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"Are you performing tonight ?"
Salice just nodded her head and picked around her food. I sighed and put down my fork.
"Salice just talk to me."
She shook her head and didn't say anything. It has been three weeks and I have yet to hear her voice. Salice changed and I don't know what to do or how to fix it.
"I gotta go to practice, are you coming to my game tonight ?"
She nodded. I stood up and kissed her forehead.
"I love you alright ?"
She nodded again and gave me a hug. I gave her hug before leaving. I went to Media Day and we had the next two hours to chill. I sighed , looking down at my messages to see no response from Salice.
"You good man ?" JaVale asked me.
"Yeah , I'm just confused right now."
"I feel the same with Giselle. Her and Salice been different since the death of their grandparents and Salice's dad popping up asking for money from the both of them surely didn't help."
"What ?"
"And the fact that Salice's mom death anniversary happened that same week too. How's she doing by the way ?"
I didn't say anything before getting up and walking out. I knew I wasn't supposed to but after the information JaVale gave me , I needed to talk to her. I pulled up to her house and saw her arguing with a man on her front porch.
"I need help !"
"And I needed a father ! " She cried out. Now I've seen Salice cry but this wasn't the crying I have seen before. The man sucked his teeth.
"I don't know why I wasted my time here."
"I don't know why I wasted trying to bring you back in my life when you do the same shit everytime."
"I'm done trying Salice. Now my family has to suffer."
"Like I'm not family."
"You aren't !"
Salice let tears raise in her eyes. I got out the car and slammed the door shut. The man turned around and looked at me in disgust.
"Have fun in life Salice , ruining the last bit of family you have."
"Just please leave." She begged. He walked past me and pushed his shoulder into mine. I ignored it and walked up the steps, pulling Salice inside. I sat her down.
"Salice , I need you to talk to me. I don't know what's going on with you."
She looked down and explained everything to me with moments of crying. She always told me her dad was dead and I found out why. When her mother died, he left her and took her little sister. He soon stopped seeing her and she hasn't seen him in five years. He popped up almost a month ago , wanting to reconnect and that turned into lies because he needed money for his new family. She took all he said for bullshit and kicked him out.
But the only thing that wasn't bullshit was that her grandma was in the hospital, along with her grandpa. Her and grandpa were close , he was one of the only male figures in her life and now he was gone along with her grandma. Salice told me about the letters they wrote to her before she died. She had to forgive them for what they done but their funeral was on the same day of the anniversary death of her mom.
Now her sister who hasn't really talked to her in years wants to reconnect and her absent father only talking to her for money after lying to her.
"Why didn't you tell me ?"
"I didn't want you to be bothered with my problems." She told me , sniffling into my chest.
"Your problems are my problems and it's vice versa. Never be afraid to talk to me."
"Okay."
I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her forehead.
"You should go to your game."
"You are more important right now." I told her, grabbing my phone. I dialed a number and Coach quickly picked up.
"Where are you ?"
"I have a family emergency and I can't make it to the game."
