What's Love?

What’s Love? Selflessness.

Olive Walker dreamed of being a doctor ever since she was ten years old. Nothing mattered more to her, that is until she met Dontral Martin, who would contribute to changing her life forever.

January 1, 2020

Olive was lounging on the leather sectional sofa, in the posh living room of her west side Detroit apartment. The thirty-year-old African in America woman was dressed casually as she sipped a glass of red wine and listened to smooth instrumental jazz. As she enjoyed the moment, she flashed back to a time in her life she could never forget.

Spring 2008

Olive was a senior at Cass Technical High School, which was on the west side of Detroit. The jet-black beauty was arguably the smartest person in the entire school. She prided herself on enhancing her intellect as often as possible. Not only was she smart, but she was fast as well, so much so that her speed earned her a spot on the school’s track and field team.

Olive would focus her attention on the hundred-yard dash, which she felt would showcase her gift accordingly. For four hours a day, she and her coach worked on the technique they both felt would complement her phenomenal speed. After only three months, the five-foot-seven, hundred and thirty-five-pound young woman appeared as if she was ready to take her show to the Olympic Games. No one in her chosen field came close to defeating her. Each win was more impressive than the next. Outside of enhancing her intellect, nothing mattered more to her than family, becoming a doctor, and running, until Dontral Martin set his sights on her.

Dontral Martin was the quarterback for Cass Technical High School’s varsity football team. The African in America was tall, dark, and handsome, all of which made him the apple of almost every young woman’s eye at school. But his primary focus was on preparing himself for an NFL career, that is until he saw Olive Walker.

Dontral and a few of his friends attended a track meet between their beloved Cass Tech and Northwestern High School, which was being hosted by the latter of the two schools. Until this day, Dontral never attended an event of this nature. He was too focused on trying to be the best at what he loved doing. Though he and Olive attended the same school they had never met, but unlike him, she did at least know of him. How could she not when he seemed to be all her girlfriends ever wanted to talk about. Plus, she’d seen him frequently and each time, she was glad she had.

Olive was a part of two events, the hundred-yard dash of course, and the 4x400 meters relay, where she would run the anchor leg. Her participation in the 4x400 was because of her coach, who sold her on the idea after saying it would double her chances of claiming gold at the Olympics.

Though there were some impressive performances on the track this day, they all paled compared to Olive’s. She came to leave with her name living in everyone’s memory. As she and her teammates celebrated their victories amid their schoolmates, Dontral made his way to her.

“Phenomenal performance, beautiful,” Dontral said smoothly. He flashed a winning smile afterward.

“Thank you, Dontral,” Olive said casually. She revealed her impressive smile.

And this is how two people ended up becoming like one person. Every spare second Olive and Dontral had was spent in the presence of one another. They shared their hopes and dreams, which would now include the talk of marriage and starting a family, once the timing was right.

Just over a month after meeting one another, Olive and Dontral made love, which would be the first experience for both of them. Seeing that the incident in question was spur-of-the-moment, protection wasn’t used. Three weeks after the fact, Dontral was killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. Devastated by this news, Olive attempted to take her own life by slitting her wrist. But fortunately for her, her father had just come home from work and went to check on her, as he always did. He rushed her to the hospital, and her life was saved.

Olive would discover she was pregnant, which was joyous, as well as sad news. She wanted to keep her unborn child, because of the love she had/has for his/her father. But she was also thinking about the other part of her life, where she wanted to be a doctor and an Olympic champion. She talked about her situation with her parents, who both gave her the advice they felt she needed to hear.

The doctor came into the examination room, where Olive had been waiting nervously for just over thirty minutes. After having weighed her options considerably, she decided with a heavy heart to abort her unborn child.

“I have to ask you one last time, Olive. Are you sure this is what you want to do?” The doctor said softly. Her expression was one of concern, like that of one a mother would display concerning her child.

“I can’t sleep.”

Olive’s trip down memory lane was interrupted by the unexpected revelation. She now stared at her twelve-year-old son, Dontral Walker, who was the spitting image of his namesake.

“Aww, come to Mommy, my baby.” Olive held her arms out towards her son, who ran into them immediately. She hugged him as if doing so was the only thing keeping her alive.

Though Olive wouldn’t make her Olympic dream a reality, she would become a doctor. The fact she wanted the best for her child, which her love for his father fueled her determination, brought about her change of heart the day she decided to deny him an opportunity to live. She sacrificed living one of her dreams for the greater good, which was a decision both her parents were pleased she made.

What’s love? Sacrifice.