Memoir | Klay Thompson

31 // The Aftermath

"You ready to go?" Cameron asked collecting Klay's extra items. Mychel, his eldest brother had been here a few days helping as he was now.

"Yeah I am." He smiled as she passed, but Cameron didn't see it. She just wanted to get him home and settled. Klay wasn't oblivious. He knew something was off but couldn't tell what. He wondered if something upset her over the last few days because although she spent most of her time in the room, she was far apart from him.

"Anything happen while I was out?" He asked Mychel. "Besides mom and dad? Not really."

"They were nice to her right?" He motioned to Cameron. "Considerably."

"What does that mean? First she tells me they were relatively nice to her and you're telling me this. There's no reason in the world to treat her any kind of way."

"Did they even know about her?"

"Mom did. I don't talk to dad about anything besides basketball." Klay shrugged, which was true. That's all his father wanted to talk about anyways.

"Maybe that's the problem? I don't know. Trayce did fine."

"Yes cause he knows everything about her."

Klay also didn't tell his older brother much. Mychel was in his own world. He didn't want to force himself to be around when being apart of the family wasn't in his best interest mentally. Due to his own career woes, he was the black sheep and stayed away for as long as he could.

The conversation ended with a mutual understanding. Neither wanted to talk anymore, especially not to each other. It wasn't out of anger or malice. Klay and Mychel knew their limits. Growing up they would rile each other up and over the years resulted in full stop non communication.

••••

Cameron would officially be starting her mini vacation today. She was working from home the whole week, and decided the best way to tend to Klay would be by not doing work. That also gave her time to rest.

"Do you want to change into something else?" She asked fluffing his pillows. "I'm good Ronnie. Can you lay with me?"

"Yeah, sure." Sliding off her sweats, she lays comfortably in her boy shorts and t-shirt. Klay pulls her in closer which causes her body to tense.

"Cameron, what's wrong?" She sighs before relaxing under him. "I'm tired, that's all. Are you okay?"

"I'll be better the moment I know what's bothering you."

Klay was abnormally calm. Usually he would be sulking in the house alone but for the first time he didn't feel alone. Cameron was there, someone who cared about him, he could feel it.

How would Cameron explain her apprehension? His actions and words didn't match. It scared her to be around him because she was hopelessly falling for him and knew she was bound to get hurt. This was a moment she needed to be home, focusing on herself.

"Worry about the fact that you're ashy under that cast." She joked trying to change the subject.

"Wow Ronnie, way to make me feel better." He dry chuckled. Klay snuggled more into her side knowing he was going to fall asleep in that position.

••••

"There's definitely something off about Cameron." Delia groaned as the poured her smoothie into a cup.

"Why are you so worried Lili?" Jordan asked giving her his full attention.

"Because outside of you, she's my best friend. I can tell something is up but she's not talking." She stood with her arms crossed over her chest. Jordan walked into the kitchen, taking her hands down.

"What can I do to get your mind off of it? You wanna go somewhere?" Delia didn't feel like going anywhere, she was tired herself. This was the first time they were in the same room alone, since that drunk phone call.

"No, I just wanna relax.." she shrugged. She placed the lids on the smoothies before making her way to the couch. She was glad to be home instead of at his house.

"We gotta talk anyways."

"About what?" She didn't bother to look at him, her focus was on the tv and finding something to watch. Jordan didn't like that so he quickly snatched the remote from her grasp. "Jordan, what was that for?"

"I wanted to do this delicately but I can't. I love you and I wanna be with you so what are we doing?"

Delia wanted to melt into the hardwood floors. Love? What could he possibly love about her? But Delia knew she loved Jordan too. Who wouldn't? He was attentive, caring, romantic and fun. He didn't judge her. He saw her for more than her past and accepted that.

"I love you too."

"Good, that's great to hear. I was gonna be mad as hell if you didn't." He joked leaning in to kiss her.

One couple was finally getting it together while the other had pieces to place together, one story at a time, one broken piece at a time.