All That Matters

by Paulette Jones

  All That Matters….

  (Magid Family Celebration)

  Where Your Heart Belongs Series (interlude)

  All rights Reserved.

  Copyright © 2015 by Paulette Jones

  This is a work of fiction. Names characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, without the express permission of the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.

  Cover Art by: DBLP Photography

  CONTENTS

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  One

  ‘John let’s look at the facts here at nine years in the league Case is still looking like day one fresh off the draft…heck if not even better.’

  ‘I agree the two broken fingers last year were shaky but he came back strong this season.’

  ‘So now who do you think will prevail, we are down to game six Chicago verses Boston and this matchup between Magid and Case has been true entertainment.’

  ‘Like kids on a playground…still Boston has a slight upper hand with Chicago fighting two injuries from their bench.’

  ‘That’s true not to mention how tonight’s matchup may cause a little family up roar no matter which way it goes though.’

  ‘Maybe Case will take it a little easy on his younger cousin since officially six are under his belt at this point.’

  ‘Yeah but you have to admit Magid is not backing down from the challenge.’

  ‘Hey we will see how this goes down tonight.’

  {Two Months Later}

  After entering the league at the end of his sophomore year at Michigan State Sedric Magid officially put his own stamp on the game. Leading his team to two straight playoff berths after a six year drought, and now with the new team making it to the conference finals he was a presence felt throughout the entire league right along with his idol slash older cousin. It had taken him a long time to come to the conclusion that entering the league before graduation was what he truly wanted to do, and was best for him at the time.

  The biggest challenge he faced now was the most obvious that his every move was compared to his older cousin Brandon Case who had been in the league for a while and a major part of six championship teams. At this point every match up between the two of them was a major event and covered on all the major networks, compared every way possible. The two men where never at odds about their nonexistent on the court battle and simply enjoyed the challenge of every face off.

  After the series ended with the upper hand going to Brandon, then them taking the loss in the finals run their family was set to gather to celebrate their matriarch, who was officially celebrating her eighty first birthday.

  The celebration was part bittersweet for the Case family because they were missing their half but they were set to gather and celebrate all they had. There had been amazing growth in their family and all the many branches that had sprung up from the roots that had been humbly planted so long ago. After life became more constant and settled for Brandon and his family he was drawn to his roots more and more. Happiness was what surrounded them when he was home and now with his own family seeming to have grown so quickly overnight he was more than happy for a little escape time. Adventure was what had been in Ashley’s blood for so long that once she found her way in life it was almost second nature to take on the adventure of getting to know her family and where most of her roots truly began.

  After the struggles of getting through some of her own personal demons she found peace in being able to kick back with her family and give that experience to her kids. For Sedric Magid going home to Trinidad was full force retreat time for him. He loved the game and had loved it his entire life he felt like, but the lime light bought along another world that he wasn’t so fond of. So going home felt like turning it off and being able to enjoy life. And now with his family becoming closer than they had been in so long it was well worth leaving behind a few headaches.

  ‘Hey stranger…what’s going on?’

  ‘I think you are the one that’s the stranger…and nothing I’m waiting on my mother to come for my nephew then I have a shift at Levis’

  Sedric from day one was completely in love with Ayida she knew him better than any other person. But most important she cared only about him, not his skills on the court or his fame and fortune just what made him happy and what was best for him. Outside of his family she was the only other person that he talked to about the struggle he went through to make the decision to live out his dream.

  ‘No I’m not I was just home like a month ago remember…you blew me off to go dance with Jen…come give me a hug.’

  Ayida complied with the request and melted into Sedric’ arms he held on a little tighter and longer each time which she was well aware of the pull between them but refused to let herself get caught up to much in him.

  Lately she had been doing her best to not even think to long hoping to erase some of what she felt for him. He sensed every time she fought with herself over him and wanted to do all he could to remove her hurt he just wasn’t in the place he needed to be to know he could be there for her completely.

  ‘So your home for a while now or just another quick visit?’

  ‘No off season be around for a while…So what are you up to after you leave Levis?’

  ‘I…I have this thing I’m going to with a friend.’ Her face had gone all red and she couldn’t meet his eyes. To Sedric it made her even more irresistibly innocent but it was clear there was something she didn’t really want to say to him.

  ‘Wassup…you don’t want me to know about your friend?’

  ‘I didn’t say that.’

  ‘Wah dat face abou?’

  ‘Mi didn’t mek ah face Sedric.’ She was just stubborn enough to fight back when he called her on something and he loved every bit of it.

  ‘Okay so who is the friend I’m sure I know them?’ He laughed it off and tried to pull whatever it was out of her.

  ‘You do know him…well kinda Evan Finn we all went to primary together but then he moved before we started at Vincent.’

  ‘Evan that was on the rowing team….he lives down near the village right?’

  ‘Yea his family does his dad is a fisher but he lives on his own now…near the downtown there are new apartments down there.’

  He took a few minutes to take in and process what she was saying mostly because not once had she ever mentioned having a guy in her life let alone being more than involved than just casual passing’s.

  ‘So you and Evan are together?’ His insides started to feel mushy and his heart picked up pace a little as the look came back over her face again. Nobody had that power over him like she had and he knew it.

  ‘We have been out a few times but were not a couple not yet.’

  Not yet…it stung hard but why was the real question they hadn’t been in a relationship in over two years. When they did see each other things always remained in a “friendly” basis and absolutely nothing more.

  ‘Ah okay hey I have to run down to the market my mom has this huge list of tings for me to bring back. You should stop by when you get some time we’re having a ting for Nanny K you should come for it.’

  ‘That sounds nice when is it?’

  ‘Friday…stop by I know everyone will love to see you…likle more okay.’

  ‘Okay.’

  His body released some of tension he
was holding when she was out of site. He wasn’t exactly free and the better man in him didn’t want to do wrong by her. But there was part of him that hated the entire thought of anyone but him in her life in that way. The truth of the matter was he had caused the issues between them with his stupid mistakes so he couldn’t be to upset over it. It still stung like hell though.

  ***

  ‘Sedric son yuh ah long time.’

  ‘Mr. Flee…how yuh? I come by last month you were away.’

  ‘Mi daughter take me foreign….busy busy place London. Da people dem on the go all di time.’

  ‘Wow I didn’t know she moved to London that’s a big move, she doing big tings I see.’

  ‘Mi say she duh to much…but she happy so mi don’t speak for it yuh know.’

  ‘You’re the best Mr. Flee…mi have a big list for you here we’re gone party for Nanny K this weekend yuh know?’

  ‘Mi hear dat, yuh know mi always fancy Lily and Kay, when we in primary they both have that long pretty hair and those smiles….drive mi heart wild.’

  ‘Well Nanny K would love for you to come by I’m sure.’

  Sedric left the order with him then headed out to finish the other task on his list. From the moment he stepped in the house his mom had a list a mile long for him but he had missed her so much he didn’t mind the task. By the time he got back to the main house more of the family had arrived and more had started pulling up.

  ‘Sedric sweetheart how are you…you look well?’

  ‘I’m much better now that I’m home…your son put me down a few weeks back you know tee?’

  ‘Oh, don’t you speak only one side you put up a major fight mi witness two of them come close.’

  ‘Not close enough…though auntie.’ Sedric smiled and took the boxes from his aunt’s hands.

  When he first moved to the states for college she had come to visit him several times bringing him food and cooking him meals trying to help him adjust so he had grown extremely close to his aunt Brenda. Inside the house he came into his cousin Ashley and her family who had arrived as well. Ashely was another big supporter when he decided to turn pro she had even come to a few of his games with her husband and sons. But their lives were just as busy as his so they didn’t get to see each other that often.

  ‘Ash, wassup long time no see…you look great.’

  ‘Hey Sed how are you goodness you look like you’ve grown even more…good job putting up that fight against Brandon…old man thinks he still can hang.’

  ‘Ha…yea he does where is he by the way they coming in today?’

  ‘Yea their here they wanted to rest first Taye said the baby was up for the whole flight so she didn’t rest any on the way over. Taye says she is different than the other two girls she wants to see everything.’

  ‘You mean she is just like her mom want to see things for herself.’

  ‘You’re right about that one for sure.’ They both laughed at the reality of the statement.

  ‘Where your boys…I didn’t see them when I come up.’

  ‘Matt has them out back Tye loves running around now so he let him loose. I swear since he started walking I can’t keep up with him.’

  ‘Hey…we have to let little man grow let me go put these in the back your moms out front.’

  ‘Great I’ve been waiting on her…I’ll go see if she needs help…where is Nanny K?’ Ashley asked as she retreated out the front door.

  ‘I think she went over to my parent’s place my mom want her to rest up some.’

  ‘That’s good she would just want to do everything herself here…I’ll be back in a sec to help with those let me go see my mom.’

  The family decided on having the celebration and making it a reunion of sorts just to get everyone in the same place at the same time for once. They had grown quite a bit from those early days of struggle and all had lives that keep them so busy it was hard to ever catch up with any of them so the gathering to celebrate their matriarch was just what they needed.

  By sunset just about everyone had arrived and the guest of honor had also made her way back to the main house. There were tons of different foods being prepared and so many different voices floating through the house and outside it was hard not to find the joy of the occasion. The kids were all running around and there was a huge sense of peace over them. By sun down they all gathered around the large family table passing around the different dishes of food. The peace Sedric had been searching for was finally real, but in the back of his mind he knew the things he left behind would not just go away. Pressing those thoughts as far back as possible he focused on the conversations around him.

  ‘So you two had me on pins and needles there for a couple of those games, and what was with all the winking?’ Ashley was the first to bring up the subject just about everyone was waiting to talk about.

  ‘What are you talking about fathead nobody was winking?’ Even after she had married and become a mother Brandon never let Ashley forget she was still the little sister and his playful jabs where always ready when they were together.

  ‘Don’t call me fathead…and yes you were I saw it a ton of times especially game three I was right there and saw you do it at least five times both of you…right Taye?’

  ‘Yea, I saw it to baby so what was it about…Sedric you even had a little smirk a couple times…let us all in on the secret.’

  ‘Ladies…ladies, no secret just a little friendly competition.’ He put his hands up to surrender knowing the ladies of his family did not take to being left out of things even the ones that weren’t born into it.

  ‘Yea but it’s not like that was one on one.’ Ashley was of course one to prove the point by not letting the subject drop she was true to her gene for sure.

  ‘That’s true you two seemed to forget your teammates at times…Rachel pointed that out to me a few times.’ To Brenda the best part of the endless games was having her nephew near she missed her family most of all and now with her children growing her branch so rapidly she rarely got a chance to see them all. So with Sedric around more it was comforting knowing her family wasn’t far away.

  ‘Auntie, you know there has to be a little something when we play it’s always on TV when we do.’

  ‘Yea like there has never been to people in the league related before, I mean that’s how they act don’t you remember them asking was Sedric your son mommy.’ Just about everyone at the table burst into laughter at Brandon’ comment.

  ‘Goodness yes I remember that my poor body could not have taken the both of you…enough about you two. Auntie did you enjoy your spa day they do a really good job at Lea’s place don’t they?’

  ‘Yes they do, they did my hands so nice I have to ring Marigold so she can go over I really liked that. Brenda, you know you have to come down for festival next time and bring your grand babies they will love it.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t know Nanny K me and five little ones I don’t think I would make it.’

  They dissolved into laughter and the ladies broke off into the routine of clearing the table and conversation about their separate families. Throughout the dinner Sedric felt his phone buzz a few times in his pocket so he stepped out the front door to check it. He had put off several meetings with his agent so he figured some of the buzzing was from him.

  Several of the messages were references to the “opportunities” he absolutely could not turn and a few more that were strong recommendations. That was Jakes way of saying he had already put things in motion so there was no backing out of them, for the most part things went well with him letting Jake take the reins on new deals and making sure his old ones where concrete. But there were times that he simply wanted the lights off just to have a few moments of quiet. A call came in as he read through a few emails, and appointments. When he saw the number his entire body tensed, then with a deep sigh he answered not speaking just sighing into the phone.

  ‘Thanks for calling and letting me know you made it down there safely. Oh and of co
urse thanks for the invite. I’m sure your family didn’t need to meet the woman in your life.’ His only response was another deep sigh just so Kemi would know he was still on the line.

  ‘Sed are you still there what you still mad or whatever it was you were before you left?’ The side door swung open and Brandon stepped out taking his attention away for a few seconds but he put his mind back on track quickly.

  ‘Yea, I’m here and my bad my mom had a whole list of stuff she wanted me and my brother to do when I came in.’

  ‘Oh, how nice it must be beautiful in Trinidad…instead of rainy Chicago.’ Clearly she was hinting at the fact that he hadn’t mentioned the nearly month long trip to her until the day he was leaving.

  ‘Yea, it’s way better it felt better the second I got off the plane.’

  The better person in him started to feel bad about how the relationship had been going. All he knew was that he didn’t want to deal with the back and forth any longer. Kemi was ninety percent around because of who he was and the perks that came along with it. That had been made clear completely in how they met and who she was dating when they met. She hadn’t come out and said the words just yet but her actions made it extremely clear.

  ‘Listen Kemi I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something. I mean shit I know you probably already know…’

  Over the phone was the worst way to say the least but he needed to get it off his chest. He needed the clean break just a chance to be and figure out his next steps. He walked to the far end of the porch so no one could hear what he was about to do. There was no way she was going to take it lightly or just let it be so he had to be prepared for that.

  ‘Look Kemi me and you been on a weird path for a minute now where exactly do you think this is going?’

  ‘We’ve been on a weird path because of you I mean….exactly why didn’t you want me to come down with you and why haven’t I met any of your family…I mean hell I have even been at games sitting right across the court from some of them and you still didn’t introduce me.’