"Dinner is served my lady."

Lizzy took a seat at the table. I could tell she was still a little upset from yesterday so I was hoping this dinner would cheer her up. I had gone to practice earlier this morning so when I came home, she was asleep and I ended up going too.

"Wine, tea, juice, water or soda."

"Can I get a Jack and Coke?"

"Okay, how about the coke and no Jack. You don't even like dark liquor."

"Fine! Jack is whack anyway. A coke then."

I chuckled sitting the plates down. I sat across from her sliding a coke towards her.

"Who's saying grace?"

"You can do it, but I might cry."

I said it and we started to eat.

"Sean, this is so good," she said taking another bite of her chicken. It was stuffed with veggies along with a side of asparagus and I added a tossed salad with vinaigrette on the side. I looked over and she had a smile on her face when she took the next bite.

"It was made with love."

"Sean, thanks for taking care of me. I don't know what I would do without you." She gave me a smile and squeezed my hand.

"You know I'm always here for you. I will admit, being married to you makes it all worth it."

She smiled. "And you always say the right things. I'm one of the lucky ones. Even with so much happening I wouldn't trade this moment with you."

"You getting all sentimental with me?"

She wiped away a tear and cleared her throat.

"I always got ya back Lizzybear."

"I know and I have yours." She laughed and took a bite of her salad.

"I have good news. Actually two new opportunities in the fire."

She looked up from her plate.

"I was talking to Bobby, our team's nutritionist, and he asked me would you be interested in doing a couple of segments on his cooking special? He's heard some of the guys talk about how good your southern comfort food is and he thought maybe you could share some recipes. He has a television show on cable he does on the side. You don't have too but I told him I would ask you."

"Would I be able to do the cooking?"

"I'm sure. I know he wants to talk about eating healthier. You've changed your cooking style over the years to more healthier cooking options but still able to maintain good flavor."

"Sounds like fun."

"I'll text you his number."

"Cool."

"Secondly, Harper Glasgow, the owner of Dannon Organic Products saw our pics we did months ago and asked for us to do a few commercials promoting their food. They are one of my sponsors and they have some new meals coming out. It would be more family related stuff."

"Did you tell them we were married?"

"No."

"I've been thinking Sean. Maybe we should."

"I'm down."

"Really?"

"After all this drama I realized life is too short."

"To be honest I can't wait to see Shae's face," she said giggling.

"What are you plotting?"

"Nothing. Why you always thinking I'm plotting against someone?"

"Because you normally are."

"Hahaha, not funny... but true. Not this time though. Wait until I officially move here, she's going to go in panic mode, and it's going to be hilarious to see her squirm."

"No throwing fuel on the fire."

"I promise to be on my best behavior." Her eyes fluttered rapidly and I knew I had to be on guard.

"At least can you do it when I'm here and not on the road?"

She laughed. "Of course it's better when you're around."

"I'll send you the schedule. Of course you will be at the game Saturday, right?"

"Of course. We can announce it there."

"I'll ask marketing."

"Good. Tell Dannon I will do their little commercials. We could be like Stephen and Ayesha Curry or Beyoncé and Jay Z. We could be that power couple, ripping up the NFL. This could be good."

"Slow your roll. I see them stars in your eyes," I joked.

"No boo, those are dollar dollar bills y'all. Ching-Ching." We both laughed.

"So on to another topic, do you want to hire a moving company to pack up your things back home or are you going back?"

"I have to give my notice to the hospital and I would like to do it in person. Officially I'm on vacation so I will deal with that next week."

"Sorry I can't go with you. It's officially football pre-season. I'm pretty much not available to do anything."

"I'll be good. I'm sure Alanna will help before she heads back to France. I haven't heard anything else about the job with the Foundation."

"If I can help let me know."

"Gotcha but I should be good. I might be unemployed but I have money saved."

"You can keep your money I have plenty, you didn't know?"

"What? You serious?" She moved her neck and snapped her fingers.

"Yes booboo, I can make a hurricane, tornado, and tropical storm look like a calm day. I just don't make it rain, I can control the weather."

"You sound like a white boy," she said laughing.

"Damn girl, why you gotta call me out like dat? Just don't tell the fellas, I'm undercover."

We both broke out into a fit of laughter.

In her Madea voice she said, " boy yous crazy."

"Crazy for you!"

"What time is your practice silly?"

"Tonight at nine and then again at ten am tomorrow. The game is in two days so we cut the practices into two sets until then. I'm going to stay and workout after tomorrow's session since I missed yesterday."

"Well I'm going to work on my licensing application tonight, my resume and watch Netflix. How about I fix you my seafood veggie omelet when you come home?"

"Looking forward to it."

"We should do our own cookbook. Lizzy and Sean's Sensational Recipes."

"I'll let you handle that. I'm just glad to be waking up to you every morning."

"Even with my funky breath and the bride of Frankenstein hair?"

I chuckled. "That's the best part." She laughed at herself.

The doorbell chimed.

"It's probably Jarreau."

"Wait!"

"What is it?"

"Hello!" She stood up.

"Damn!" was all I could say. She was wearing booty shorts and a t-shirt. Why hadn't I noticed before? I put my mind in reverse. I was cooking, she came down and sat at the kitchen table, oh yeah my chairs have high backs and I didn't notice her bottom half, well not until she just stood at her full height. Note to self... pay more attention!

I felt pressure below, Big Sean was popping with joy.

"Eyes up here. Let me go change."

"Oh hell no!"

She looked at me crazy.

"I can just meet him at practice and handle my business upstairs instead. At times, I have to keep up with my husbandly duties, you know I take them very seriously."

"Oh, you want some of this?" She licked her lips in a seductive way. She kissed me on the bottom of my neck and ran her tongue up to my chin. Then she blew her warm breath and a cool sensation sent a chill all the way down to my manhood. "And you want me to handle this too?" She ran her hand across my bulge softly kissing me around my cheek.

"Damn girl! Just go up and I'll be right up."

She turned and twisted her way up the stairs. Nice, thick, plump, butt cheeks begging for my attention. I had to count as I walked to the door.

"Hey man," Jarreau said walking in.

"What's up?"

"Mane, I saw Sam with Shae today. Where is Lizzy?"

"She's upstairs."

"They were coming out the Gucci store and she was getting in his car. Homey drives a grey Aston Martin Vanquish with red leather seats, right?"

"That's him. Oh shit!" I grabbed my phone and dialed Shae but she didn't pick up.

"Do you think he might have done something to her?"

"I don't know. We just found out that Sam is Lizzy's biological father."

Jarreau's eyes got so big I thought they were going to pop from the sockets. "Ah snap, that bitch is about to get popped. Gawd damn." He covered his mouth. "She done fucked with the wrong mutherfuckingone!" He made the sign of the cross.

"He wouldn't...shit he would. Damn!"

"She might as well get her tombstone ready."

"Don't say that. This could end up being a mess." I tried calling Sam but he wouldn't pick up.

"I got the perfect eulogy," J said clearing his throat.

"Shae was once known as a bitch,

Who thought she would marry somebody rich.

But Papa Sam got in that ass,

and beat her like a Lich.

So we weren't surprised when we found her in a ditch,

Because she only ended up being a stupid old glitch." He took a bow. "Thank you ladies and gents, that was an original by yours truly." He laughed.

"Not funny."

"I thought you would like the computer geek line, she was just a glitch. Damn I'm good!"

"Hello? He killed the people who killed Lizzy's biological mother, Elle."

He immediately stopped laughing. "Oh shit, you forreals man?"

"Yes."

"Well like my grandmo use to say, "you make your bed, you must lie in it.""

"I should go and see if she's at the house."

"Man that girl probably partying somewhere. Sam wouldn't kill her, he wouldn't go that far unless..., nawh to close to home."

"Remember when you said you thought Sam was an assassin?"

"Yeah." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Um he is."

"Well at least you don't have to worry about her if she is dead. He'll probably chop the body up and feed it to the alligators. No worries." He hit me on the shoulder.

"I don't need this right now."

"Well this could be your blessing in disguise. You will never guess who called me today."

"Who?"

"Anita. She wants to have coffee. She's cute but I'm sure she probably has something up her sleeve. I heard she into chicks. Jarvis told me he was at a party and the door to the bathroom was locked. Two minutes later Anita comes out with lipstick smeared and this other chick came out looking flushed. Two and two equals four to me. She probably trying to get some 411 on somebody."

"Isn't she friends with Shae?"

"Might be. All the hoochies hang out together. Make sure you keep Lizzy faraway from them."

"Oh shit, speaking of Lizzy, I will be right back."

I ran up the stairs and opened the bedroom door. Lizzy was laying on the bed damn near naked. She had taken off her t-shirt and booty shorts. Only thing remotely close to clothing was the purple lace thong.

"Is Jarreau still here?"

Big Sean was going crazy below. He was pushing so hard to get free.

"Yesssss," I poked my lip out.

"Then you betta close the door, boo."

I did with no hesitation.

She leaned up on her hands and knees turning to face the window. Damn that ass was a sight to see.

"I'm horny. You better make it quick, and make it count or I will talk..."

She didn't get to finish her statement as I gave her exactly what she wanted and needed. I teased her at first and then we both succumbed. I kissed her on the back of her neck.

"You better go. That should hold me for a little while. I bettchu Jarreau has probably finished the rest of our food."

"There is more in the oven."

"Good, that chicken is calling my name since I didn't get to finish it." She laughed and her stomach started to growl.

I backed away putting on my jeans.

"Jarreau mentioned that he saw Shae getting in the car with Sam today."

"Oh really?"

"Do you know anything about this?"

"No. Why would I?" She put her top back on.

"Do you think it might have been a coincidence? Or a setup?"

"Probably a coincidence. I mean, I have mentioned Shae to him and all the dirty bullshit she's tried. I've never described her, wait...he saw her picture at the police station when she tried to blame me for those fakeass bruises. Fake news hoe! As far as them meeting, I don't know anything about it."

"Do you think he would hurt her?"

"I doubt it, well unless she tries to push up on him. Shae is a gold digger, he has money, who knows? She's a bottom feeder, I don't believe he would kill her if that's what you're thinking."

"If you know anything, you need to tell me. I don't want to see anyone get hurt. Believe me, I want to see her and Michael taken out the game but not killed."

"Like I said, I don't know anything. I'll call him, okay."

I nodded. She crawled over to her phone and all I could see was her lace thong and where it disappeared. I could definitely go another round.

"Voicemail. Hey Sam it's Lizzy, can you call me when you get a chance. Someone saw you and Shae together today and now she isn't answering her phone. I'm not accusing you of harming her but... do what you want to her."

"Lizzy!" I shouted.

"Fine! If you could bring her back in one piece or a thousand, doesn't matter to me..."

I grabbed her phone and the voicemail clicked off.

"Really Liz?" I tossed the phone on the bed.

"I was just playing. I took the Hippocratic Oath, remember? Even if I wanted to see her rot, I couldn't. She makes my shit hurt to be honest."

"Sam did too but it doesn't stop him."

"He's an exception to the rule, and he's old school, an eye for an eye."

I threw my hands up. "I need to go and check the house to see if she's there."

"You have practice in one hour."

"Shit!"

"Look, I'll go over there and check."

I narrowed my eyes at her.

"I swear to you. I will go check and report back. Scouts honor."

"You were never a Girl Scout."

"I was honored by them for Career Day a couple of years ago, so I'm a honorary one."

"Fine." I went over to the nightstand, grabbed the extra set of keys and wrote down the security codes. "Here you go."

"Let me shower first and then I will go, unless you want one more quickie for the road?" She licked her lips and ran her fingers down the front of her body.

"Yo Sean!" I could hear Jarreau yelling from downstairs.

I opened the door and yelled, "five more minutes! Lizzy trying to call Sam!"

"Your five minutes start now or we are going to be late. You gonna pay my $1000 fine if we are!"

"Cool!"

When I closed the door, Lizzy was right up on me. I picked her up and I finished where we left off.

Ten minutes and fifty-six seconds later, I jogged down the stairs with my workout bag in hand.

"Where's Lizzy? She's not coming down to say hello to her other best friend? She so rude."

"She's taking a shower so she can go and check in on Shae while we go to practice."

"Sure she is, you two nasty."

"What?"

"You changed your clothes, let me guess she ripped them off of you."

"No. I can't go in jeans to practice."

"Bruh, I know you. You have a shiny neck." He passed me a wet paper towel. "You have lip gloss all over your face and neck, hair sticking up on the sides and your cheeks are flushed. See if you were a black man like yours truly, people wouldn't have really noticed the pink cheeks and they would have thought you had vaseline on your skin to cover the ashyness. You need some sun, son." He laughed.

"Whatever, lets go."

We made it to the dome with four minutes to spare.

"Yo ass is lucky, I really was going to have you pay my fine. You timed that shit. You got seconds didn't you? I can see once but going back for the second time, damn bruh you trying to kill her. I mean you just got her and now you're trying to break her."

"Will you shut the hell up J."

"I'm just saying. Give the girl some slack, horny toad."

"It wasn't me, it was her initiating it both times."

"A freak marries another freak, equals the perfect combination. That means your babies will be freaks too. Generations of Gipson freakalinks." He started singing, Freaks of the Industry, by Digital Underground.

"I heard Gipson freaks," Peters said popping in the conversation. "What I miss?"

"Nothing. Jarreau being an egghead."

"That's all the time."

We walked in the team's auditorium and took our seats. Peters sat on the left and Jarreau on the right. Coach started with a prayer and we got down to business.

After about a hour going over formations, I could see Jarreau drawing on his pad but it wasn't the plays. That mini portrait looked a lot like the owner's daughter, Arianna Moretti. This dude was whipped. I had never seen him like this.

I wrote on the left side of his paper, Talk about me being WHIPPED, you got it bad my brother.

He wrote back, at least you getting some, I got calluses. He showed me his hand. I laughed so hard Peters nudged me. He had his finger up to his lips, shushing me.

"Sean would you like to add to this conversation? Coach asked.

"No, I'm good. Jarreau was sketching out some plays, and I told him they wouldn't work."

"Coach that's not true. I think you need to test Sean for a concussion, I think he is losing his mind."

"Ok gentlemen that's enough. We know how much you two love each other," he said and everyone started to giggle. I kissed Jarreau on the forehead and people cheered.

"Imma get yo ass back bro!" Peters and I laughed. JC made his way over.

"Hey lovebirds," he said and Peters started cracking up.

"Imma get you two mofos too."

"Who's on the sketch, Ja?" JC asked.

"Looks like Arianna to me. That's a pretty good drawing," Peters said holding it up.

"That's what I told him."

"Fuck y'all! That's not even her. I'm just messing around. Give me my damn notebook back PeePee Peters."

"Not funny Jarreau," he said narrowing his eyes at J. Peters had a bladder control problem when he started in the NFL but he had it under control nowadays.

"Man forget about her, she is off limits. You can talk as much Italian as you want but Marco will never let you have his daughter."

"Man shut up, I don't need the rest of the team knowing about this. Can y'all keep it on the down low," Jarreau said looking around. Everyone was getting up and heading to the locker room.

"How does that En Vogue song go? Oh, never gonna get it, never gonna get it , never gonna get it!" Peters sang. Jarreau balled up the paper and hit him in the mouth.

We all got up and chuckled walking to the locker room. The moment I walked in, my phone rang, it was Lizzy.

"Hello?"

"She's not here. There's some shopping bags from Gucci on the bed. Looks like she took a shower as it's warm in the bathroom."

"That's strange. Can you send me the video from the alarm camera? I wrote the code down and the panel is in the guest room behind the television on the wall."

"Sean you are making this out to be more than what it is. She's probably at a club somewhere. She hasn't bothered us, so let her be."

"I will let it go when you send the video."

"Fine, I will send it to you."

"Thank you."

"You're not welcome. I'm so tired of this hoe and her antics."

"I love you."

"Whatever!" She hung up.

"You are doing the most. If she ran off, let her be. You need to be focused on Lizzy not Shae."

"Something just feels off."

"Do you have feelings for her?"

"What? Hell no!"

"You acting like you do. You wanted Shae out of your life, l-e-t her ass go. I repeat, let her go or Lizzy will walk."

"I want her to pay but not with her life."

"You always think the worse of people just let it go man." Jarreau walked off leaving me in guilt.

I put on my practice uniform.