Garden Kisses

Chapter 4

I watched the football fly through the air. Addonis had shot it through the air after evading an intimidating tackle from his opponent. It sailed flawlessly across the field and landed with precision into the moving hands of the receiver downfield. The receiver was soon tackled not too long after getting the ball but for some reason the crowd went wild when Addonis through the ball and its energy crescendoed till the player was taken down. I followed their excitement with a small happy dance of my own.
I honestly knew nothing about football. My husband loved the game to its core and could explain every detail of it but I never found any interest in the game itself. Despite that, I always wanted to show my support for Addonis. Before, I would be at every game, screaming my lungs out every time Addonis had the ball but now I found myself going to the games less often. There was no need for my presence. This wasn’t like in Addonis’ college football days, when he would run to me at the sidelines, kissing and embracing me, lifting me into the air like his own personal good luck charm. Now, Addonis played for the crowd and his team. I would be in the VIP booth, as he insisted he did not want to see me in the stands as we were “better than that now”. My only company was usually the other clueless trophy wives and their trophy kids in the executive lounge. There would be other officials and VIPs in the lounge but they were usually of no interest to me as they were caught up in their trophy world.
It would have been best to call the lounge a trophy box, where superstars placed their gold accolades on display. I guess, to other women this would be a dream come true but for me I felt unwanted and disregarded. Addonis no longer shared his passion with me. I was not the first person he wanted to run to after winning a game. He shared his joy with his teammates, the crowd, and the cheerleaders who I could see flirting with him from on the big screen. Even after the initial celebration, Addonis would not remember me. He developed a habit of leaving the stadium with his boys after the game, never checking to see if I had even come to watch him play.
I remember the first time that happened. I waited in the VIP lounge for two hours after the game, waiting for Addonis to pop in and give me his victory kiss. He never came. I went home that night with a broken heart. That was the last time I waited for Addonis after a game, thankfully, since he never searched for me again.
“Zinnia? Where’s your mind at? You missed it!” Trisha butted into my trend of thought, gripping my arm and pointing at the big flat-screen that hovered over the viewing window. Trisha was one of the few trophy wives whom I liked. She was a sweet kind-hearted soul who grew up and lived on a farm until her husband met her and stole her heart. Her husband was a close friend of Addonis’ and also his teammate.
I looked up at the screen and saw Addonis running down the field in celebration with his tag-team, Ronod (Trisha’s husband).
“That was the best way to end the game!” Trisha said dreamily, watching her husband celebrate in grand style.  “Both our guys were amazing! Did you see that?”
I had missed the moment, but it was not hard to figure out that Addonis and Ronod had scored the final points to win the game in some manner of epic collaboration. Addonis turned to the cheerleaders and flexed his muscles after doing a back-flip. I could see them melting for him. A pang of jealousy rose in my chest. Before I could say anything Trisha interrupted my thoughts again.
“Oh! He’s so sweet!” She cooed, gripping my arm and pointing at her husband on the screen. He had turned towards the VIP lounge and stood proudly, blowing kisses with both hands at his wife whom he was sure had seen the exquisite play. I felt slightly embarrassed and jealous, but I was still happy for my friend. Almost all the other trophy wives in our trophy box giggled and cooed at the display of affection. It was a refreshing reminder of a romantic relationship that each one of us had owned and longed to have more of.
“He’s always blowing kisses at me.” Trisha blushed. She looked around shyly at the rest of the women in the room who had all slipped into their romantic daydreams.
“Oh please…” A rude sarcastic comment tore through the energy of the room. “You should see the kinds of kisses he blows for his sluts in the club.” The comment harshly caught everyone’s attention. We all turned to see which bitch had said it. It was a woman named Marley Cummings, a jaded and bitter wife who had been married for ten years to Jason Cummings (a linebacker for the LA Rams).
“…what? What are you talking about?” Trisha asked, confused, and embarrassed.
“Sooo… what? You thought he blows these kisses just for you, baby?” Marley laughed. “It’s live TV you dumbass, every female fan is kissing their screen right now.”
“Look! Ronod isn’t some shallow prick like your husband. Don’t drag him into your bitterness.” Trisha snapped back, with the finesse of a shy farm girl.
“Ha!” Marley squealed. “You are so clueless aren’t you? I’m pretty sure I saw him blow that same kiss last night at the strip club to one of the strippers.” Marley stared at Trisha with an evil smirk on her face. She always took pleasure in spreading negativity and rumors. I could see she was enjoying tormenting Trisha with this new information.
“Marley can you just shut the fuck up?” I piped in. I had enough of it. “Not because you’re not happy with your marriage doesn’t give you the right to spread rumors about others.”
“Zi Zi boo I think you’re the one who should watch her mouth. Matter of fact you might even want to wash it out, if you kissed your husband recently… I know for a fact his face was buried in skank pussy.”
I stood up. Oh no she didn’t…
“Bitch! Do you want to talk about my husband now?  Everyone knows your marriage is shit… walking around here like you’re THAT bitch when you can’t even keep your man from groping your friends. I don’t need to listen to your lies... Nobody does.”
“Ha! Lies? Let me tell you something. I know my husband isn’t shit. He never was and never will be. But that motherfucker has money. I live how I want and fuck who I want. I couldn’t care less about which woman he tries to embarrass himself with. And I’m not lying girl! My brother owns the club that YOUR husband likes the most.” Marley revealed with an irritated swing of her blonde head. “I can usually see him at the front sitting closest to the stripper poles, covered in escorts and groupies. Hell, last night, I even served him a bottle of champagne just so I could get a closer look and make sure it was him that kept planting his face in stripper pussy. He was buried so far in there, he didn’t even notice me.”
The room got quiet. I realized that Marley wasn’t just spouting a rumor from her ass. She spoke with the conviction of someone who knew everything. I knew that she was probably telling the truth. Addonis had not come home till the early morning. He was “out with the boys”. I felt a rage build within me.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” I shouted as I began to make my way towards Marley’s neck. Trisha jumped up and stood between us. The other women sat down in silence, watching.
“Woah! Calm down now, Zinnia. I’m not looking to fight you. You’re the one who jumped on my case. Listen, I’m not lying about anything I’m only saying facts. You can’t expect me to sit here and listen to you women take a trip to a fantasy world when I know fully well what’s going on. Grow up! You’re married to a superstar so either deal with it or move on.”
“You think that makes it okay to shoot that kind of stuff out in the open? Why can’t you just shut your mouth and mind your own damn business!” I was furious and embarrassed. This was not how I wanted to find out about Addonis being unfaithful.
“Look, I’m just saying it as it is.” Marley got up and clutched her handbag and turned to leave. The other women got up too and silently made their way outside. The game was over so there was no more reason to stay in the booth. The argument, too, was over. Trisha held me by my shoulders and looked me in the eyes.
“Are you okay?” she asked. I paused for a moment before responding to her and reassuring her that I was indeed okay. We both turned to look at the flat-screen display. The game highlights were being replayed. Trisha and I watched the screen as the clip of our husbands celebrating played from different angles. Addonis was smiling and flexing his muscles for the cheerleaders. They melted from the hot sight but I fumed. My rage suddenly reappeared in full force.
“I’ll kill him…” I said as I turned to walk out the door.
“What? Where are you going?” Trisha called behind me. I did not answer her. Instead, my focus was diverted to quickening my pace. I was on a mission to give Addonis a piece of my mind. Because of his foolishness I was embarrassed in front of all the wives of his colleagues. I knew that he would soon leave the stadium to go begin his celebrations. I needed to get him before that. There was no way I was going to let Addonis have the time of his life while I lay in bed with an empty wine bottle while I was filled to the brim with rage. Enough was enough.
I marched through the stadium heading straight to the changing room. A big burly man in black stood at the front door. He raised his hand at me, signaling to stop but he soon lowered his hand after taking one look at my face. I was pissed off. I marched straight passed him. He flattened himself on the wall, making space for me to pass, a look of sheer terror on his face.
“He’s still inside mam…” The security guard stuttered. It dawned on me that I was probably not the first wife to come marching into the locker room.
“Oh? So this is a regular thing?” I thought to myself as I flashed a mean look at the burly man who tried to make himself look as small as possible while I passed. I entered the room. Upon my entrance all the noise stopped. The murmuring and laughter settled down as each man turned to notice the scorn on my face.
“Addonis! Where are you!” I shouted, looking around me simultaneously. One of the men pointed in the direction of Addonis who stood in the corner on one foot in his boxers trying to put on his socks. I marched up to him, trying my best to control my emotions. He looked so confused.
“Get dressed. I need to talk to you now. We’re going home.” I commanded and turned to exit the room filled with half-naked superstars.
“Oh boy!” Some men jeered and snickered at the obvious drama brewing between the two of us.
“Can’t we talk later, babe? I was just about to go celebrate with the guys.” Addonis called out behind me. I turned slowly. I could not believe what I had just heard.
“Did I misspeak? Did I stutter?” I said as I advanced slowly towards Addonis.
“Dude, I think you should at least go outside and hear what she has to say.” Ronod piped in. “We’ll catch up after.”
“Shut the fuck up! I’m talking to Addonis. Stop pretending like you give a shit. You don’t have that same energy when he’s shoving pussy in his face at the club so shut the fuck up!” I screamed at Ronod. If only he knew how angry I was at him too.
“Woah! Ok, babe let’s go. Just let me get dressed and we can go home and talk…” Addonis said, realizing that the situation was dire. I stormed outside and stood up next to the wary security guard, waiting for Addonis.