Saturday morning started with Maya knocking on my hotel room door at 8 AM sharp, Tayanna bundled up in her carrier like she was ready for an adventure.
"Rise and shine, godfather," Maya said when I opened the door. "This baby wants to see where her college fund is gonna come from."
I looked down at Tayanna, who was wide awake and alert, those big dark eyes taking in everything around her. She was wearing a little pink outfit that said "Daddy's Girl" on it, and my chest got tight seeing it.
"Good morning, beautiful," I said to her, and I swear she smiled at the sound of my voice.
"She knows you already," Maya said, shifting the carrier. "Look how she lights up when you talk."
We grabbed breakfast in the hotel restaurant - Maya with some fancy eggs Benedict while I stuck with pancakes and bacon. Tayanna sat in her carrier, occasionally making little sounds that had both of us stopping our conversation to stare at her like she'd said something profound.
"So what's the plan for today?" Maya asked, cutting her eggs with one hand while keeping the other on Tayanna's carrier.
"Campus tour first. Then I want to introduce you to some of my teammates. Maybe we can catch them at the rec center - Saturdays they usually run pickup basketball."
"Basketball too? This place really got everything."
"Wait until you see it."
The walk across campus was different with Maya and Tayanna there. Students kept looking at us - not hostile, just curious. A young Black guy with a baby was probably not something they saw every day at Malibu Prep.
"Damn, Jakari," Maya said as we walked past the library. "This place is unreal. It's like a movie set."
"I felt the same way when I first got here. Still feels weird sometimes."
"Good weird or bad weird?"
I thought about it as we walked. "Both, I guess. Like, I got access to things I never dreamed of. But also, I'm always aware that I'm different from everyone else here."
Maya adjusted Tayanna's blanket as we walked. "Different how?"
"These kids never had to worry about anything. Their biggest stress is what college they're gonna get into, not whether they gonna eat tonight. They complain about having to fly commercial instead of private jet. They got vacation houses and trust funds and shit I can't even imagine."
"But you belong here just as much as they do."
"Some days I feel that. Other days..." I shrugged. "Other days I feel like I'm playing dress-up in someone else's life."
We stopped in front of the athletic center, and Maya whistled low.
"This is where you train?"
"Every day. Want to see inside?"
The facility was buzzing even on Saturday morning. About twenty football players were in the weight room, getting their optional workout in. The basketball courts had pickup games going. The swimming pool had actual lap swimmers doing serious training.
"Jakari!" Tyler Brooks called out when he saw us walking through. He was coming out of the weight room, sweating and looking like he'd been putting in work. "Is this the famous goddaughter?"
"Yeah, man. Tyler, this is Maya and Tayanna."
Tyler's whole demeanor changed when he saw the baby. His face softened and he got that look people get around newborns.
"Oh my god, she's beautiful," he said, leaning down to look at Tayanna. "How old is she?"
"Three months," Maya said proudly.
"She looks just like Jakari."
"Actually, she looks like her daddy," Maya corrected gently. "My best friend who passed away. Jakari's her godfather."
I watched Tyler process that information, seeing him understand a little more about my life back home.
"I'm sorry for your loss," he said to Maya. "But she's got a great godfather. This dude's been working his ass off out here."
"Language around the baby," Maya said automatically, but she was smiling.
"Sorry. But for real, Jakari's been impressing everyone. On the field and in the classroom."
We walked through more of the facility, Maya asking questions about everything. The training room with its ice baths and massage tables. The film room where we studied game tape. The nutrition center where they planned our meals.
"Y'all got a nutritionist?" Maya asked, incredulous.
"Three of them," I said. "They track everything we eat, make sure we're getting the right nutrients for peak performance."
"What they got you eating?"
"Lot of lean protein, complex carbs, vegetables. Nothing too crazy, just optimized for recovery and energy."
Maya shook her head. "Tay would've loved this. He was always trying to eat better, talking about how nutrition affected performance."
At the mention of Tayshawn's name, we all got quiet for a moment. But then Tayanna made one of her little sounds, and the mood lifted.
"Want to see the field?" I asked.
The football field was perfect even in the offseason. Grass that looked like it belonged at a professional stadium, sidelines painted crisp and clean, scoreboards that were bigger than some high school gyms.
"This is where you play?" Maya asked, walking to the middle of the field.
"Every Friday night. Still getting used to it."
Maya set Tayanna's carrier down on the 50-yard line and took a picture.
"Tayanna's first football field," she said. "Daddy would've wanted her to see where her godfather plays."
I picked up the carrier and held it so Tayanna could see the field stretching out in front of her.
"This is where godfather's gonna make his money, baby girl," I said to her. "So he can take care of you and your mama."
Tayanna looked around with those alert eyes, taking it all in like she understood every word.
"You think she knows?" Maya asked.
"Knows what?"
"How much you love her already. How hard you're working for her."
I looked down at Tayanna, this little person who represented everything I was working toward.
"I hope so. But I'll make sure she knows when she gets older."
We spent the rest of the morning walking around campus. Maya was fascinated by everything - the oceanfront location, the perfect landscaping, the students who dressed like they were going to country club events.
"These kids really live like this every day?" she asked as we watched some students playing tennis on courts that looked like they belonged at Wimbledon.
"Pretty much. It's all they know."
"And they just... accept you?"
I thought about that question. "Some do. Others are still figuring me out. But I'm earning their respect, slowly."
"Good. Don't let them change who you are, but don't be too proud to learn from them either."
We were walking past the library when I spotted Isabella Rodriguez sitting at one of the outdoor tables, laptop open, working on what looked like an article.
"Yo, Isabella!" I called out.
She looked up and smiled when she saw me, then her eyes went to Maya and Tayanna with curiosity.
"Hey, Jakari. You're not supposed to be this put-together on a Saturday morning," she said, closing her laptop and walking over.
"Isabella, this is Maya, my... uh..." I realized I'd never really figured out how to introduce Maya to people. "This is Maya, she's like my sister. And this is my goddaughter, Tayanna."
"Oh my god, she's adorable," Isabella said, immediately gravitating toward the baby. "How old is she?"
"Three months," Maya said, watching the interaction between me and Isabella with interest.
"And you're visiting from Chicago?" Isabella asked Maya, but I could see her stealing glances at me.
"Yeah, first time in California. Wanted to see where this fool is living now."
Isabella laughed. "He's adjusting well. Made quite an impression on the football team and in classes."
I could feel Maya studying both of us, and when Isabella looked back at her laptop for a second, Maya gave me that knowing look that said she was about to start some shit.
"So Isabella," Maya said with a grin that I recognized as trouble, "you're the one who did that article about Jakari?"
"Yeah, it's coming out in next week's paper."
"That's so sweet. And you're friends with him?"
"We are," Isabella said, glancing at me. "He's... different from most guys here. In a good way."
Maya's grin got wider. "Oh, he's different alright. This boy been different his whole life. Always had girls trying to figure him out."
"Maya," I said in a warning tone, but she ignored me.
"You should've seen him in Chicago. Girls would be calling the house all hours, trying to get his attention. But he was always too focused on football and taking care of everybody else."
Isabella was trying not to smile, but I could see she was enjoying this.
"Really? He seems pretty focused here too."
"Mhmm," Maya said, bouncing Tayanna gently. "Always been that way. But I think California might be good for him. Help him... open up to new experiences."
I felt my face getting hot. "Alright, we should probablyโ"
"Oh no, don't leave on my account," Isabella said, clearly amused. "I was just working on an article about campus life. This is perfect research."
Maya's eyes lit up. "You want to interview me? I got stories about this fool that would make your article way more interesting."
"Maya, I swear to Godโ"
"Language around the baby," Maya said automatically, then turned back to Isabella. "But for real, you should come have dinner with us tonight. Jakari's been talking about you."
"I have not," I protested, but both of them were looking at me like they didn't believe a word.
"I'd love to," Isabella said. "If you're sure you don't mind me crashing your family time."
"Girl, please. I want to hear more about what Jakari's been up to out here. And I want to see if these California girls can keep up with him."
The way Maya said "California girls" while looking directly at Isabella made her meaning crystal clear.
"I should get back to my article," Isabella said, gathering her laptop. "But text me about dinner? I know a good place."
After she walked away, Maya turned to me with the biggest smile I'd seen from her since she got here.
"Jakari got himself a little girlfriend," she sang quietly.
"It ain't like that. We just friends."
"Uh-huh. And I'm just the Queen of England." Maya shifted Tayanna to her other arm. "Boy, that girl was looking at you like you hung the moon."
"You trippin'."
"And you was looking at her the same way." Maya started walking toward the hotel. "Plus, she's pretty. Smart. Seems like she got her head on straight. I approve."
"There ain't nothing to approve of."
"Yet," Maya said with a knowing look. "But there will be. Trust me, I can tell these things."
As we walked back toward the hotel for Tayanna's afternoon nap, Maya kept teasing me about Isabella.
"So when y'all first meet?" she asked.
"Like two weeks ago. She interviewed me for the school paper."
"And y'all been hanging out since then?"
"We had coffee once. And we study together sometimes."
"Study," Maya repeated with a smirk. "That what we calling it now?"
"For real, Maya, it ain't like that. She's just... cool. Easy to talk to."
"I bet she is. And I bet she thinks you're pretty cool too."
Back at the hotel, while Maya was getting Tayanna settled for her nap, I checked my phone.
Better Men
Dre: yooo just saw coach holloway in the hallway and he actually nodded at me instead of looking disgusted ๐
Rico: progress lmao. these kids be wearing me out but its fun
Marcus: bro coach put me on varsity! im shitting bricks
Me: yooo Marcus! thats huge
Dre: holy shit really?? ๐
Rico: YESSIRRRR get that bag
Marcus: its just varsity but still
Me: nah dont downplay it. you earned that
Dre: we really all doing our thing huh
Rico: jakari how the visit going? maya keeping you in line?
Me: she embarrassed me in front of this girl today
Dre: OOOOOOOOOOH ๐
Rico: what girl?? you aint tell us about no girl
Marcus: our boy got a shorty ๐
Me: yall annoying. its not like that
Dre: it never is until it is
Rico: is she fine tho? thats the real question
Me: ...yeah she fine
Dre: NIGGA SAID YEAH SHE FINE
Marcus: ๐๐๐ he down bad
Rico: california got my boy open
Me: fuck all yall
Dre: we need pictures
Rico: facts send the evidence
Marcus: better men but not better with girls ๐
Me: whatever. maya and the baby good tho. tayanna already got me wrapped around her finger
Rico: she supposed to. thats your baby girl
Dre: how maya doing for real?
Me: strong as always. proud of her
Marcus: tell her we said wassup
Rico: and tell her to stop embarrassing you in front of your girl
Me: ITS NOT MY GIRL
Dre: yet ๐
Looking at those messages, I couldn't help but smile. Even three thousand miles away, these fools could still get under my skin.
"She's down for her nap," Maya said, coming out of the bedroom. "And you're over there grinning at your phone like an idiot."
"Just the boys being stupid."
"They asking about Isabella?"
"How youโ" I stopped myself. "Never mind. Yeah, they being dumb about it."
"Good. That means they care about you being happy." Maya sat down on the couch next to me. "And for what it's worth, I think she likes you too."
"What makes you so sure?"
"The way she looked at you. The way she was trying not to smile when I was telling those stories. Plus, she agreed to dinner pretty quick."
I thought about that. Isabella had seemed genuinely interested in spending more time with us, and not just for research purposes.
"I don't know, Maya. This whole situation is complicated enough without trying to figure out girls too."
"Jakari, you're seventeen years old. You're supposed to be figuring out girls. That's like, half of high school."
"Not when I got all this other stuff going on."
"Especially when you got all this other stuff going on." Maya's voice got more serious. "You can't just work and study and train all the time. You need... normal teenage stuff too. Friends, maybe a girlfriend, experiences that don't have anything to do with football."
I looked toward the bedroom where Tayanna was sleeping.
"I got responsibilities."
"And you're handling them. But that doesn't mean you can't have a life too." Maya reached over and squeezed my arm. "Tay would want you to be happy, not just successful."
"You think so?"
"I know so. That boy was always talking about you finding someone good for you. Someone who could match your energy and keep you grounded."
As the sun started to set over the Pacific, I felt something shift inside me. Maybe Maya was right. Maybe I could handle my responsibilities and still have normal teenage experiences.
The progress bar had moved slightly, but I was starting to understand that the real progress wasn't just about football.