Hate the Game ( Urban Sports Romance )

Guilt

An hour later, Sabrina and Amir got out of the SUV in a neighborhood in the suburbs. You wouldn't have known it was nearly two in the morning the way people were still out and about even in the freezing cold.

Amir opened the chain linked fence in front of a small house and hadn't even walked all the way in before a man on the porch greeted him. "Sup Mir," the man he nodded, from his rocking chair.

"Sup foe," Amir replied before he walked up to the front door and opened it, letting Sabrina walk inside first before followed, shutting the door behind them.

A small squeeze to her hand gained her attention and Sabrina looked at him. "You not tired are you?" He asked.

She shook her head, "No."

"It's food here." He divulged. "This my OG crib."

"Who?"

"My momma."

"Your mom?" Sabrina asked with wide eyes. She suddenly looked down at her choice of clothing and knew her skin tight outfit was inappropriate for meeting someone's mother.

"You good, parrot," he assured the woman.

Before Sabrina could debate, Amir's mother exited her kitchen, wearing an apron. She stood with her hands on he hips, "Boy you said you was coming tomorrah." she grumbled, with a seasoned voice which was deceptive in itself because looking at his mother you would've sworn she was his older sister.

She was standing almost the same height as Sabrina, who still had heels on. It was clear that Amir had inherited his caramel-brown skin tone from his mother. Her dark brown hair was pulled into a low ponytail and braided sitting on her shoulder.

"Technically it is tomorrow, woman." He laughed, hugging the woman once she walked over. He ducked as his mother tried to slap the back of his head. "Momma, this Sabrina." He laughed jumping back and introduced his guest. "Sabrina, this is my momma, Lisa."

"Hi, Sabrina. Excuse my child and his lack of home trainin'. He move to the west coast and lose all his good sense. Yaw come in here and take a seat."

Sabrina smiled sweetly at the fiery woman. She liked her already, as long as that fire wasn't turned against her, for showing up at her house at two o'clock in the morning.

"Sabrina's hungry," Amir announced, sitting down on the lazy boy chair, and kicking his feet up, leaving Sabrina to sit on the couch alone. She shot him a look for throwing her under the bus.

The front door creaked open and the man from the porch walked inside. He stood in the living room archway and looked directly at Amir, "Un-ass my seat, boy."

"Uncle C, onbro, you was outside."

"Ion't care negro. Don't make me have to kick yo ass in front ya company."

Amir stood up and sat down next to Sabrina, as he laughed hysterically, "I missed yaw too."

"Sabrina, baby. Would you like something to eat?" Amir's mother asked, kindly.

"Yes ma'am," Sabrina replied.

"Come make her plate, Sonny. She's a guest."

"Yes ma'am." Amir stood from the couch and immediately went to make Sabrina's plate. He came back a few minutes later with a steaming plate of fried chicken and greens along with some other things. Sabrina didn't ask what it was. It looked good and she was going to eat it.

She thanked Amir and his mother before quietly saying grace and digging in. She gasped with wide eyes after her first bite, "This is sooo good."

Amir hummed in agreement, "See, she like it, momma."

"I can tell." She chuckled, "Why you not feedin' this girl?"

Amir laughed, chewing his food. "I do feed her. Them bougie restaurants ain't got nothin' on your cookin' though." He flattered his mother.

"You say that like you not still eating at them bougie restaurants."

"Only sometime."

A little after finishing their food, Amir's mother walked Sabrina around the house showing her old photos of her only child. Sabrina couldn't believe how adorable he was as a child.

He played baseball and basketball, which made sense with him being a such Michael Jordan fan. They all wanna be like Mike.

Sometime around sunrise, Sabrina and Amir left promising to visit again before they leave town.

"Had she just finish cooking when we got there?" Sabrina asked, during the ride back to the hotel.

"Yeah. She cooks for the neighborhood."

"Why?"

"She love it. I been tryna make her ass move since I was drafted, she don't wanna. I paid off the house for her so it wouldn't be no mortgage on it, and her and my uncle live there, takin care of her people in the hood." He explained.

Sabrina smiled thinking about how selfless his mother was. She couldn't wait to spend more time with the woman who raised Amir to be the man he is today.

Unfortunately, on very little sleep, after Amir left their hotel room to go warm up for the All-Star game, Sabrina got an emergency call from Nick. Niko had gotten hit in the head with a ball at the park.

Sabrina couldn't get to the airport fast enough. She'd text Amir and told him she was leaving and bought herself a flight home when she arrived at the airline counter. She hated that she had to leave, but she decided she'd had enough fun for a while.

She felt terrible having to explain to her son that she wouldn't be to him for a few hours and felt judged by Nicholas' tone when she explained she was out of town with a friend.

Her mom guilt ate at her the entire flight for not being closer when her baby got hurt, even though no one could predict such an incident occurring.

As soon as she made it to Niko, she cried. Nick promised her he was fine, but she needed to see for herself. He had a small bump, but the paramedic said he'd be fine and to just keep an eye on him for concussion symptoms.

Niko slept in her bed with her that night. Sabrina couldn't bring herself to sleep, but when Amir called to check on her she let his calls go unanswered.