the strongest people I know. If anyone can handle this, it's her."

"I know," I said, running a hand through my hair. "But it's more than just the trade. She's feeling like her whole life is up in the air, and I can't do anything to make it better."

Jackie gave me a sympathetic look before nudging me playfully. "You being there for her is enough. Trust me, A'ja, you're doing more than you think."

I nodded, but the feeling of helplessness still lingered. "I just wish she didn't have to go through this alone. Long distance sucks."

"Tell me about it," Jackie said with a laugh. Her and were going through the same thing right now with "But y'all are solid. You'll figure it out."

Her words were comforting, but I couldn't shake the nagging feeling that I needed to do more.

After Jackie left, I sat down at the dining table and pulled out my laptop. If Jordyn's team didn't see her value, then screw them. I was already thinking ten steps ahead, imagining the life we could build together.

I opened a new tab and started browsing real estate listings. Henderson, Summerlin, even some spots closer to the Strip—I wanted to find the perfect house for us. Something big enough to hold all the love we had and the future we were dreaming of.

As I scrolled through photos of houses with sprawling backyards and open-concept kitchens, I couldn't help but smile. I could picture us there—Jordyn cooking breakfast while I chased our kids around the living room, laughter filling every corner of the house.

"Someday," I whispered to myself.

The next morning, I woke up early for practice. The gym was already buzzing with energy when I walked in, and I spotted Becky running drills with a few of the rookies. I threw my bag down and joined Kate, who was working on her three-pointers.

"You're here early," Kate said, glancing at me.

"Couldn't sleep," I admitted, grabbing a ball and taking a shot. "Too much on my mind, Money."

"Jordy?"

"Who else?" I said with a chuckle.

She nodded knowingly. "Y'all are the real deal. She's lucky to have you."

"I'm the lucky one," I said, my thoughts drifting back to our conversation last night. "But yeah, it's just hard right now. The trade stuff, the distance... it's a lot."

Kate clapped me on the back. "She'll get through it. And so will you. Just keep being there for her."

Practice went by in a blur, but my mind kept circling back to Jordyn. By the time I got home, I was itching to call her again, just to hear her voice.

But before I could, my phone buzzed with a text. It was from our realtor, Cora.

Cora: "Hey A'ja, I've got a few properties lined up for you and Jordyn to check out. Let me know when you're both available for a virtual tour."

I smiled, already feeling a sense of accomplishment. If I couldn't fix everything for Jordyn, at least I could take this off her plate.

Me: "Perfect! I'll talk to Jordyn and let you know. Thanks, Cora."

With that, I grabbed my phone and hit Jordyn's contact.

"Hey, mama," she answered, her voice softer than usual.

"Hey, baby," I said, leaning back on the couch. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"I found us some houses to look at. Cora's got a list ready whenever we are."

There was a pause on the other end, and then I heard her laugh—a sound that instantly made my heart lighter.

"You're really out here doing the most, huh?" she said, her tone teasing but warm.

"Always," I said with a grin. "You deserve the world, Jordyn. And I'm gonna give it to you."