Just Too Good to Be True

by E. Lynn Harris

  “Do you want to?”

  “I’ve wanted a dad my whole life,” I said.

  “I understand that, but be careful what you pray for,” Lowell warned.

  “I got something to tell you, but you can’t say anything to my mom,” I said.

  “What is it?”

  “You got to give me your word first.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Lowell said.

  “But you would do it for my mom. What kind of crap is that? You’re my godfather and you’re supposed to have my back,” I said.

  “Is it something that puts your life in danger?” Lowell asked.

  “No,” I said quickly.

  “Okay, so I won’t say anything. What is it?”

  I just held both of my hands up in front of Lowell’s face.

  “What?” he quizzed.

  “Do you notice anything different?”

  “Not really,” Lowell said.

  “Dude, come on, now. Work with me. No ring. I’m not claiming to be celibate anymore,” I said.

  “Oh shit. Carmyn ain’t gonna like this,” Lowell said.

  “She don’t need to know,” I said.

  “It won’t be the first time you’ve kept something from her,” Lowell said, eyeing me with a serious look on his face.

  “Are you talking about Chloe?”

  “Yes.”

  “You didn’t tell her about that, did you?”

  “I promised you I wouldn’t, but that situation could have gotten out,” Lowell said.

  “Thanks for having my back on that,” I said.

  “What are you going to do when you two reconcile?”

  “I don’t know if that’s gonna happen too soon if Mom doesn’t accept Barrett,” I said. “I think I’m going to ask Barrett to marry me when the season is over.”

  “Brady, get over yourself. You haven’t known this girl for more than three months, and just because she gave you some pussy doesn’t mean she’ll make a good wife. Maybe your mother was right about her,” Lowell said.

  “My mother doesn’t know Barrett,” I said.

  “And you do? Where is that ‘real talk’ you’re always saying?”

  “That’s what’s up.”

  “I guess you’re saying the Brady your mother and me tried to raise is gone.”

  “Long gone, sir. I’m a different man now,” I said.

  “Brady, getting a piece of pussy doesn’t make you a man. Did you talk to Delmar about the stripping thing?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t know, I’m still trying to figure that out. If it’s true, I don’t know if he wants to talk about it. Besides, I’ve been spending most of my time with Barrett, so we haven’t been talking as much,” I said.

  “Okay, but he’s your friend. You can’t forget about everybody and everything just because you got a girlfriend,” Lowell said.

  “I’ve lived my entire life to please my mother and she kept from me the one thing she knew I wanted. Now it’s about Brady,” I said as I beat my chest.

  “I don’t believe that, and you don’t either,” Lowell said.

  “I’m telling you, man, I ain’t the boy I used to be. That Brady is gone,” I said as I took a last bite of my burger.

  “Well, just let me know when the old Brady comes back,” Lowell said.

  CHAPTER

  32

  Barrett’s Whip Appeal

  Brady fell back on the pillow exhausted, slightly bewildered, and limp. Barrett had just served up some after-practice sex and was getting ready to work Brady over once and for all. A John Legend CD played softly in the background, and Barrett smiled mischievously.

  “That was amazing, girl. I could stay in bed with you twenty-four/ seven,” Brady said.

  Barrett just smiled and said, “I bet you say that to all the girls.”

  “You know that’s not true,” Brady said.

  “I know,” Barrett said as she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, using the sheets to cover her breasts.

  “What was that for?” Brady asked.

  “Because you’re so good,” Barrett purred.

  “Am I really?”

  “Yes. How was practice?”

  “It was okay,” Brady said.

  “Are you going to be ready for Georgia? That’s an important game,” Barrett said.

  “Yeah, we got to win if we want to go to a bowl game. It would be a shame if we seniors never made it to one,” Brady said, a look of concern covering his face.

  “You will do just fine and then get ready for the next phase of your life,” Barrett said.

  “What phase?”

  “The NFL, dummy.”

  “The way I’ve been playing lately, I don’t know if the NFL is still interested,” Brady said.

  “Don’t be silly. Of course they want you. Didn’t you get invited to the combine?”

  “Yeah,” Brady said.

  “Then you’ll get the chance to show them what you can do. But you got to be ready,” Barrett said.

  “True. True.”

  “I know how I can help,” Barrett said.

  “By making love to me like we just did,” Brady said as he moved closer to Barrett.

  “I think my dad can get you in with The Thoroughbreds training company if you sign a three-month contract,” Barrett said.

  Brady leaped up from the pillow and screamed, “Could he really do that? Could he get me in?”

  “Now calm down, but I was telling him about you, and since he is a charter member he mentioned he thought he could get you in.”

  “Oh, Barrett, that would be so cool. It means I could work out close to home,” Brady said.

  “Well, don’t thank me yet. But my daddy usually gets me what I want,” Barrett said.

  “What would I do without you?” Brady asked.

  “Just make sure you never have to find out,” Barrett said. Then she kissed him so deeply, it felt as though she were tickling his tonsils and toes at the same time.

  CHAPTER

  33

  Carmyn Takes a Step

  Today I had an amazing breakthrough, thanks to one of my loyal clients, Angel Beasley. As I was applying color to her hair, she turned to me and said, “Carmyn, I can feel the stress coming from your body. I need to pray for you.”

  Angel got out of the chair right then, grabbed my hand and pulled me to my knees, and prayed for me. It was a powerful prayer, and I bawled my eyes out. When she got ready to leave, she told me about a secret place that gave her peace. I asked Zander to take my 4:00 appointment so I could go right then.

  I followed Angel’s directions and found myself in the Ainsley Park area of Atlanta. I got out of my car and, under the shelter of a perfectly blue sky, I walked through a gate and into a maze of beautiful green shrubbery.

  I was in the Labyrinth, a maze of shrubbery and a spiritual retreat where I could leave all my burdens so that I could begin to lead the life God had planned for me. A gentle wind swayed around me as I prayed to God to take all the things from my life that were causing me great pain.

  I had given up that night in Austin when I allowed my youth to ruin my life. I forgave those young men who took advantage of the situation I presented them. I forgave Woodson for the hate-filled letter he left under my dorm-room door. As I walked through the Labyrinth, I forgave my parents for turning their backs on me when I needed them most. I forgave myself for the mistakes I had made, the lies I had told, and the people I’d hurt because I feared they would harm me. I told God I was ready for whatever He had for me and that I needed for him to return Brady back to my protective arms.

  As I walked out of the meditation park, I felt my guilt and anger slowly lift like a wedding veil once the bride has made her vows.

  CHAPTER

  34

  Buckwild Brady

  Barrett and I had just finished up a meal of mushroom ravioli at the Olive Garden when I felt her hands touch my stuff. It was be
ginning to thicken, and I suddenly wished I had worn boxers instead of the tight-fitting boxer briefs Barrett loved.

  “Hey, girl, I’m not going to be able to get out of this booth,” I said to her with a smile. Thanks to Barrett, I was transformed. I loved the fact that she wanted to make love as much as I did.

  “I want you,” she whispered into my ear. Her breath on my ear tickled me and increased the intensity in my boxer briefs.

  “Wait until we get back to your place,” I said.

  “I don’t know if I can do that,” she said.

  “Then I need to find that waiter,” I said as I looked around the restaurant for our server. Suddenly, I saw Chloe walk into the restaurant with a potbellied guy who looked to be about fifty. It must have been her husband. Our eyes met for a quick second and I diverted mine back to Barrett. I felt a surge of guilt but quickly dismissed it.

  “So what are you thinking about?” Barrett asked.

  “Thinking about what we can do when we finish eating,” I said.

  “Brady, come on. We’ve already done it twice today,” Barrett said.

  “But they say that three times is the charm.”

  “For somebody who claimed to be a virgin, you sure do know your way around a woman’s body,” Barrett said, eyeing me with suspicion.

  “Always been a fast learner,” I said, and smiled.

  Barrett reached into her purse and pulled out some papers.

  “Here is the contract for training with The Thoroughbreds. I need to get it back right away so they won’t give away your spot. I’ve read it. It’s all pretty plain and simple. They agreed to help you improve on all your speed and other skills, and you agree to pay them once you sign with an agent,” Barrett said.

  “Okay, I still need to read it over, though. What happens if I don’t get an agent or get drafted?” I said. When the season was over, I knew, the chances of that happening were slim to none, but my mom had always told me I could never take anything for granted.

  “Now, we both know that’s not going to happen. Just sign it and let me get it back. I told my father I would get it back to him tomorrow. Don’t you trust me?” Barrett quizzed.

  “Of course I trust you, but let me see it,” I said as I took the three pages from Barrett. I scanned over the document and it looked like she was right. I took the pen she was holding, signed the last sheet of the contract, and handed it back to Barrett.

  “Thank you very much, sir. Now, that wasn’t so hard. So what’s the first thing you’re going to splurge on when you get your signing bonus?”

  I started to tell Barrett a beautiful diamond ring for her, but instead I told her that I had everything I wanted.

  “So you’re going to be frugal? Why am I not surprised?”

  “I used to think that I would buy my mom a new car or a house,” I said sadly. It had been over two weeks since I talked to my mom. We’d never gone that long without talking. I missed my mother and our conversations, but she needed to be reminded of what she had taught me all my life: to be honest and truthful about everything. Which for me meant once we did start talking again I would tell her that I was no longer a virgin. I knew that wasn’t going to make her happy.

  “I hate that I came between you and your mother,” Barrett said.

  “It wasn’t your fault. Where is that waiter?” I said. I noticed a tall black guy who looked like an athlete of some kind walking toward us.

  “Sup, dude. Aren’t you Brady Bledsoe?” he asked.

  “Yeah, that’s me. How you doing?” I asked.

  “It’s all good. Hey, dude, I was wondering if you’d sign this poster for my girl. I got a Sharpie,” he said.

  “Sure, dude. What’s your name?”

  “Erick Winston, but my girl’s name is Amanda, so make it out to her. She’s a big fan. And, man, don’t let the fans and people from the sports boards get you down,” Erick said.

  “I don’t read the sports boards or visit the chat rooms,” I said.

  “Good. Thanks to the Internet, everybody thinks they’re a coach,” Erick said. He told me he had walked on the football team at the University of Washington but had used up his eligibility and was now in law school at CGU, where he’d met Amanda.

  I signed the poster to Amanda and gave it back to Erick. I was getting ready to introduce Barrett to Erick, and when I looked over, she was reapplying her makeup. When she closed her compact, she looked up at Erick with a smile that suddenly turned into a frown.

  “Hey, I know you. Bethany, right?”

  “You must have me confused with someone else,” Barrett said.

  “Naw, I don’t think so. Bethany Lewis. You used to go to the University of Washington for a minute, ’cause you dated one of my boyz, Chris Johns,” Erick said. I looked at Barrett, and she didn’t look happy.

  “Chris Johns, the NBA player?” I asked.

  “Yeah, that’s him. He plays for the New Orleans Hornets now.”

  “My name is Barrett Manning and I don’t know any Chris Johns,” she said firmly.

  “Well, girl, you got an evil twin and she ain’t nice. She and some crooked agent swindled Chris out of over a million dollars of his signing bonus with some phony stock scam and then booked the hell out of town. Like, poof. Chris is still looking for her ass,” Erick said.

  “Dude, for real? That’s wild, but I guess stuff like that happens all the time,” I said.

  “Brady, let’s go,” Barrett said as she suddenly pushed me out of the booth. I had never seen her so flustered.

  “Are you all right?” I asked as I gently took her hand.

  “Yes, let’s go,” she said.

  I gave Erick a handshake and got up from the booth.

  “Hey, dude, I didn’t mean to upset your girl,” Erick said.

  “It’s cool. You just made a mistake,” I said.

  I led Barrett by the hand and started out of the restaurant, when I heard Erick mumble, “Dude, for your sake I sho do hope so.”

  I walked into my apartment and Delmar was sitting on the couch with his hands down his boxers, wearing a wife beater, and drinking a beer.

  “Should you be doing that during the week?” I asked.

  “Is there a law against scratching my balls during the week?” Delmar quizzed.

  “I’m talking about drinking that beer. Dude, this is a big game week,” I said.

  “Nigga, I’ll be cool by game time, don’t worry ’bout me.”

  “If you say so. You better hope Coach don’t have us running sprints tomorrow.”

  “What are you doing here? You not spending the night with shawty?” Delmar asked.

  “She wasn’t feeling well,” I said. I was thinking about how jumpy Barrett was as I drove her home.

  “I know you be beating that pussy down. That’s my boy. I knew you had it in you. All we had to do was get that monkey released,” Delmar said as he slapped my hand.

  “Hey, dude, I signed with The Thoroughbreds to train after the season is over,” I said.

  “Those dudes are off the chain. How did you pull that off?”

  “Barrett’s dad had the hookup and he got me in. Do you want me to try and get you in?”

  “That would be sweet. I see Miss Nose in the Air is good for sumthin’.”

  “So where’s Maybelline been?” I asked, changing the subject to something else.

  “Don’t ask me. I ain’t her keeper,” Delmar said.

  “Are you inviting her to Senior Day?”

  “Oh, hell naw,” Delmar said.

  “Dude, that’s your mother,” I said.

  “B, she just gave birth to me.”

  “That’s cold,” I said. Even though my mother had disappointed me and I was still upset with her, I knew she had done more than give birth to me. In many ways, she had given up her life for me.

  “That’s real talk, fam,” Delmar said as he got up and walked over to the computer. He hit a few keystrokes and then shouted, “Fans ain’t shit.”

  �
��What you looking at?” I asked.

  “Just looking at this shit the fans be writing on Jaguars Illustrated board, talking ’bout how we gonna lose the rest of our games, the coach ain’t shit, you ain’t shit, the team ain’t shit. At the beginning of the season, all of these mofos had man-crushes on all us. Now they just hatin’.”

  “Why do you read that stuff?”

  “I don’t know, but sometimes I want to go on there and cuss out all their asses. They don’t have a clue about how hard we work for this school, and we don’t get shit, but maybe a tired-ass letter jacket.”

  “You have a scholarship,” I said.

  “What the fuck’s that gonna do for me if I don’t get no degree? We both know I’m going to be in big trouble if I don’t play on Sunday,” Delmar said. “I got to make it into the league and stay awhile.”

  “You can still get a degree.”

  “Yeah, right. If you believe that shit, I got a swimming pool in Alaska I want to sell you.”

  “So what are you going to do if you don’t make it to the league or don’t stay in that long?”

  “I don’t even want to think about that. I guess sell this body of mine.” Delmar sighed. He sounded serious, and I took this as my opening to bring up what Lowell told me.

  “You sure you’re not doing that already?” I asked in my best nonjudgmental voice.

  Delmar took a swig of Gatorade and an expression of uneasiness crossed his face.

  “What the fuck you talking ’bout, Bledsoe? You got sumthin’ you want to say to me?”

  “You know, I was talking to Low—”

  Before I could finish, I heard Delmar’s booming voice yell, “I knew that faggot couldn’t keep his goddamn mouth shut. They like bitches, always gossiping.”

  “Look, D, don’t disrespect my godfather,” I commanded.

  “What did he tell you?”

  “You knew what you were doing?”

  “Just ’cause I let a fag suck my dick don’t make me one. I do it ’cause the paper’s long. You know I’m not no faggot, B,” Delmar said.

  I was in shock. What was Delmar admitting to? I began searching frantically for the right words to say, but all that came out was “I know that, D,” and I turned and went into my room.