Page 4 of All In

“Well, I understand where Zambia’s coming from. When I admitted Max into the school, it was strictly as a favor to Syxe. I had my reservations, of course. He comes from a single-parent household, no father, and his mother—while well-meaning, is a bit of a wildcard.” She paused.

“Her record isn’t egregious, but it’s not clean either. Shoplifting, fraud, a few minor assaults. That says something.” Cash’s grip tightened around his glass.

“Which explains Max’s behavior and his emotional temperament,” his mother continued. “He’s struggling academically, just as we predicted. The Philadelphia public school system failed him early. And Jackie, while clearly trying, isn’t…equipped. She doesn’t have the structure.”

“She’s doing her best,” Cash muttered. “Perhaps,” his mother acknowledged. Zambia snorted into her glass. “Seemed like she got real tense when the engagement came up… as if she’d ever—”

“As if she’d ever what?” Cash cut in, finally locking eyes with her.

Zambia blinked, caught off guard. “Cassius,” his mother warned, her tone sharpening. “Nobody’s judging your little friend.” Cash’s chest rose and fell once, then again. Zambia lifted her glass with that petty little smile she got when she smelled blood. Cash knew what this really was about. Zambia had noticed him watching Jackie all night. And his mother? Shewasn’t coming from the same jealous place, but the message was still loud and clear.Jackie brown was less than.

“But some things are bigger than effort, Cassius,” his mother continued.

“She’s not college educated. I’m not even sure she has a GED.”

“ She doesn’t have a stable family network, no consistent male presence and I’m sorry on paper her parenting just seems… reactive. And Max mimics that.”

“Ok, surely she’s not the first woman to fight her way out of circumstances she didn’t create alone,” Cash said, voice low and tense. “And I admire her for that. You didn’t have to bring up Max’s file tonight.”He exhaled sharply.“It felt like a pile-on.”

“Cassius,” his mother said, measured, “she’s been ducking our attempts to schedule a behavioral evaluation for weeks. I’m sorry, but sometimes you must seize the opportunity when it presents itself.”

Cash could not take one more smug smile or passive-aggressive jabmaskedasconcern.They were dissecting Jackie like she was a fucking case study, and he refused to listen to another second of it.

“I need some air,” he said tightly, already stepping off toward the exit before either of them could respond.The air outside wascooler andquieter. Like the city itself was trying to give him space to breathe. Cash stepped around the corner of the shop, jaw tight, trying to collect himself before he went inside and said something he couldn’t take back. That’s when he saw her.Jackie.She was crouched low near the sidewalk, one hand gripping a piece of neon chalk as she wrote in cursive across the brick-lined edge. Max stood beside her, fidgeting with a half-broken blue stick in his small hand. Cash stopped and just watched. Her heels were kicked off, tucked behind her in the grass. Her dress was hiked just enough for her to kneelcomfortably, and the slow, careful movement of her shoulders did something to him. “Mommy, you think your car gon’ start tonight?” Max asked, his voice soft with worry.

Jackie didn’t look up. She kept writing. “I hope so, baby.”

“Me too,” Max whispered. Something in his tone made Cash’s chest tighten. Jackie reached over and ruffled his hair. “Auntie Syxe said I can have iced coffee after we put everything back later,” Max added proudly. “Boy, I’m not giving you no damn coffee,” Jackie said, laughing gently.

Max giggled and wrapped his arms around her waist. Then he stilled.

“Mommy… was you crying earlier?” Jackie’s hand froze mid-stroke.

She looked down, then forced a small smile.

“We all were,” she said softly. “The ceremony was beautiful.”

“Not then,” Max said. “After.” Jackie’s breath hitched, and that’s when her eyes lifted and met Cash’s. Max stood, brushing his hands together, unaware of the tension settling between them.

“Go inside and wash your hands,” Jackie said, her voice calm but tight.

“We ’bout to get ready to pack up.”

“Okay.” As Max passed him, he looked up. Coach Cash.” Cash nodded.

“Go ’head. I’ll see you inside.” Max disappeared, leaving them alone in the cool night air. Jackie leaned back against the brick wall, arms folded across her middle, still not looking at him. “You okay?” Cash asked quietly. “Yeah.” She said voice barely audible. Cash stepped closer, giving her the option to move if she wanted. She didn’t. Then he spoke. “You don’t gotta front with me,” he said after a beat. Jackie’s lips pressed into a thin line. She still wouldn’t meet his eyes. “I’m fine,” she said again, but her voice cracked this time. Cash nodded slowly, theweight on his chest pressing deeper. She was unraveling, and trying to hold it all together with chalk, caffeine promises, and a little boy who knew just enough to ask the hard questions with a soft voice. “I ain’t mean for you to find out like that,” Cash said.

Jackie’s eyes snapped up finally. Her expression blank, but something flickered there—anger, hurt, maybe both. “You could’ve told me,” she said.

“That would’ve been decent.”

“I didn’t know how.”

“You knew how to not say shit, though.”

He didn’t respond.Couldn’t.

Jackie pushed off the wall and grabbed her shoes, dusting chalk off her dress.